Got, for free, 124 ram sticks:
- 30p (13)
- 72p (37)
- PC66 / 100 / 133 (74)

How do I test 30p? Does 72p work with Memtest?
It is better to memtest with one stick at a time or just go all sockets? Ain't gonna go down all at once, this is gonna takes months.
This is 🤣...

Nexxen wrote on 2025-10-12, 17:40:

Got, for free, 124 ram sticks: - 30p (13) - 72p (37) - PC66 / 100 / 133 (74) […]
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Got, for free, 124 ram sticks:
- 30p (13)
- 72p (37)
- PC66 / 100 / 133 (74)

How do I test 30p? Does 72p work with Memtest?
It is better to memtest with one stick at a time or just go all sockets? Ain't gonna go down all at once, this is gonna takes months.
This is 🤣...

30pin I've never memtested but 72pin stuff definitely works with the old versions of Memtest86. I usually use 4.3.7

Disruptor wrote on 2025-10-12, 10:32:

[...] […]
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[...]

Can you post one or two pictures of the ET4000 please?
I'd like to look at the traces to the OLB connector in detail.
If it is just one (or 2 or 3) slot it is very likely NOT EISA. Next hint would be the sticker on the BIOS chip, then the chipset itself.

I could have a look later, but I know full well it's not EISA:

- it has "Local bus" printed on the PCB
- it works in a motherboard with a single "UMC Local Bus" slot, which is identical to OPTi Local Bus
(I wasn't 100% sure of the latter, but I know this card is an OPTi Local Bus card and it works without smoke & flames in the ULB slot)

luckybob wrote on 2025-10-12, 17:19:

[...]

that card is 110% SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE - it only works in that exact slot, on that exact board.

Not that extreme, there were quite a few boards with OPTi local bus. This is the only one I know with UMC local bus though.

Now the ECS Local Bus, that's more of a snowflake. Only used on one or two boards, 100% physically identical to VLB, but most definitely not electrically. I found that out the hard way. Magic smoke was emitted 🙁

Nexxen wrote on 2025-10-12, 17:40:

Got, for free, 124 ram sticks: - 30p (13) - 72p (37) - PC66 / 100 / 133 (74) […]
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Got, for free, 124 ram sticks:
- 30p (13)
- 72p (37)
- PC66 / 100 / 133 (74)

How do I test 30p? Does 72p work with Memtest?

Memtest works with x86 CPUs. If you have a version of memtest that will run on a board wth 30p SIMM slots, it can test it.

It is better to memtest with one stick at a time or just go all sockets?

Elimination.

Test with the largest number you can at the same time (8x 30p SIMM was fairly common at one point).
- If that passes, they're all good. Proceed to next batch.
- If it fails, test with half the SIMMs. Pass? They're good, the error is in the other lot.
- If that fails, you're down to four (=1 bank with 32b CPU); swap out two with the known-good SIMMs. Pass? They're good, one of the other two are bad.
- If that fails, swap one of the two remaining originals with known good. Pass? It was the other one...
- Fail? You found the dead one.
Always re-test the other half just in case, you may have more than one dead SIMM.

pete8475 wrote on 2025-10-12, 17:58:

30pin I've never memtested but 72pin stuff definitely works with the old versions of Memtest86. I usually use 4.3.7

I thought it was a chipset limit. I have ver 2.x IIRC, on floppy.
I'm good then 😀

dionb wrote on 2025-10-12, 18:21:

Elimination. […]
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Elimination.

Test with the largest number you can at the same time (8x 30p SIMM was fairly common at one point).
- If that passes, they're all good. Proceed to next batch.
- If it fails, test with half the SIMMs. Pass? They're good, the error is in the other lot.
- If that fails, you're down to four (=1 bank with 32b CPU); swap out two with the known-good SIMMs. Pass? They're good, one of the other two are bad.
- If that fails, swap one of the two remaining originals with known good. Pass? It was the other one...
- Fail? You found the dead one.
Always re-test the other half just in case, you may have more than one dead SIMM.

I asked for advice and got a guide 😀
I'll report back in a couple of months I think. I have stuff to do with a 386 and will do some then.
72p are socket 8 territory to play.

One last question to self as I'm probably facing EDO and FPM.
How do I tell them apart? Solution is here: How do you recognize if Memory is FPM or EDO
I love this place.

TheAbandonwareGuy wrote on 2025-10-11, 23:05:

Nope, what you have thereis a Rage Theater Gen 1.5 […]
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nfraser01 wrote on 2025-10-06, 10:00:

Finally got a full-fat first gen Radeon...will test later this week.

Nope, what you have thereis a Rage Theater Gen 1.5

THIS is a full clock speed, first gen ATI "R6" Radeon DDR aka the launch model.

They are quite a rare beast indeed. I actually have one in my possession but its missing a tiny transistor that is beyond my powers to solder currently.

Are you really sure about your information ?
I have the same card as nfraser01 and reviews from summer 2000 show pictures of the very same card.
The 64 and 32 MB DDR were apparently available at the same time with the 64MB version having VIVO built-in.

- Anandtech review (via archive.org) : https://web.archive.org/web/20040114065255/ht … html?i=1281&p=6
- IXBT Labs (scroll halfway through the article for a picture) : http://ixbtlabs.com/articles/radeon/index.html

AnandTech: ATI Radeon 64MB DDR (July 17th, 2000)

Edit : Mine is an OEM one. The one from nfraser01 looks like an OEM version too. With cheaper 6NS memory instead of the 5.5 found on retail ones. But still available around the same time. Review Radeon DDR 64MB OEM with Rage Theater from Nov 2000 : http://www.dansdata.com/radeon.htm

I snagged a local Compaq EVO W8000 tower. It's a P4 era XEON (just 1 CPU installed), with 1GB RDRAM (the only machine I have that uses that RAM).

The system was used as an AVID video workstation and has all the cards plus external I/O device but no software dongle.

I found these weird floppy drives and two 42mb Connors HDD... I hope they work!

Linoleum wrote on 2025-10-14, 12:27:

I found these weird floppy drives and two 42mb Connors HDD... I hope they work!

Man, I don't know why but I love that color for PCs and drives. The dark brownish-beige just makes me think "premium PC from the late 80s or early 90s".

It seems that color is often found on non-IBM compatibles as well. You may want to double check the model numbers and interface connectors, just in case those are for some other type of computer. The fact that the bezel designs match for the 3.5" and 5.25" drives tells me that they were at least factory built for the same system.

I think I had one of those Connors, I would have described it as indestructible but slow as hell. If it spins and the head ain't hung up it will probably work.

Nothing interesting:

- ASUS A7V133
- Intel DK440LX

I wouldn't say that an Intel Dakota isn't interesting. The version with sound perhaps? Congrats anyway. 😀

Was just looking over a CPU/motherboard I snagged with that AVID system. Intel Seattle 44BX board with a Slot-1 800mhz/100FSB so not too bad. Probably an OEM version since there are no sound chip/ports on it.

PD2JK wrote on Yesterday, 15:25:

I wouldn't say that an Intel Dakota isn't interesting. The version with sound perhaps? Congrats anyway. 😀

Yeah it's the sound variant.

A few more to add to the list:

- ASUS P5A-B
- ECS K7AMA
- ABIT BH6 v1.1
- ASUS TUSL2-C
- MSI-6199VA
- ASUS CUBX TOP
- Intel Server Board STL2
- ASUS K7V
- ECS P6S5AT

PcBytes wrote on Yesterday, 17:03:

PD2JK wrote on Yesterday, 15:25:

I wouldn't say that an Intel Dakota isn't interesting. The version with sound perhaps? Congrats anyway. 😀

- ASUS CUBX TOP

I've never heard of a TOP variant of the CUBX and can't find anything online. Can you post a pic of it?

For my 386, I acquired this NEC CD drive from 1988 which also came with the SCSI controller card. My hopes aren't too high for working operation but if anything it'll be a cool piece to have in a bay.

sunkindly wrote on Today, 00:17:

For my 386, I acquired this NEC CD drive from 1988 which also came with the SCSI controller card. My hopes aren't too high for working operation but if anything it'll be a cool piece to have in a bay.

Did the drive come with the CD caddy? It's also fun seeing one of them as it brings back memories as a young kid using them in the school library computers.

chrismeyer6 wrote on Today, 02:02:

sunkindly wrote on Today, 00:17:

For my 386, I acquired this NEC CD drive from 1988 which also came with the SCSI controller card. My hopes aren't too high for working operation but if anything it'll be a cool piece to have in a bay.

Did the drive come with the CD caddy? It's also fun seeing one of them as it brings back memories as a young kid using them in the school library computers.

It did!

Admittedly I've never used a CD caddy before, and if I did as a kid at school or something I don't remember it at all.

I love CD caddy based drives (and all other "unusual" cd-rom drive variations).

Well, after years of saying I wouldn't buy one because it would just sit around on a shelf collecting dust because I'd never use it:

I finally bit the bullet and bought a Sound Blaster Pro 1. Every time I think I'm out, this hobby pulls me back in.

acl wrote on 2025-10-12, 21:30:

Are you really sure about your information ? I have the same card as nfraser01 and reviews from summer 2000 show pictures of the […]
Show full quote

TheAbandonwareGuy wrote on 2025-10-11, 23:05:

Nope, what you have thereis a Rage Theater Gen 1.5 […]
Show full quote

nfraser01 wrote on 2025-10-06, 10:00:

Finally got a full-fat first gen Radeon...will test later this week.

Nope, what you have thereis a Rage Theater Gen 1.5

THIS is a full clock speed, first gen ATI "R6" Radeon DDR aka the launch model.

They are quite a rare beast indeed. I actually have one in my possession but its missing a tiny transistor that is beyond my powers to solder currently.

Are you really sure about your information ?
I have the same card as nfraser01 and reviews from summer 2000 show pictures of the very same card.
The 64 and 32 MB DDR were apparently available at the same time with the 64MB version having VIVO built-in.

- Anandtech review (via archive.org) : https://web.archive.org/web/20040114065255/ht … html?i=1281&p=6
- IXBT Labs (scroll halfway through the article for a picture) : http://ixbtlabs.com/articles/radeon/index.html

AnandTech: ATI Radeon 64MB DDR (July 17th, 2000)

The attachment Capture d’écran du 2025-10-12 23-27-41.png is no longer available

Edit : Mine is an OEM one. The one from nfraser01 looks like an OEM version too. With cheaper 6NS memory instead of the 5.5 found on retail ones. But still available around the same time. Review Radeon DDR 64MB OEM with Rage Theater from Nov 2000 : http://www.dansdata.com/radeon.htm

No, I am not sure about anything. I really can't explain to you the rabbit hole you've stumbled upon by looking into the different variations of the original ATI Radeon.

That being said I've owned 200 GPUs, I've spent more time staring at GPUs than 99.9999 percent of computer enthusiast. I am reasonably positive the information I just relayed is correct.

sunkindly wrote on Today, 02:55:

It did! […]
Show full quote

chrismeyer6 wrote on Today, 02:02:

sunkindly wrote on Today, 00:17:

For my 386, I acquired this NEC CD drive from 1988 which also came with the SCSI controller card. My hopes aren't too high for working operation but if anything it'll be a cool piece to have in a bay.

Did the drive come with the CD caddy? It's also fun seeing one of them as it brings back memories as a young kid using them in the school library computers.

It did!

The attachment IMG_7424.jpg is no longer available

Admittedly I've never used a CD caddy before, and if I did as a kid at school or something I don't remember it at all.

Excellent! Caddy drives are just plain cool.