DOS Games Discussion

fabiobol · Experienced Member Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 72

I want to build a 386 PC. But... what socket shall I use? I'm trying to find a motherboard for it, but I actuallt don't know if socket 2 and 3 are correct: if I correctly remember, the socket 2 and 3 were for the 486 cpu.
Again, will Windows 95B run on a 386DX-20 MHz, 16 MB RAM, 1 GB SCSI HD, and 2x CD-rom?

Frenkel · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 10:00 am Post subject:

Windows 95B wil run on a 386 with 6MB RAM.

fabiobol · Experienced Member Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 72

Very good!! But I don't know which socket should I choose... could you help me, please?

Unknown_K · Way too much free time Joined: 01 Oct 2002 Posts: 558

I don't think there was a socket designation for 386 systems.

Anyway try to find a 386 DX 40 motherboard with 8x 30 pin RAM slots, a FPU installed would be nice also.

If the battery is dead and leaking replace it or it will kill the keyboard port.

You will need a Serial mouse (unless you get an old gateway system with PS2 ports).

A Tseng ET4000AX video card chip will work out great (1MB)

fabiobol · Experienced Member Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 72

So, I have to choose a motherboard with a 386DX built-in. Am I right?

Unknown_K · Way too much free time Joined: 01 Oct 2002 Posts: 558

Some are surface mounted (mine is), others have a socket so the CPU can be replaced. It is much easier and cheaper just to find a motherboard and chip installed on ebay then to hunt for each item seperatly.

fabiobol · Experienced Member Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 72

If I use a 386-SX, could I try to use Windows 95?

Wally*Won_Kenobie · Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 5:40 pm Post subject:

386 would work with 95. I have seen it do so. But its RATHER SLOW

Roger · Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:48 am Post subject:

I remember running Win'95 for the first time on my 386 @ 25Mhz with 4 MB RAM. Man, it was slow. It took 5-10 minutes just to load. It was back in 1996, I think.
I was completely disgusted by the pretentious interface and uninstalled the Windows, returning to my familiar DOS.

Haos · Newbie Joined: 14 Apr 2006 Posts: 2

I haven`t seen any 386 - class mobos with replacable CPU... and that`s why there was no socket designated for them.

Why 386? It`s pretty useless class. Really old games will still be too fast, and a whole bunch of newer DOS games (i.e. dos4gw) wont run on it.

Get a P1xx, 64 megs of ram, PCI class system (or better, VIP - Vesa local bus, ISA, PCI). Tseng ET 4xxx or 6xxx PCI series is ideal for graph, as for the sound - SB 16/32/64 (ISA pnp only) and Roland for midi.

Unknown_K · Way too much free time Joined: 01 Oct 2002 Posts: 558

386 are fine for older games, use the turbo function button to drop a 33/40Mhz part down to 8Mhz if the games run too fast (without rebooting).

P200's are nice for the last DOS era games as stated.

There are 386's that are surface mounted (last generation) but most used a socket (not a ZIF socket like the 486 made popular).

I had to use 3 different machines to cover the DOS era (Tandy 1000HX for the cga stuff, 386/40 for the middle years, and p200mmx for thae latter stuff). Its not just the chip itself that is the problem, you need the correct era sound and video to get the job done also.

fabiobol · Experienced Member Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 72

Has anybody got a 386??? I live in italy... if someone lives in europe, i will cosider buying a 386-CPU with motherboard!