Page Directory
| Content | Link to Video | Link on Webpage |
|---|---|---|
| A. Parts Needed for Retro PC Computers | — | Link |
| B. Bipra Bi Directional IDE Sata Converter | Link | Link |
| C. How to Install Windows 98 SE | Link | Link |
| D. Hardware Compatibility | — | Link |
| E. Selecting the Right Processors | — | Link |
| F. Pentium 4 As a Retro Computer | Link | Link |
| G. Retro Computer Dell Dimension 4600 with Geforce FX 5900 | Link | Link |
| H. Other Options for Playing Retro PC Games (Hardware and Software) | — | Link |
| I. Running Windows 95/98 games on a Pentium 4 3.0 Ghzs HT with Windows XP | Link | Link |
| J. Historical Overview of PC Computer Hardware and Operating Systems | — | Link |
| K. Guidelines for Retro Computers | — | Link |
| L. Pentium 4 Retro Computer P4 2 4 + Geforce 2 MX 200 | Link | Link |
| M. IDE Adapters for Retro PC Computers | Link | Link |
| N. How to Configure IDE and EIDE Storage Devices | Link | Link |
| O. Retro Computer Athlon 64 3200+ with Windows 98s | Link | Link |
| P. How to Install Windows XP and the Drivers | Link | Link |
| Q. Retro Computer Athlon 64 3200+ Operating System Tests | Link | Link |
| R. Optical Disk Not Opening Problem | Link | Link |
| S. Running Retro Win95 98 Games on Windows XP | Link | Link |
| T. Vintage Floppy Disk Drive | Link | Link |
| U. Accessible PATA/IDE to Compact Flash Adapter | Link | Link |
Video Directory
| Content | Link to Video | Link on Webpage |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bipra Bi Directional IDE Sata Converter | Link | Link |
| 2. How to Configure IDE and EIDE Storage Devices | Link | Link |
| 3. How to Install Windows 98 SE | Link | Link |
| 4. How to Install Windows XP and the Drivers | Link | Link |
| 5. IDE Adapters for Retro PC Computers | Link | Link |
| 6. Optical Disk Not Opening Problem | Link | Link |
| 7. Pentium 4 As a Retro Computer | Link | Link |
| 8. Pentium 4 Retro Computer P4 2 4 + Geforce 2 MX 200 | Link | Link |
| 9. Retro Computer Athlon 64 3200+ Operating System Tests | Link | Link |
| 10. Retro Computer Dell Dimension 4600 with Geforce FX 5900 | Link | Link |
| 11. Running Retro Win95 98 Games on Windows XP | Link | Link |
| 12. Running Windows 95/98 games on a Pentium 4 3.0 Ghzs HT with Windows XP | Link | Link |
| 13. Vintage Floppy Disk Drives | Link | Link |
| 14. Accessible PATA to Compact Flash Adapter | Link | Link |
Retro computers are getting more and more difficult to find, but Pentium 4s and 1st and 2nd generation AMD Athlon based computers are still pretty abundant. These computers can still be used as retro computers that you can install Windows 98 on. They will come with 3.5″ high density floppy disk drives.
Another great thing about these kinds of retro computers is that they use standard ATX power supplies, and these power supplies are still produced today. Even if the power supply in these old computers are failing, you can replace them quite easily. As for the hard drives, they are also cheap and abundant as well. 160 gb and 250 gb sata hard drives are very easy to find on sites, like Ebay and Amazon. You can use an adapter to convert a sata hard drive to a EIDE hard drive cheaply and easily.
A. Parts Needed for Retro PC Computers
Parts for Hardware
♠ Extra Parts for Storage Devices (Extra hard drives as a backup)
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♦ Bipra Bi Directional IDE Sata Converter
◙ https://amzn.to/2mgfBAM
♦ SATA to Molex, Benfei 3 Pack 4 Pin Molex to SATA Power Cable - 10 Inches
◙ https://amzn.to/2pIsYuR
♦ Hitachi 160 gb hdd sata
◙ https://amzn.to/2mh2j78
♦ Western Digital 160 gb hdd sata
◙ https://amzn.to/2nHRkE1
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♠ Extra Power Supplies (Keeping a extra ATX power supply as a backup)
♦ EVGA 400 Watt PSU @ Amazon
• https://amzn.to/2Xj4EN0
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♠ Optical Disk (If the optical drive your computer came with is worn out)
♦ LG DVD-RW sata (New Optical Drive)@ Amazon
• https://amzn.to/2XgjHXE
♦ Bipra Bi Directional IDE Sata Converter @ Amazon
• https://amzn.to/2mgfBAM
B. Bipra Bi Directional IDE Sata Converter Video
You will need to find the right chipsets, cpus/processors, and graphics cards to play the games and run the programs you want. Most of these Pentium 4s with 423/478 socket based computers and Athlon computers will come with Windows XP, or they may not even come with a hard drive or any operating systems. You may have to install a fresh copy of Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, or Windows SP on your computer.
C. How to Install Windows 98 SE
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Computer Specs
♦ Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0 ghzs
♦ Hard Drive: Western Digital 80 gbs EIDE
♦ Video: S3 Virge 2 mbs
♦ Motherboard: KV8 Max3 754 K8T800 ATX
♦ RAM: 512 mbs Corsair XMS DDR
♦ Optical Drive: Creative Labs CD-ROM
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Before you install Windows 98 here is the check list.
1. You must have 512 mbs of ram or less. A Pentium 4 or Athlon computer
made in 2000 to 2005. Computers that were made from 2000 to 2005 have
Windows 98 drivers.
2. Windows 98 Boot Disk. If you don't have a floppy disk, you can get it
here. http://www.allbootdisks.com/download/98.html . You can download the
Windows 98 Boot Disk in ISO format, and burn it on a CD and boot from it.
3. Your hard drive has to be 137 gbs or less. Although, you can use hard
drives over 137 GBs, but the hard drive will be detected as a 137 GB hard
drive.
4. Install only one hard drive. You need to do this, because Windows 98
detected the optical drive as D:\, so if you install 2 hard drives it will
detect the optical drive as E:\. If that happens, you will have problems
later in the installation process, because the optical drive will not be
detected.
♠ Procedures
A. Go into the Bios.
• Change the boot settings (Set the boot priority)
1. CD-ROM/DVD-ROM
2. Hard Drive.
(If you are using a floppy disk , you will set up the boot priority as....)
1. Floppy Disk Drive.
2. Optical Drive.
3. Hard Drive.
B. Insert the Windows 98 Boot Disk to create a disk partition. This to make
your hard disk usable.
C. After you created a partition, restart the computer.
D. Format the hard drive. Format C:
E. Insert the Windows 98 CD and restart the computer.
F. Install Windows 98
G. Install the drivers
It has been a long time since I installed Windows 98 on a computer. I had a
spare computer which was a AMD Athlon 64 3200+, and I decided to turn it
into a retro PC. I was looking for a Pentium 2, or a Pentium 3 to turn it
into a Windows 98 machine; however, I had a computer that could do that
already. All you really need is a computer made from 2000 to 2005, and most
computers made during that timeline have Windows 98 drivers. The problem is
that sometimes, some of the drivers will not work on a Windows 98 operating
system. In my case, the sound driver and built in network driver did not
work. Now, I have to try to buy a Sound Blaster PCI 128 or a PC 16 sound
card. Fortunately, a lot of those cards still do exist, and they have
Windows 98 drives that work.
I also need to find a 3dfx Voodoo graphics card, so I can play my old PC
games on it. Getting the network card isn't important, because I don't
intend to connect to the internet with it. I am just glad the operating
system installed flawlessly.
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♦ Site to Download Windows 98 SE ISO file
• https://winworldpc.com/product/windows-98/98-second-edition
♦ Buy a copy of Windows 98 Operating System with Key @ Amazon
• Link
♦ Site to find drivers for Windows 98 @ Vogonsdrivers
• Link
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D. Hardware Compatibility
There are limitations with using a Pentium 4 Socket 423/478 or a Socket 563/Socket 462/Socket 754 based computers.
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A. It may not be able to play every single Windows 98 game.
B. Some of the games may be too fast.
C. Some of the graphics cards may not display text correctly.
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When you are looking a retro Pentium 4 or a Athlon computer, you have to look for the right video card. The best graphics cards for retro Windows 98 gaming would be any Nvidia video card that came before the Geforce 6800 series. Any 3dfx Voodoo 3d accelerator or video card would work, but these are very expensive and very hard to find. The best option would be settling for the following video cards.
♠ (Nvidia Geforce Video Cards) AGP ◙ Geforce 2 Series (MX200/MX400, and GTS to Ultra) ◙ Geforce 3 Series (Ti200/Ti500) ◙ Geforce 4 Series (Ti 4200 to Ti 4800) ◙ Geforce FX Series (5200 to 5950 Ultra) ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ♠ (3dfx 3d Accelerators and Video Cards) ◙ Voodoo 1 ◙ Voodoo Rush ◙ Voodoo 2 ◙ Voodoo Banshee ◙ Voodoo 3 series (Velocity 100 to 3500 TV) ◙ Voodoo 4 and 5 series (Voodoo 4 4500 to Voodoo 5 6000) Drivers for these video cards can be found at https://3dfxarchive.com/3dfx.htm ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
E. Selecting the Right Processors
As for choosing the right computer, the most abundant computers right now are Pentium 4 (478 Socket), and AMD Athlon XP (462 Socket) based computers. I have a Dell Dimension 4600, and a Pentium 4 3.06 HT based computer. The Pentium 4 3.06 HT has a Geforce 6800 GTS 128 mb video card, and the Dell Dimension 4600 has a Geforce FX 5900 128 mb video card. I use the Pentium 4 3.06 HT to play Windows XP games produced from 2000 to 2006, and I use the Dell Dimension 4600 to play games from late 1998 to 2003.
On the Dell Dimension 4600, I was able to games that were produced in 1997, like Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, and Age of Empires 1. On the Pentium 4 3.06 HT, I was able to play Age of Empires, Half Life 1, but I have problems playing games, like Crimson Skies, Shogo Mobile Armored Divison, and Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire. The issue is my Geforce 6800 GT graphics card, because video cards like this handle textures which are a power of 2. Older games, like Shogo Mobile Armored Division, and Shadows of the Empire can handle textures which are a power of 1. This is why you have text distortions when you play these older 3d accelerated games with a video card like a Geforce 6800 or above. This can be solved by getting a AGP graphics card that is a generation below the Geforce 6800 video card series.
Windows XP should be able to play most games produced from late 1998 to 2000, so it isn’t the operating system which is causing the problem. It is the graphics card. When you play these older games, always max out all the settings, or the game will be too fast. Most of these games from late 1998 to 2000 were optimized for Pentium 2s, Pentium 3s, and Pentium 4 with Socket 423 processors. Later Pentium 4s are a bit of a overkill. I have some videos about using a Dell Dimension 4600 and a Pentium 4 3.06 HT based computer for retro gaming.
F. Pentium 4 as a Retro Computer
G. Retro Computer Dell Dimension 4600 with Geforce FX 5900
H. Other Options for Playing Retro PC Games (Hardware and Software)
You may not be able to play every single retro PC game with a Pentium 4
(Socket 478), or a Athlon XP based computer. However, there are options.
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¶ Emulators and Computer Hardware you can use for PC retro gaming.
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1981 to 1995 ► Dosbox 0.74 emulator
• Dosbox 0.74 Emulator Tutorial
1995 to 1998 ► PCEM emulator
• PCEM Emulator Tutorial
◙ 3dfx Voodoo 1 to Voodoo 2 with S3 Virge
1998 to 2000 ► Pentium 4 socket 423/478 or Athlon Slot A/Socket A
◙ Operating System: Windows XP
◙ Geforce 2 MX200 to Geforce 5900 XT
2000 to 2006 ► Pentium 4 socket 478 or Athlon Socket 563/754
◙ Operating System: Windows XP
◙ Geforce 6800 or higher
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¶ Computer Hardware Reference
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♦ Pentium Socket 423 processor Willamette Chipset
(All use RD-RAM modules)
• Pentium 4 1.3 ghzs to 2.0 ghzs
♦ Other Pentium 4 478 socket processors
◙ Pentium 4 1.6 to 3.4 ghzs (Northwood, Prescott, and Northwood HT)
• Link
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♦ AMD Processors Athlon 500 mhzs to 1.4 ghzs Slot A/Socket A
• Wikipedia Link
♦ AMD Processors Athlon XP Socket 463
• Wikipedia Link
♦ AMD Processors Athlon 64 Socket 754
◙ Athlon 64 2800 + to 3700 +
• Wikipedia Link
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I. Running Windows 95/98 games on a Pentium 4 3.0 Ghzs HT with Windows XP
J. Historical Overview of PC Computer Hardware and Operating Systems
As for PC Games, you have different periods. You have the age of MS-DOS
games which is from 1981 to 1995. It kinds of overlaps with Windows 3.X
based games as well. The era of Windows 3.X games was from late 1990 to
1995, and in many cases MS Windows 3.X games will work on MS-DOS 6.22 as
well. Sometimes those games require Windows 3.X to play. If that is the
case, those games will work on Windows 95. The computer hardware
requirements vary greatly in this period.
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◙ 1981 to 1987: Computer Hardware and Software
• CPUs/Processors: Intel 8086 and Intel 8088 Processors
• Video: Monochrome/CGA/EGA
• Operating System: MS-DOS 1.X to MS DOS 3.X
• Storage Devices: 3.5" and 5.25" Floppy Disk Drives
• Audio: PC-Speakers
◙ 1988 to 1992: Computer Hardware and Software
• CPUs/Processors:Intel 80286 to Intel 80386 SX Processors
• Video: EVGA/VGA/MCGA
• Operating System: MS-DOS 4.X to MS-DOS 5.X
• Storage Devices: 3.5"/5.25" FDDs, and 10 mb to 60 mb hdds
• Audio: Adlib/Sound Blaster/Roland MT-32
◙ 1992 to 1995: Computer Hardware and Software
• CPUs/Processors: Intel 80386 DX, Intel 80486 DX, and
Pentium Socket 5
• Video: SVGA
• Operating System: MS-DOS 6.22 and Windows 3.X
• Storage Devices: 3.5"/5.25" FDDs, CD-ROMs, and 100 mb to 1 gb hdd
• Audio: Roland MT-32/Sound Blaster/Sound Blaster 16
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The MS-DOS era was where you had a lot of hardware diversity, and the MS-
DOS period spanned from 1981 to 1995 which is about 14 years. By far, this
was longest span of time of any operating system format.
In 1995, we reach the Windows 95/98 period, and this was from August 24,
1995 to 2000. It was roughly a span of 5 years. You had a lot of hardware
development and change in the span of 5 years. During this timeline, I had
to upgrade my computer 7 times! Computer hardware would become outdated in
a matter of 9 months or so! If you wanted to play the latest games, you
needed the best hardware to keep up with the changes.
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◙ 1995 to 1997: Computer Hardware and Software
• CPUs/Processors: Pentium Socket 5 and Pentium Socket 7
• Video: SVGA, S3-Virge, 3dfx Voodoo, and ATI Rage 128
• Operating System: Windows 95
• Storage Devices: 3.5"/5.25" FDDs, CD-ROMs, and 500 mb to 4.5 gb hdd
• Audio: Soundblaster Pro/Soundblaster 16
◙ 1998 to 2000: Computer Hardware and Software
• CPUs/Processors: Pentium Socket 7, Pentium 2/Pentium 3, and
Pentium 4 Socket 423.
• Video: 3dfx Voodoo 2, Voodoo Banshee, Voodoo 3 series,
Nvidia Riva TNT, and Riva TNT2
• Operating System: Windows 95
• Storage Devices: 3.5"/5.25" FDDs, CD-ROMs, and 500 mb to 4.5 gb hdd
• Audio: Sound Blaster Pro/16/Audigy, and Realtek AC'97
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Then, we enter the period of Windows XP games, and period starts in 2001
with the release of Windows XP in Oct 25, 2001 to 2008. Back in 2002, I
bought a Pentium 4 1.8 ghzs based computer with 512 mbs of RD-RAM. I had
that computer from 2002 to 2004 when I replaced it with a AMD Athlon 64
3200+, and one year later I bought a Pentium 4 3.06 HT based computer to
put in another room.
From 2001 to 2006, I played games, like Mechwarrior 4: Vengeance,
Mechwarrior: 4 Mercenaries, Mech Commander 2, SWAT 4, Return to Castle
Wolfenstein, Age of Empires 2, Rome: Total War 1, Medieval: Total War 2,
Half-Life 2, Counterstrike, Day of Defeat, Day of Defeat Source, Falcon
4.0 Allied Force, and others. For Windows 95/98, I had a Pentium 100 mhzs
socket 5. I will make a small list of the computer hardware I had for Dos
5.0 to Windows XP.
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◙ 1989 to 1994 ► Computer Specs (Leading Technology 386 sx-16)
Processor: 80386 sx-16 mhz (PGA 132 pin)
GPU: Onboard VGA
O.S: MS-DOS 5.0
RAM: 1 mb of ram
Hdd: 40 mb hdd
fdd: 3.5" 1.44 mb + 5.25" 1.22 mb
Optical: None
Audio: PC Speaker and later Adlib
Software: MS-DOS programs 1983 to 1992
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◙ 1994 to 1997 ► Computer Specs
Processor: Pentium 100 mhz (Socket 5)
GPU: Trident SVGA 1 mb
O.S: MS-DOS 6.22/Windows 3.1/Windows 95
RAM: 8 mb and later 64 mb EDO Ram
Hdd: 500 mb hdd
fdd: 3.5" 1.44 mb + 5.25" 1.22 mb
Optical: CD-ROM 4 x
Audio: Sound Blaster
Software: MS-DOS programs 1993 to 1995
► Windows 3.X programs 1991 to 1995
► Windows 95 programs 1995 to 1997
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◙ 1997 to 1998 ► Computer Specs
Processor: Pentium 166 mhz MMX (Socket 7)
GPU: Trident SVGA 1 mb and later S3 Virge 4 mb + 3dfx Voodoo
4 mb 3d accelerator
O.S: Windows 95
RAM: 64 mb SD-RAM
Hdd: 500 mb hdd
fdd: 3.5" 1.44 mb
Optical: CD-ROM 4 x
Audio: Sound Blaster
Software: Windows 95 programs 1995 to 1998
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◙ 1997 to 1998 ► Computer Specs
Processor: AMD K6-2 350 (Socket Super 7) and later AMD K6-3 450
GPU: S3 Virge 4 mb + 3dfx Voodoo 4 mb 3d accelerator
O.S: Windows 98 SE
RAM: 64 mb SD-RAM
Hdd: 4 gb hdd IDE
fdd: 3.5" 1.44 mb
Optical: CD-ROM 16 x
Audio: Sound Blaster
Software: Windows 95/98 programs 1995 to 1998
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◙ 1999 to 2002 ► Computer Specs (Motherboard Abit Be-6)
Processor: Celeron 400A (Slot 1), Pentium 2 400, & Pentium 3 550
GPU: S3 Virge 4 mb + 3dfx Voodoo 2 12 mb 3d accelerator
later Voodoo 3 2000 16 mb Video Card
O.S: Windows 98 SE
RAM: 128 mb
Hdd: 4 gb hdd IDE
fdd: 3.5" 1.44 mb
Optical: CD-ROM 16 x
Audio: Sound Blaster 16
Software: Windows 98 programs 1998 to 2000
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◙ 1999 to 2002 ► Computer Specs (Motherboard Abit Be-6)
Processor: Pentium 3 850 Slot A
GPU: 3dfx Voodoo 4 4500 32 mb PCI
O.S: Windows 98 SE and later to Windows 2000
RAM: 512 mbs
Hdd: 40 gb hdd
fdd: 3.5" 1.44 mb
Optical: CD-RW + Toshiba DVD-ROM
Audio: Sound Blaster 16
Software: Windows 98 programs 1999 to 2002
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◙ 2002 to 2004 ► Computer Specs
Processor: Pentium 4 1.8 ghzs Socket 423
GPU: Geforce 2 GT 32 mb and later Geforce 3 Ti200 64 mb AGP
O.S: Windows XP
RAM: 512 mbs RD-RAM
Hdd: 80 gb hdd
fdd: 3.5" 1.44 mb
Optical: Sony DVD-RW
Audio: Sound Blaster 16
Software:
► Windows 98 programs 1999 to 2001
► Windows XP programs 2001 to 2004
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◙ 2004 to 2005 ► Computer Specs
Processor: Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0 ghzs Socket 754
GPU: Geforce 5900 XT 128 mb AGP
O.S: Windows XP SP2
RAM: 1.0 gb DDR PC3200 Corsair XMS
Hdd: 160 gb hdd
fdd: 3.5" 1.44 mb
Optical: Sony DVD-RW
Audio: Onboard AC97
Software: Windows XP programs 2001 to 2005
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◙ 2005 to 2009 ► Computer Specs
Processor: Pentium 4 3.06 ghz Socket 478
GPU: Geforce 6800 GT 128 mb AGP
O.S: Windows XP SP2
RAM: 1.0 gb DDR PC3200 Corsair XMS
Hdd: 160 gb hdd + 250 gb hdd
fdd: ---
Optical: Sony DVD-RW
Audio: Sound Blaster Audigy 1
Software: Windows XP programs 2001 to 2009
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I went through roughly 3 computers from 2002 to 2009. The Pentium 3
computer used a Abit Be6 slot 1 motherboard which I used to upgrade
about 4 times with. The first CPU I used with that computer was a
Celeron 400A then I upgraded to a Pentium II 400, and a year later I
upgraded to a Pentium 3 550. In late 1999, I upgraded the CPU to a
Pentium 3 850, I added a 3dfx Voodoo 3 2000 16 mb PCI video card, and
512 mbs of ram. I pretty much used Abit motherboards from late 1998 to
2005, and I couldn't use them anymore because that company went out
business. Then, I switched to Asus motherboards afterwards.
As for graphics cards, I was a 3dfx fan from 1996 to 2002. I had the
Voodoo 4 mb 3d accelerator. In 1998, I had the Voodoo 2 12 mb 3d
accelerator card, and in 1999 I had the Voodoo 3 2000 16 PCI video card.
The last 3dfx card I had was the Voodoo 4 4500 32 mb PCI video card. The
Voodoo 4 and 5 series were the last video cards 3dfx released before
they went out of business. I tend to be a very die hard when I select a
brand. When it comes to motherboards today, I always select Asus. When
it comes to hard drives, I only use Western Digital, and for SSDs I use
only Samsung.
The Pentium 4 is a very versatile processor, and I am glad I never got
rid of it. I did put it up for sale in 2009 when I got a new computer
system based on the AMD Phenom II 945 processor. No one wanted it, so I
ended up keeping it. I am glad I didn't sell it, because I can play
retro games with it. My Pentium 4 3.06 HT based computer is 14 years
old, and it still runs well. The Dell Dimension 4600 which I showed on
one of my videos was not a computer I had previous. I found it in the
basement at work, and they let me have it. I put a Geforce 5900 XT
graphics card in it, and it can play retro PC games. I have 3 more retro
computers in addition to the two I mentioned. I have a Gateway E3400
Pentium 3 950 based computer, Athlon 64 3200 + based computer, and a
Pentium 4 2.4 based computer. These computers will only become more
valuable as the supplies of these computer dwindle.
Playing retro PC games on the actual hardware is much better than
playing it on a emulator. Just like playing the Nintendo on a actual
Nintendo Entertainment System is better than playing it on a emulator.
K. Guidelines for Retro Computers
When you first get a retro computer, there are a few things you have to inspect and assess. First power it on and try it out, sometimes there will be no hard drive in the computer. In this case, you just have to get a IDE hard drive and insert it in there. Then, you have to install the operating system on it. If you get a computer that runs out of the box, the optical drive may run sluggishly, and this is because these computers are 14 to 19 years old. Optical drives usually fail with time and usage, because they have moving parts. You may have to buy a IDE optical drive. If you can find IDE storage devices whether they be hard drives, or optical drives, you do have to know how to configure them. You have to configure the jumper settings correctly to get IDE storage devices to work. I have a video about that How to Configure IDE and EIDE Storage Devices . It isn't hard to configure the jumpers, you just have to know about it. IDE storage devices can be found quite inexpensively on sites, like E-bay. The storage space of IDE hard drives can range from 500 Megabytes to 250 Gigabytes in storage space. The cheapest IDE hard drives would typically be 80 Gb to 250 Gb, the smaller the capacity the more money it would cost. Windows 98 can handle hard drives which range in capacity of 100 Mb to 128 Gb. If you get a 250 Gb hdd then you will make 2 partitions of 125 Gb each. I will make a list below to show you what you can use in Windows 98/Windows XP, and the storage controllers that are supported. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ♠ Windows 98 ◙ PATA-33 ► 33 Megabytes/second theoretical transfer speed ◙ PATA-66 ► 66 Megabytes/second theoretical transfer speed The real transfer speeds will be about 60 to 66% of what the theoretical speed is claimed as. ► Partition formats: 20 Mb to 128 Gb ♦ Windows XP: ◙ PATA-33 ► 33 Mb/s ◙ PATA-66 ► 66 Mb/s ◙ PATA-100 ► 100 Mb/s ◙ PATA-133 ► 133 Mb/s ◙ SATA-1 ► 187 Mb/s ◙ SATA-2 ► 375 Mb/s ► Partition formats: 1 Gb to 1 Tb (1024 Gigabytes) (Windows XP can support up to 1 Tb, but if your motherboard's bios doesn't support it then you can't use it. Older motherboards might only support up to 160 Gb, and newer Pentium 4 based motherboards could support up 1 Tb hdds.) As you can see, Windows XP supports a wider array of data storage controllers than Windows 98. If your motherboard has sata ports then you can use them. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ When you buy a hard drive, you have to know which hard drives are supported. In reality if you use most IDE or sata hard drives, they will not be faster than 110 to 120 Mb/s. Mechanical hard drives cannot go faster than 120 Mb/s. If you want something faster, you need at least a SSD. When you use old IDE hard drives, you have to bear in mind that these drives are very old. There is no way to know how long these IDE hard drives will last. Hard drives in the late 1990s, and early 2000s weren't known for reliability or durability. Back in the late 1990s, a lot of hard drives died within 2 years to 3 years. Compared to back then, hard drives are much more reliable. I have 1 TB hard drives that I got in 2012 that still work 7 years after. I also have 160 gb Western Digital hard drives from as far as 2007 or 12 years ago that work! When you get a retro computer, the part that would most likely fail is the hard drive, so it would be wise to buy a extra IDE hard drive and keep it as a backup. There are other options for IDE hard drives, or you could get a BIPRA Bi-Directional IDE/SATA Converter.BIPRA Bi-Directional IDE/SATA Converter You can use this thing to use sata hard drives in a motherboard that has IDE ports. I have a video on it. Just click here Link In addition to that, you will need a 4 Pin Molex to SATA Power Cable, and this will enable you to power up your sata hard drive in a retro motherboard. It looks like this, and you can click on the image to the Amazon product page for this item.
4 Pin Molex to SATA Power Cable As for the hard drives, you can just go Amazon, or Ebay and type in 80 gb, 160 gb, or 250 gb hard disk drive. You can also use a compact flash to IDE adapter to install your operating system whether that be Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows XP on your retro computer. The benefits of doing this would give you a durable and fast storage device where you can store your operating system. A compact flash drive has no moving parts, so it will last longer than any mechanical hard drive. The compact flash to IDE adapter looks like this.
I have a video about this topic, it is at Link ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ♦ Ximimark 2Pcs Compact Flash CF Card to 3.5 Female 40 Pin IDE Hard Drive Bootable Adapter • Link ♦ SanDisk Ultra 16 gb CompactFlash • Link ♦ Sata to IDE Adapter • Link ♦ Molex 4 pin to Sata Power Adapter • Link ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ As for the sata or IDE hard drives, you can go to either Amazon or Ebay and find them. When you buy used components, you do have to be wary. From my experience, I had worse experiences buying used components on Ebay compared to buying them on Amazon. I never had any bad experiences buying used components, like cpus/processors, video cards, or ram modules on Amazon. As for used hard drives, the life expectancy can vary from a few weeks to a few years. The quality of the people who sell on Amazon.com are usually a lot higher than sellers on Ebay. It will usually cost more to buy it on Amazon than on Ebay, but there are less disappointments as well. Here are the links to those websites. Amazon Affliate Link ► Link Ebay Affliate Link ► Link I don't know which site has the best prices, so you can go to either and check it out. From my tests, I found that Windows XP funs a lot of late Windows 98 games; however, it doesn't run all of them. If you want a geninue Windows 98 based computer, it is possible to do with a Pentium 4 Socket 478 based processor or a Athlon Socket 754 based processor as well. Windows 98 sound card drivers, video card drivers, and motherboard chipset drivers are still available. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ◙ How to Install Windows 98 SE • Link ◙ Intel Pentium 4 Chipset Drivers for Windows 98 • Link ◙ Nvidia Video Card Drivers for Windows 98 • Link ◙ Sound Card Drivers for Windows 98 • Link ◙ Windows 98 SE ISO file (You need to put in your own license number) • Link ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ All you have to do is intall Windows 98, and install all the drivers for your devices. For those that wish to install a fresh copy of Windows XP, it is a good option, because Windows XP can run most Windows 98 programs. Furthermore, there will be less driver issues for those who have the latest socket 478 Pentium cpus, or Athlon socket 754 processors as well. There were a lot of games produced for Windows XP, so you can have a retro PC to fill in that gap. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ◙ How to Install Windows XP • Link Most of the drivers should still be available on official websites ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
L. Pentium 4 Retro Computer P4 2 4 + Geforce 2 MX 200
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This video gives you guidelines on how to access a Pentium 4 retro
computer. It also shows you what kind of retro Windows 98 games this CPU
and graphics card can run.
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Outline of Video
♦ Guidelines on what you should access when you get a retro
computer.
♦ Overview of the Hardware for this computer in Windows XP
♦ Windows 98 Game Tests
• Starcraft (1998) ► Windows 95/98
• Star Wars: Dark Forces II Jedi Knight (1997) ► Windows 95
• Mortyr (1999) ► Windows 98
• Half-Life (1998) ► Windows 95/98
• Half-Life: Opposing Forces (1999) ► Windows 98
• Age of Empires (1997) ► Windows 95/98
• Shogo Mobile Armored Division (1998) ► Windows 98
• Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (1997) ► Windows 95/98
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Most of the games I ran with this hardware configuration worked well;
however, some games didn't work well. Half-life and Half-life: Opposing
Force ran sluggishly, and the program crashed a few times. The Geforce 2 MX
was a budget video card, and good performance isn't to be expected from
this card. When I ran the same game on a Pentium 4 3.06 HT based computer
with a Geforce 5900 XT video card, it ran much smoother and it was less
glitchy as well.
Another issue I had was when I ran Shogo Mobile Armored Division, and that
was with the intro video playing and with the text. The text didn't show,
so you could not start the game, this problem usually happens with video
cards that were released after the Geforce 5900 series. Never the less, the
problem appeared with this video card. If you are someone who wants to play
retro 3d accelerated games at premium settings then you should get a better
graphics card.
The real time strategy games ran well with this video card, and I was
surprised to find that Star Wars: Dark Forces II Jedi Knights works with
this video card. As for the other 3d accelerated games, like Crimson Skies,
and Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, they ran fine. Mortyr was too fast,
but this is due to the glitch in the software, and I encountered the same
problem on the two other Pentium 4s I tested before this computer. I guess,
this was acceptable, but I wouldn't say this is perfect. Some programs that
were Windows 98 based wouldn't work at all on Windows XP.
You could always install Windows 98, and this would make the games run much
more smoother. All socket 478 based Pentium 4s have Windows 98 chipset
drivers. I will leave a link to where you can find chipset and video card
drivers for Windows 98 below.
◙ Intel Pentium 4 Chipset Drivers for Windows 98
• Link
◙ Nvidia Video Card Drivers for Windows 98
• Link
◙ Sound Card Drivers for Windows 98
• Link
If you wish to Install Windows 98 and run your retro hardware in Windows
98, it is still possible to do it. All you need is a copy of Windows 98 SE,
install the O.S., and install all the drivers.
◙ How to Install Windows 98 SE
• Link
◙ Windows 98 SE ISO file (You need to put in your own license
number)
• Link
This video shows you how Windows XP with retro Pentium 4 hardware can run
most Windows 98 based programs and games. It is possible to make a Windows
98 retro computer, because all the drivers are still available. You can
download the Windows 98 operating system ISO file, and burn it onto a CD.
Then, you can install it on your computer. If you still have a license
number from back in the day, you can put that in to activate Windows 98.
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M. IDE Adapters for Retro PC Computers
Go Back to Page Directory
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I made a small error on this video, I made a mistake about the transfer
speeds of parallel ata drive speeds, it isn't megabits per second. For
example PATA-33 isn't 33 megabits for second, it is megabytes per second.
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IDE Controllers
◙ PATA-33 : Theoretically 33 megabytes/second
◙ PATA-66: Theoretically 66 megabytes/second
◙ PATA-100: Theoretically 100 megabytes/second
◙ PATA-133: Theoretically 133 megabytes/second
Actual speeds are 60 to 70% of what is claimed.
If you got a compact flash card to IDE adapter, you could use all the 50
Mb/second bandwidth of the flash card. If you wish to use a sata hard drive
or drives, here are the specs for that.
♦ Sata-1 : 1.5 gigabits/second or 187 Mb/second Released (01/07/2003)
♦ Sata-2: 3.0 gigabits/second or 375 Mb/second Released (April 2004)
♦ Sata-3: 6.0 gigabits/second or 750 Mb/second Released (05/27/2009)
Most sata hard drives which range in storage size from 80 Gb to 250 Gb were
produced from 2003 to 2008. The maximum bandwidth of these hdds will range
from 187 Mb/s to 375 Mb/s for later drives. The bandwidth may be 187 Mb/s
to 375 Mb/s, but these drives weren't capable of more than 100 Mb/s to 120
Mb/s at most. The transfer speeds you get will differ depending on the
operating system that you use.
♠ Windows 98 SE:
• PATA-33 ►33 Mb/s
• PATA-66 ►66 Mb/s
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Windows 98 can only use parallel ATA 33 to 66 storage controllers. In
addition to that, Windows 98 supports a maximum partition of 128 Gb. If you
use a 160 Gb IDE hdd, you will only get 128 Gb in storage space, and for
the rest you will have to make a 2nd partition. You can use a 250 Gb hdd,
but you will have to break it down to two partitions of 125 Gb each. If
you don't like partitioned drives, just stick with a hard drive which is 80
Gb or less.
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♦ Windows XP:
• PATA-33 ► 33 Mb/s
• PATA-66 ► 66 Mb/s
• PATA-100 ► 100 Mb/s
• PATA-133 ► 133 Mb/s
• SATA-1 ► 187 Mb/s
• SATA-2 ► 375 Mb/s
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If you wish to use Windows XP, it supports all formats for parallel ATA
controllers, and up to sata-2 controllers. Windows XP will be able to run
most Windows 98 based programs, but it won't run all Windows 98 based
programs. For retro computing purists, this may not be a viable solution.
Having a Windows XP operating system may serve a purpose in that, it can
play games and run programs produced from 2001 to 2009. If your aim is to
run programs from this era then you should use at least a Pentium IV 3.0HT
or higher, and a Geforce 6800 GT or higher.
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♦ Ximimark 2Pcs Compact Flash CF Card to 3.5 Female 40 Pin IDE Hard Drive Bootable Adapter
• Link
♦ SanDisk Ultra 16 gb CompactFlash
• Link
♦ Sata to IDE Adapter
• Link
♦ Molex 4 pin to Sata Power Adapter
• Link
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N. How to Configure IDE and EIDE Storage Devices
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O. Retro Computer Athlon 64 3200+ with Windows 98
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▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▀▓▒░█▓ System Specs: ◙ CPU/Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Socket 754 ◙ Graphics Card: S3 Virge 2 mb PCI ◙ Hard Drive/Storage: Western Digital 40 gb hdd IDE ◙ Operating System: Windows 98 ◙ Optical Drive/Drives: Creative Labs CD-RW 32x + DVD-ROM drv ◙ Motherboard: Abit KV8-Max3 ◙ PSU: 250 Watt ▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒█▒ This computer was put together in the middle of 2004, and the original specs had a Geforce 5900 XT 128 mb AGP video card. It had Windows XP on it as well with a 400 watt PSU. By 2004, I stopped using Windows 98, so I didn't know if you could use Windows 98 on this computer. I found that out recently when I was looking at drivers that came with this computer. I noticed the CD with the drivers on it had Windows 98 drives, so I installed Windows 98 on this computer. Surprisingly when I installed Windows 98 on this PC, I was able to install Windows 98 on it. The only problem that I encountered was the onboard sound not working. The onboard sound was a Realtek AC'97, and it came with Windows 98 drivers. Unfortunately, it didn't work. I left it at that for about 2 years. That is when I installed Windows 98 on this computer. About a few days ago, I ordered a Geforce 5200 AGP video card, and a Sound Blaster Audigy PCI sound card from E-bay. When I get these parts, I will install Windows 98 drivers for both devices, and test some Windows 95/98 games on it. I still have a lot of Windows 95, and Windows 98 games. I never got rid of my collection of these old retro games, so I will test the oldest Windows 95 games to the latest Windows 98 games. Stay tuned, until next time! ▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▄▓▒░█▓
P. How to Install Windows XP with Drivers
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♦ Computer Specs
• CPU/Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Socket 754
• GPU/Graphics Card: Geforce 5900 XT 128 mb AGP
• Motherboard: Abit KV8-Max3
• Ram/Memory: Corsair XMS 512 mb PC3200
• Hard Drive/Storage: Western Digital 40 gb IDE
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Procedure
1 ► Configure the bios to change the boot priority settings
• CD-ROM
• Hard Drive
2 ► Insert Windows XP CD and Boot to CD
3 ► Create a new partition and install Wiindows XP
4 ► Select a region, language, enter key, and time zone
5 ► Computer will reboot a few times.
6 ► Finalize settings and create a username
7 ► Install drivers that came with the motherboard
◙ Chipset driver
◙ Audio driver
◙ Install lan driver
◙ USB 2.0 driver
◙ VIA sata raid controller
◙ Sil3114 Raid Sata Raid controller
◙ Install Video driver
If you don't have a copy of Windows XP or the key check the links below
▼
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♦ Windows XP 32 bit @ Amazon
• Link
♦ Windows XP SP2 32 bit @ Amazon
• Link
(If you have the key and lost the CD, you can download it from the links below ▼) You will need your own license key to use it.
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♠ Windows XP Professional @ Archive.org
◙ Link
♠ Windows XP SP1@ Archive.org
◙ Link
♠ Windows XP SP3 @ Archive.org
◙ Link
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If you have a Abit KV8-Max3 motherboard, and you want the drivers here is the link for it.
• link
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Q. Retro Computer Athlon 64 3200+ Operating System Tests
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System Specs:
♦ CPU: Athlon 64 3200+ Socket 754
♦ Ram: Corsair XMS 512 mb PC3200 168 pin
♦ Storage: WD 40 gb EIDE
♦ Motherboard: Abit KV8-Max3
♦ Optical Drives: DVD-ROM + CD-RW 32x
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◙ Test 1
Windows 98
• Age of Empires 1
• Shogo Mobile Armored Division ► Failed
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Windows XP SP1 --- 14:26
• Age of Empires 1
• Crimson Skies
• Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
• Shogo Mobile Armored Division
• Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight
• Half Life: Opposing Force
◙ Network Test with Modern PCs
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◙ Synopsis
The Windows 98 test was a utter failure, because the I could not get the
Geforce 5900 XT graphics card to run 3d accelerated games; however, it did
run 2d games. Another problem I had with Windows 98 was that, it didn't
play music from the CD. Both the Geforce 5900 XT, and the Athlon 64 3200+
came out at about 2003. As a result, the Windows 98 drivers were not well
developed, so I had problems in Windows 98. The Abit KV8-Max and Geforce
5900 XT were optimized for Windows XP, and Windows 2000.
On the other hand, the Windows XP test was a astounding success. I was able
to run both 2d and 3d games produced from as far back as 1997, like Shadows
of the Empire, and Dark Forces 2. They both ran flawlessly, and they ran
very smoothly at the highest settings.
This setup with Windows XP ran two 1998 games, like Shogo: Armored
Division, and Half Life Opposing Force flawlessly as well. Most Windows 98
games work on Windows XP, and they work on Windows 2000 as well. I used
Windows 2000 Pro around early 2000 on my Pentium 3 850 based computer, and
I was able to run most Windows 98 games. Although Windows 2000 wasn't a
operating system for home users, I got a copy from work and used it on my
PC at home. It worked great, because it was much more stable than Windows
95/98.
Windows XP is a modern operating system, so it can interface with operating
systems, like Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows
10. On the video, I was able to connect to my Windows 10 based computer to
share files. This is a big plus, because you couldn't do that with Windows
95 or Windows 98. On Windows 98, you can't even use a USB 2.0 flash drive,
so the only way to ferry files across is by burning CDs. This is annoying
in an age where we have fast networks. You should be able to share files
across the lan(local area network) network. Windows XP is a stable
operating system much more so than Windows 9X. The reason being, elements
of Windows NT and Windows 2000 were incorporated into Windows XP in its
development.
If you want a Windows 98 based PC then you need to have the right hardware.
In my opinion, the best hardware for Windows 98 would be a Pentium 4 based
computer with a Voodoo 3, Voodoo 4, or Geforce 2 graphics adapter would be
the ideal.
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R. Optical Disk Not Opening Problem
S. Running Retro Win95 98 Games on Windows XP
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▒░█▀▓▒█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▒░█▀▓▒ System Specs: ♦ CPU: Athlon 64 3200+ Socket 754 ♦ Ram: Corsair XMS 512 mb PC3200 168 pin ♦ Storage: WD 40 gb EIDE ♦ Motherboard: Abit KV8-Max3 ♦ Optical Drives: DVD-ROM + CD-RW 32x ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ This test shows that you can run some Windows 95 games that would not otherwise run on Windows XP 32 bit. The computer I am using is the type of computer that would use Windows XP, computers that were introduced from 2002 to 2005. For Intel based computers, Socket 423 Pentium IVs, and Socket 478 Pentium IVs had Windows XP installed on them. As for AMD based computers, socket 462 based Athlon XP processors, and socket 754 Athlon 64 based processors had Windows XP installed on them as well. The 1st/2nd generation I3/I5/I7 processors had Windows 7 installed on them, so they were optimized to run on that operating system. I did try to run Windows 98 on this computer, and it was a miserable failure. I had all sorts of driver issues on Windows 98, because the Windows 98 drivers for this computer were badly written. They had a lot of flaws, so I couldn't run 3d accelerated games with the hardware configuration I am using now. Windows XP 32 bit seems to be running most of the Windows 95/98 games that I tested on it so far. Some games didn't run, like Swat 3. Never the less, most games did run perfectly, and some games ran way too fast. Emulators can be used for Win95/98; however, there are some issues with them. For example, PCEM is a good emulator for Windows 95 and Windows 98; however, there are limitations to it. The limitations being they support up to Socket 7 Pentiums up to 233 mhz. By late 1998, this was no longer adequate to play games, because the system requirements to run Windows 98 based games was at least a Pentium II 300 mhz. Running PCEM for games, like Shogo Mobile Armored Division, Panzer Commander, Crimson Skies, and others released around late 1998 to 2000 required at least a Pentium 2 for it to be playable. Sure, you can run these games on a Pentium 233 MMX based processor, or emulated processor; however, it ran at frame rates which made it unplayable. The Athlon XP Socket 462, Pentium 423/478, and Athlon Socket 754 fills this gap in retro gaming. Running Windows XP with these processors to play retro Win95/98 games is a viable option. Pentium 2/3 based computers are very difficult to find, and if you do find one you don't know what condition you will get them at. Not to mention that these computers will be very expensive, because they are so rare. ░█▄▓▒█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█░█▄▓▒
T. Vintage Floppy Disk Drives
▒░█▀▓▒█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▀█▒░█▀▓▒ ◙ Synopsis and Historical Background This video is about vintage 3.5" and 5.25" floppy disk drives. In the beginning of the video, I made a diagram on how you can connect floppy disks, and the different kind of cables that you need to connect floppy disk drives. The next part of the video gives you a closer look of a 5.25" 1.22 mb floppy disk drive. The last part of this video shows the viewer how you can use floppy disks using Dos commands. Floppy disks have been around in the commercial market since the early 1970s, but these early floppy disk drives used 8" disks. These were used mostly by large corporations and government institutions, and they were very expensive. 5.25" floppy drives were developed in 1976 by Shugart Associates, and they were put into production in 1978 by a number firms. In the late 1970s, and the early 1980s 5.25" floppy disk drives didn't become mainstream until 1986. My first computer was a Commodore 64 which I got back in 1983, and that computer didn't come with a floppy disk drive. All it had was a rom slot, and some people had tape drives for their Commodore 64 computers. The tapes could hold a lot of memory, but it took a very long time to access data, because to get to the tracks you had to rewind and fast forwards to get to the track.The rotating disk with a magnetic head was a much better way to access data. The rom cartridge was another good idea, but rom cartridges were very expensive to produce. Using memory chips back in those days was expensive, it was a kind of solid state storage of data. Also, you could not write to a ROM cartridge, because ROM meant read only memory. Back when I had a Commodore 64, the most frustrating part of it was not being able to save what you did. This was way before hard disk drives even existed. Back in the early 1980s, there were many computer magazines that published pages which had computer programming code to run entire games. If you entered it correctly in your Commodore 64 then you could play a game on it! It was a quite exciting, but rarely did it work. It took a lot of work to get it to work, because every single line of programming code had to be typed in perfectly or it would not work! The most frustrating part of computer programming is debugging software which I would later find out. Never the less, when 5.25" floppy disks did become mainstream in the mid 1980s, a lot of software was released in 5.25" format. If you wanted to learn Basic, you now had the option to save your work on 5.25" floppy disk drives. It was a real game changer, compared to not being able to save your work. The first 5.25" floppy disks were low density disks, they held about 360 kilobytes of data, and later they released high density 5.25" floppy disk drives which had a storage capacity of 1220 kilobytes of data, 5.25" floppy disks were phased out in favor of 3.5" high density disk drives by 1994. As for 3.5" floppy disks, they were used from the mid 1980s to 2001, and we needed to use floppy disks to make boot disks. Installing a operating system, like MS-DOS, Windows 3.X, Windows 95, and Windows 98 required you to use a program called FDISK. You needed to install the optical drive driver, partition the hard drive, and format the hard drive before you installed a operating system on it. Prior to Windows XP, this is what we had to do to install operating systems. When Windows XP was released in late 2001, we no longer needed FDISK, or bootable floppy disks. Windows XP was able to create a partition, and format hard drives by simply booting into Windows XP optical disk. By the late 1990s, you had writable optical CD drives which could store up to 640 megabytes of data. They even had re writable CD optical disks. As a storage medium, the floppy disk was no longer able fulfill that role. Hard drives were also getting larger and larger by the late 1990s, programs required a lot more space, and floppy disks couldn't be used as a medium for that either. It was much easier and cheaper to put programs on CD-ROM disks. Operating systems, like Windows XP made 3.5" floppy disk drives completely redundant. When Windows 98/ME was totally phased out in 2003, most motherboards no longer had floppy disk controllers installed in them. ░█▄▓▒█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█▄█░█▄▓▒
U. Accessible PATA to Compact Flash Adapter
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[Synopsis]
This video shows you another option you can use to install a storage device
on your retro computer. If you cannot find a IDE/PATA based hard drive, you
can use this option. 3.5" IDE hard drives are no longer produced, and they
ceased to be produced around July of 2007. Most of these IDE hard drives
are 13 to 20 years old, so they can fail at any time. A more long term
method would be to simply use a compact flash adapter and use compact flash
cards.
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[Different kinds of IDE/PATA to Compact Flash Adapters]
◙ Startech 3.5" Drive Bay IDE/PATA to CF Adapter
• https://amzn.to/2YONzv7
◙ Syba IDE/PATA to CF Adapter
• https://amzn.to/2qYveza
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[Various types of Compact Flash Cards]
◙ SanDisk Extreme 16 GB CF Card 60 MB/s
• https://amzn.to/2YULYnA
◙ Transcend 16 GB CF Card
• https://amzn.to/36xjrXA
◙ SanDisk Extreme 32 GB CF Card 120 MB/s
• https://amzn.to/2McYuK3
◙ Transcend CF 32 GB Card
• https://amzn.to/35pLgB4
◙ SanDisk Extreme Pro 64 GB CF Card 160 MB/s
• https://amzn.to/36BNDRj
◙ SanDisk Extreme 128 GB CF Card 120 MB/s
• https://amzn.to/2YNtGoa
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