Jedinovice
Member
OK, this could be interesting.
Topic: legacy issues with running Windows 3.0 on a Pentium.
Reason: My favoured OS is Windows 3.0 which I have used happily on a 386SX for many years, and still hope to do so. But… I have got married and, while I am waiting to get my wife with me in the UK (she’s Indonesian!) I am anticipating a need to reduce loading time and need for a more legacy gaming environment (for when I am knackered and need time out!) The Athlon XP I expect the missus to take over. Also, I have need of some more resource hungry S/W running like Access 1.0 for a while. It’s a teeny bit slow on a 386SX. I have no intention of running another OS (xcept 3.1 in conjunction with 3.0) as that OS, for it’s problems just works for me! Don’t ask!
Anyways, I am considering (only considering mind) running Windows 3.0 and associated apps on an old P75 I saved from work tipping. It’s dull old Dell optiplex. Worthy but, well, dull.
I attempting running up the usual components and things and hit a few problems. So I’m doing a technical feasility study here. Here are my issues/questions!
Keyboard. I am determined to have a full micro switch clicky keyboard on the PC. But the machine was not designed for such. I have an IBM PS1 clicky keyboard and an AT style clicky keyboard which I can connect via Din to PS2 adaptor. But both keyboards respond intermittently. When the P75 is fired up sometimes the keyboards fly… and sometimes they don’t. The PS/1 keyboard can be ‘dead’ for weeks and not fire up at all but when plugged into a work PC it lit up every time. Is there a timing issue here? Can it be ‘got around?’ Actually, the PS/1 keyboard can be dodgy even on the 386 but I can’t detect a loose connection. It’s all a bit strange. The AT keyboard (from a 286 luggable) responds sometimes but other times it’s ‘DOA’ and requires a reboot at which point it flies.
Display: The P75 has a built in S3 graphics card/chip. I am limited to Windows 3.0 drivers. I installed a Western digital (read ‘Paradise’) SVGA ISA card and that ran up fine. But I am curious as to whether I can use that S3 chip at all. I naturally assumed I couldn’t and didn’t try hard (having software problems in my earlier attempt to get her flying.)
One other option (which would be preferable in principle) would be to fit a faster AMD or Intel 386 m’board in the Dell. A friend in the US is offering me a number of boards of varying dimensions. But I wonder if a Pentium 75 power supply is suitable for a 386.
Thoughts? This is an open ended query and I am in no desperate rush though my friend will probably want to offload the m’boards to me ASAP so there refit option is of interest.
Many thanks in advance!
Topic: legacy issues with running Windows 3.0 on a Pentium.
Reason: My favoured OS is Windows 3.0 which I have used happily on a 386SX for many years, and still hope to do so. But… I have got married and, while I am waiting to get my wife with me in the UK (she’s Indonesian!) I am anticipating a need to reduce loading time and need for a more legacy gaming environment (for when I am knackered and need time out!) The Athlon XP I expect the missus to take over. Also, I have need of some more resource hungry S/W running like Access 1.0 for a while. It’s a teeny bit slow on a 386SX. I have no intention of running another OS (xcept 3.1 in conjunction with 3.0) as that OS, for it’s problems just works for me! Don’t ask!
Anyways, I am considering (only considering mind) running Windows 3.0 and associated apps on an old P75 I saved from work tipping. It’s dull old Dell optiplex. Worthy but, well, dull.
I attempting running up the usual components and things and hit a few problems. So I’m doing a technical feasility study here. Here are my issues/questions!
Keyboard. I am determined to have a full micro switch clicky keyboard on the PC. But the machine was not designed for such. I have an IBM PS1 clicky keyboard and an AT style clicky keyboard which I can connect via Din to PS2 adaptor. But both keyboards respond intermittently. When the P75 is fired up sometimes the keyboards fly… and sometimes they don’t. The PS/1 keyboard can be ‘dead’ for weeks and not fire up at all but when plugged into a work PC it lit up every time. Is there a timing issue here? Can it be ‘got around?’ Actually, the PS/1 keyboard can be dodgy even on the 386 but I can’t detect a loose connection. It’s all a bit strange. The AT keyboard (from a 286 luggable) responds sometimes but other times it’s ‘DOA’ and requires a reboot at which point it flies.
Display: The P75 has a built in S3 graphics card/chip. I am limited to Windows 3.0 drivers. I installed a Western digital (read ‘Paradise’) SVGA ISA card and that ran up fine. But I am curious as to whether I can use that S3 chip at all. I naturally assumed I couldn’t and didn’t try hard (having software problems in my earlier attempt to get her flying.)
One other option (which would be preferable in principle) would be to fit a faster AMD or Intel 386 m’board in the Dell. A friend in the US is offering me a number of boards of varying dimensions. But I wonder if a Pentium 75 power supply is suitable for a 386.
Thoughts? This is an open ended query and I am in no desperate rush though my friend will probably want to offload the m’boards to me ASAP so there refit option is of interest.
Many thanks in advance!