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Thread: Which versions of Windows can run nearly all games from specific older versions of Windows? (Natively)

  1. #21
    Pretzel (Level 4)
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    I would recommend using a 486 desktop for dos, just avoid those old VLB cards if possible and NEVER use VLB cards for your video and hard drives. Get a real soundblaster card and some floppy drives, windows 3.1 helps for configuration because too, If you need CD-ROM stuff avoid SCSI unless your hard drives are also SCSI or your sound card forces you to do it, Also try to get one that is configurable and have a few different CPUs to go with it.
    I would recommend a dual boot 98SE and XP machine for most games from 1995 -2002, get an old PIII tualatin based server for this, preferably one with easy access ram slots and don't use a HDD bigger than 60gb for the 98 side. Make sure you inspect the motherboard for bad caps!!!
    Use a modern Gaming PC with Win7 and XP mode for everything after that.

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    Red (Level 21) Jorpho's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tokimemofan View Post
    I would recommend using a 486 desktop for dos, just avoid those old VLB cards if possible and NEVER use VLB cards for your video and hard drives.
    Why? There's nothing especially wrong with them that I've heard of. Of course, if you're planning to run stuff that doesn't particularly require a VLB card, then there's no need to go out of the way to get one.
    "There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." --Bertrand Russel (attributed)

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    Pretzel (Level 4)
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jorpho View Post
    Why? There's nothing especially wrong with them that I've heard of. Of course, if you're planning to run stuff that doesn't particularly require a VLB card, then there's no need to go out of the way to get one.
    The problem is that the implementation is often bad, most of the problems are caused by using 2 VLB cards or using a 486-DX50 (these are rather rare though, don't confuse with the DX2 version) but it is easier to just use ISA or PCI if you can't find a board with PC slots.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VESA_Local_Bus

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    Red (Level 21) Jorpho's Avatar
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    Oh, you specifically meant using the two cards at the same time. I can't really see why you'd need an extra IDE controller card on a 486 board. I do agree that SCSI seems like far more trouble than it is worth.

    I have also heard that PCI implementations on 486 boards tend to be somewhat lacking.
    "There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." --Bertrand Russel (attributed)

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    Pretzel (Level 4)
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    Another point worth mentioning, make sure you find out how much ram the motherboard can handle and how to correctly configure it. Many Pentium boards allow 72 pin simms and 168 pin dimms but will fry them due to different data signal voltages. Also make sure you can actually get the ram for your board, my 486 board supports 256MB of ram, with the caveat of requiring 16MB 30 pin simms, over 5 years later and I still don't have those...

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    Interesting read. This thread is giving me ideas... do you think I could get Windows 98 SE installed on an ASUS Eee netbook?

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    Don't those typically run XP already? You might have a very hard time finding compatible sound and network drivers for Win9x, and 3D acceleration would probably be entirely out of the question.
    "There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." --Bertrand Russel (attributed)

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    ServBot (Level 11) Edmond Dantes's Avatar
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    Yeah, there's no point trying to install an older OS on a modern computer/laptop. All that gets you is headaches. You need to buy or build a computer with parts contemporary to when Win98(SE or not) was still in wide use.

    Just going from my own experiences building Mazinkaiser (which, if you want to know more about it, I both show it off and give the brand and model of every component here), I suggest the following:

    First, research motherboards. The motherboard is pretty much going to define your classic gaming comp, since its going to set what features you can have and what additions are possible. The best place I found for reading up on motherboards is this site (that link will take you to boards from 1999, but there's links at the bottom which allow you to navigate the years. You want to limit yourself to the 1998-2003 timeframe for Windows 98). Once you find a board you're interested in there, google that board's name and you'll find further info.

    In particular, you want to look at:
    1) What kind of processors they take (this is good to know in case you get a mobo that doesn't come with a processor, or if it does but you plan to upgrade to a faster processor later).

    2) It's memory stipulations--you can't just plug any old stick of RAM into an older board's sockets, its gotta be a type and frequency the board is designed for (SDRAM 100mhz, DDR 500mhz, etc.) Plugging incompatible memory into the RAM slots could open gateways to Hell, so don't do it.

    3) Whether or not it has an ISA slot (if you don't know what those look like, look them up). This will be for your sound card.

    I have more, but I'll have to organize my thoughts a little before I post it... In the meantime, post questions.

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