Resurrecting a Legacy X86 PC..

[davemurgtroyd]

Software I'd like to install on windows OS ..
I shall start a list ..but winamp is up there ...
item 1

What version(s) are you looking for? Will latest version 5.666 work on the earlier OSs?

 

[davemurgtroyd]

A very useful site for old apps for legacy OSs, has numerous versions to download and lists which OSs they are for.

Old and New Software Version Downloads - OldApps.com

 

[Vipersan]

Thought I'd done ..but sadly no ..
Win2000 is the issue ..
Based on NT ...but supporting NTFS ..
Not that this is the reason ..
I simply cannot install a third party bootloader ..as this sits in the MBR space ...but then ..so does part of Win2000s boot config ...
Thus one overwrites t'other ...and they simply can't coexist ..
I'm now looking at making win xp the first bootable OS on this drive ...and using its built in abilty to multiboot the other operating systems ..
This I believe can be done but does involve copying and storing away a couple of XP files after the install ..
Installing Win2000 which will overwrite XPs boot loading files ...then restoring them from the stored safe location...PLUS ..WIN2000 is hard wired in such a way that ITS partition/OS cannot be loacted more than 137Gb from the hard drives MBR partition ..
Whoever thought this was a good idea was a p!llock ...but I spose ..back then hard drive sizes where such that only rich folk could own drives big enough to be an issue..
This may work ..but then again ..????

 

[Vipersan]

So ..
I still haven't sorted even a dual boot Win2000 / XPpro drive yet ..and I think this is because of the issue above ..
Drive size ..??
I'm trying again ..but this time not pre assigning drive space and partitions etc ...using a seperate PC ..
Remember ..I wa trying to use drives larger than 130gb ..
I dont believe Win2000 can recognise them ? ...and certainly not for what they are ?
This time I'm allowing Win2000 setup to create the partition and format it in NTFS ...
I have a 320gb IDE attached ..but Win 2000 thinks the maximum drive size is only 131gb ?
So ..I tried making a partition of 100gb ..
no way is this possible even though it clearly states maximum partition size is 137gb ..
So this time I went as close as I could ..
it will allow 99000mb ..
99gb ...
BUT if I try and enter 100000mb ...the curse simply doesnt move past the last Zero ...
so the partition would be 10000 ..
10gb ??
I find this odd on account Win2000 is the basis for XP ....and they clearly state a max partition size or 137000 ...which is only achievable if I allow Win2000 to use the whole drive ...which in this case is 320 gb ..
They have built in this hardware restriction during setup ..
I read that service pack 4 fixes this ..drive limititation ...but chicken and egg ..
The OS has to go in in order to install SP4 ...and SP4 has to be in to allow larger hard drives..
Most confusing ..
..and again this may not work ..on account the drive is seen as much smaller than it actually is ..????????
bag o shyte ...
A good OS crippled by idiots imo..

 

[Vipersan]

No way Hose...
Fell at the first Hurdle ..
Installation not possible cos on reboot it fails ..
I assume on account the wrong hard drive size is reported ..
So although it allows me to create the 99gb partition ...and format it ..
on reboot it doesn't see its own creation..
I have my answer ...
..and I doubt anyone fixed this issue ...afterall ..XP came out soon after ...and it was fixed on that..
Grrr ..


So the fudges I was trying ealier ..
Same problem from a different perspective ..
I built Win2000 on an 80gb drive ..
Imaged it ..and put that image on a drive bigger than allowed ..
It boots ..and runs ..but as soon as a second OS is put on a partition outside that 137gb limit ...
Even though it is hidden and not visible to Win2000 ...the full realisation that this drive has more sectors than allowed becomes evident ..and on reboot of Win2k ...instant blue screen of death..
ferkin idiots..!!!

 

[Vipersan]

Treated myself to a couple of 'toys' t0 play with ..from China ..wherelse..
so will have to wait a while ..
1x 40 pin IDE to Compact flash adapter ..
This one claims bootable ..but we shall see.
Some are some aren't but it has much to do the CF itself...
but at £2.00 each ..a risk worth taking..
and
1x SD (full sized not micro or mini) to IDE ..adapter ..(also bootable)
This requires an interface chip in line so was a bit more expensive at £6

rgds
VS

..Now I just gotta get some decent sized CFs ...the largest I have is 2gb and ran freenas quite happily ...but not big enough for windoze I think ..
8 > 64 gb would be a better bet ..
If anyone has used ones lying around they dont use any longer ...I would be interested in taking them off your hands ..for suitable remuneration of couse..
rgds

 

[Captain Jack]

Vs, as you're in tinker mode, maybe you should try installing Mac os on one of the pcs you have? It's a relatively labour intensive process and will involve a lot of rude words but I think that's the only os you haven't tried.

It does need a relatively recent Intel processor (Core2Duo and up) and it's not exactly retro...

 

[2cvbloke]

Also known as a "Hackintosh"...

Surprisingly, with the right hardware, a hackintosh can outperform a real mac, probably why apple claims it's illegal to use the OS on anything other than their monopolised hardware (and yet, they allow non-Apple OSes to be installed on a mac, but not vice-versa!), gotta keep their profits up after all...

 

[Captain Jack]

I ran one for a few years before getting sick and tired of spending hours on getting it to work after a simple update. After a while, I stopped doing updates but was still not quite 100%.

Threw it all in the bin and bought the proper thing. Never looked back.

For experimentation purposes, it's great and you gain great insight into how it works under the hood. And a cheap "Mac" in the end...

 

[Archive-8]

I ran one for a few years before getting sick and tired of spending hours on getting it to work after a simple update. After a while, I stopped doing updates but was still not quite 100%.

Threw it all in the bin and bought the proper thing. Never looked back.

For experimentation purposes, it's great and you gain great insight into how it works under the hood. And a cheap "Mac" in the end...

What's the minimum amount of memory needed? To run it as a "hacintosh"

 

[Vipersan]

So ..Saturdays post came ..and with it the 4 usn port pci backplate adapter I ordered from China..
This of course was going to receive the re-purpose treatment ...
..as the beige brick came from a period in history ..BEFORE USB was concieved .
I wanted at least 1 front unit usb port ..but decided on 2 ..as the motherboard has a suitable header ..
So ..
ports removed from the backplate ..
cut in half ...filed to a minimum to make smaller ...but I would still need to cut a rectangulat hole in the steel plate immediately behind the ABS plastic front..
All measurements taked and penned onto the front plastic and steel plate..
I couldn't fit it ubder the stand drill ..which would have made the job easier ..so had to resort to the piercing method of steel hole making ..
A hand drill ..many holes ...join up the dots ..and file like crazy ..
I snapped to hi speed twist drills during this process..
The ABS front was a doddle by comparison...
Anyway ..
pics of the result ..but as yet not powered up and tried it ..cos I need to get my hoover and paint brush in there and make sure there are no metal filings left inside..
rgds
VS

 

[PaulR]

What's the minimum amount of memory needed? To run it as a "hacintosh"

That sounds like a great title for a new thread.

 

[Archive-8]

I ran one for a few years before getting sick and tired of spending hours on getting it to work after a simple update. After a while, I stopped doing updates but was still not quite 100%.

Threw it all in the bin and bought the proper thing. Never looked back.

For experimentation purposes, it's great and you gain great insight into how it works under the hood. And a cheap "Mac" in the end...

That sounds like a great title for a new thread.

Hackintosh discussion What's the minimum Spec needed? To run it as a "hacintosh"

 

[Vipersan]

So ..Saturdays post came ..and with it the 4 usn port pci backplate adapter I ordered from China..
This of course was going to receive the re-purpose treatment ...
..as the beige brick came from a period in history ..BEFORE USB was concieved .
I wanted at least 1 front unit usb port ..but decided on 2 ..as the motherboard has a suitable header ..
So ..
ports removed from the backplate ..
cut in half ...filed to a minimum to make smaller ...but I would still need to cut a rectangulat hole in the steel plate immediately behind the ABS plastic front..
All measurements taked and penned onto the front plastic and steel plate..
I couldn't fit it ubder the stand drill ..which would have made the job easier ..so had to resort to the piercing method of sreel hole making ..
A hand frill ..many holes ...join up the dots ..and file like crazy ..
I snapped to hi speed twist drills during this process..
The ABS front was a doddle by comparison...
Anyway ..
pics of the result ..but as yet not powered up and tried it ..cos I need to get my hoover and paint brush in there and make sure there are no metal filings left inside..
rgds
VSView attachment 108147

USB ports test just fine ..
all working ..but as expected ..
FAT formatted usb drives only ..
I did test with an NTFS formatted drive ..
The drive is 'seen' ..the contents not ..
But then the OS is win98SE..
;)

 

[Vipersan]

I just found something I hacked together many many years ago ...
An installation CD for Jwin98.
Whats that you might ask ..
Japanese Windows 98..
..at that time I was heavily into Japanese Manga games that would only install and play on Japanese Windows ...
..and no I didn't understand what I was doing ..but actually got it to run by trial and error ..
Could I do it again ..??
I very much doubt it ...
Would I want to ?
..well ...maybe if I still had those games ..
Most of them were of an adult nature ..
lots of beasts with tentacles and girls that had tails and cat ears etc ..

 

[Captain Jack]

[emoji47] you'll have to give more details now.....

 

[Vipersan]

[emoji47] you'll have to give more details now.....

Errr ..not sure what you mean buddy ..
It is what it is ..
As to the content ..
I guess you could call them ..
Hentai Games ..
does that mean anything to you ..?
lol
If not ..
Google is your friend..
search for example ViperGTS
;)

It is where I got my alter ego ..
VS
or ViperSan
..and has been with me ever since.
Sayonara...

 

[Channel Hopper]

I just found something I hacked together many many years ago ...
An installation CD for Jwin98.
Whats that you might ask ..
Japanese Windows 98..
..at that time I was heavily into Japanese Manga games that would only install and play on Japanese Windows ...
..and no I didn't understand what I was doing ..but actually got it to run by trial and error ..
Could I do it again ..??
I very much doubt it ...
Would I want to ?
..well ...maybe if I still had those games ..
Most of them were of an adult nature ..
lots of beasts with tentacles and girls that had tails and cat ears etc ..

Like one of those receivers with 'gifts' that we don't talk about .....

 

[2cvbloke]

So ..Saturdays post came ..and with it the 4 usn port pci backplate adapter I ordered from China..
This of course was going to receive the re-purpose treatment ...

I did something not too dissimilar, only I used a spare 3.5" bay blank and the front panel USB & sound board from a decommissioned case...



And yes, I know that's a silver FDD in a Beige case, it was the only one I had spare!!

 

[Vipersan]

So ..windows Legacy geeks ..
I found this on youtube ...with links to download the 2 DVDs..
but ..an account with mega.nz required.
A cloud service ..not unlike dropbox I guess ..
So being the sort of guy who is always wary of anything I have never used before ..set up the account on a relatively unused PC running win 7 ..
that way it doesn't stop me working.
but they do offer 50gb free cloud storage ..so ..a plus there.

Basically using these 2 dvds ..Any Legacy version of Windows can be built to order on ISO ..with updates and service packs ..errr ..slipstreamed I guess ..
Obviously you still need keys to perform actual installs ..
Gonna take a long while to download the 2 dvds ..but ..I'm in no hurry..
..anyone used Mega ?
rgds
VS