Nice Lian-Li Build 😀

Here my finished Intel DX4 100 build

Needs more drives! xD

devius wrote on 2024-07-07, 14:26:

Needs more drives! xD

True, can add 3-4 more externals 😁

This is my Dell WorkStation 400. This series is Dell's first true workstation, and preceded the Precision workstation line by one year. It's kind of an oddball, since it basically uses an OptiPlex case and riser card, but has dual CPU capabilities. I assume this was done to save money while performing a trial run for the workstation market.

This may as well be the spiritual successor to the OptiPlex GXPro, since that was also a dual-socket business system designed with peak performance in mind (although Dell was clearly not yet ready to separate it into its own category and call it a workstation).

Single Pentium II 266 (just ordered a second one, will show when upgraded. Yes, I actually found the right stepping with the right OEM heatsink)
i440FX chipset
64 MB EDO RAM
Matrox Millennium graphics card
Adaptec AHA-2940UW SCSI card
Quantum Fireball ST 4.3GB IDE drive (original to the system, Windows 95 original install loaded)
IBM Ultrastar 2ES DCAS-34330 4.3GB SCSI drive (waiting on cable, will install NT 4.0 once it and the second CPU arrive)
CD-ROM reader
Zip 100MB drive

My main DOS machine, a HP Vectra VL2 4/50, downgraded to Ultima VII spec and souped up with some fun sound cards I've picked up over the years. The Vectra BIOS is ...interesting, and the proprietary PSU and motherboard are less than ideal, but it's holding up well for now. On the plus side, it's very compact considering the support for four full length ISA cards.

CPU: Intel 486DX-33
RAM: 16MB
Video: Cirrus Logic GD5428 (integrated, based on performance I'd guess this is VLB)
Sound: SB16 CT2940 (with YMF-289 OPL3), GUS Classic, LAPC-I, SC-88VL
HDD: 384MB of spinning rust

Bringing it all together are the vaguely anachronistic peripherals in various shades of beige and yellow.

All in all, a fun little machine for late 80s - early 90s DOS gaming, as well as enjoying tracker music and demos. If there's anything I'd like to add, it'd probably be a SB Pro 1.0 for spicing up Ultima Underworld some more. A very sensible plan, I know.

Sorry about the picture quality, the lighting in here is a massive pain. Interior picks are older as well, it's hopefully not quite so dusty right now.

Obijuan1983 wrote on 2024-07-05, 23:21:

zuldan wrote on 2024-07-05, 22:30:

Obijuan1983 wrote on 2024-07-05, 22:24:

Finally finished my retro builds :) […]
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Finally finished my retro builds 😀

From left to right:

Pentium MMX - 233MHz

286 - 12MHz

286 - 16MHz ( black case )

386SX - 33MHz

386DX - 40MHz (Midi Tower)

486DX - 33MHz

486DX2 - 66MHz (Midi Tower)

486DX4 -100MHz

Also a Cambridge Soundworks 4.1 speaker system, really good

Αlso tried some stickers before buy for all the rigs

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What a great list of machines and awesome PC cases. Do you have a list of graphics/audio cards in each machine?

Have more than 50 Retro PC's that want to fully restore, but cant keep them all...will add to my Retro rigs as soon as I restore them an Philips NMS 9100 8088XT and another 4-5 , with Dual Socket 5 Pentium 166/ Pentium Pro /Pentium II Slot 1/Pentium III Slot 1

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Well why am I not surprised to find you here 🤣

I see that you hid a lot of new machines from me 🤣
Soon you will surpass me in number of old machines I have the impression.

Very nice, impressive collection.

exobot wrote on 2024-07-10, 21:37:

My main DOS machine, a HP Vectra VL2 4/50, downgraded to Ultima VII spec and souped up with some fun sound cards I've picked up over the years. The Vectra BIOS is ...interesting, and the proprietary PSU and motherboard are less than ideal, but it's holding up well for now. On the plus side, it's very compact considering the support for four full length ISA cards.

Video: Cirrus Logic GD5428 (integrated, based on performance I'd guess this is VLB)

Ah HP desktop from the tail end of 486 era!

Interestingly, I don't recall any tower models at that time. For early 486 there was Vectra 486 ( http://www.hpmuseum.net/display_item.php?hw=586 ) For Pentium, Vectra MT, Vectra 500 and Pavilion.

You might be right about VL-bus since 82611A is a VL-bus IDE controller. My VL2 4/66 is in storage to take a deeper look.

I don't know any HP models with VL-bus slots. Who needs those anyway if both video and IDE is integrated? It is one CPU generation too early for making PC a
workstation so its not like you were here for SCSI.

PSU is actually very well designed. To add RAM or insert any cards you need to move PSU. To move PSU you need to disconnect the power cable! Clever, huh?

Imagine, same design is even on C3750 PA-RISC workstation, which PSU is much heavier and even uses a handle:

Obijuan1983 wrote on 2024-07-07, 10:04:

Nice Lian-Li Build :) […]
Show full quote

Nice Lian-Li Build 😀

Here my finished Intel DX4 100 build

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A Thermaltake Mozart .. neat! I haven't even seen a picture of those pass by since these were new. Totally forgot about those.
Reminds me a bit of the times of the Mountainmods UFO cases. I really wanted one of those back in the day.

That 'thing' on top of the Mozart... Is that a docking station of some sort ?
Or some weird 'desktop' case ? Speakers on corners ? Call me intrigued!
(internal pictures available?)

G-X wrote on 2024-07-18, 21:11:

Obijuan1983 wrote on 2024-07-07, 10:04:

Nice Lian-Li Build :) […]
Show full quote

Nice Lian-Li Build 😀

Here my finished Intel DX4 100 build

The attachment IMG_20240706_202724.jpg is no longer available

The attachment IMG_20240706_202758.jpg is no longer available

A Thermaltake Mozart .. neat! I haven't even seen a picture of those pass by since these were new. Totally forgot about those.
Reminds me a bit of the times of the Mountainmods UFO cases. I really wanted one of those back in the day.

Here is one of my two Thermaltake Mozart TX 2006

And here is my 2010 Mountain Mods Ascension.
I really like everything that is excessive.

bestemor wrote on 2024-07-18, 22:49:

That 'thing' on top of the Mozart... Is that a docking station of some sort ?
Or some weird 'desktop' case ? Speakers on corners ? Call me intrigued!
(internal pictures available?)

This is a Toshiba Desk Station V docking station for Tecra laptops

And here is my main PC the Mozart TX with custom Loop on X79 , with 1080ti and a Xeon 10c/20t cpu

eviledeath wrote on 2024-07-17, 13:03:

Well why am I not surprised to find you here XD […]
Show full quote

Obijuan1983 wrote on 2024-07-05, 23:21:

zuldan wrote on 2024-07-05, 22:30:

What a great list of machines and awesome PC cases. Do you have a list of graphics/audio cards in each machine?

Have more than 50 Retro PC's that want to fully restore, but cant keep them all...will add to my Retro rigs as soon as I restore them an Philips NMS 9100 8088XT and another 4-5 , with Dual Socket 5 Pentium 166/ Pentium Pro /Pentium II Slot 1/Pentium III Slot 1

The attachment IMG_20240706_021424.jpg is no longer available

Well why am I not surprised to find you here 🤣

I see that you hid a lot of new machines from me 🤣
Soon you will surpass me in number of old machines I have the impression.

Very nice, impressive collection.

Thanks bro!

I am waiting 30 more retro pc's to receive this weekend

😀

Obijuan1983 wrote on 2024-07-19, 13:05:

Thanks bro! […]
Show full quote

eviledeath wrote on 2024-07-17, 13:03:

Well why am I not surprised to find you here XD […]
Show full quote

Obijuan1983 wrote on 2024-07-05, 23:21:

Have more than 50 Retro PC's that want to fully restore, but cant keep them all...will add to my Retro rigs as soon as I restore them an Philips NMS 9100 8088XT and another 4-5 , with Dual Socket 5 Pentium 166/ Pentium Pro /Pentium II Slot 1/Pentium III Slot 1

The attachment IMG_20240706_021424.jpg is no longer available

Well why am I not surprised to find you here 🤣

I see that you hid a lot of new machines from me 🤣
Soon you will surpass me in number of old machines I have the impression.

Very nice, impressive collection.

Thanks bro!

I am waiting 30 more retro pc's to receive this weekend

😀

You are seriously ill too! 🤣

I see that you have stopped overclocking, but at the vintage computer level, you are not going with the back of the spoon.

I adore!

eviledeath wrote on 2024-07-19, 13:18:

You are seriously ill too! XD […]
Show full quote

Obijuan1983 wrote on 2024-07-19, 13:05:

Thanks bro! […]
Show full quote

eviledeath wrote on 2024-07-17, 13:03:

Well why am I not surprised to find you here XD […]
Show full quote

Well why am I not surprised to find you here 🤣

I see that you hid a lot of new machines from me 🤣
Soon you will surpass me in number of old machines I have the impression.

Very nice, impressive collection.

Thanks bro!

I am waiting 30 more retro pc's to receive this weekend

😀

You are seriously ill too! 🤣

I see that you have stopped overclocking, but at the vintage computer level, you are not going with the back of the spoon.

I adore!

I stopped uploading results...not stopped overclocking...! My legacy backup collection is huge!!!

Dwaco wrote on 2024-07-18, 18:27:

PSU is actually very well designed. To add RAM or insert any cards you need to move PSU. To move PSU you need to disconnect the power cable! Clever, huh?

Imagine, same design is even on C3750 PA-RISC workstation, which PSU is much heavier and even uses a handle:

Hah, I swear I forget to remove the cable about 80% of the time when opening the machine up. On the plus side, at least you don't need to undo any screws.

I guess you're right about the PSU quality too, given that it's pushing 30 years old and going strong. I open it up to look at the caps and take voltage measurements every now and then, no signs of trouble so far. Having spent some time pondering the pinout, I'm also fairly sure I could replace the internals with Flex ATX or server PSU guts fairly easily if I had to. Surprisingly this thing has ATX style soft power and whatnot, despite the AT-esque connector.

eviledeath wrote on 2024-07-19, 09:15:

Here is one of my two Thermaltake Mozart TX 2006

And here is my 2010 Mountain Mods Ascension.
I really like everything that is excessive.

Those are some really nice builds/cases! Greetings from a fellow countryman.

exobot wrote on 2024-07-19, 16:36:

I guess you're right about the PSU quality too, given that it's pushing 30 years old and going strong.

I actually have no experience with their longevity. Even though I set up many of these machines in the nineties, but by the time it would matter they were already replaced.

I meant PSU placement, size and the need to move it to access RAM/slots.

Yeah, its proprietary for sure, but this is proprietary to do something cool and special 'outside the norm', not exactly to save a couple of bucks.

MadDogFargo wrote on 2024-06-26, 08:43:

Current build: Motherboard: Fujitsu-Siemens D2030-A Socket 939 OEM replacement (NEW old stock), SiS 761GX/965L chipset (* NOT […]
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Current build:
Motherboard: Fujitsu-Siemens D2030-A Socket 939 OEM replacement (NEW old stock), SiS 761GX/965L chipset (* NOT an overclocking board. Stock only, but rock solid stable so far. Great drivers!)
CPU: Athlon 64 4000+ 2.4GHz
Heatsink: Arctic Freezer 7 X (92mm Silent)
RAM: 2GB G.Skill DDR 400 (Running at 333) 2.5-3-3-6
GPU: ATI X800 XL PCIe (Down-clocked x800 XT that does not require external power.)
Sound: Yamaha XG YMF-744 PCI Soundcard with very good OPL3 synth and DOS emulation
Storage: Boot = Seagate Momentus XT 7200RPM 500GB SSHD with 4GB SLC NAND cache, Data = Samsung SpinPoint F3 7200RPM 1TB HDD, Optical = IDE LG 8x DvD ROM 52x CDRW
OS & Core Apps: Windows 98se, updated, R. Leow Patches, Windows ME Utilities, DGVooDoo Custom 3DFx DLL Wrapper, Daemon Tools/Alcohol 120.

This works perfectly in Windows 98se and has full driver support. However, I am testing some more modern parts that are 'unofficially working' but MUCH faster...because I can. 😀
I also have several Voodoo cards (2 in SLI, 3000 and 5500) but the glide wrappers are very fast and save me a PCI slot on this tiny motherboard.

What case did you used here?

AndrettiGTO wrote on 2024-04-05, 22:15:

I'd like to share my latest build. Actually, I should really call it a rebuild as most of the components I've owned since new. […]
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I'd like to share my latest build. Actually, I should really call it a rebuild as most of the components I've owned since new.
My goal was to recreate a Windows gamer system (no DOS) based on hardware and software from '98 to mid 2001. DX9 arrived around mid 2001 and by October, XP. I wanted to make it easy for someone else to use in the future.

The case chassis suffered corrosion and internal fluid stains so, having a media blast cabinet, I disassembled, cleaned and painted it. It was a good time to modify the motherboard tray (removable on this case) to enable hiding some of the wiring. Looks weird, but I wanted the CF card out back so had to fabricate an extension on the secondary IDE. I do like that Rainbow and now find myself looking at that SLI cable...

Using DirectX 8.1, I found my first choice nVidia GeForce2 Ti (Oct.'01) struggled with later titles so cheated a bit there. Also, added some Asus squirrel cage fans for extra cooling and lowered the front case fan to 5v making it relatively quiet.

- MSI MS-6119 ATX BX2 v1.1 w/PII 450 - 12/98
- 384mb PC100 SDRAM
- MSI GForce4 Ti4200-VTD8X 128MB - 02/02
- Creative 3D Blaster VooDoo2 12mb SLI - 02/98, 8/98
- Creative Sound Blaster AWE64 CT4500 - 04/09
- DFE 530tx Rev.B - 02/98
- CF-IDE Adapter
- Maxtor DiamondMax 80GB x2 (Backup Image) - 06/01
- HP CD_Writer+ 7200 - 06/98
- Panasonic JU475 5.25" DSHD & 3.5" HD Floppy drives
- LITEON PS-5251-08 250w p/s

Titles requiring physical media are virtually inserted without any user input. It's a pretty solid install now but getting there was difficult. Brought back memories of poorly written installers overwriting system files. I lost count of how many times I had to reinstall Windows, Service Packs and drivers and many times I found myself just walking away from it. This is supposed to be fun, right?

But now that it's finished, I'm really happy with it. 😊

Do you know that grey color code you used to spray this case with?

FInally completed my "dream"-build. I owned the exact case back in the day (late 2000). Specs were a little worse back then though (Thunderbird 1000 + Geforce 2 mx).
Really happy with the slot-in CD-rom and the zip-Drive, which of course I didn't own back then.

AMD Sempron 2500+
FIC AM39L
1,5 GB DDR-RAM
GeForce 6200 LE 512 MB DDR2
Soundblaster 128 PCI ct 4810
3.5 Zoll 1,44 MB Floppy
Iomega Zip 100 SCSCI
Pioneer DR-506S Slot-In-CD-ROM
CD-RW/DVD-RW
128 GB SSD (IDE to SATA Adapter)