Fixed a Sound Blaster 16 (CT2290) today. The card wouldn't detect properly as an Adlib or original Sound Blaster in older games. And while PCM and MIDI playback worked, FM synthesis wouldn't play back any sound.

Turns out the 14.3 MHz crystal was bad and needed replacement.

Before:

After:

Got the Acer ISA486GXI playing nice after a bit of fiddling. It was complaining I didn't have the jumper set for the CGA card, but buggered if I could find a jumper to set... so since that was annoying and the screen blanked funny when doing dir in DOS and other strange behaviours, I thought screw it, gotta put the EGA in. EGA wonder went in annnnd, tried 4 different settings and it was not coming up... so thought screw it's petty little tantrums, back in the box it goes, and grabbed the OTI out of the PB800 and although it's monitor detection is unnerving, it came up in EGA with the plug in the 9 pin hole... yeah so that was working nice... very nice display on that, font crispness like hercules. I only want one monitor on the bench and am still testing this EGA really so that's why I don't just stick a VGA in it. Running off my ancient 40MB "type 17 on everything" tester drive and all the fun stuff wanted VGA. Boring stuff ran, scored what it should in the benches... although kinda not what it should, I had the speed set to 40 for a naughty OC, since the board came with a label on saying 33Mhz only. Guess I shouuuuulllld set it back to 33 for making sure shit runs right when it's doing the validation stuff.

Finally found a system with this where ctrl-alt +/- on the numpad do the turbo switching... I am not sure what speed it goes to, but drops it down to "12Mhz" AT score on a couple of things so with 486 IPC being double 286, it might be as slow as 6Mhz, but could be 8mhz due to unfavorable instruction mixes, or it could split the diff a 14.318/2 . Didn't look at cache disable options to see if you can really slam the brakes on. Can prolly figure out more by looking up the PLL. Anyway, that was more of an aside for anyone interested in such things, it's pretty irrelevant for what I want out of it right now.

Decided the turned pin holes were going to be a problem on those headers. For one, using recovered chips with traces of solder on, they ain't the best for that. for two the DIPs on the SIMMs might have their legs shortened a touch, so I wanted sockets I can really ram the RAM down in so the fat bits clench for good contact. Yah so ordered a family variety pack of sockets from Bezos Bazaar, working that free next day prime. I did try the local "component" supplier first, all I got from their website was "Duhdoy, what's a DIP socket? Here, buy some LED strings."

Wasted almost two days of my life in bringing my Win98SE system back to life after changing video cards:

After going back from a Rage Pro to known-working Riva TNT card it did bring up a constant registry read error right after booting into desktop and all video driver versions I tried showed diverse graphical "effects" in random order. Even a reinstall of Windows didn't solve the issue. Because I had that exact same card in this system before without problems it really drove me crazy.
After pulling every other "unnecessary" component out of it without clearing this up only things left possibly causing the issues were the CPU and the mainboard itself.

Beeing ready for a heart transplant I checked all settings regarding Vcore, multi etc for the new inhabitant and that's were it hit me...
One dip switch for setting the PCI clock divider was set for 41.5 MHz PCI clock, obviously overstressing the Riva TNT but not bothering the Rage Pro at any time.
I can't remember having it set like this myself but how in the world would this happen on its own?
After kicking it back to 33 MHz everything worked like a charm again.
I'm so .... aaaarrrrrrgggghhh!!!

I recently upgraded from a ATI Radeon 9250 to a X850 XT PE and spent 4 hours battling with a no signal issue.
It ended up my LG TV has this "HDMI Deep Colour" that doesn't like much AMD/ATI cards much.

Unfortunately I am still on a Sempron 64 3000+, so my beloved NFS Underground went from 12 FPS to 48 FPS on Max Settings 1280x1024.
Time to look for an Athlon 64 Socket 754
And also, some cleaning.

download/file.php?mode=view&id=204265

wwdenis wrote on 2024-10-24, 08:06:

I recently upgraded from a ATI Radeon 9250 to a X850 XT PE and spent 4 hours battling with a no signal issue. It ended up my LG […]
Show full quote

I recently upgraded from a ATI Radeon 9250 to a X850 XT PE and spent 4 hours battling with a no signal issue.
It ended up my LG TV has this "HDMI Deep Colour" that doesn't like much AMD/ATI cards much.

Unfortunately I am still on a Sempron 64 3000+, so my beloved NFS Underground went from 12 FPS to 48 FPS on Max Settings 1280x1024.
Time to look for an Athlon 64 Socket 754
And also, some cleaning.

download/file.php?mode=view&id=204265

Nice - I like that “field-stripped” looking parts layout! 😊

The party pack of DIPs is here, guess I'm out of excuses to plan the solder party. (PB800 Lobotomy.... taking half it's memory out, might do a warm up on the FIC 486VC Dallas since it's less fiddly though.)

Amazon doesn't need my money, but I do, so if they get a box of DIP here for less than ordering 4 individual ones off Newark or somewhere (Only shipping is about the same or more as the total) then I'm gonna use them.

Might be doing a couple of 6-8-6 in case I end up socketing all 8 chips, since there's only 6 20pin in there. Obv just 'coz I want the troll title for youtoobz, "Watch me put 686 in 286 board!"

Tested this 486 VLB motherboard. The reset line is currently stuck on, which makes sense given the corrosion. After a quick diagnose, there is a corroded via and broken trace in the line coming off the main PSU connector.

A couple ISA slots also had some corrosion. Gave it an initial cleaning, but not sure if there is more damage hiding underneath that might need fixing.

I suddenly thought, "Okay Einstein, how are you gonna test RAM in Trident cards on an EGA monitor?" ... doh.. guess I done gotta clear room and squeeze a lil VGA in there... CRT is out, better be the NEC LCD... so had to do that, then as you see, got right into some highly technical stuff...

Got my KG7-RAID to a point where it runs fine. I'll have to use another drive to overclock tho, I'm not corrupting my 40GB drive again.
(it already corrupted once thanks to the 686B southbridge.)

I think I have the best candidate for OPPainter setting tests - an 160GB Maxtor 6L160P0 that recently had a PCB surgery.
Now, to figure what OS was used back then?
Clearly the 2000 install above HATES any of OPPainter's settings.
(literally - even with ADATA Vitesta + Corsair combo (or heck, even PQI sticks since those seem of quality too 🤣) I'm getting either nv4_disp BSODs or PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA)

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-10-24, 00:48:

Fixed a Sound Blaster 16 (CT2290) today. The card wouldn't detect properly as an Adlib or original Sound Blaster in older games. […]
Show full quote

Fixed a Sound Blaster 16 (CT2290) today. The card wouldn't detect properly as an Adlib or original Sound Blaster in older games. And while PCM and MIDI playback worked, FM synthesis wouldn't play back any sound.

Turns out the 14.3 MHz crystal was bad and needed replacement.

Before:

The attachment Sound Blaster 16 CT2290 - no FM.jpg is no longer available

The attachment Sound Blaster 16 CT2290 - 14MHz crystal osc.jpg is no longer available

After:

The attachment Sound Blaster 16 CT2290 - fixed.jpg is no longer available

The attachment Sound Blaster 16 CT2290 - fixed 14MHz crystal osc.jpg is no longer available

Took me a while to "spot the difference" on the board itself since i didn't know what component a crystal was. It was a like a spot the differences game 😁

What does the wire around the crystal do? Is it a holddown?

G-X wrote on 2024-10-25, 10:52:

What does the wire around the crystal do? Is it a holddown?

It does act as a mechanical retention, plus grounds the crystal since the wires are attached to ground (hence the solder blob connecting the wire to the outer case).

BitWrangler wrote on 2024-10-25, 02:39:

I suddenly thought, "Okay Einstein, how are you gonna test RAM in Trident cards on an EGA monitor?" ... doh.. guess I done gotta clear room and squeeze a lil VGA in there... CRT is out, better be the NEC LCD... so had to do that, then as you see, got right into some highly technical stuff...

I'd gladly take that EGA monitor from you, so you can free up some space on your desk!

Ensign Nemo wrote on 2024-10-25, 17:22:

BitWrangler wrote on 2024-10-25, 02:39:

I suddenly thought, "Okay Einstein, how are you gonna test RAM in Trident cards on an EGA monitor?" ... doh.. guess I done gotta clear room and squeeze a lil VGA in there... CRT is out, better be the NEC LCD... so had to do that, then as you see, got right into some highly technical stuff...

I'd gladly take that EGA monitor from you, so you can free up some space on your desk!

Nah I'm keeping it, it's one of these, read top of page.
https://choiceprinters.com/video/TTL/PACKARD_ … L_PB1431EG.html
They have others, same deal.

BitWrangler wrote on 2024-10-25, 17:51:

Nah I'm keeping it, it's one of these, read top of page. https://choiceprinters.com/video/TTL/PACKARD_ … L_PB1431EG.html They ha […]
Show full quote

Ensign Nemo wrote on 2024-10-25, 17:22:

BitWrangler wrote on 2024-10-25, 02:39:

I suddenly thought, "Okay Einstein, how are you gonna test RAM in Trident cards on an EGA monitor?" ... doh.. guess I done gotta clear room and squeeze a lil VGA in there... CRT is out, better be the NEC LCD... so had to do that, then as you see, got right into some highly technical stuff...

I'd gladly take that EGA monitor from you, so you can free up some space on your desk!

Nah I'm keeping it, it's one of these, read top of page.
https://choiceprinters.com/video/TTL/PACKARD_ … L_PB1431EG.html
They have others, same deal.

Thanks. I was just kidding. I'd love an EGA monitor, but I doubt that I'd be able to afford one (-:

Ensign Nemo wrote on 2024-10-25, 18:00:

Thanks. I was just kidding. I'd love an EGA monitor, but I doubt that I'd be able to afford one (-:

That listing says free... (plus shipping and handling though).

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-10-25, 18:11:

Ensign Nemo wrote on 2024-10-25, 18:00:

Thanks. I was just kidding. I'd love an EGA monitor, but I doubt that I'd be able to afford one (-:

That listing says free... (plus shipping and handling though).

Good eye! I just assumed they would ask for eBay prices. Surprised that someone would just give them away. That being said, shipping to Canada would probably be a deal breaker. The shipping is often higher than the item itself for us.

Ensign Nemo wrote on 2024-10-25, 18:21:

That being said, shipping to Canada would probably be a deal breaker. The shipping is often higher than the item itself for us.

That's true. Proper shipping to Canada might as well cost as much as a monitor locally.

I played with my vintage 80s technology some more.

(A Roland DXY-1100 serial 8 pen plotter)

Happy halloween!

(That is made using some disposable Pilot v5 Precise pens, which I disassembled, washed out, then refilled with different gradiations of black inkjet printer ink, and "water+glycerin+xanthan gum" extender mix. It was to test out the performance of such pens. It's an AI generated image, and took 30 hours for the process to complete.)

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-10-25, 18:22:

Ensign Nemo wrote on 2024-10-25, 18:21:

That being said, shipping to Canada would probably be a deal breaker. The shipping is often higher than the item itself for us.

That's true. Proper shipping to Canada might as well cost as much as a monitor locally.

Yeah I wasn't too upset seeing that AFTER paying $40CDN for mine, thinking it might be there to $80. Depends what kind of deal with shippers they've got though, I think they've been 'around' a couple of decades so know how to ship a monitor.

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-10-24, 23:46:

Tested this 486 VLB motherboard. The reset line is currently stuck on, which makes sense given the corrosion. After a quick diagnose, there is a corroded via and broken trace in the line coming off the main PSU connector.

A couple ISA slots also had some corrosion. Gave it an initial cleaning, but not sure if there is more damage hiding underneath that might need fixing.

Ah, I've got I think at least one board that's stuck in reset. An Asus ISA-486SV2 has got me stumped where it's stuck in reset but the chips all have their pwrgood signals. No idea what to do next.

Today I have been putting my Toshiba Satellite 230CX back together since it's been sitting in parts for a few months. It went back together mostly fine but it's got Windows 98 installed and only 16MB of base RAM. Windows 98 is a bit heavy for 16MB of RAM with a mechanical hard drive and it was chugging quite slowly because of this.

All evening I have been fighting the memory expansion which was in it originally and has been floating around my desk for a few months. I think the contacts got dirty and this lead to resoldering all the SO-DIMM slot pins, trying foam pads to get the RAM at just the right angle, adjusting screw positions. Then eventually I took very fine grit sandpaper to the gold contacts of the EDO SO-DIMM - that made a difference but having to sand down gold plating is not ideal...
But at least now with these foam blocks holding up the ram, the screws in a just the right angle, it's working consistently. Now to never open it up again 😀