Yet another Retro AT box!

Draxx · 15th October 2010, 2:26 PM

I discovered an old AT box laying around in my office a few months ago, but until now I havent had a chance to turn it on and have a play.

It's specs are as follows:

MAINBOARD: TMC AI5TV Socket 7 Intel 82430VX Chipset [manual]
CPU: Intel Pentium-S 120Mhz Socket 7 [tech specs]
MEMORY: 16MB Legend 72pin EDO (2x 8MB sticks)
VIDEO: S3 Trio 64 PCI
SOUND: ESS AudioDrive ES-1868F ISA [datasheet]
HDD: 1.28GB Fujitsu M1636TAU (Dec 1996) [tech specs]
OPTICAL: Sony CDU-4811 48x CD-ROM (Nov 2000) [tech specs]
FLOPPY: Mitsubishi MF355F-2250MB (Dec 1995) [tech specs]
OS: Windows 95b
CASE: Unknown manufacturer - beige AT box!
PSU: Morex MXC-200PVF 200W AT

I fired it up today, and it booted straight into Windows 95, once I told it to ignore the Floppy Failed message on POST!!

I'll clean it up sometime over the next few days, then I'll post a few pics. I reckon I might set it up for some X-COM Enemy Unknown and Terror From The Deep, once I can locate a serial mouse and/or adapter for a PS2...

Mau1wurf1977 · 15th October 2010, 2:35 PM

Excellent!

If it has a Turbo button there is a lot you can do with this machine!

With L1 disable tools for DOS you can turn this into a 386 / 486 for speed sensitive games.

Should be a perfect Doom machine

Nice find

Draxx · 15th October 2010, 2:49 PM

Just updated OP with links to some of the info I've found on the parts!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mau1wurf1977

Excellent!

If it has a Turbo button there is a lot you can do with this machine!

With L1 disable tools for DOS you can turn this into a 386 / 486 for speed sensitive games.

Should be a perfect Doom machine

Nice find

No Turbo button unfortunately, but it does have a keylock which appears to be wired to the mainboard!!!

Draxx · 16th December 2010, 12:42 AM

Some pics as promised (sorry it's taken so long!!)

Click to view!

More to come....

Tekxpert · 16th December 2010, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draxx

Some pics as promised (sorry it's taken so long!!)

More to come....

Excellent. I have one of those motherboards that look very very similar in layout minus the SDRAM slot in my IBM 300PL but can't get the bitch to boot properly yet.. at least yours works!

Draxx · 16th December 2010, 11:22 AM

Aah, that's a shame. I havent had the time really to get mine sorted yet, other than giving it a good clean, hence the photos of individual bits.

It's nice and clean inside now, so I'll get some new photos of it all together, then I'll sort out a clean install of Windows - I think I've got a couple of original Win95 & 98 CD's somewhere!

TaXy DriVar · 16th December 2010, 12:27 PM

Wow ... I remember my first IT job, I built these machines for customers. We had a toolbox full of memory chips for the graphics cards too! Also remember setting the jumpers on the mobo to set the clockspeed for the CPU.

Ahh good ole days

DonutKing · 17th December 2010, 9:00 AM

Sorry dude but that's wrong.
My 486 has a functional turbo button, and I remember my original 486 when I was young had a functional one too, and so did the one that belonged a friend of mine. I remember playing with the button trying to figure out what it does and there wasa noticable difference in certain games.

One particular example was that my friend was trying to get Sam and Max Hit the Road to run, and it kept crashing at the main menu, until I noticed that his turbo was turned off. When we pushed the turbo button in, it worked. Don't understand that one as it was a DX2 so shouldn't have been too fast or slow in either case. But hey, it got the game running so that's all that matters.

With my current 486 that I built recently, if you use Norton System Info to benchmark your CPU, if you press the turbo button you can actually see the benchmark score change.

I also picked up an MT32 for this system, and some old Lucasarts games like Monkey Island crapped out when trying to use it (missing and incorrect notes etc). However, turning off the turbo makes it work perfectly.

I posit that every machine you owned with a turbo button later than that 286 did not have th eir turbo button connected to the motherboard correctly

Pentium class maybe, a lot of pentium boards I've got don't even have the turbo button header, or they have some key combo to slow it down (like ctrl + alt and +/-) but turbo definitely works on 486's.

Draxx · 17th December 2010, 9:02 AM

While I enjoy a good discussion on interesting subjects, the last couple of posts are off MY topic. Can this conversation please be moved to another thread?

Thanks!

Mau1wurf1977 · 17th December 2010, 9:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draxx

Some pics as promised (sorry it's taken so long!!)

Yes ESS AudioDrive 1868F

What are these 2 jumpers? They might switch between amplified speaker output and line output. Are they labeled?

Eagle... Hmm intersting manufacturer, never heard of them. Do you happen to have any drivers for your card? Where there any on the machine maybe? If you haven't wiped the disk yet take a look around and see if you find a folder with drivers and make a backup.

If you need DOS drivers for this card let me know. They aren't really necessary as this card "just works" but if you want to change resources (like a different address for the midi port) or change the mixer volume settings then you need the drivers.

I also got one with that chip, looks different though, no CD drive port:

Draxx · 19th December 2010, 6:25 PM

More pics:

Click to view full size!

And a teaser for a future thread:

Click to view full size!

Draxx · 19th December 2010, 6:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mau1wurf1977

Yes ESS AudioDrive 1868F

What are these 2 jumpers? They might switch between amplified speaker output and line output. Are they labeled?

Not sure what they do - I'll look into it later...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mau1wurf1977

Eagle... Hmm intersting manufacturer, never heard of them. Do you happen to have any drivers for your card? Where there any on the machine maybe? If you haven't wiped the disk yet take a look around and see if you find a folder with drivers and make a backup.

Still got the original install on the hard drive, so I will be backing them up first.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mau1wurf1977

If you need DOS drivers for this card let me know. They aren't really necessary as this card "just works" but if you want to change resources (like a different address for the midi port) or change the mixer volume settings then you need the drivers.

Thanks, will do[/QUOTE]

Tekxpert · 19th December 2010, 7:44 PM

THats looking very nice Draxx, like to see some performance benchmarks under Windows.

tazwegion · 20th December 2010, 8:52 PM

Great salvage effort! it's nice to see others restoring/using last centuries PC's

Personally I've not had anything SS7 (or below) for a long time though I do hang onto the memory & processors when I dissect dead PCs

Draxx · 20th December 2010, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tekxpert

THats looking very nice Draxx, like to see some performance benchmarks under Windows.

Hehe, I'll see what I can do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tazwegion

Great salvage effort! it's nice to see others restoring/using last centuries PC's

Personally I've not had anything SS7 (or below) for a long time though I do hang onto the memory & processors when I dissect dead PCs

Might have to mix up a batch of Retrobrite, it's far too yellow, and I want to do one of my Amiga 500's too...

15th October 2010, 2:26 PM	#1
Draxx Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Bendigo Posts: 696	Yet another Retro AT box! I discovered an old AT box laying around in my office a few months ago, but until now I havent had a chance to turn it on and have a play. It's specs are as follows: MAINBOARD: TMC AI5TV Socket 7 Intel 82430VX Chipset [manual] CPU: Intel Pentium-S 120Mhz Socket 7 [tech specs] MEMORY: 16MB Legend 72pin EDO (2x 8MB sticks) VIDEO: S3 Trio 64 PCI SOUND: ESS AudioDrive ES-1868F ISA [datasheet] HDD: 1.28GB Fujitsu M1636TAU (Dec 1996) [tech specs] OPTICAL: Sony CDU-4811 48x CD-ROM (Nov 2000) [tech specs] FLOPPY: Mitsubishi MF355F-2250MB (Dec 1995) [tech specs] OS: Windows 95b CASE: Unknown manufacturer - beige AT box! PSU: Morex MXC-200PVF 200W AT I fired it up today, and it booted straight into Windows 95, once I told it to ignore the Floppy Failed message on POST!! I'll clean it up sometime over the next few days, then I'll post a few pics. I reckon I might set it up for some X-COM Enemy Unknown and Terror From The Deep, once I can locate a serial mouse and/or adapter for a PS2... Last edited by Draxx; 15th October 2010 at 2:48 PM.

15th October 2010, 2:35 PM	#2
Mau1wurf1977 Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Country WA Posts: 12,948	Excellent! If it has a Turbo button there is a lot you can do with this machine! With L1 disable tools for DOS you can turn this into a 386 / 486 for speed sensitive games. Should be a perfect Doom machine Nice find __________________ Ultimate GOG.com DOSBox Tutorial, Roland vs Yamaha General MIDI DOS Games Music Comparison

16th December 2010, 12:42 AM	#4
Draxx Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Bendigo Posts: 696	Some pics as promised (sorry it's taken so long!!) Click to view! More to come.... __________________ Draxx's ABIT FTP Mirror: PM for access Daily Driver: 2008 FG Falcon XR6 \| 4.0L I6 \| 6SP Auto \| Nitro (FOR SALE) Second Car: 1984 Nissan 300C (Y30 Cedric) \| 3.0L V6 \| Auto \| Metallic Beige (FOR SALE) Wife's Car: 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer CH "Velocity" \| 2.4L 4cyl \| 4SP Auto \| Effect Grey (FOR SALE)

16th December 2010, 11:22 AM	#6
Draxx Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Bendigo Posts: 696	Aah, that's a shame. I havent had the time really to get mine sorted yet, other than giving it a good clean, hence the photos of individual bits. It's nice and clean inside now, so I'll get some new photos of it all together, then I'll sort out a clean install of Windows - I think I've got a couple of original Win95 & 98 CD's somewhere! __________________ Draxx's ABIT FTP Mirror: PM for access Daily Driver: 2008 FG Falcon XR6 \| 4.0L I6 \| 6SP Auto \| Nitro (FOR SALE) Second Car: 1984 Nissan 300C (Y30 Cedric) \| 3.0L V6 \| Auto \| Metallic Beige (FOR SALE) Wife's Car: 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer CH "Velocity" \| 2.4L 4cyl \| 4SP Auto \| Effect Grey (FOR SALE)

16th December 2010, 12:27 PM	#7
TaXy DriVar Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Dural Posts: 399	Wow ... I remember my first IT job, I built these machines for customers. We had a toolbox full of memory chips for the graphics cards too! Also remember setting the jumpers on the mobo to set the clockspeed for the CPU. Ahh good ole days __________________ Atari 2600 -> Sega Megadrive II -> Nintendo 64 -> Sega Dreamcast -> Xbox -> Xbox 360 -> Xbox 360 Slim 386sx25 -> Pentium 100 -> P166MMX Laptop -> P3 600MHz -> P4 2GHz -> P4 3GHz -> C2D E8400 -> Core i3 2100 -> Core i5 3570k Gameboy Colour -> Gameboy Advance SP -> Nintendo DS -> Sony PSP

17th December 2010, 9:00 AM	#8
DonutKing Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Tweed/Gold Coast Posts: 499	Sorry dude but that's wrong. My 486 has a functional turbo button, and I remember my original 486 when I was young had a functional one too, and so did the one that belonged a friend of mine. I remember playing with the button trying to figure out what it does and there wasa noticable difference in certain games. One particular example was that my friend was trying to get Sam and Max Hit the Road to run, and it kept crashing at the main menu, until I noticed that his turbo was turned off. When we pushed the turbo button in, it worked. Don't understand that one as it was a DX2 so shouldn't have been too fast or slow in either case. But hey, it got the game running so that's all that matters. With my current 486 that I built recently, if you use Norton System Info to benchmark your CPU, if you press the turbo button you can actually see the benchmark score change. I also picked up an MT32 for this system, and some old Lucasarts games like Monkey Island crapped out when trying to use it (missing and incorrect notes etc). However, turning off the turbo makes it work perfectly. I posit that every machine you owned with a turbo button later than that 286 did not have th eir turbo button connected to the motherboard correctly Pentium class maybe, a lot of pentium boards I've got don't even have the turbo button header, or they have some key combo to slow it down (like ctrl + alt and +/-) but turbo definitely works on 486's.

17th December 2010, 9:02 AM	#9
Draxx Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Bendigo Posts: 696	While I enjoy a good discussion on interesting subjects, the last couple of posts are off MY topic. Can this conversation please be moved to another thread? Thanks! __________________ Draxx's ABIT FTP Mirror: PM for access Daily Driver: 2008 FG Falcon XR6 \| 4.0L I6 \| 6SP Auto \| Nitro (FOR SALE) Second Car: 1984 Nissan 300C (Y30 Cedric) \| 3.0L V6 \| Auto \| Metallic Beige (FOR SALE) Wife's Car: 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer CH "Velocity" \| 2.4L 4cyl \| 4SP Auto \| Effect Grey (FOR SALE)

19th December 2010, 6:25 PM	#11
Draxx Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Bendigo Posts: 696	More pics: Click to view full size! And a teaser for a future thread: Click to view full size! __________________ Draxx's ABIT FTP Mirror: PM for access Daily Driver: 2008 FG Falcon XR6 \| 4.0L I6 \| 6SP Auto \| Nitro (FOR SALE) Second Car: 1984 Nissan 300C (Y30 Cedric) \| 3.0L V6 \| Auto \| Metallic Beige (FOR SALE) Wife's Car: 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer CH "Velocity" \| 2.4L 4cyl \| 4SP Auto \| Effect Grey (FOR SALE)

19th December 2010, 7:44 PM	#13
Tekxpert Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Port Sorell, TAS Posts: 329	THats looking very nice Draxx, like to see some performance benchmarks under Windows.

20th December 2010, 8:52 PM	#14
tazwegion Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Central Victoria Posts: 379	Great salvage effort! it's nice to see others restoring/using last centuries PC's Personally I've not had anything SS7 (or below) for a long time though I do hang onto the memory & processors when I dissect dead PCs __________________ Caution: Retro-ism is a way of life...