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Intel Pentium 200
Processor Intel Pentium 200 (16KB Cache, 66MHz FSB)
Motherboard Soyo SY-5TCS with 512KB Cache (FX Chipset)
Case Mini Tower AT
PSU Antec EA-380D Green
ATX 20 PIN to AT P8/P9 Converter with -5V, ON/OFF switch and Dummy Load
Ram 64MB (2x32MB) 60ns EDO 72-pin SIMM
Videocard Elsa Winner 2000 AVI/3D (S3 Virge/VX) 4MB PCI
Videocard Diamond Monster 3D 3dfx Voodoo1 4MB PCI
Hard Disk Quantum Fireball EX 5400 RPM 3.2 GB IDE
Hard Disk KingSpec PATA IDE (44Pin) 2.5" 16GB MLC SSD
CDROM NEC CDR-1600A 12x/16x CDROM IDE
Floppy 1.44 MB
Soundcard Soundblaster AWE32 CT3980 ISA with 2MB RAM
Network 3Com Etherlink XL 3C905-TX (10/100 Mbit) PCI
Keyboard Digital RT102 AZERTY
Mouse Microsoft IntelliMouse PS/2
Game Port Microsoft Sidewinder 3D Pro Plus
Controller 5-Port NEC USB Controller PCI
Extra Features PS/2 Port (PCI Bracket)
   
OS Windows 98 Second Edition
Function

Retro Computing


Extra Information
Purchase Date January 2013
Purchase Cost 25 Euro (Donor PC)
Upgrades

January 2013:
Mini Tower AT 200W PSU (10 Euro)
Dallas DS12887A+ RTC (14.40 Euro)
Pentium 200 SY045 CPU (13.49 Euro)
Pentium Socket 7 Cooler (10.36 Euro)
PS/2 Port PCI Bracket (14.38 Euro)
512KB COAST Module (8.43 Euro)
128MB (4x32MB) EDO 72-pin SIMM (54.97 Euro)
50x50x10m Fan (3.37 Euro)
Diamond Monster 3D Voodoo1 4MB PCI (17 Euro)
VGA Cable 15CM (Port Saver) (8.66 Euro)
Microsoft Sidewinder 3D Pro Plus Joystick (Free)
February 2013:
DIN to PS/2 Adapter 15CM (5.09 Euro)
Elsa Winner 2000 AVI/3D 4MB PCI (17.50 Euro)
2MB (2x1MB) 30-pin SIMM (4.55 Euro)
IDE Flatcable Replacements (4.44 Euro)
LC Power LC420H-8 420W ATX PSU (20.36 Euro)
ATX to AT PSU Conversion Kit (12.49 Euro)
November 2013:
2x Spare BIOS Chips (24.50 Euro)
December 2013:
KingSpec PATA IDE (44Pin) 2.5" 16GB MLC SSD (45.59 Euro)
Antec EA-380D Green PSU (42.85 Euro)
January 2014:
Soundblaster Live! 5.1 PCI (8.95 Euro)
May 2014:
ATX 20 PIN to AT P8/P9 Converter with -5V (25.02 Euro)
October 2014:
5-Port NEC USB Controller PCI (8.54 Euro)


Description

The first computer build of 2013 is a restoration project to create a retro computing device!

The donor PC appears to have been built in late 1995, however after upgrades this PC resembles more a 1996/1997-era machine.
The Pentium 200 CPU is the fastest processor supported by the motherboard as it predates MMX compatibility.
With the upgraded L2 Cache Memory this motherboard can now cache up to 64MB of RAM and it supports up to 128MB RAM.

Specifications at purchase:
- Modded Midi Tower AT Case with a 230W Power Supply
- Pentium 100 CPU SX963 without a CPU cooler
- Soyo SY-5TCS Motherboard
- BIOS: AWARD 08/10/95 - TRITON - 2A59CS2LC-00
- 256KB Cache (8x32KB DIP SRAM + TAG module)
- ODIN OEC12C887A RTC with a failed CMOS battery
- 40 MB (2x16MB, 2x8MB) Fast Page SIMM
- Quantum Fireball ST 3.2GB IDE Hard Disk Drive
- Quantum Fireball EX 3.2GB IDE Hard Disk Drive
- 1.44MB Floppy Drive
- NEC CDR-1600A 12x/16x IDE CDROM Drive
- Soundblaster AWE32 CT3980 ISA
- Symbios Logic SYM20403 SCSI Controller ISA
- Accton UK0022 NE2000 NIC ISA

Condition at purchase:
- The AT case was missing all main buttons and the previous owner drilled holes to replace the missing buttons.
- Only a large flip switch for power-on was still present.
- The housing was slightly bent.
- The 3.2GB Quantum Fireball ST Hard Disk failed immediately during testing.
- CMOS battery dead, motherboard does not have a coin cell style battery slot as the battery is integrated in the RTC module.

Components reactivated from stock:
- 3Com Etherlink XL 3C905-TX (10/100 Mbit) PCI
- Digital RT102 AZERTY Keyboard PS/2
- Microsoft IntelliMouse PS/2

ATX to AT Conversion:
- After testing both power supplies from the donor PC and from the replacement AT cases were found to be unreliable. In order to solve this issue a generic 20-pin ATX power supply was purchased together with an ATX to AT conversion kit.
- The conversion kit came with a replacement power button, which has been fitted to the AT case.
- Because the kit does not completely switch off power to the mainboard, it is recommended to turn off the physical switch on the PSU after use.

In December 2013 a 16GB KingSpec IDE SSD drive was added (using a 3.5" to 2.5" IDE converter). EZ-Drive is required to use the full capacity of the disk under Windows.
The generic LC Power LC420H-8 PSU installed in February 2013 was replaced with a more reliable Antec EA-380D Green. The Antec does not have a -5V rail though, so ISA cards such as the AWE32 do not work reliably. The LC420H-8 was causing random lockups and disk problems.
The -5V problem was solved by installing an ATX 20 PIN to AT P8/P9 Converter with -5V support.

Soyo 5TC References:
- 5tc2.pdf (Soyo 5TC Version 2.1 Edition July 1995 Manual, 343KB)
- SY-5TC2/C5 Motherboard Settings and Configuration (stason.org)
- 5TCS0201.ZIP (Soyo 5TC(S) February 1997 BIOS, 101KB)

BIOS Revision: 0201 for SOYO 5TC(S) Mainboard
Basic Features: Win95 PnP, PCI bus auto, NCR SDMS, IDE LBA mode (>520 MB), EIDE Mode (4 HDD), IDE block mode, IDE PIO mode auto (up to PIO mode 4), multi I/O on board functions, dark green mode support
Note: If you have problems using an AMD PR133/PR166 CPU and a new CD-ROM drive, upgrade to this new BIOS and try again.

Click here (inside, ports, speedsys) to view a picture.