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Deibit's Retro PC - Year 1997 - DOS - Voodoo1

deibit

deibit

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I'm on holiday's at my mom's so I was able to get some old hardware that was lying around in my "time-machine" cupboard..

I decided to build two more retro PCs.

This project focus in the late 90s DOS era, just before the switch to Windows95

Games: Wolfenstein 3D, Duke Nukem, Doom, DoomII, Civilization, Lemmings, UFO: Enemy Unknown, Jazz Jackrabbit, Epic Pinball, Quake I, Commander Keen, Descent, Scorched Earth, Alone in the Dark, Rise of the Triad, Raptor, Secret of Monkey Island, Star Wars Tie Fighter, Lost Vikings, Warcraft I-II, Day of the Tentacle, Star Wars: Dark Forces, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Heretic, Ultima: Underworld, Hexen, Beneath a Steel Sky... etc etc...

Case:Linkworld 6012-G1
Motherboard: QDI Titanium 1B+ P5I430TX --> https://www.anandtech.com/show/24, Manual: http://www.elhvb.com/mobokive/Archive/Qdi - Legend/manuals/430txt1.pdf
CPU: P1 233 MMX SL27S
Memory: 2x64MB Siemens PC100-222-620 SD-RAM 100MHz CL2 DIMM HYS64V8200GU-8 168p
Soundcard: Sound Blaster AWE32 CT2760 --> That was my old soundcard back in the time when I was a SoundBlaster fanboy, one of the best soundcards ever made, I'm glad to be able to revive her :)
MPU401: HardMPU --> https://github.com/ab0tj/HardMPU
Graphic Card: Diamond Stealth 3D 2000 (S3 Virge) + Orchid Rigtheous 3D (3dfx Voodoo 1) with relay switches
HDD: CF to IDE https://www.aliexpress.com/item/CF-...693.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dpyPS5a + Transcend 8GB CF card
CD-ROM: DVD-ROM x16 Samsung SH-D162
OS: DOS 7.1 CDU https://winworldpc.com/product/ms-dos/7x
 
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I have also a retro PC at home in a modern case. Only have an issue with the motherboard right now, sometimes the computer hangs :(

Configuration;

AMD K6-2 333mhz
192MB RAM
8GB COMPACT FLASH (IDE->CF)
Sound Blaster AWE32
Matrox G450 - 16MB
Voodoo 2 - 12MB
3Com 10/100
DVD+RW
Windows 98SE
 
Troubleshooting is not hard for me, I used to work at the assembly/technical department of a computer store. It is the motherboard :(

Please note; in your other PC you want to upgrade the memory to 768MB. Windows 98SE can behave strange if you have more then 512MB, so I would not upgrade it to 768MB.
 
I have 768MB in my PIII Build with win98se and I didn't find any troubles (so far!)

In case weird things happen I will just remove one of the DIMMs, thanks for the advice! :)

@edit: I use the unoficcial SP3 update package: http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/unofficial_windows98_se_service_pack.html maybe helps with the memory issue... (according to the Vogons forum, it should suppoprt up to 2GB)
 
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I decided to work a bit in this project, I got some missing parts (first post updated). I'm still waiting for some of the parts (like video card and memory), but is almost done already.

I'm not sure if some parts are going to be compatible in the end (memory, cpu, CF..). the way to know it is to test :)

The MoBo is an AT board with additional ATX power connector, this simplifies the setup of the PSU, but I did want to avoid to use serial mouse (my KVM switch doesnt support it). Fortunately enough, the main board has a IDC 5pin header for a PS2 mouse (yay!) After some search I found that Startetech sells a PS2 to 10pin IDC header slot plate. I bought it, changed the IDC header and wired it accordingly (I'm a happy person now)

Since it's almost impossible to find IO shields for AT main boards, I got a blank IO shield and dremeled it for the AT keyboard port.

Some pics of the current status:

rg9j1vt.jpg


2y2fjIL.jpg
 
LOL at the length of that AWE32 sound card. Seeing that I remember we had to cut in to our PC case with a hacksaw to house a similar card back in the day.

Also, I think I pimped mine with additional memory, most likely to no real benefit.

Good stuff.
 
it's a wonderful card :)

I plan to add 8MB memory, with extended memory there's the posibility to use better MIDI sound banks, the one included in the card (1MB) is good, but pales when you compare it with other cards of that era like the GUS.

So yes, bigger memory helps, but you need to load a SBK... for example: http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=501&menustate=0
 
Oh man, great era. Great build! I love the CF drive. I hope you're playing command and conquer!

in 1995 I had a 486 dx2 50mhz. I think I was burning cd-r's at 1x speed, and had an 800mb HDD. also had a sound blaster... it was a must.
 
deibit said:
I've been looking for the games i wanted to play with this setup. and I founf this wonderful graphic on Reddit, it focus on the late-era DOS games, perfect selecxtion.

I'm going to install each one of them :love:
Click to expand...
that pic brings back memories... :love:
 
does that IDE to CF adapter work fine?
it just recognizes the CF card as an IDE device?
 
PascalP said:
does that IDE to CF adapter work fine?
it just recognizes the CF card as an IDE device?
Click to expand...
CF Card will be recognized as an IDE HDD. Works fine without any issues from my experience. (I use it in an AMD K6-2 Windows 98SE PC)
 
I'm still waiting for the 2D graphic card, I think the eBay guy cheated on me :cursing:

I ordered a new one.. a Diamond Stealth 2000 (s3 virge)

By the way, I have to change the timeline from 1995 to 1997 (with the hardware upgrade, I moved two years in the future) :)

The CF to IDE is able to boot and behave like a IDE-HDD, the main issue can be the size of the CF card itself... but there's always the possibility to patch the BIOS to support bigger HDD.

I use CF or DOM modules in my DOS machines. I don't like to use solid memories in my windows machines where TRIM is not supported (older than Windows7)
 
you linked the CF, not the adapter :P

I used several from AliExpress, they tend to behave identically.. you just need to decide if you want it internal (vertical or horizontal ide connector) or external (slot, or drive bay)
 
can be.... :) (it could support up to 32GB, before the AWARD BIOS bug happen.. but it's mainboard dependant)

if it's not supported with the standard BIOS, check the Wim's big-hdd patched BIOS for your motherboard:

https://www.wimsbios.com/biosupdates/asus.jsp (go to the tab "Large HDD")

Looks like the maximum HDD with the patched BIOS is going to be 128GB (which is quite a lot for a DOS machine)
 
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