Max Ram for Pentium II 300 Mhz?

[michael diemer]

I'm trying to soup up my old Gateway G6-300 desktop. It has windows 98 on one drive, and I plan to install Linux on the other. Anyone know how much Ram this thing will take? 256? Or could it take more? it uses sdram dimm.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Darkbreeze]

Most likely, it will take a maximum of 2 or 4GB, but it's really hard to say. It may have any number of different maximum capacities, from 256mb up to whatever was the max supported RAM on that CPU. It's going to be primarily based on the implementation of the motherboard BIOS and what that supports. You'll need to know the motherboard model number to find out exactly how much RAM is supported on that system. Usually, you can find this model number printed somewhere directly on the motherboard itself.

 

[4745454b]

I'm trying to remember how large standard ram sticks were back then. 16MB? 32? Then it depends on your board, 2 slots or 4?

Looking online I see people normally using PC100 128MB sticks, so I'm guessing 256MBs for a two slot board and 512MB for a 4 slot board is fairly normal. If the board is good it might handle 256MB sticks doubling the amount of possible ram, but I'm guessing those will be super hard to find. Finally, win9x has a known RAM bug if you install more than 512MBs of ram.

 

[Solandri]

The performance per Watt of these old systems is atrocious. Is there some specific reason you're trying to do this on legacy hardware? Like it controls some proprietary device which you need to run your business?

If the only reason you're doing this is for nostalgia, simply install virtual machine software on a modern computer. The VM software allows you to create a virtual PC, which you can install Windows 98 or Linux onto, and run them in a window as a Windows app. You could even install DOS onto it if you wanted. Performance per Watt will be much better, as will raw performance (since it makes your modern CPU look like a legacy CPU to the software). Memory will be cheaper (since you're just borrowing the modern memory in your system) and only limited by the max the OS is capable of handling, and storage will be faster (since it's using modern drives and interfaces, run through a virtualization interface to make it look like older hardware - e.g. My legacy DOS and Win98 virtual machines run off a SSD and boot in seconds).

The free options are Virtualbox and VMWare Player. If you've got Win 10 Pro or Enterprise or Educational, you've also got Microsoft Hyper-V. My preference between the first two is VMWare (enough so that I bought VMWare Workstation) - it has better speed and stability than Virtualbox in my experience. But Virtualbox has more features than the free VMWare Player. I haven't played around with Hyper-V (formerly Virtual PC) since I already had VMWare Workstation.

 

[Wolfshadw]

My old PIII-800 motherboard had four RAM slots for a max of 1GB of RAM (4x256MB). Depending on the number of RAM slots, I'd say somewhere between 2x128MB (256MB) and 4x256MB (1GB).

-Wolf sends

 

[michael diemer]

Most likely, it will take a maximum of 2 or 4GB, but it's really hard to say. It may have any number of different maximum capacities, from 256mb up to whatever was the max supported RAM on that CPU. It's going to be primarily based on the implementation of the motherboard BIOS and what that supports. You'll need to know the motherboard model number to find out exactly how much RAM is supported on that system. Usually, you can find this model number printed somewhere directly on the motherboard itself.

Thanks. I've had the computer apart recently to remove the original CD rom and make the one I put in years ago master, and I did a quick check inside. I couldn't even see the memory, but I wasn't looking very hard at that point. Guess I'll need to really poke around in there, but it's really crowded.

I wasn't sure if I needed the mobo make to answer this, or the CPU and computer model might be sufficient. I'll find that out also.

 

[michael diemer]

I'm trying to remember how large standard ram sticks were back then. 16MB? 32? Then it depends on your board, 2 slots or 4?

Looking online I see people normally using PC100 128MB sticks, so I'm guessing 256MBs for a two slot board and 512MB for a 4 slot board is fairly normal. If the board is good it might handle 256MB sticks doubling the amount of possible ram, but I'm guessing those will be super hard to find. Finally, win9x has a known RAM bug if you install more than 512MBs of ram.

Thanks for the tip about the W9x memory bug. I'm guessing you're right, 256-512 is probably the limit.

 

[michael diemer]

The performance per Watt of these old systems is atrocious. Is there some specific reason you're trying to do this on legacy hardware? Like it controls some proprietary device which you need to run your business?

If the only reason you're doing this is for nostalgia, simply install virtual machine software on a modern computer. The VM software allows you to create a virtual PC, which you can install Windows 98 or Linux onto, and run them in a window as a Windows app. You could even install DOS onto it if you wanted. Performance per Watt will be much better, as will raw performance (since it makes your modern CPU look like a legacy CPU to the software). Memory will be cheaper (since you're just borrowing the modern memory in your system) and only limited by the max the OS is capable of handling, and storage will be faster (since it's using modern drives and interfaces, run through a virtualization interface to make it look like older hardware - e.g. My legacy DOS and Win98 virtual machines run off a SSD and boot in seconds).

The free options are Virtualbox and VMWare Player. If you've got Win 10 Pro or Enterprise or Educational, you've also got Microsoft Hyper-V. My preference between the first two is VMWare (enough so that I bought VMWare Workstation) - it has better speed and stability than Virtualbox in my experience. But Virtualbox has more features than the free VMWare Player. I haven't played around with Hyper-V (formerly Virtual PC) since I already had VMWare Workstation.

The virtual machine idea is a good one, but I'm under the impression that I can only use my W95 and 98 OS discs on that computer, because it's OEM. It came with W95, but had a W98 udgrade disc, which I recall doing almost immediately. Then again, why would anyone care at this point? Is Microsoft going to shut it down? Actually, they can't, it's never been online, and probably won't be either, as my wife wants it to remain "pure." I also have no experience with virtual machines. but from what you say it's definitely worth considering. Anyway, we both loved that computer, even tho it had no internet. Those Windows 98 Themes are really something, especially the jungle one. People put a lot of work into that stuff. Now it's just all about playing games. not my cup of tea.

To answer your other point, the computer came with a boatload of CD's, everything from Encarta to Streets USA. There must have been 20 of them, and we have them all. Plus we bought others as well. I have music programs that only work on that computer, like Magix Audio Cleaning Lab. So I would like to keep it going, and adding ram is about the only way to get more power out of it. At least, the only easy way.

 

[michael diemer]

My old PIII-800 motherboard had four RAM slots for a max of 1GB of RAM (4x256MB). Depending on the number of RAM slots, I'd say somewhere between 2x128MB (256MB) and 4x256MB (1GB).

-Wolf sends

I hope you're right. If I can get 1GB in there that would give me more possibilities with Linux. Instead of Puppy Linux, I could try Slax.

People wonder why I would do this. As I said above, we both loved that machine. My wife is a hoarder. She's never going to let that thing go. She keeps telling me she's going to use it, but never does. This way, after going to all this trouble, she will have to use it. Or I'll threaten to take it to the dump.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Motherboard model. Everything is based off that from the oldest of systems to the brand new ones. No matter what CPU, memory or other hardware you have, you can only run, use or support what it was intended to be capable of running based on what was programmed into the bios. That means the motherboard model number dictates everything you will want to know about that system for the most part.

 

[USAFRet]

People wonder why I would do this. As I said above, we both loved that machine. My wife is a hoarder. She's never going to let that thing go. She keeps telling me she's going to use it, but never does. This way, after going to all this trouble, she will have to use it. Or I'll threaten to take it to the dump.

I have a stack of laptops out in the garage, of that vintage, and older and newer, above knee high.

Some of them even work if I bothered to power it up. One of those is a Dell PII 300MHz.

They're in the garage simply because I've not taken the time to take them to the dump/recycler.
Ultimately, they are absolutely useless in 2018.

 

[USAFRet]

I'm trying to soup up my old Gateway G6-300 desktop. It has windows 98 on one drive, and I plan to install Linux on the other. Anyone know how much Ram this thing will take? 256? Or could it take more? it uses sdram dimm.

Thanks,

Mike

There is no souping up.
Put PuppyLinux or Win2000 on it, and use it as is.

 

[4745454b]

idk about that. I really want an XP era gaming laptop. So I can take it to friends houses and play XP era games. I've found a few that won't run right on win7 and above. RA2 and A&A being two. If you really wanted to build a retro gamer I could going through the hassle of building it. Thankfully most things will run on modern hardware in some fashion. Though not all.

 

[USAFRet]

idk about that. I really want an XP era gaming laptop. So I can take it to friends houses and play XP era games. I've found a few that won't run right on win7 and above. RA2 and A&A being two. If you really wanted to build a retro gamer I could going through the hassle of building it. Thankfully most things will run on modern hardware in some fashion. Though not all.

XP era, maybe.
Pentium II level? That's 1997-98. The days of a brand new laptop taking 4 minutes to boot up with a pristine stripped down OS.

 

[4745454b]

98SE did have the best version of Dos that was still Dos first. Not sure how many Dos games people still want to play. And we now have Dosbox if you do. I don't like configuring Dosbox however.

 

[michael diemer]

Well, I'm trying to figure out the mobo. It appears to be an Intel, but getting numbers, well, the little emblem with intel on it is dark gray, and has 4 rows of numbers under the Intel logo. I have to use a flashlight and magnifying glass, and even so my 66 year old eyes are really struggling.

Better luck with the memory. It has three slots. The computer came with 32 MB. I added another stick with 64 MB. (I didn't know about the doubling rule back then). One of the sticks looks like a normal ram stick, but the other is weird looking. The black rectangles on it are raised, where the ones on the other are flat. The flat one says it's 64 MB. The other, which must be the original 32 MB one, doesn't actually say that anywhere. Kind of confusing.

 

[Karadjgne]

My old Asus p2b i440bx supports upto 768MB

 

[USAFRet]

98SE did have the best version of Dos that was still Dos first. Not sure how many Dos games people still want to play. And we now have Dosbox if you do. I don't like configuring Dosbox however.

Step 1: Win 10
Step 2: Steam
Step 3: Quake I
Step 4: Profit!

 

[Solandri]

98SE did have the best version of Dos that was still Dos first. Not sure how many Dos games people still want to play. And we now have Dosbox if you do. I don't like configuring Dosbox however.

I still have a copy of Ultima III on an HP 200LX.

http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=1088

 

[michael diemer]

People wonder why I would do this. As I said above, we both loved that machine. My wife is a hoarder. She's never going to let that thing go. She keeps telling me she's going to use it, but never does. This way, after going to all this trouble, she will have to use it. Or I'll threaten to take it to the dump.

I have a stack of laptops out in the garage, of that vintage, and older and newer, above knee high.

Some of them even work if I bothered to power it up. One of those is a Dell PII 300MHz.

They're in the garage simply because I've not taken the time to take them to the dump/recycler.
Ultimately, they are absolutely useless in 2018.

Keep in mind, this is not an internet computer. no need for a fast browser, antivirus, etc. W98 works quite well on it. It boots as fast as any of my Linux systems, or windows 7. Opens up documents as fast also. Some of this is about personality. I'm not a gamer, don't need a power pc. I do compose music however, and I have a dedicated i7 machine for that. that's all I use it for. i don't do Facebook, Twitter, etc. I'm old school. Very old school. In fact, I think we were better off in the stone age. But that's just me. Of course, if we end up destroying ourselves with technology, as many predict will happen, then my view would be correct. I wouldn't be a Luddite, I'd be a genius.

 

[michael diemer]

I'm trying to soup up my old Gateway G6-300 desktop. It has windows 98 on one drive, and I plan to install Linux on the other. Anyone know how much Ram this thing will take? 256? Or could it take more? it uses sdram dimm.

Thanks,

Mike

There is no souping up.
Put PuppyLinux or Win2000 on it, and use it as is.

Would it be possible to put W2000 on it? I've never used it, but have heard people say it was the best Windows of all. If it wasn't too expensive, and the system could handle it (preferably with max ram), I might do it.

 

[USAFRet]

Would it be possible to put W2000 on it? I've never used it, but have heard people say it was the best Windows of all. If it wasn't too expensive, and the system could handle it (preferentially with max ram), I might do it.

If you can find a valid Win2000, sure.
I have 2 drives for my PII, PuppyLinux on one, and W2K on the other.

I don't remember what the Dell Latitude has for RAM, but it runs "OK". No slower than when it was new.

I mainly kept it around to connect to the OBDII port on my cars. It was the only system I had with a serial port for the connection cable.
I stopped using it about 2 years ago.

 

[michael diemer]

I just found the mobo number: Intel E139761. Here's some info on it:

The Intel chipset on the E139761 is the 440BX, which contains the 82443BX host bridge/controller. Also included are three 168-pin Dual Inline Memory Module slots, which are based on first-generational Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory architecture. The DIMM RAM slots combine for a maximum capacity of 384MB. The memory access speed options are 66MHz and 100MHz.

So 384 is the max ram. About 4X what it has now (96MB). Sounds worth it to me. If that would let me put slax instead of puppy linux on it, that alone would be worth it.

 

[Wolfshadw]

98SE did have the best version of Dos that was still Dos first. Not sure how many Dos games people still want to play. And we now have Dosbox if you do. I don't like configuring Dosbox however.

Agreed for the most part, but I can't get the scroll rate right on Warcraft II - The Tides of Darkness in DosBox on Windows 10.

-Wolf sends

 

[4745454b]

That's the problem I have with A&A on win7. Scroll rate is just max, and takes you from one edge of the map to the other. Text also won't show up, nor will the tabs. Makes playing the game impossible. My brother in law pointed me to TripleA. I've been meaning to give that a shot. Seeing as it seems to be impossible to get people over and play A&A as a board game.

https://triplea-game.org/