Building a fast 386 stealth style (ATX case & PSU, 32G CF card, USB FDD, Pwr & Turbo)

[philscomputerlab]

Building a fast 386 stealth style (ATX case & PSU, 32G 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

Embed:

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

 

[Agent Orange]

Phil:

That's just stunning. A beautiful system. I too have a 386/40 with relatively the same makeup as yours, but not near as pretty. Excellent job.

Tom

 

[philscomputerlab]

Phil:

That's just stunning. A beautiful system. I too have a 386/40 with relatively the same makeup as yours, but not near as pretty. Excellent job.

Tom

What's also cool is how silent this machine is. When I first turned it on I wasn't sure it was running until I heard the POST beep. The optical drive does a bit of a noise when you turn it on, but apart from that, and the single case fan, the machine is whisper quiet.

The joystick makes up for that though, it's quite loud :D

 

[smeezekitty]

What's also cool is how silent this machine is. When I first turned it on I wasn't sure it was running until I heard the POST beep. The optical drive does a bit of a noise when you turn it on, but apart from that, and the single case fan, the machine is whisper quiet.

The joystick makes up for that though, it's quite loud :D

What about a power supply fan? Does it have one?

At least in my AT machines, I find the PSU fan is the noisiest thing in the machine

 

[Caluser2000]

But but that mouse!! Seriously well done Phil.

 

[philscomputerlab]

What about a power supply fan? Does it have one?

At least in my AT machines, I find the PSU fan is the noisiest thing in the machine

Oh yes, of course, forgot about that one

Modern power supplies are so quiet. This machine consumes so little power, so the PSU fan will be at its slowest setting. There are power supplies that don't even spin up until a certain level of temperature or power load is reached. The one I used is not as advanced, but it's still basically inaudible.

 

[Maverick1978]

MPU-401/AT. So jealous.

 

[jf3player]

Very nice! I have an on-going "ultimate 386" project that I started back in the late 90's when you could still buy a nice new AT tower case. It's sitting in the closet right now while my super 7 project is underway, but I may have to pull it out for a photo shoot now.

Funny thing is I was still using a super 7 system as my daily driver when I started the 386 project!

 

[philscomputerlab]

Very nice! I have an on-going "ultimate 386" project that I started back in the late 90's when you could still buy a nice new AT tower case. It's sitting in the closet right now while my super 7 project is underway, but I may have to pull it out for a photo shoot now.

Funny thing is I was still using a super 7 system as my daily driver when I started the 386 project!

Yes, please start a thread about this! 386 machines interest me quite a bit, my very first PC was a 386

I am following up with some benchmarks. I have tweaked the BIOS for performance.

BIOS settings

3dbench 1.0

3dbench 1.0c

Doom in slowmotion

 

[Xacalite]

"Cache memory: Both"
I guess this setting means external&internal, for those 386-pin-compatible oddballs which internally were 486-alike, made by IBM and Cyrix, right?

 

[philscomputerlab]

"Cache memory: Both"
I guess this setting means external&internal, for those 386-pin-compatible oddballs which internally were 486-alike, made by IBM and Cyrix, right?

I think so, but this board also has a 486 socket.