'90s era PC recommendation.

[Chuck Guzis]

On 05/07/2018 07:52 PM, Ken Seefried via cctalk wrote:

> Yeah, but didn't the GX (and KX) have some pretty serious bugs until
> really late steppings?  Same to a lesser extent with the NX.  The BX
> (and FX) however was very reliable, as I recall.

I can only speak for my SuperMicro dual slot-1 P3 board and 440GX.  2GB
of server memory with both CPUs running at 1GHz.  Never a hiccup on
either XP and Linux.

I can get the things to run at 120MHz FSB, but any higher than that, it
gets squirrely.  But then 440 was rated only for a 100MHz FSB.

> Yeah, me too.  Great chip with a long useful life.  I ran a couple of
> Intel PR440FX based machine for years past their expiration date
> because they kept up with the load and just wouldn't die.

P3s are a dime a dozen, still, so paying a premium for PPro doesn't make
much sense today, unless someone just *gives* you a system.

I can tell you what *not* to buy--I've got an FIC board with an Intel
820 chipset and used to have a server board with an 840 chipset.
RDRAM--runs hot, expensive and not much better than much
cheaper-find-it-under-your-bed-cheap SDRAM.   And the 820/840 was
well-known for infestation of bugs.   Why Intel ever went down that
road, I'll never know.

> Great machine; built like a tank.  Much better quality than the
> Xpress.  I had an XL 6200 (200Mhz PPro) for many years and still
> regret getting rid of it. Lucky you you got yours back.  The HP Vectra
> XU was also pretty nice.
It's hard to beat old Compaq stuff.  I've got an old Deskpro tower with
a P3 (upgraded with a slocket to 1.4GHz). 440BX chipset   Nice
thing--the expansion cards are on a slide-out sub-chassis.  Heavy
bugger, though.   I liked some of the old HP towers as well for ease of
access.

--Chuck