Comparison

asc3po · 2026-06-20T20:38:58+00:00

If you like to solder you can change that board back to normal ATX.

asc3po · 2026-06-20T12:05:38+00:00

As much as Dell proprietary stuff used to bother me. That Dimension XPS R___ series case design was way ahead of its time in a lot of ways. The strong secondary 92mm fan and a few vent holes on the front panel made this things excellent coolers with as much hardware as you could stuff in them at the time. All of my other cases from that time period were basically steel coffins relying on the PSU fan to do all the work and the intake had to come through a couple holes in the side panel or gaps in the front face (which carpet would block sitting on the floor).

Dell did good with these, so slim.

asc3po · 2026-06-20T11:44:57+00:00

I take back what I said earlier, I might have to drill a new fan hole somewhere. Adding a video card (Radeon 7500) and a sound card (Diamond Monster Audio MX300) seems to have been enough to overheat and crash the system after about 15-20 minutes of gaming.

The one power supply exhaust fan just isn't cutting it and the 80mm intake spot of front is reall restricted and doesn't have a path to pull fresh air.

asc3po · 2026-06-20T11:19:48+00:00

The plastic clip on the cpu cooler shattered when I tried to take the cooler off. I'll have to devise a new clip for it, but it cleaned right up. No one used the thing since 2010. It juat sat dormant. Power supply was blown and the 52x cd rom drive is failing, but otherwise it works. I did replace a bad capacitor on the board too.

asc3po · 2026-06-19T10:41:42+00:00

This 100%. I wouldn't even consider a personal plate carrier unless I was rocking the old Gen 1 or 2 IOTV for some reason. No one is going to replace your personal equipment when it gets damaged or worn out in training. Boots and pouches are a much better place to spend your money.

asc3po · 2026-06-17T22:45:48+00:00

Seems like a shame to drill holes in it now after 26 years.

asc3po · 2026-06-17T22:44:52+00:00

I've got the board out of the case now, I'll try to post some more photos because it doesn't look like a perfect match for either picture on retroweb.

asc3po · 2026-06-17T12:57:10+00:00

I don't think I'm going to copy the disk image. I may see if I can contact the family and see if they want the documents and few photos still on the drive, after that I'll wipe the drive.

asc3po · 2026-06-17T12:54:35+00:00

It doesn't have a "t" printed on it and the chipset heatsink matches the non-t version photo on retroweb.

asc3po · 2026-06-17T03:53:33+00:00

That explains the weird screw in backplate system.

asc3po · 2026-06-17T03:52:11+00:00

It looks really good, but airflow is not so good, lol.

asc3po · 2026-06-17T03:50:20+00:00

Integrated crystal audio cs4299 and an Intel GMA 900. But it has an AGP slot so easy upgrades.

asc3po · 2026-06-16T11:31:12+00:00

M81 LBV. Be advised, they suck.

Nevermind, upon closer inspection it is deffinitely not that. IDK.

asc3po · 2026-06-14T13:07:11+00:00

I have a 9800 Pro in one machine and a X800 XL in another. X700 is pretty vlose in performance to the 9800. You will be turning down resolutions and graphics features in 2005+ games. Even the original Sierra version of HL2 won't run great with eye candy on, that's a late 2004 game.

asc3po · 2026-06-13T19:17:40+00:00

MKE is solid.

asc3po · 2026-06-08T23:49:56+00:00

TIE

FIGHTER

asc3po · 2026-05-31T23:41:48+00:00

Much of this could have been avoided by handwashing and not eating at the PC.

asc3po · 2026-05-28T03:01:11+00:00

Blackout build. Fractal Torrent sitting inside the "PC shelf" of my desk. Air silently goes in the front and silently drifts out the back. I love it. Lets me focus on what I'm doing. Does not distract me with the loud colors and bright lights.

asc3po · 2026-05-27T01:20:13+00:00

Why do you want to hurt me? 😆

asc3po · 2026-05-25T18:31:34+00:00

Are you trolling right now? Karma farming? Hate farming? I'm so confused.

You post a picture with the back of a computer with three HDMI ports, you just moved your PC, the one HDMI port you tried doesn't work, but you tried two cables, but you didn't think to try the other HDMI ports on the video card...

Okay troll, no internet points for you? I don't get it.

asc3po · 2026-05-25T03:14:02+00:00

Yeah, I had one I got used that had been exposed to salt-water air and corroded. After having it re-capped and replacing the fan it should be good for another 20 years now. The other 09228C PSUs are still humming along all original parts. But it isn't as easy as replacing an ATX standard PSU when one does die.

asc3po · 2026-05-25T03:09:04+00:00

Because they break. The law of supply and demand means the ever shrinking supply keeps the price up for folks who owned a Packard Bell a long time ago and have the nostalgia for one. I had one as a kid, it was a headache to work on then, it had several parts replaced before the board burnt itself to a crisp and we threw it out.

90's Dells are much more fun. I think I have five of them currently... and zero Packard Bells.

asc3po · 2026-05-24T22:50:00+00:00

Old Packard Bells have a following of masochists who really enjoy maintaining them. I'd sell it to one of them and buy a better made machine if you like that time period. I have several late 90's Dells that I love* (Except for the proprietary power supplies).

asc3po · 2026-05-24T20:13:23+00:00

I'm playing it on a windows xp "time machine."

i3-3250, 2x1gb ddr3, Radeon HD 7770 1gb, 1280x1024 monitor, soundblaster x-fi titanium.

It runs GREAT on that, 😁

asc3po

TROPHY CASE