I originally had an issue as the CD-ROM interface was disabled in firmware, so I couldn't get the CD-ROM up and running! I initially thought that it might be a jumper setting, but after doing some searching I found that it was indeed disabled in firmware and that I'd need to FLASH the card in order to get the CD-ROM interface up and running. 

Luckily I received the Gravis Preparation and Driver floppies, as well as the Applications CD with the card!

The Gravis Preparation Disk enabled me to FLASH the card allowing me to enable the CD-ROM interface:

Once I had the GUS up and running, I gave the machine a complete takedown and a deep clean.

I was extremely surprised as to how clean the Power Supply was, considering how many years it's been running for! (This pic was taken after I dusted it, but it looks really good on the inside!)

Here's the re-assembly:

To a clean Upgraded Machine!  😎

Nice. What are the actual system specs, other than that it has a GUS, SB and CDROM?

pan069 wrote on 2024-07-19, 21:23:

Nice. What are the actual system specs, other than that it has a GUS, SB and CDROM?

It's currently a 486 DX4 100 with 32MB FPM RAM, a 520MB hard drive, the GUS PnP and a Quad Speed CD-ROM. (I've removed the Sound Blaster 16-BIT)

Future upgrades include: Installing cache chips, fitting a Pentium OverDrive, installing a Diamond Stealth 64 VLB, replacing the old (INCREADIBLY SLOW!!!) IBM 520MB Hard Drive with an SSD and of cause installing 4MB of RAM onto the GUS PnP!.

Irinikus wrote on 2024-07-20, 05:34:

It's currently a 486 DX4 100 with 32MB FPM RAM, a 520MB hard drive, the GUS PnP and a Quad Speed CD-ROM. (I've removed the Sound Blaster 16-BIT)

Future upgrades include: Installing cache chips, fitting a Pentium OverDrive, installing a Diamond Stealth 64 VLB and replacing the old (INCREADIBLY SLOW!!!) IBM 520MB Hard Drive with an SSD.

I love the look of those IBM machines, have fun with the upgrades!

DUDE, the IBM PC-330 100DX4 - T/C 6571-XXX - never let that one go. I had one in the early 2000's and it was a beast! I used to run Diablo over Battle.net on it in Windows 98 SE with almost zero lag on 56K Dial-up. I wish I still had it. Those punch pretty far above their weight class.

pete8475 wrote:

I love the look of those IBM machines, have fun with the upgrades!

Thanks! 😎

I love its small form factor and the look of its front panel!

creepingnet wrote on 2024-07-20, 05:42:

DUDE, the IBM PC-330 100DX4 - T/C 6571-XXX - never let that one go. I had one in the early 2000's and it was a beast! I used to run Diablo over Battle.net on it in Windows 98 SE with almost zero lag on 56K Dial-up. I wish I still had it. Those punch pretty far above their weight class.

Thanks! 😎

I never plan on letting this machine go!!!

Here’s some information from the system BIOS:

Very nice! I love these small form factor PC:s! I have a similar main dos computer with GUS as well, although a pentium 1 120 MHz. I think i have the exact same sound card. Sometimes I put it on just to run mods on it when I do some solder work.

Such a setup screams for a CRT though! Even if it's quite a hassle to open the computer with it on there it's such a nice retro look and the height of the case is perfect.

Joakim wrote on 2024-07-20, 10:16:

Very nice! I love these small form factor PC:s! I have a similar main dos computer with GUS as well, although a pentium 1 120 MHz. I think i have the exact same sound card.

Thanks! 😎 Cool!!!

Joakim wrote on 2024-07-20, 10:16:

Such a setup screams for a CRT though! Even if it's quite a hassle to open the computer with it on there it's such a nice retro look and the height of the case is perfect.

I’d love to get an appropriate IBM 20” CRT (especially when I fit the Diamond Stealth 64 VLB), but they’re becoming increasingly difficult to source locally!

These are the various jumper settings for the board:

An interposer is required in order to fit a Pentium Overdrive into one of these machines. This interposer would be pretty much impossible to obtain today, but there is this risky workaround: (Removing a pin from the Pentium Overdrive chip)

However, you could mount the chip using tulip connectors, and omit the one that would be slotted onto the pin that must be removed. (A much less risky approach, and the one that I'm going to be taking!)

The machine's BIOS is already the LEJT67A BIOS update that's required to run an Overdrive!

I'd also have to remove the VRM and insert a jumper block:

And set the following jumpers:

What a lovely IBM you’ve got. More impressive that you’ve had this for thirty years. Thanks for sharing this wonderful rig.

I would not worry about motherboard cache 256kb of motherboard cache will only gain you about a 3% Performance boost.
If you really want a performance boost upgrade the CPU to a Pentium Overdrive or Similar.
Also the 486 can not play MP3’s very well or Video, or some games.
Especially if you are going to run Win95
You want a Pentium class CPU if you plan on running Win95

So I would put my money in a Pentium Overdrive CPU and forget about the system cache. 64kb of System cache is good enough.

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2024-07-21, 03:24:

I would not worry about motherboard cache 256kb of motherboard cache will only gain you about a 3% Performance boost. If you rea […]
Show full quote

I would not worry about motherboard cache 256kb of motherboard cache will only gain you about a 3% Performance boost.
If you really want a performance boost upgrade the CPU to a Pentium Overdrive or Similar.
Also the 486 can not play MP3’s very well or Video, or some games.
Especially if you are going to run Win95
You want a Pentium class CPU if you plan on running Win95

So I would put my money in a Pentium Overdrive CPU and forget about the system cache. 64kb of System cache is good enough.

Agreed! 😀

My goal for this build is to get Warcraft II Battle Net Edition to run acceptably well under Windows 98SE.

Besides the 486 CPU, the Hard Drives's also holding this system back considerably, so this will need to be addressed!!!

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2024-07-21, 03:24:

I would not worry about motherboard cache 256kb of motherboard cache will only gain you about a 3% Performance boost. If you rea […]
Show full quote

I would not worry about motherboard cache 256kb of motherboard cache will only gain you about a 3% Performance boost.
If you really want a performance boost upgrade the CPU to a Pentium Overdrive or Similar.
Also the 486 can not play MP3’s very well or Video, or some games.
Especially if you are going to run Win95
You want a Pentium class CPU if you plan on running Win95

So I would put my money in a Pentium Overdrive CPU and forget about the system cache. 64kb of System cache is good enough.

Maybe I missed something, but I didn't see any mention of 64kb cache. At least according to the pictures provided there is 0kb cache.
Going from 0kb to anything would yield a very significant improvement (more than 3%).

Oh, I see. But I would still put my money in a CPU upgrade before the cache upgrade if your on a tight budget.