Some software requires specific XP service packs. If you intend to use your XP system broadly then you really can't get away without installing the service packs.

Oh for sure. Sorry I was not clear, I meant updating beyond SP3. I always install SP3 and install anything I need (.net and whatnot), but letting Windows Update download and install stuff? nah

Back when I used XP as my main os I let windows update do its thing but now I pick and choose which ones for the most part.

slivercr wrote on 2020-06-24, 14:36:

[...]

You could just reinstall XP and turn off automatic updates, unless you really want 2000 for some reason. Depending on your use case, they are virtually indistinguishable.

Personally, I see no point in fully updating XP (or any pre-7 Windows for that matter) these days. Then again, I would never think of using any such system online, but I can only speak for myself.

As pointed out, some XP software requires/assumes service packs, and XP with SPs bloats hugely, making it slower, particularly on older systems, than 2k. 2k boots slower, but runs faster, even with all its SPs installed.

I wouldn't want to go online with old crap like this anyway, just want LAN connectivity. Haven't gotten around to sorting out some VLANs to avoid exactly what happened here yet. Maybe I will after this.

Spent the last 3 evenings trying to boot up my Asus P2B-LS rev. 1.03, but with no luck.
This board is playing dead with me. All the chips on the board are getting worm, not hot, just the normal worm, but the board just doesn't give any sign of life. No POST, no beeps, nothing... I've tried several PII cpus, several modules of SDRAM - PC66, PC100, PC133, ECC, server RAM. Disabled onboard LAN and SCSI, resetted the CMOS, changed the battery...
The board visualy looks like new, no blown caps, no missing smd's...
So, should I just give up? Do I have any other options?

Do you happen to have a post code reader?

chrismeyer6 wrote on 2020-06-24, 16:13:

Do you happen to have a post code reader?

Unfortunately, I don't have... but I will order one pretty soon...

Have you tried different power supplies and video cards?

My P2B-F does the same thing. Apparently, I heard that caps need to be replaced. I've had it where it'll have 1 long beep repeating and none after that. My POST card gets power, which is good and shows 00-C1 on the display, indicating something's wrong (bad RAM, but all of my RAM sticks work in other machines from my Socket 7 to early Pentium 4 that uses SD-RAM).

So recapping the board would suffice, plus my board is in good shape, but I beg to differ on the Celeron 400 (might as well get a Pentium II 400 and see what happens).

I made this today, my homemade TL-866:

It took about 6 hours of soldering and debugging 😉

It didn't came out as good as I expected, but at least I've learned how to read BIOS chips.

bearking wrote on 2020-06-24, 16:06:

Spent the last 3 evenings trying to boot up my Asus P2B-LS rev. 1.03, but with no luck. This board is playing dead with me. All […]
Show full quote

Spent the last 3 evenings trying to boot up my Asus P2B-LS rev. 1.03, but with no luck.
This board is playing dead with me. All the chips on the board are getting worm, not hot, just the normal worm, but the board just doesn't give any sign of life. No POST, no beeps, nothing... I've tried several PII cpus, several modules of SDRAM - PC66, PC100, PC133, ECC, server RAM. Disabled onboard LAN and SCSI, resetted the CMOS, changed the battery...
The board visualy looks like new, no blown caps, no missing smd's...
So, should I just give up? Do I have any other options?

Make sure the CPU makes proper contact in the slot. Double check the FSB settings as well.

Unfortunately after removing the KBC socket from my GMB-486SG v1.1 I couldn't find any broken trace/via ...

Well I think I'll have to try a test ROM and if nothing works I'll desolder anything of interest from this board and recycle the rest ...

dionb wrote on 2020-06-24, 15:57:

slivercr wrote on 2020-06-24, 14:36:

[...]

You could just reinstall XP and turn off automatic updates, unless you really want 2000 for some reason. Depending on your use case, they are virtually indistinguishable.

Personally, I see no point in fully updating XP (or any pre-7 Windows for that matter) these days. Then again, I would never think of using any such system online, but I can only speak for myself.

As pointed out, some XP software requires/assumes service packs, and XP with SPs bloats hugely, making it slower, particularly on older systems, than 2k. 2k boots slower, but runs faster, even with all its SPs installed.

I wouldn't want to go online with old crap like this anyway, just want LAN connectivity. Haven't gotten around to sorting out some VLANs to avoid exactly what happened here yet. Maybe I will after this.

Agree and Agree.

While I personally prefer Windows 2000 SP4 + BWC + a few updates - even with BWC you can run XP SP3 software, if you do insist in XP SP3, you can just get a few security updates and call it a day - I'd also change the theme completely to look like Windows 2000. Disabling their fisher price theme to use the classic theme makes things a bit faster, too. I have a XP SP3 + Inexperience Patcher virtual machine for a few early 2000 games, and it runs lightning fast now while it keeps the classic beautiful UI.

Most software requiring a SP on XP require SP1.
That's good anyway, because XP RTM was garbage.

dionb wrote on 2020-06-24, 15:57:

As pointed out, some XP software requires/assumes service packs, and XP with SPs bloats hugely, making it slower, particularly on older systems, than 2k. 2k boots slower, but runs faster, even with all its SPs installed.

I wouldn't want to go online with old crap like this anyway, just want LAN connectivity. Haven't gotten around to sorting out some VLANs to avoid exactly what happened here yet. Maybe I will after this.

It should not run noticeably slower on a dual P3-933 with 1 GB of RDRAM —presumably—1.5 GB of RDRAM. That system is almost a carbon copy of one of mine and a fresh XP SP3 is not noticeably slower than a fresh SP4 install of 2000.

EDIT: saw specs and corrected.
EDIT2: what slowed you down after the updates is, I would guess, the Internet Explorer update.

bjwil1991 wrote on 2020-06-24, 16:29:

My P2B-F does the same thing. Apparently, I heard that caps need to be replaced. I've had it where it'll have 1 long beep repeating and none after that. My POST card gets power, which is good and shows 00-C1 on the display, indicating something's wrong (bad RAM, but all of my RAM sticks work in other machines from my Socket 7 to early Pentium 4 that uses SD-RAM).

So recapping the board would suffice, plus my board is in good shape, but I beg to differ on the Celeron 400 (might as well get a Pentium II 400 and see what happens).

Eventually I will recap the whole board, but on the weekend. It has around 25 caps...

computerguy08 wrote on 2020-06-24, 17:12:

I made this today, my homemade TL-866: […]
Show full quote

I made this today, my homemade TL-866:

1.jpg

2.jpg

It took about 6 hours of soldering and debugging 😉

It didn't came out as good as I expected, but at least I've learned how to read BIOS chips.

bearking wrote on 2020-06-24, 16:06:

Spent the last 3 evenings trying to boot up my Asus P2B-LS rev. 1.03, but with no luck. This board is playing dead with me. All […]
Show full quote

Spent the last 3 evenings trying to boot up my Asus P2B-LS rev. 1.03, but with no luck.
This board is playing dead with me. All the chips on the board are getting worm, not hot, just the normal worm, but the board just doesn't give any sign of life. No POST, no beeps, nothing... I've tried several PII cpus, several modules of SDRAM - PC66, PC100, PC133, ECC, server RAM. Disabled onboard LAN and SCSI, resetted the CMOS, changed the battery...
The board visualy looks like new, no blown caps, no missing smd's...
So, should I just give up? Do I have any other options?

Make sure the CPU makes proper contact in the slot. Double check the FSB settings as well.

Hey, nice work!
My next step with this board is to clean it with some IPA... maybe it hepls...

chrismeyer6 wrote on 2020-06-24, 16:20:

Have you tried different power supplies and video cards?

Yepp, two PSUs and at least 4 video cards, PCI and AGP...

I signed the fucking lease contract for my new home/apartment. Ohhhh YEAH.... Then I paid 4 times rent as deposit. I was even asked if I wanted the keys today!! Wow! I have only rented from the first of next month. This is so freaking awesome. Welcome to northern jutlandian island. Yes. Top of Denmark is an island.

I was even alowed to move my stuff in, on saturday. Even more awesomme. Though I am not alowed to live there before the first. Wonderfull gesture from the landlord.

Still struggling to get those POS plastic standoffs out of a motherboard. Can't find the good pliers so instead I'm resorting to other utilities.

Can never get them out without having the standoff break

That's awesome Brostenen. I'm glad you were able to get a great landlord and I hope your move goes smoothly as well.