Introduction, Hardware To Look For
Is building an old gaming machine worth your time?
Every year the college I graduated from, Beloit College, publishes its not-that-famous “mindset list.” It’s a collection of one-liners, such as “Clint Eastwood is better known as a director than as Dirty Harry,” meant to humorously remind professors that the experiences of their generation are not the same as the generation about to show up in their classrooms.
I’ve sometimes felt a need for a similar reminder among gamers. Arcade classics like Pac-Man and DOS legends such as Prince Of Persia are often cited in conversations of old-school gaming, yet many gamers (including myself) never enjoyed the experience of playing these titles when they first hit store shelves.
I enjoyed a different generation of classics. My original copy of Interstate ’76 is nestled in a binder of old CDs. A boxed copy of Mechwarrior 2 sits on my book shelf. I have Baldur’s Gate, Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri, Total Annihilation 2, Starcraft, SimCity 2000, The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall and Age of Empires II, to name a few. These were my formative gaming experiences. Some have always been with me – others, lost or destroyed, have been re-acquired from thrift stores for a few bucks each.
Yet I can’t play most of these games without buying them again (via a service like Good Old Games) or resorting to virtualization. The reliability of Window’s compatibility mode is spotty to say the least.
Even if a game does run on my Windows 7 PC, something is missing. The old controllers of yesterday usually don’t agree with – or can’t physically connect to – my modern desktop. The graphics, designed for the CRT era, often don’t translate well to a high-resolution LCD. Random bugs and errors can occur, stopping the games in their tracks.
I’ve finally decided that there is only one solution. If you want to run a game from the 1990s and enjoy them properly you should also have hardware that can play games from that era as originally intended. That means putting together a legacy gaming system.
This is something that I think anyone should be able to do without spending more than $150. But can you, and if so, is it worth your time?
The Hardware You Should Look For
Image credit: Daniel Hedrick
My original intent was to build this computer from scratch, but research on the topic lead me to think this a bad idea. I instead decided to purchase an intact tower and add components as needed. If you want to go for a vintage gaming computer I suggest you take this route as well.
Price is one reason. The availability of parts in confirmed working order and complete with original driver software is thin and people who have mint condition components tend to charge quite a bit for them.
Compatibility is another problem. A lot of information about old hardware has been lost over the years. Manufacturers eventually abandon their products and take down websites with information relevant to them.
So, if you’re going with an intact system, what does it need to have? I have some ideas about that.
Operating System: Windows 98 Second Edition
Windows 98 Second Edition is the most prolific version of Windows that should be able to run all of the games that were meant to run under MS-DOS, Windows 95 and Windows 98 during the 1990s. It was also incredibly popular, which means that it is not that hard to find. As far as I know you could also use Windows ME without compatibility issues.
Monitor: CRT (Any Size)
Old games weren’t made to work with LCD monitors because they weren’t commonly sold. The problems are similar to those console gamers encounter when trying to play old games on a modern HDTV. The maximum supported resolution often looks terrible on a modern LCD.
Any size CRT will do – pick what you want. Just remember that CRTs are much larger and heavier than LCDs. You may have trouble finding a place to put a 21” behemoth.
Processor: At Least 500 MHz
This should not be a hard requirement to fulfill. The late 90s was an era in which the ceiling on clock speeds suddenly seemed unlimited. The slowest of the first Pentium III processors, released in February of 1999, topped out at a clock speed of 500 MHz. By December a new line of Pentium III options was introduced ranging from 750 to 800 MHz. That’s quite a leap within a year!
Based on the research I did regarding minimum system requirements I think you’ll want a processor with a clock speed of at least 500 MHz to ensure you can play games without a hitch. You can buy a later-model processor if you need to, but I don’t suggest going much beyond 2 GHz. Remember, one of the issues you can run in to with older games is the way clock speeds impact their pace. The faster you go, the more likely you may run in to an issue.
RAM: At least 128MB
This is my recommended minimum based on game system requirements. More is always going to better, so don’t shy away from a system with 512MB or even 1GB.
Video Card: AGP Video Card With At Least 32MB of Memory
Image Credit: Grant Hutchinson
It’s hard, perhaps even impossible, to accurately gauge how old video cards compared to each other. This is particularly true if you stray away from the most popular models of the era. You could research the matter, but it’s not necessary. Most anything with 32MB of memory is going to be tied to a GPU that is quick enough.
Hard Drive: At Least 10GB
Most titles have small install sizes but some could expand to hundreds of megabytes if you went for a “full install” with all art, animation, voice acting and video placed on your hard drive. Respecting a 10 GB minimum will ensure you don’t run into capacity issues.
Sound Card: Windows 98 SE Compatible
This is going to be a tricky one. Sound cards could still be an issue in the 90s both from performance and compatibility perspectives. You should be on the lookout for a vintage audio card but you can sometimes make do with onboard sound. The most important factor is driver support, which is often hard to find for old sound cards.
Forgot to add: For graphics
Forgot to add: For graphics drivers, I used the 61.76 Nvidia drivers for graphics. You’ll have to do a Google search to get them – I tried via Nvidia’s site, and all they offered was the 70 drivers; they claim that it worked for the TNT2 card, but they didn’t work for mine.
That was the most difficulty in installing drivers; the rest I found on Dell’s site or driver disk in the case of the Sound Blaster Live card. I also installed USB flash drive support for Windows 98.
This helped in the next step, installing Windows Updates. I took a chance and downloaded and installed the Unofficial Windows 98SE Service Pack 2.1a, which I’ve had no problems with. The only other update I installed after that was the latest version of DirectX for Windows 98, which is the redistributable for June 2010.
What I ended up with is a stable machine that can play DOS games like Impossible Mission II, up to old DirectX titles like Alien vs. Predator very well.
All I have to say is VMware
All I have to say is VMware or a similar software package or hell why not just go to gog.com
Because emulation is 2nd best
Because emulation is 2nd best and too slow for a lot of games, especially back in 2012????
Now if I could only recreate
Now if I could only recreate that warm fuzzy feeling of sitting at my friends house playing Warlords 2 in hotseat mode with about 6 of us. Good times. 🙂
Its nice to know Im not
Its nice to know Im not alone…
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/6939/dscf1304s.jpg
The tower is what I play the original Starseige,(mechwarrior like)
and Redneck Rampage and many others.
Athlon Xp 2600+
768mb SDram
Geforce 2 mx (original, not mx200 or 400)
Windows 98 Se
I replaced most of the caps on the board, most had leaked, but the board still posted.
The rest of the stuff is a small part of my collection, I have lots more.
If Ken wants to see a K6-2 in the flesh, Id be happy to send one in heh.
I have an HP Pavillion PC
I have an HP Pavillion PC with 366mhz Celeron. No AGP slot, only onboard vga or I can upgrade via PCI. The trouble I have is trying to get a hold of a good PCI card. Voodoo3 2000 PCI cards are expensive on ebay last i checked.
One more thing…. you forgot an important hardware from PC gaming back in the late 1990s…. The Gravis Game Pad….
I still have a IBM PS2-P70
I still have a IBM PS2-P70 running win 3.11, rocking a orange screen in storage.
the sad thing is I don’t need
the sad thing is I don’t need to build one.
I got like 3 I can put my hands on in like 2mins store under my house I just don’t thought system away that easy never know when you need one.
got love windows 98 dam it I may just have to go get one and play old game now so much for my new Ivy Bridge system lol
Hay guy`s Just thought I`d
Hay guy`s Just thought I`d chime in and say Windows ME (opps) the best of both worlds, Dos reboot and windows 9x;)
Great article, I’m a fan of
Great article, I’m a fan of legacy and oddball systems myself. I still have my Packard Bell for the same reasons. It currently has a Pentium 233, 64 MB RAM, onboard S3 Trio64V2 + Voodoo 1 4 MB PCI video, 3 GB Seagate hard drive, and 98SE (still have the key memorized!). It runs my older games pretty well. I have enough spare parts to build a Coppermine P3-based machine, with a 16 MB Vanta. I have a K6-2+ as well, but no motherboard to put it in.
I found that with some onboard audio solutions that using the “Sound Blaster or 100% compatible” option sometimes works. I had good luck with it and Mechwarrior 2.
I tried dualbooting 98SE and XP once on my Athlon XP machine, with 1 GB RAM. I installed it, changed a couple of settings, installed a driver (video I think), and rebooted. I was promptly greeted with a “Windows is corrupt. Please reinstall Windows.” message. Reinstalling 98SE with 512 MB RAM, then capping it to that through msconfig fixed it.
Some (relatively) newer games will run on 98. I remember vanilla WoW did, and could run on 512 MB RAM. Now it needs XP, and 2+ GB RAM is a good idea. I tried Far Cry once on my Coppermine P3 before I dismantled it. It was more of an experiment than anything. 600EB, GeForce 6800 GT, 160 MB RAM. When it wasn’t thrashing the hard drive, it ran smooth as silk.
This article inspired me. I
This article inspired me. I had a few components laying around, but I purchased everything else on eBay. The whole build cost me $150, with $75 of that being from a Silverstone mATX case. I am running the following:
Windows 98 SE
AMD Athalon 1000
ASRock mATX Motherboard
Creative GeForce2 GTS 32MB
Creative Voodoo2 12MB (For games that won’t run on the GeForce2)
1GB PC2100 Memory
Creative Audigy2
WD Blue 250GB Hard Drive (only partitioned 50 GB to save time during install)
I am actually using my Viewsonic 19″ LCD monitor, and things look pretty good. I have had a blast playing GLQuake, SiN, Deus Ex GOTY Edition, System Shock 2, my Need for Speed collection, Motocross Madness 2, and many other games. I even fired up Unreal Tournament for a bit. I am actually gaming more on my “retro” rig than my main gaming rig at the moment.
do have a 630i dell computer.
do have a 630i dell computer. thankyou
Here’s what I did
Here’s what I did http://anohitono.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/building-a-retro-pc-gaming-computer/
* Off for some retrogaming on REAL HARDWARE!:)*
Have an Essential 433c that I
Have an Essential 433c that I upgraded and put WinME on for retro graming purposes, 433MHz Mendocino-core Celeron isn’t a bad little chip for being 15 years old, and I also have an AL440LX board that I may upgrade either to a 333MHz Deschutes-core P2 or a 433MHz Slot 1 Mendocino-core Celeron that has an AGP slot so that I would be able to put a decent GPU in it, although I’d first have to get that Slot 1 Mendocino and 512MB PC100 RAM for it, as well as a good PSU and case to support it, and a CD-ROM and floppy drive that matches the case color.
Upgrades to the 433c (WL810E board) include the stock 64MB RAM upgraded to 192MB because I had a 128MB PC100 stick sitting around unused and an unused SB Live! 5.1 SB0100 soundcard. Also swapped the stock hard drive with the OEM Win98se install out with my own IDE hard drives and installed WinME on the 8GB while the 10GB is used for game storage. Also installed my Propad 6 controller.
Only upgrades the AL440LX board would require are a CPU upgrade, a decent amount of RAM, and a good AGP GPU, as it has a Yamaha YMF715E chip for onboard sound.
I like where your head is at
I like where your head is at but your system is just too new. If you are serious about classic PC gaming you are going to need a few systems. I have the early 90s covered with a 486DX 2 PC I have. Mid 90s I’m using a old Gateway G6-333 with a Pentium II. Video is handled by a nvidia Mach64 and a Voodoo 2. Sound is handled by a Creative AWE64 Gold. When it comes to the late 90s, early 21st, I have a few systems. A couple Pentium IIIs and a AthlonXP system. You would think that changing PCs all the time would be annoying, but it just geeks me up!
I like where your head is at
I like where your head is at but your system is just too new. If you are serious about classic PC gaming you are going to need a few systems. I have the early 90s covered with a 486DX 2 PC I have. Mid 90s I’m using a old Gateway G6-333 with a Pentium II. Video is handled by a nvidia Mach64 and a Voodoo 2. Sound is handled by a Creative AWE64 Gold. When it comes to the late 90s, early 21st, I have a few systems. A couple Pentium IIIs and a AthlonXP system. You would think that changing PCs all the time would be annoying, but it just geeks me up!
You all are fools, where are
You all are fools, where are the 3dfx cards? Look at mine 98 BEAST!:
-ASUS P2B-F Intel 440BX
-Intel Pentium III Slot1 Katmai 500MHz@FSB: 120MHz (124MHz possible, but AGP too fast)
-Hynix 512MB(4x128MB) 133@115MHz CL2 Fast
-ATi Rage 128GL 32MB AGP 2x
-2xAtrend 3dfx Voodoo 2 SLi 12MB PCI (1024x768x16=TOP!)
-Creative SoundBlaster 128 16Bit PCI
-D-Link DE 530 CT+ 10Mbps LAN
-Adaptec AHA-2930U SCSI
-Dual Quantum Atlas 18.3GB Ultra 160SCSI
-DVDR,CDRW,FDD 1.44Mb
-WDC 205BA (on ISO game files) in 5,25″ tray
-Apex 300W ATX
-EIZO F67 19″ CRT
-Logitech Cordless Wheel Mouse M-RK45 PS/2+Simple PS/2 W98 keyboard and Creative 2.1 repro
Good afternoon, I know this
Good afternoon, I know this is a bit of an old article but I went through and set up a 98SE box:
MB : ASUS A7V333
RAM: 1x256MB DDR2700
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 2600+
VID: Voodoo 5 5500 AGP
HDD: Maxtor 40GB ATA133
FDD: Sony
ZIP: IOMega 100
DVD: LG 16X DVD-ROM
AUD: Sound Blaster 16 PCI
NIC: 3COM 3C905-TX-NM
MOD: Creative Modem Blaster DI3631-1
AUX: SATA1 RAID Controller SIL3112
AUX: ASUS Tuner TV880
PSU: 350W
And it seems very happy however, whenever I put in more than 256 MB of RAM 98 freezes at the splash screen everytime. I have tried 3 different 2x256MB sets and various cominations of each to no avail.
Sets tried:
GEIL Golden Dragon 2x256MB DDR400 Dual Channel Kit
GEIL Value Series 2x256MB DDR400 Dual Channel Kit
Micron 2x256MB DDR333 Singles
I set the VCache size to 524288 and even tried changing Max and Min FileCacheSize to 65536. I set the AGP Aperaturs size from 128 to 32 and same thing.
Any ideas how to get this beast to boot with more than 256MB?
I would like to get it up to 768MB RAM. I know I did it back in the day but I don’t remember having to edit any system files or it being this complicated.
Update:
Monitor: Dell
Update:
Monitor: Dell Trinitron 21′ CRT
Currently I am running a 1080P LED LCD TV @ 1920×1080.
Update:
Monitor: Dell
Update:
Monitor: Dell Trinitron 21′ CRT
Currently I am running a 1080P LED LCD TV @ 1920×1080.
Update:
Monitor: Dell
Update:
Monitor: Dell Trinitron 21′ CRT
Currently I am running a 1080P LED LCD TV @ 1920×1080.
What do I need to find
What do I need to find drivers for if it’s a prebuilt with a wiped hard drive? The mobo, gpu and what else?
I just ran across this
I just ran across this article, very nice read. =]
I did this back in 2009, and just updated my “Retro Gaming PC” again in 2014.
My main difference was I went with Windows 95 OSR 2.5 since it gave me much of the hardware support of Windows 98, with less bloat and better performance.
If you want to be bored with a build log and specifics, you can check it out over on my blog. =]
http://hardblogtech.blogspot.com/p/retro-gaming-pc.html
Great article!
I’ve got three
Great article!
I’ve got three retro PC’s and regularly tinker with them.
Virtual Box is a million miles from actually building an old PC and getting games to run on a decent 3dfx machine is half the fun.
This is a very popular pastime actually.
I miss these old days with
I miss these old days with games like Need For Speed 1 2 and 3,Doom and many of the fun education games like Logical Journey of the Zoombinis,Oregon Trail 5 trying to get you’re wagon not to tip when you caulk it and float.
We still have the CD for the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego Deluxe early 90s version that has Warran T Robot and the funny travel agent.
The new games are either stupid party/hidden object games that are all the same or hack n slash games.
I wish a company like BroderBund would reappear to set a new standard for family gaming as they knew how to NOT be stupid.
My absolute favorite title of BroderBund was an obsecure one called “Create Artist” which could’ve been a lot better if they adapted to email so you can email what you created and download additional stuff but instead they choose to let it dye.