RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2026-09-26, 08:23:

Linoleum wrote on 2026-09-24, 18:51:

I've got something close to one per year (for the 90s)...

Looks great. I am curious on the last one though. GPU from 2007 with a CPU from 2002? The other systems all seem quite well matched.

Don’t mind that one… It’s again related to my love/hate relationship with Win XP and the case that system is in. Win XP feels too much like a modern OS to me. So my mind can’t process having a sluggish game running on XP… Thus the ATI x1650 from 2007. On top of that, it’s in the case I bought around 2000, which was my first non-beige case and has an acrylic windows; revolutionary at the time. But again, feels modernist and it’s not my thing now… But I can’t find the strength to get rid of this thing.

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2026-09-26, 07:50:

Back in 1993 / 94 they were still selling DOS 5.0 and Win 3.11 with New computers. Microsoft was also still teaching DOS 5.0 and […]
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Linoleum wrote on 2026-09-24, 18:51:

Law212 wrote on 2026-09-24, 18:02:

Year by year? That could end up being a lot of computers. I have eras. 1985 -1990, 1990 to 95, 95 to 99, 2000-2007 (ish)

I've got something close to one per year (for the 90s)...

Back in 1993 / 94 they were still selling DOS 5.0 and Win 3.11 with New computers.
Microsoft was also still teaching DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.11 certification classes
In computer education certification centers.

My first PC in 1993 had DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.1

ldeveraux wrote on 2026-09-26, 11:45:

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2026-09-26, 07:50:

Back in 1993 / 94 they were still selling DOS 5.0 and Win 3.11 with New computers. Microsoft was also still teaching DOS 5.0 and […]
Show full quote

Linoleum wrote on 2026-09-24, 18:51:

I've got something close to one per year (for the 90s)...

Back in 1993 / 94 they were still selling DOS 5.0 and Win 3.11 with New computers.
Microsoft was also still teaching DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.11 certification classes
In computer education certification centers.

My first PC in 1993 had DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.1

Also after 1993 the 5.25 inch floppy drive was being phased out and replaced
With the CDROM drive

nd22 wrote on 2026-09-23, 08:32:

If you are going to build a dream system than you got to have 2*Voodoo2 12mb in SLI. I have a system, now in storage - built using Abit BX6 2.0 with P-2 450 and 256mb of RAM; it's been rock solid every time I pulled it out of storage and assembled it, not a single crash - I built it some 5-6 years ago.

If you are going to go for 2*Voodoo2 12mb in SLI why would you cheap out on the motherboard and go with just one CPU?

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2026-09-26, 08:23:

Looks great. I am curious on the last one though. GPU from 2007 with a CPU from 2002? The other systems all seem quite well matched.

Are you aware that people, back then used to upgrade their PCs ?

So maybe a CPU from 2002 + an RTX 5060 is weird, but a CPU from 2002+ a GPU from 2007 is perfectly normal and consistent, just like a H0 train model hauled by a class e626 locomotive from 1927 is perfectly fine even on a setup based on 1980s, given the e626 lasted from 1927 to 1999 (and even later in former Yugoslavia (Slovenia/Croatia)

The Solutor wrote on Yesterday, 00:05:

Are you aware that people, back then used to upgrade their PCs ?

So maybe a CPU from 2002 + an RTX 5060 is weird, but a CPU from 2002+ a GPU from 2007 is perfectly normal and consistent

Of course I am aware of upgrades. My point was that it stood out as being different compared with the other well balanced systems in the list.

The point here is to have a discussion and to learn from other people. I have no problem with the system that was built. I was just curious about it.

The reasons for having a GPU so much newer than a CPU are different now compared to back in the day.

Back then, you'd do it only to save the cost of buying a whole new system. But gains would be small, as typically CPUs quickly become a bottleneck.

That reason, is probably the least likely in this case, as that seeminly wasn't an issue for the other builds. Maybe it was part availability, wanting to dual boot with another OS, compatability issues, preserving lifespan of GPU, video capture ease, compatability with monitor (perhaps monitor doesn't have VGA), placeholder whilst waiting for a specific part.

ElectroSoldier wrote on 2026-09-26, 23:34:

nd22 wrote on 2026-09-23, 08:32:

If you are going to build a dream system than you got to have 2*Voodoo2 12mb in SLI. I have a system, now in storage - built using Abit BX6 2.0 with P-2 450 and 256mb of RAM; it's been rock solid every time I pulled it out of storage and assembled it, not a single crash - I built it some 5-6 years ago.

If you are going to go for 2*Voodoo2 12mb in SLI why would you cheap out on the motherboard and go with just one CPU?

Wat, Dual CPU is pointless for Voodoo2 SLI, and in general pointless for the time period since the Voodoo2 SLI setup is period correct for 98SE and early WinXP and very few if anyone had a dual PII system or hell any type of dual CPU system. I guess you could setup a NT build but that has its own set of issues mostly to do with DirectX and general compatibility with games , Win2K is a possibility but again similar issues as NT4. (Neither are built for gaming and both have compatibility issues due to that)

Not sure why you would even suggest a dual CPU setup for gaming in that Era .. it wouldn't help since no game could use more than one CPU at the time, also that board is perfectly fine and hardly cheap.

You have had some hot takes but this one ... is pretty out there, yeah I know you'll try and argue the point but dual CPU is pointless for 98 Era games and very few if anyone could even afford a dual PII 450 system during that period let alone also having two 12MB Voodoo 2s.

Can we afford it now . .yes, should we be doing this now . .no, since its just as pointless now as then and we shouldn't be bitching to people who have enough sense to realise this.

RetroPCCupboard wrote on Yesterday, 04:40:

Back then, you'd do it only to save the cost of buying a whole new system.

Well, I'm pretty sure that in 2002 was pretty hard to find a 2007 GPU 😁

That's the main reason not saving on the system, then people upgraded, maybe yearly CPU, GPU,HDDs and whatever, before surrendering to replace the whole mobo/CPU/RAM to fully take advance by the GPU bought the year before.

You have had some hot takes but this one ... is pretty out there, yeah I know you'll try and argue the point but dual CPU is pointless for 98 Era games and very few if anyone could even afford a dual PII 450 system during that period let alone also having two 12MB Voodoo 2s.

Obviously a multicore CPU is useless for 98, but who said you have to boot a single OS.

Personally I never had just one single OS installed on my machine since the first Envision 400 I bought in 95

3.11+W95 then 95+NT+OS2, then 98+ME+2000+Linux, and so on, depending the year and the mood.

Even in 1984 my QL had various ROM cartridges that allowed to boot the original system stored in ROM or the one(s) they provided.

The Solutor wrote on Yesterday, 06:02:

Well, I'm pretty sure that in 2002 was pretty hard to find a 2007 GPU :D […]
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RetroPCCupboard wrote on Yesterday, 04:40:

Back then, you'd do it only to save the cost of buying a whole new system.

Well, I'm pretty sure that in 2002 was pretty hard to find a 2007 GPU 😁

That's the main reason not saving on the system, then people upgraded, maybe yearly CPU, GPU,HDDs and whatever, before surrendering to replace the whole mobo/CPU/RAM to fully take advance by the GPU bought the year before.

You have had some hot takes but this one ... is pretty out there, yeah I know you'll try and argue the point but dual CPU is pointless for 98 Era games and very few if anyone could even afford a dual PII 450 system during that period let alone also having two 12MB Voodoo 2s.

Obviously a multicore CPU is useless for 98, but who said you have to boot a single OS.

Personally I never had just one single OS installed on my machine since the first Envision 400 I bought in 95

3.11+W95 then 95+NT+OS2, then 98+ME+2000+Linux, and so on, depending the year and the mood.

Even in 1984 my QL had various ROM cartridges that allowed to boot the original system stored in ROM or the one(s) they provided.

Even on a Multi CPU aware OS ...games of that ERA still cannot use more than one CPU, the OS can use as many as it likes but the system we were talking about is a gaming setup from 98, a PII 450 with Voodoo2 SLI, Electro decided that a SLI Voodoo2 system needs two PIIs and an expensive motherboard . .it doesn't was my point because it would be a waste on a gaming system.

As for Multi Boot its a great idea but not many people have the skill set required to setup a multi boot beyond two operating systems, I'm sure you can agree that three/four or more does require a good understanding of what order they need to be installed or if they would be better in a hot swappable setup. I'm sure you can also agree that such a setup is out of scope for a simple gaming PC to play some Glide games.

Trashbytes wrote on Yesterday, 06:21:

Even on a Multi CPU aware OS ...games of that ERA still cannot use more than one CPU

Likely we have a different idea of what retrocomputing is.

If the point is just to run old games, VMware, DOSBOX, or patches/wrappers to run the games natively is all you need (with rare exceptions).

No need to use good money to buy ewaste

If otherwise you're interested to improve the skills on old things, to fight with drivers, bioses, overclockeing, in short to put yourself in the shoes of a 1998 entusiasth, real old HW make sense, but in that case gaming is one of the things you can do there, not the only point.

As for Multi Boot its a great idea but not many people have the skill set required to setup a multi boot beyond two operating systems

Exactly, see above

The Solutor wrote on Yesterday, 07:02:

Likely we have a different idea of what retrocomputing is. […]
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Trashbytes wrote on Yesterday, 06:21:

Even on a Multi CPU aware OS ...games of that ERA still cannot use more than one CPU

Likely we have a different idea of what retrocomputing is.

If the point is just to run old games VMware, DOSBOX, or patches/wrappers to run the games natively is all you need (with rare exceptions).

No need to use good money to buy ewaste

If otherwise you're interested to improve the skills on old things, to fight with drivers, bioses, overclockeing, in short to put yourself in the shoes of a 1998 entusiasth, real old HW make sense, but in that case gaming is one of the things you can do there, not the only point.

As for Multi Boot its a great idea but not many people have the skill set required to setup a multi boot beyond two operating systems

Exactly, see above

We do have different ideas, that's what makes this hobby interesting and fun. I'm one of them people who really doesn't like emulation if I have the real hardware available to me, the only Emulation I'm ok with is for systems like the C64 and Amiga and other obscure systems that are expensive/impossible to get into with real hardware (Pre 90s PC hardware like the XT/286/386, this hardware is so overpriced its not worth getting into).

I don't need to put myself in those shoes either, I lived it, the 90s and 2000s were great times to be into computing. The 80s were fun too but for different reasons, I remember the gaming crash of the 80s and the impact it had on the entire IT industry.

Yes gaming is one thing I can do with it, I personally don't see the point of doing anything but gaming with this hardware ...my modern PCs can handle everything outside of retro gaming with little issue be it via emulation or VMs, gaming can be done too but ...it doesn't feel the same, Commander Keen and Kroz on a modern PC is just odd, I want that authentic noise and real CRT look to it.

/shrugs to each their own I say, you have fun your way and Ill have fun my way and we will both enjoy the conversations about it here !

Trashbytes wrote on Yesterday, 07:10:

I don't need to put myself in those shoes either,

Neither me, and aside I have a ton of leftovers of those years, I would never pay the current money asked (especially in the US) for old HW, is an artificial inflation of the market that I don't like by principle.

But I'm not a millennial or gen Z (and neither you are), they haven't had the luxury of living in that exiting era, just like you and me never had the chance of driving a Ford Model T or a Fiat Topolino.

Personally,if I buy such kind of car, I don't do just to be transported from point A to point B, I would do that to get the whole experience. To go from A ro B a modern car is more than enough.

The Solutor wrote on Yesterday, 07:19:

Neither me, and aside I have a ton of leftovers of those years, I would never pay the current money asked (especially in the US […]
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Trashbytes wrote on Yesterday, 07:10:

I don't need to put myself in those shoes either,

Neither me, and aside I have a ton of leftovers of those years, I would never pay the current money asked (especially in the US) for old HW, is an artificial inflation of the market that I don't like by principle.

But I'm not a millennial or gen Z (and neither you are), they haven't had the luxury of living in that exiting era, just like you and me never had the chance of driving a Ford Model T or a Fiat Topolino.

Personally if I buy such car I don't do just to be transported from point A to point B, I would do to the whole experience. To go from A ro B a modern car is more than enough.

Mate if you are buying a Model T and restoring it then I'm going to assume you are doing it for the love of it and the joy of being able to drive that classic around and show its beauty off to others.

Trashbytes wrote on Yesterday, 07:22:

Mate if you are buying a Model T and restoring it then I'm going to assume you are doing it for the love of it and the joy of being able to drive that classic around and show its beauty off to others.

Yes, exactly

Why should we apply a different logic to PCs ?

Trashbytes wrote on Yesterday, 05:14:

Wat, Dual CPU is pointless for Voodoo2 SLI, and in general pointless for the time period since the Voodoo2 SLI setup is period c […]
Show full quote

ElectroSoldier wrote on 2026-09-26, 23:34:

nd22 wrote on 2026-09-23, 08:32:

If you are going to build a dream system than you got to have 2*Voodoo2 12mb in SLI. I have a system, now in storage - built using Abit BX6 2.0 with P-2 450 and 256mb of RAM; it's been rock solid every time I pulled it out of storage and assembled it, not a single crash - I built it some 5-6 years ago.

If you are going to go for 2*Voodoo2 12mb in SLI why would you cheap out on the motherboard and go with just one CPU?

Wat, Dual CPU is pointless for Voodoo2 SLI, and in general pointless for the time period since the Voodoo2 SLI setup is period correct for 98SE and early WinXP and very few if anyone had a dual PII system or hell any type of dual CPU system. I guess you could setup a NT build but that has its own set of issues mostly to do with DirectX and general compatibility with games , Win2K is a possibility but again similar issues as NT4. (Neither are built for gaming and both have compatibility issues due to that)

Not sure why you would even suggest a dual CPU setup for gaming in that Era .. it wouldn't help since no game could use more than one CPU at the time, also that board is perfectly fine and hardly cheap.

You have had some hot takes but this one ... is pretty out there, yeah I know you'll try and argue the point but dual CPU is pointless for 98 Era games and very few if anyone could even afford a dual PII 450 system during that period let alone also having two 12MB Voodoo 2s.

Can we afford it now . .yes, should we be doing this now . .no, since its just as pointless now as then and we shouldn't be bitching to people who have enough sense to realise this.

But I was one of those edge cases that did have one. Have had one since...

It was an Ultimate build of the time.

If youre going to reach for the stars dont settle for a handfull of the moon.

Its not a hill Im willing to die on... Not even sure Im going to fight for it. At least not convincingly.