Building a fast 386 stealth style (ATX case & PSU, CF card, USB FDD, Pwr & Turbo)

I recently built this fast 386, aka "The stealth 386"

Looks like a standard, modern computer from the outside, but turn it on and awesome DOS gaming awaits you!

Here is an image of the finished computer in action:



As always, I documented the process and produced a little video guide I have also done an intro to set the mood a bit...

Link to the video: Building a fast 386 DOS Retro Gaming PC

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Let's take a look at the parts I used:



- FX-3000 motherboard
- 386DX-40 processor
- 4MB Ram
- Diamond Speedstar 24x
- Goldstar Prime2 IO controller
- Sound Blaster Pro 2
- Roland MPU-401AT
- Roland MT-32 (Old)
- 32 GB Compact Flash card
- StarTech 3.5" CF to IDE adapter
- GOTEK USB Floppy emulator
- IDE DVD-RW
- ATX to IDE adapter
- 420W Gigabyte PSU
- Aywun ATX case

For the power and turbo buttons

- Spare IO shield
- 2 Switches
- 2 cables

Software:

- MS-DOS 6.22
- Ontrack DM
- Wing Commander II
- Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
- Gods

Towards the end of the video you watch me play a few games on this machine

 

Another great video, it's a shame those AT I/O shields are so hard to come by now.

 

Yea, but I've already totally forgotten about that hole in the back of the PC

 

That is one of those interesting motherboards that can take either a 386 or a 486 processor. And inside the 486 socket is a 387 socket. Have you tried running this board with a 486?

 

Yes, works well. But there are quite a few jumpers that need to be moved first. So after playing with the 486, I put it all back and just use it as a high end 386 board

 

For applications like this in the future, you can use of a 5V latching or bistable relay (~ $5 from Ebay) powered from the standby supply instead of rear mounted toggles. This will toggle when the momentary power switch is pressed as with an ATX motherboard. The most difficult part of an operation like this would be stealing the standby pin and wire from an old ATX connector as most of these adapters don't have it populated. The relay could be tucked into a location of your choosing with two sided sticky tape.

Alternately, use an AT case if you have one and retrofit the ATX supply. The toggle wires can replace the mains wire of the existing switch. This shouldn't require any crimping, as the mains switch usually uses spade connectors. The old case would be a negative in aesthetics, but would have no impact on reliability.

 

I showed how to do front buttons in another video. You might see one isolated video and pick up on something, but I do things slightly different throughout my videos, so regular viewers get to see all sorts of ways they can do things.

I've got something with relays in the works, so stay tuned

 

I figure you're going to go full bore retro case modding one of these days. Bay busses and everything.

I might have to mount some toggles for switching FSB and mult on my K6-2 time machine [props to boxpressed on Vogons for the idea]. Some nice illuminated rocker switches would be sweet, but I think that's where it's going to end for me.

 

Dude Awesome. Thank you for sharing this.

 

I miss turbo buttons. Every system should have them (even if they do nothing).

 

Yea, turbo button is nice. My next AT motherboard project should feature buttons at the front. Not sure when that will be, but soon enough

 

One of these days, someone will turn the rotary switch from a washing machine into a computer speed control (and the world will change forever).

 

Took some benchmarks. This is with tweaked BIOS settings as per screenshots

BIOS settings







3dbench 1.0



3dbench 1.0c











Doom in slowmotion

 

That is a nice graphics card, I'll always recommend if your building an old machine to use a video card with 2D acceleration as it makes windows a much smoother experience but it doesn't matter so much for dos gaming.

 

Yea I'm more into DOS gaming for 386 machines