I just acquired a Kyro 1 (Hercules) PCI w/ 64 MB for the Pentium Pro. Curious to test this with NT4.0.
First: SP6 and DX6.

VLIW wrote on 2024-08-26, 19:51:

I just acquired a Kyro 1 (Hercules) PCI w/ 64 MB for the Pentium Pro. Curious to test this with NT4.0.
First: SP6 and DX6.

It was always surprising that the old Kyro could hold up to some NVIDIA offerings (even if a bit slower)

I have a Kyro II - I like it because its blue.

But seriously, its kinda hard to go wrong with a video card for the DOS era. I have no idea about compatibility with KYRO and WINNT. That's my only reservation here.

Currently sorting out the sound adapters in the Pentium Pro. Forgot what a mess »PnP« in Windows of the 90s was.

Originally had a AWE64 PnP which worked fine in Win95 but refused to install properly in NT. Switched over to a Labway A151-A00 (YMF719E-S) which in turn works fine in NT but produces a BSoD in 95 when installing the drivers. Oh well. Will re-try the AWE64 on NT w/ a different install procedure.

Kyro, NT and DX6 will come after that.

Got the SoundBlaster AWE64 PnP on ISA working now on both W95 and NT4:

Windows NT 4.0: Use the AWENTPNP.EXE driver that is floating around (labeled as NT 3.51). Do NOT use the AWENT40.EXE.
Follow the procedure in
https://ftp.braindrainlan.nu/Drivers/Sound%20 … MP/W0002581.HTM

Windows 95: Used the SoundBlaster AWE64 Gold Drivers (CD) drivers, available on Vogons or at Phils.

NB: Using the Gold CD did not work on NT4, even though there are drivers labeled NT included. The AWENT40.EXE did not work either.

Forgot to add: SB AWE64 in question is a CT4520

Meanwhile, I did not manage to get the 120 GB Seagate to work with more than 8 GB on that system. Mainboard is a Siemens D983 with the latest BIOS V4.05 from '98. It seems proper support for larger disks had only been added later to V4.06 which was not made available for D983 - Scenic Pro D6.

For now stuck with 8 GB for dualbooting Win95 and NT.

@VLIW, could you make a picture of the PSU and especially of the motherboard's connectors?
I have the exact system but it was given to me without the PSU (so I never saw a PSU for such a system).
On the motherboard there are 3 connectors for PSU: the normal 6-pin P8 and P9 connectors and another 3.3 V 6-pin connectors.
Do you use a normal AT PSU or a modified one? Is your PSU connected to all 3 connectors?
Here is a picture of the connectors on my motherboard: Siemens Nixdorf Scenic Pro D6

Thanks in advance!

Excelsior wrote on 2024-08-29, 19:00:

@VLIW, could you make a picture of the PSU and especially of the motherboard's connectors?

Will check and take a snap next time I am that place. It still should be the original PSU though.

@Excelsior I finally got around to making a picture of the PSU connectors. Does that help?

Since the Pro D6 BIOS does not support HDs >8GB I had to do something to get more space. So I tried Ontrack Disk Manager.
That worked out quite well so far using the Ontrack boot floppy and partitioning the drive and copying over files.

2 GB FAT16 for booting/Win95, 2 GB FAT16 for NT4 and the rest for data w/ NTFS.

that power connection looks like a standard AT power connection with 3.3V aux.

VLIW wrote on 2024-09-23, 11:00:

@Excelsior I finally got around to making a picture of the PSU connectors. Does that help?

Thank you for the photo!

I have one last request: is it possible also to make a picture of the label of the PSU (where it mentions the details of the PSU)?

@ luckybob, do you know what changes must be made to a normal AT PSU in order to used it with this system? Or do I need a special AT PSU?

Excelsior wrote on 2024-09-24, 12:53:

I have one last request: is it possible also to make a picture of the label of the PSU (where it mentions the details of the PSU)?

See the PSU in the Siemens Pro D6 ~

Excelsior wrote on 2024-09-24, 12:53:

@ luckybob, do you know what changes must be made to a normal AT PSU in order to used it with this system? Or do I need a special AT PSU?

you should use ATX.

Pentium pro is in this awkward position between AT and ATX. You actually have a psudo-ATX supply in that system. If you use an AT power supply (or use an adapter) the system may work fine. But anything that uses 3.3v will not work. This might only be PCI slots. Or it could be both PCI slots and the RAM.

This was the big transition from 5v to 3.3.

They do make ATX to AT converters, that include the 3.3v aux connection, if you must replace the power supply, I would start here.

edit: in your pic, there is a 3-pin connection as well. Dollars to doughnuts, its +5vsb, pgood and the atx start signal wire. Its really a bastard PSU, and was common for pentium pro systems.

VLIW wrote on 2024-08-29, 18:51:

Mainboard is a Siemens D983 with the latest BIOS V4.05 from '98. It seems proper support for larger disks had only been added later to V4.06 which was not made available for D983 - Scenic Pro D6.

This isn't the version number of the BIOS you believe it is, the latest BIOS I could find is V4.05 R1.03.983 from 1999/09/03. V4.05 is some kind of version but the Release (R.103) is the important term! The last number represents the motherboard (D983). Unfortunately I couldn't find a working download. Maybe Fujitsu will answer if you write them an e-mail - they took over PC/Workstation/Server from Fujitsu Siemens Computers (FSC) which took over from Siemens-Nixdorf around 1999.

kind regards
soggi

soggi wrote on 2024-09-25, 06:17:

This isn't the version number of the BIOS you believe it is, the latest BIOS I could find is V4.05 R1.03.983 from 1999/09/03.

This latest BIOS version is available at retroweb
https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/siemen … board-d983#bios
Latest BIOS 4.05 1.03.983

V4.05 seems to be the "core version" of the BIOS, which was available at V4.06 for a few other Scenic Pro (with >8 GB support), but not this one alas.

ProD6 is a fantastic machine. Try to get multiboot while using my tutorial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI5ejcKztug

I own several FSC machines....D983 supports larger harddisks for sure...I should have a look. The later MMX+ P2 machines support switching on/off via keyboard. the earlier ones like 486/P1 support this too, but the very first start when connected to power has to be done via button on the case, if the powercord is not removed the later cold restarts work on these via keyboard too. (there is a 486 PCD-4N? that also supports first start after power connection via keyboard)...very handy feature.

edit...oh I overlooked PentiumPro... I don't have this type, I only have the P1+P1MMX/P2 etc. Boards/machines.

I would suggest using a matrox G200 PCI as main gfx card with a voodoo1 addon-board.
With the matrox you get drivers for everything (Win3x, OS/2+WinOS/2, WinNT, Win95, Amiga (Amithlon))