| User | Post |
FreeDOS
Posts: 1299/1657 |
I have four, but I think I can get by with just two. My printer is attatched to the USB port, then I have a camera's cable on another port, then there's my iPod cable. Of course, I can switch between the iPod and camera easily, but it's a bit more convienent for all three plugged in all the time. |
BMF98567
Posts: 721/1261 |
I don't think a lot of people realize that USB devices eat up varying amounts of CPU cycles. Just because your computer could theoretically support up to 256(?) USB devices doesn't mean you could actually *use* all of them...you'd most likely have a molten puddle where your CPU used to be before you even got close. 
Me, I'd do fine with one port...that's all I ever use, and I hardly ever use the attached PSX gamepad adapter because it lags pretty bad compared to my old gameport Sidewinder. I guess I won't be getting a new soundcard anytime soon, since they don't come with gameports anymore.  |
neotransotaku
Posts: 2818/4016 |
my friend's work computer as 13 ports  --why wouldn't anyone need 13 USB ports? can you fill up 13 USB ports? |
Ran-chan
Posts: 8625/12781 |
I have too many USB ports. My computer has 8 of them. Two at the front. 
I use several of them as I can have two keyboards attached to it.
|
HyperLamer
Posts: 3927/8210 |
Mine only even has two, but I only use one anyway. If I need more, I can just get a hub. |
iamhiro1112
Posts: 277/487 |
I had to laugh when I saw the 2 usb ports. My computer gots six. |
Colin
Posts: 7413/11302 |
At first I thought those were the specs of your OLD computer, which would have made it pretty damn necessary to upgrade.
You've got three hard disks on there so be creative. I like the trio idea myself - DOS/Win 3.1, Win 95 and some type of Linux distro. If you don't want to use Linux, then just use one drive for games/storage/etc.  |
CoughSyrupAbuser
Posts: 21/23 |
It'd be a great machine to learn *nix on. I'd put the newest distro of FreeBSD on and fool around with it. You could try a live CD like Freesbie of Knoppix too.
I use an old P133 with OpenBSD installed as a router. Works like a dream. |
FreeDOS
Posts: 1256/1657 |
It's more of a small driver that emulates the interrupt Windows calls for so MS-DOS will enable Long File Name support.
You can install it over an existing Win9x installation, it works and Windows will still work. |
BMF98567
Posts: 697/1261 |
Ah, I see. Do you think there would be any problems copying the COMMAND.COM included in that package over my existing Win98 version, so I can get LFN support in "naked" DOS? Seems kinda silly and pointless that the official version doesn't do that. |
FreeDOS
Posts: 1255/1657 |
The "extract" one... but not exactly. MS-DOS has never been integrated into Windows, just disguised to look like that (especially with Windows Me). It's the same MS-DOS from Windows 95 B through 98 SE. The install program seems like one of the old FreeDOS set up programs. The distribution was done by the China DOS Union, where copyright law virtually doesn't exist (it does, but isn't enforced like almost every other country). It has a few hacks in it, such as Long File Names without Windows (an attempt by Microsoft to make Windows look like it does the filesystem, even though DOS still did it) and allowing Windows 2.x and 3.x to be installed (Microsoft put in some code to not run Windows < 95; Windows 1.x runs with SETVER 3.30).
Basically, it's MS-DOS with all the old utilities plus some (MPXPLAY, QuickViewer, Volkov Commander (Norton Commander clone based on Midnight Commander)). |
BMF98567
Posts: 691/1261 |
I didn't know there was a separate MS-DOS 7.10 release...or did somebody extract it from Win98 and make an installer? 
I have a pretty sweet DOS box that I recently fixed up (read: "removed the noisy old WD Caviar and made Windows stop crashing"). I also applied some Arctic Silver 5 to the heatsink and put it back on the right way, which may have fixed the crashing problem. Oops. 
Smokin' specs are as follows:
- FIC VA-503+ motherboard
- AMD K6-2 500 (100MHz faster than this computer... )
- 64MB CAS2 PC100 SDRAM
- Maxtor hard drive (uh...3GB?)
- 16x CD-ROM
- Voodoo3 2000 PCI
- Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold (sweeeeet!)
- some cheapo PCI LAN card (hey, it does what it's supposed to)
- Windows 98 SE
- All in a crusty old AT case with original PSU!
It runs old games pretty well, although sometimes I have to be a bit creative or tweak things to get the stubborn ones to go. Most games run under Win98 just fine, others need pure DOS, still others need pure DOS with EMS, and the really stubborn ones only run in a DOS box under Win98 (Alien Carnage gives me a runtime error in pure DOS...  ). And I don't even want to talk about how long it took me to make the AWE64 accept a "perfect" IRQ 5/DMA 1/HDMA 5 configuration...ISA Plug-n-Pray is awful!  |
HyperLamer
Posts: 3748/8210 |
I've got a decent old computer around that I just fixed up the other day (needs a new HD though ). 32MB RAM (would be 96, but I stole some for this one ), P233, Win98, 5GB HD (2GB with Windows on it, not working though, and 3GB for whatever), and some sort of CD-ROM and floppy. Also has a modified (well, cardboard ) side panel with 3 fans in it, since the damn thing kept overheating. The CPU has some weird thing on it that prevents actually putting a fan on it.  I'm planning to set it up downstairs with a fresh 98SE install for my mom to do her taxes and get on the Internet, maybe my brother could play games on it too. It's a really freakin' nice computer; would kick so much ass if it weren't so old. ATX and old-style power supply compatible, both types of RAM, 4 HD bays, room for two PSUs (why, I don't know) and 4 drive bays on the front. Lots of room inside too.  |
FreeDOS
Posts: 1245/1657 |
Well, if you want DOS games, then install MS-DOS 7.10 on it. Specifically that so you can use FAT32. The cluster sizes of FAT16 will eat you alive on those hard disks. This does comes with MPXPLAY, so you can play your MP3s too  |
Tarale
Posts: 1566/2720 |
Nice. I have a purpose built P1 somewhere for old DOS games, but I can't tell you the specs off the top of my head.
As for your threat about the computer eating my children, I do not have children.... but you can have my brother if you want. |
Ran-chan
Posts: 8317/12781 |
Old computers like this one are perfect for ROMS and such things. Well, not too advanced ones, of course.
Scorched Earth didn |
Boom.dk
Posts: 290/392 |
Yeah, it has a 5.25". I put it in there along with 3,5" floppy, cd drive, 2 hdds, 32 mb ram, the ethernet card and the SoundBlaster cause I had it layin' around. And I have about 200 discs for it so I thought it'd be time to use them. I never made the drive work on my xp machine...
I'll prolly install 95 on it... I have gathered drivers numerous utilities for 3.11 though...
As for the other stuff: Modem, SCSI, a gfx card and some weird onboard soundcard. |
neotransotaku
Posts: 2664/4016 |
Windows 98 will run on a P2 since it ran on my non-MMX enabled Pentium 166 without much problems.
As for 5.25 floppies, I have a bunch of them as well as two 5.25 drives sitting in my garage
You should just probably install Windows 98 since you don't really have to install DOS soundblaster for sound... |
Ailure
Posts: 8551/11162 |
I never seen 5.25 floppy drives, my 486 didn't have one and i'm quite surprised to see a 486 having one.
Then I know that Win XP oddly have support for 5.25 floppies, i'm not kidding...
I think you can have Win95 and Win 3.11 side by side if you do it right, that computer was released just before Win98 as Pentium II was around for a year when Windows 98 was released. or something. |
Karadur
Posts: 919/1192 |
It has a 5.25'' floppy drive? The last time I saw one of those things was nearly 6 years ago
As far as making the decision of whether to install either version of Windows or going with DOS, I'd say go with what you like the best I'd personally go with Windows 3.11/95, as it would be fun to see what those are like again, but using DOS would still be neat as it'd be a change from having a GUI to work with
What sort of other weird stuff are you referring to? Obviously some old piece/pieces of hardware, but you've listed pretty much all the stuff I can think of
Whatever you do on it, have fun |
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