View topic - Unknown 1996 PC - Windows, Apple, Application, Abandonware and Game Beta Downloads/Repository

Pwned · **Post subject:** Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 12:44 pm

Hey everyone, so I got this strange PC, with Socket 7 mobo (Rhino 6VX) and Pentium I CPU (?). When I turn it on, it starts to beep (growing beeps) and there's no video output. It has a S3 Trio/64 graphics card. So, I wonder how to make it work. Sadly, I wasn't given any keyboard, but there's some serial mouse I got. I also include the photos of this PC:

DeFacto · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 1:17 pm

Isn't that one of those PCs that had the "Turbo" button... XD

Pwned · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 1:22 pm

DeFacto wrote:

Isn't that one of those PCs that had the "Turbo" button... XD

Yeah, it has a Turbo button on the case.

---

I got the PC to boot, but I don't have a KB-Port keyboard, so it displays this screen:

annihilator · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:15 pm

Pwned wrote:

DeFacto wrote:

Isn't that one of those PCs that had the "Turbo" button... XD

Yeah, it has a Turbo button on the case.

---

I got the PC to boot, but I don't have a KB-Port keyboard, so it displays this screen:

Its at 133 Mhz. Its amazing that my mobile almost has 9x more power at 1ghz. All within 10 years or so. BTW try booting into safe or recovery mode

marceloantonio1 · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:31 pm

Is it PS/2 or Mini-DIN? (keyboard port)

linuxlove · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:37 pm

Looks like it's just a generic beige-box. PS/2 keyboards will work with this system, you just need an adapter to go from PS/2 to DIN. Such adapters can be found on eBay for as little as $1.50 USD.

compgeke · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 3:18 pm

Also, the Checsum error would probably be because of a bad CMOS battery. If this is a CR2032 it'll be easy but if it's a Dallas RTC chip then not so easy.

Pwned · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 4:49 pm

compgeke wrote:

Also, the Checsum error would probably be because of a bad CMOS battery. If this is a CR2032 it'll be easy but if it's a Dallas RTC chip then not so easy.

The battery is a Panasonic CR2032, it's still working and outputting 2.98 Volts. I just removed it to see if it was the problem, which caused my PC to beep error messages.

soulman · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 5:26 pm

The CMOS reset jumper has probably been set and the set back to normal position.
Damnit Pwned, show it a pair of Voodoo 2's in SLI

Pwned · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 7:03 pm

soulman wrote:

Damnit Pwned, show it a pair of Voodoo 2's in SLI

When I find something extra for this PC, I'll try it.

echo2 · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 11:10 pm

Wow i cant believe it still runs. I haven't seen one of those monsters in a long time. Since it still runs you can sell the computer as a antique on Ebay to make some cash off it:)

soulman · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 12:00 am

Pwned wrote:

soulman wrote:

Damnit Pwned, show it a pair of Voodoo 2's in SLI

When I find something extra for this PC, I'll try it.

I'd send you mine but they're hilariously fun to play with xD

compgeke · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 12:16 am

Sell this and make money? Who would every buy something this old?

linuxlove · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 12:17 am

compgeke wrote:

Sell this and make money? Who would every buy something this old?

Me

FoobyZeeky · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 12:38 am

compgeke wrote:

Sell this and make money? Who would every buy something this old?

Me me me! I'd love to get Windows 3.1 on that thing, and then see if it runs Half-Life (unlikely).

marceloantonio1 · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:42 am

@linuxlove: buy the whole computer and give me the serial mouse as my birthday gift

@FoobyZeeky: I don't think S3 Trio64 can run Half-Life. I can't run Tomb Raider Chronicles with mine ;_;

4tified · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 3:09 am

compgeke wrote:

Sell this and make money? Who would every buy something this old?

You'd e surprised, folks are grabbing 486's off eBay for around $100 these days.

spunker88 · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 3:25 am

It looks like if you hold onto a beige box long enough it becomes vintage and people pay more for it. I think what people are looking for is a system that can natively run DOS. Newer systems run into hardware/driver issues and have to use DOSbox.

This would be a good system for Windows 95/Chicago betas or for DOS gaming. I would add a beige CD-ROM drive since the case looks like it can accommodate 2 and it will make loading files, etc easier.

compgeke · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 4:23 am

Wait, I can sell my 486's and my 386 for that much? I should do so then (I have 3x 486 and a 386 board, also have 2 Pentium 133s).

Pwned · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:06 am

I wasn't thinking about selling it, because I want to keep it for collectional purposes.

marceloantonio1 · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:35 am

What is its specs?

Pwned · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:56 am

marceloantonio1 wrote:

What is its specs?

Well, I don't know exactly yet, but I can say:

CPU: Pentium I, 133 Mhz
RAM: 16 MB
GPU: S3 Trio/64, 1 MB Graphics RAM
PSU: 200 Watt
Hard drive: 350 MB

soulman · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 4:16 pm

Damn I'd really love an old beigebox (I used to have one but it died

) but I just can't afford it

FoobyZeeky · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 5:23 pm

soulman wrote:

Damn I'd really love an old beigebox (I used to have one but it died

) but I just can't afford it

I had one, but my family threw it out. GRR.

marceloantonio1 · **Post subject:** Re: Unknown 1996 PC **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 7:09 pm

FoobyZeeky wrote:

I had one, but my family threw it out. GRR.

If they throw out mine, I'll throw out something they like u.u

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