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#31
That was pretty much top of the line for 1992... Funny how it still costs about $2000 for a good desktop system
Windows 3.1
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New #32
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New #33
Agreed.
Anyway I'm currently working on my Windows 98SE build. I'm kind of miffed right now as I can't find my Creative AWE64 Gold soundcard. Not sure if I threw it out or not. Looks like I'll have to go with my Creative Live.
I'm also trying to decide if I want to go with my 3Dfx Voodoo 5500, or go with something like an ATI 8500, or 9700.
System specs thus far....
Abit BE6 II, ver 1.0
Pentuim 3 733MHz
512Meg SD RAM PC-133
Western Digital 30Gig HD
Creative Live Soundcard
Plextor PleXwriter 40/12/40A
Samsung floppy drive
Antec 400W PS
Antec Mid Tower case
Now I just have to hope all those old parts still work
.... then get the OS loaded along with drivers.
Will let you know how it goes sometime tomorrow :)
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New #34
In at least one way, 3.1, 95, and 98 were each a much more solid OS than windows 7. Windows 7 will fail to start anytime you add or enable hardware that wasn't present during the install without first installing drivers for it. You can't upgrade a HDD, CPU or motherboard, activate a TPM or a serial port or even change HDD modes without having reinstall windows or at least reactivate it. You can't even move a windows 7 image to a new HDD in the same system without getting approval from microsoft. Window 7 also won't let you stay connected to any network for very long unless it can contact microsoft at least once a day. I've seen the proof of that by trying to use a hardware firewall in addition to the Comodo firewall to contain all system processes to a local area while running firefox on a sandbox. The network location service and windows firewall double as spyware for microsoft. I think it's pure bulls*** on microsofts' part, and now I can see why some people won't upgrade..In the 90s you could swap HDDs between 2 totally different systems and the OS would almost always boot, recognize the different hardware configuration in each and make the appropriate changes without any B$, so long as both systems had hardware that was natively supported by the OS.
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Posts : 8,375 W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 ProNew #35
I just replaced the main board earlier this summer when a faulty supply tripped a 20a breaker right when going to power up. The exact same make and model replaced the first without any reinstall needed. But previously when finding the particular memory on the supported list was what the board required the first Sata III drive's installation had to be replaced with a fresh install on one of the Sata II drives.
Going from OCZ GOLD memory to Mushkin Enhanced posed a problem with the first install on the new build. The OCZ was 1.9v for the board requiring 1.5v - 1.65v according to the manual that came with the board not the "supported"? memory list which saw the 1600 default speed backclocked to 1066mhz.
As far as addon devices the flash drives, printer, external drive enclosure, tv tuner card never required a fresh install when added on. You simply needed to install the drivers/application when necessary to make the printer or tv tuner card available. When reinstalling the nic card removed for working on another pair of cases(1 new, 1 refurbished) I simply had to see the network configuration tended to.
As for your 98 project, sygnus21, you may want to check this one out for that model board as far as chipset drivers for 98 thru XP as well as the last bios version apparently. DriversCollection.com 98
You'll likely need to check out other sites like guru3d for the older video drivers.
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New #36
Win95 still running here. hehe kids love it. :)
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Posts : 8,375 W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 ProNew #37
When first taking a look at 98SE I had the same reaction at first as many had for Vista! W95 was much lighter and had the programs I later saw running on 98. We know how the rest went where sooner or later you upgrade!
As far as 3.1 I was trying that oldie go onto a DOSBox setup when having the old case running with that having a floppy drive in a 5.25" adapter at the time. I wouldn't be going for any usb floppy drive however but could simply yank the drive bay adapter out of the old case when maybe feeling upto it.
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New #38
Thanks. Being the pack rat that I am, I'm fairly confident I have most drivers for what I'm installing, and I have the original driver disk for the motherboard should I run into problems... a driver is better than no driver :)
Anyways thanks for the link, I'm sure I'll be looking there for something.
As for the BIOS, I have the latest one for that board unless they came out with an unofficial BIOS long after the board was retired, though you never know.
Right now I'm getting getting all the power connections hooked up and doing some wire management before powering up and hoping everything still works
Later.
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Posts : 8,375 W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 ProNew #39
I have to look over an old 98 case once a PS/2 keyboard can be found with a Slot one cpu in it! Those proceed the Socket As where you slide the cpu and heat sink attached down plastic rails to see everything locked into place. A pain to swap out however! The old plastic tracks can be brittle!
That will be passed along between one family cousins while the vpu in that won't support any new lcd too well. The most out of 98 was 1024x768! That will stink if the parents end up buying a widescreen model for sure. Plus none of the original board or other disks came with the old custom case since apparently it was used by an uncle those many years back prior to an upgrade into XP.
Some of the sites that still manage to archive the old stuff can save you at times!
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New #40
I Posted my own 98 build thread here... Building a Windows 98 machine :)
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