RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2025-11-11, 17:25:

The other alternative to switching bus speed, that I am considering, is the throttle blaster by Scrap Computing:

https://youtu.be/9uNml2j6sy0?si=6fsRGNRRFfkrG29E

That's rather more advanced though, and possibly beyond my soldering abilities. Lol.

That's pretty incredible. I had no idea such a fine degree of control was possible.

Nice. I’ve just got myself another 233MMX system after selling my first one a few years ago and deeply regretting it 😢 it’s good to be back! 😎

The Pentium MMX + Voodoo 1 is my favourite machine. So versatile. I prefer it even to my overkill XP and 98 builds.

It obviously does have limitations, but it lived in an era where game developers where basically doing the impossible. Games like Quake really seemed like they should be impossible on this hardware. Also Voodoo 1 brought a whole new life to 3D games. Again, the impossible was made possible. Or so it seemed.

Its immediate predecessor (original Pentium) came out around the time full motion video games released. 7th guest, Wing Commander iii, Tex Murphy - under a killing Moon. Etc. Which was another huge change to games.

I had a voodoo2 in my last build. I bought it in early 1999. I am kicking myself for selling it. Especially as I didn’t get much for it.

FullYes wrote on 2025-11-12, 19:35:

I had a voodoo2 in my last build. I bought it in early 1999. I am kicking myself for selling it. Especially as I didn’t get much for it.

I never had Voodoo 2 back in the day. I had a Voodoo 1 then a Riva TNT then a Voodoo 3 2000.

I had a socket 5 Pentium 100 machine with S3 onboard video. My only experience with the Voodoo cards in the 90s was from magazines and friends who happened to have one. It's great this hardware still works, and we can (re)experience it in modern times.

A small update:

The Virge DX card has been giving me grief (signal loss, brightness bug) so I've replaced it with another Virge card I've since acquired.

This PowerColor variant has faster memory modules and runs at 70MHz (The old card ran at 50)

I've used a programmer to change the bios to 2.01.07 which resolves the brightness issue as detailed here

Great buid. I love Pentium 1 machines. I have a socket 7 233 MMX. and have always been changing parts out and working on it.
I will be building another one since I picked one up recently for 30 bucks and it has a better mobo than the one I have been using. I also have been running voodoo 2 12 meg SLI in it . I have a few sound cards and im not sure which is the best to use. Right now it has a SB 5.1 card but I have some ISa cards, an awe 32 and an awe 64. I want some 30 pin ran for the 32, and I really would love that addon for the 64. Also want a sound canvas. I hope to start this new project this week

Law212 wrote on 2026-04-06, 19:29:

Great buid. I love Pentium 1 machines. I have a socket 7 233 MMX. and have always been changing parts out and working on it.
I will be building another one since I picked one up recently for 30 bucks and it has a better mobo than the one I have been using. I also have been running voodoo 2 12 meg SLI in it . I have a few sound cards and im not sure which is the best to use. Right now it has a SB 5.1 card but I have some ISa cards, an awe 32 and an awe 64. I want some 30 pin ran for the 32, and I really would love that addon for the 64. Also want a sound canvas. I hope to start this new project this week

Please take lots of pictures when you do the build, I'd be keen to see it.

Nice! Shame I can't see most of the pictures due to Imgur being blocked here. Curses, UK law!

EmberBlitz07 wrote on 2026-04-06, 21:04:

Nice! Shame I can't see most of the pictures due to Imgur being blocked here. Curses, UK law! https://media1.tenor.com/m/FxEchGE […]
Show full quote

Nice! Shame I can't see most of the pictures due to Imgur being blocked here. Curses, UK law!

Indeed, I may look into rehosting them with another provider.

TheIpex wrote on 2026-04-06, 21:53:

EmberBlitz07 wrote on 2026-04-06, 21:04:

Nice! Shame I can't see most of the pictures due to Imgur being blocked here. Curses, UK law! https://media1.tenor.com/m/FxEchGE […]
Show full quote

Nice! Shame I can't see most of the pictures due to Imgur being blocked here. Curses, UK law!

Indeed, I may look into rehosting them with another provider.

If you can, that would be great.

I actually plan to build a Pentium II system of the same clock alongside 128MB of SDRAM, an AZTech Sound Galaxy MultiMedia Pro 16 IIIS+, an S3 Trio 3D/2X 4MB (only really plan to play software-based games anyways), and likely Windows 95 or 98SE.

EmberBlitz07 wrote on 2026-04-06, 22:24:

If you can, that would be great.

I've reuploaded the images to another provider, when you have a moment could you take a gander let me know if you can see it correctly.

EmberBlitz07 wrote on 2026-04-06, 22:24:

I actually plan to build a Pentium II system of the same clock alongside 128MB of SDRAM, an AZTech Sound Galaxy MultiMedia Pro 16 IIIS+, an S3 Trio 3D/2X 4MB (only really plan to play software-based games anyways), and likely Windows 95 or 98SE.

Nice, I have a Trio3D/2X as well but I've yet to use it in any real capacity. My understanding is DOS compatibility is good, so I'd be interested to see how you go with it.

TheIpex wrote on 2026-04-06, 23:57:

I've reuploaded the images to another provider, when you have a moment could you take a gander let me know if you can see it cor […]
Show full quote

EmberBlitz07 wrote on 2026-04-06, 22:24:

If you can, that would be great.

I've reuploaded the images to another provider, when you have a moment could you take a gander let me know if you can see it correctly.

EmberBlitz07 wrote on 2026-04-06, 22:24:

I actually plan to build a Pentium II system of the same clock alongside 128MB of SDRAM, an AZTech Sound Galaxy MultiMedia Pro 16 IIIS+, an S3 Trio 3D/2X 4MB (only really plan to play software-based games anyways), and likely Windows 95 or 98SE.

Nice, I have a Trio3D/2X as well but I've yet to use it in any real capacity. My understanding is DOS compatibility is good, so I'd be interested to see how you go with it.

Thanks! I can see them well now, and it's a nice build!

EmberBlitz07 wrote on 2026-04-06, 22:24:

TheIpex wrote on 2026-04-06, 21:53:

EmberBlitz07 wrote on 2026-04-06, 21:04:

Nice! Shame I can't see most of the pictures due to Imgur being blocked here. Curses, UK law! https://media1.tenor.com/m/FxEchGE […]
Show full quote

Nice! Shame I can't see most of the pictures due to Imgur being blocked here. Curses, UK law!

Indeed, I may look into rehosting them with another provider.

If you can, that would be great.

I actually plan to build a Pentium II system of the same clock alongside 128MB of SDRAM, an AZTech Sound Galaxy MultiMedia Pro 16 IIIS+, an S3 Trio 3D/2X 4MB (only really plan to play software-based games anyways), and likely Windows 95 or 98SE.

Well, as I mentioned in my own thread, turns out - the CPU that came was actually a 400 and not a 233. Not that I'm complaining though, but the steak was juicier and the lobster was certainly buttier than expected.

EmberBlitz07 wrote on 2026-04-08, 12:49:

Well, as I mentioned in my own thread, turns out - the CPU that came was actually a 400 and not a 233.

Good haul!