Windows 98 Computer Build Case Swap

[RetroGamer96]

First I just wanted to say, this is the first time I have made a post like this so sorry if its bad. 

 

I had intended to post a few months ago. After learning about Free Geek from the Scrap Yard Wars episodes, I decided to visit the Free Geek closest to me. And long story short they had a Lian Li PC-70 case for $10, and I decided that I was going to use it to replace the case on my current Windows 98 build since I had been looking for an older case that had much better airflow for my older pc parts. While the PC-70 is for 2002-ish, its old enough for me. 

 

Specs:

CPU: Pentium 3 650mhz Slot 1

RAM: 128mb SDRAM 

Motherboard: Asus P2B-D Dual Slot 1 

2D/3D card: Matrox G400 Dual Head

3D Cards: 3DFX Voodoo 2 12mb Sli 

HDD: 80GB Western Digital 

Sound Card: Sound Blaster CT2900

Network: 3COM 10/100 Card

External Bays: Zip Drive, 3.5in Floppy Drive, CD-ROM Drive

 

First the Pictures of the original Case: while it is more authentic to the time period its to cramped. 

 

Then the pictures of the Lian Li PC-70. For $10 the case also came with 4 Noctua 80mm 4 pin fans.

 

 

The first thing that I needed to do was spray painting. With the new case being silver, I want the drives to match. 

 

Before Spray paint:

 

After Spray Paint:

 

The main parts after removal from the old case:

 

 

 

 

 

So that I would be able to use the 4 fans, I ordered a 4pin fan hub and 4pin fan extenders. 

 

 

I will continue this in another post later. (Ran out of picture space)

 

[barkloaf]

Do you ever spontaneously get viruses on either your windows 98 or xp machines?

[MblaZe7run]

Just now, AwesomeAustin226 said:

Do you ever spontaneously get viruses on either your windows 98 or xp machines?

I mean, I'm mostly certain (if OP has a level head on his shoulders), the machines aren't connected to the Internet.

[flibberdipper]

I kinda dig the original case. Is there a model number or anything for it?

[mariushm]

I don't think that power supply is a good choice.

 

I'm fairly sure that motherboard and the Pentium 3 processors use 5v for the VRM which feeds the processor with power, and the video cards and the sound card, all use 5v, but these modern power supplies are optimized for 12v and can provide fairly small amount of power on 5v and 3.3v - you can see on the label, the power supply can do 25A on 3.3v and 25A on 5v but not at the same time, in total only up to 130 watts can be provided on those two voltages: http://www.corsair.com/en/cx-series-cx750m-750-watt-80-plus-bronze-certified-modular-atx-psu-na

 

Now of course, the processor and the components on this build shouldn't use up to 130 watts, more like 65-80w but it's just a waste of a good power supply. You have so much capacity on 12v which won't be used by this system at all. Better save the power supply and use it on other systems.

 

I'd advise using a 420-500w power supply instead, with a decent amount of power available on 5v.

 

Something like this for example, should work just fine: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438082&ignorebbr=1

This should also work : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817494002&ignorebbr=1

Or this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151077&ignorebbr=1

 

[mariushm]

I should add : You've posted a picture of an ISA card so you should be aware that the ISA connector has a pin/contact for -5v but the ISA connector is so old that in recent ATX power supply standards the -5v is deprecated and power supplies are no longer required to provide -5v through the 24 pin ATX connector.

Even the last power supply I linked to (the Seasonic OEM 350w one) is too new and no longer provides -5v.

 

So I guess if the sound card relies on the -5v to do its work (possible to use -5v and 12v on opamps on the output of the card), then the card may not work right. Unlikely you'll damage it, or the computer, but still you should be aware of this issue.

[RetroGamer96]

15 hours ago, AwesomeAustin226 said:

Do you ever spontaneously get viruses on either your windows 98 or xp machines?

Funny, but its not connected to the internet, so unless I put in an old floppy that has a virus, I shouldn't have to worry.

[RetroGamer96]

15 hours ago, tmcclelland455 said:

I kinda dig the original case. Is there a model number or anything for it?

No there is no model number, it was just a basic white atx case I got off of ebay. 

[RetroGamer96]

14 hours ago, mariushm said:

I should add : You've posted a picture of an ISA card so you should be aware that the ISA connector has a pin/contact for -5v but the ISA connector is so old that in recent ATX power supply standards the -5v is deprecated and power supplies are no longer required to provide -5v through the 24 pin ATX connector.

Even the last power supply I linked to (the Seasonic OEM 350w one) is too new and no longer provides -5v.

 

So I guess if the sound card relies on the -5v to do its work (possible to use -5v and 12v on opamps on the output of the card), then the card may not work right. Unlikely you'll damage it, or the computer, but still you should be aware of this issue.

 

Hi, first I just want to thank you for your suggestions and taking the time to type all of this out. The only reason I had gone with the CX750m is because it was from a different computer that I had swapped the power supply from. Currently in my Windows 98 build I use a regular CX750. it wasn't something I had bought for the computer specifically just something lying around doing nothing and figured I could use the modular CX750M for something else. But I was unaware of the -5v for the ISA slot, so after reading your post, I dug around in my computer parts and found this power supply, it has -5v but I am pretty sure I shouldn't use an old power supply like this, what do you think? Thanks.

[rjfaber91]

Wow, is that an original 3dfx SLI setup? Can't say I've ever seen one of those before...

[mariushm]

The power supply looks good. The brand name is a bit of a concern, but the UL code E186010 belongs to ATNG  which used to make and still makes somewhat decent power supply designs, it's not "bottom of the barrel" or "cutting corners" manufacturer or a no-name manufacturer from China. It's not Seasonic or Delta or Enhance, but it should be ok.

 

You should open that power supply and check to see if the capacitors are looking OK (not swollen or leaking). If there are, you could replace them if you're good with soldering iron, easy fix.

It would also be worth checking out if the power supply has some kind of dark yellow / brown crap on the insides, usually between various components. If it does, it should be removed but it's often not worth the waste of time.

 

At some point in the past for a few years, manufacturers used a sort of elastomer, a yellow paste that solidifies quickly after application into a sort of stretchy glue with the role of fixing components between them and to the circuit board to prevent vibrations but at that time this material was new and they didn't know all its properties at the time.. just later they realized that in time, with lots of heat/cooling cycles, that yellow material dries too much and becomes brown and slightly conductive (which wasn't supposed to be), and that can mess up electronic circuits.

 

[RetroGamer96]

Continued:

 

Putting the parts in the case. I will be possibly changing out the power supply, but I have had these pictures taken for awhile. 

 

Placing in the motherboard, cpu and video card: 

 

Inserting the Voodoo 2 Sli:

 

Sound card, network card, and hard drive placed:

 

 

inserting the optical drive, zip drive, and floppy drive:

 

 

Front of the computer with panel back on:

 

Some messy wires:

 

Will continue in another post.  

[Dabombinable]

Looking awesome. Unfortunately for me I've had all 5 Slot 1 motherboards die on me (the same cap swelling on each of them-FML), making rigs like that quite difficult to build-it just doesn't feel right having less than 2GB of RAM+only 1 CPU installed on my Abit VP6.

[srmarkovic]

Great!!!!!!

[Urishima]

A Zip-Drive...

 

Anyone else here feel old for actually knowing what that is?

[srmarkovic]

30 minutes ago, Urishima said:

A Zip-Drive...

 

Anyone else here feel old for actually knowing what that is?

I was very happy when I got one after almost 20 years doing with computers and it was in 1998, but i am not old! It was amazing storage device then. I was so excited almost as I had been when I heard about some kind of laser storage disc devices in 1980. 

Zip drive had amazing 250MB but it was so light. I remember when I and 5-6 my coworkers had to move 250MB IBM hard drive which had more than 300kg.

I am young so I don't remember  ENIAC and  this kind of classic computers. 

[Urishima]

18 minutes ago, srmarkovic said:

I am young

Yo dude, you is ancient! You own that shit, dawg! Flaunt it!

[srmarkovic]

 

34 minutes ago, Urishima said:

Yo dude, you is ancient! You own that shit, dawg! Flaunt it!

I said that I was not born when E.N.I.A.C was made, and that I didn't remember this kind of computers, so I am young! And my first home computer was ZX80 but I was only 10 when it was made.

 

I have one Intel 8088 with AT PSU and one Celeron 300A ,so this topic inspired me to renew one of this computers.