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http://www.falconfly.de/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl General Section >> General Discussion >> Quicksilver!? OR Heavy Metal!? http://www.falconfly.de/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1095087444 Message started by gdonovan on 13.09.04 at 16:57:24

Title: Quicksilver!? OR Heavy Metal!?
Post by gdonovan on 13.09.04 at 16:57:24

A PII with EDO ram by the looks of things, the owner also claims it has a "Dell" 32 meg video card.

My thought is it's a gutted Quantum case someone dropped other PC guts into, I'm going to look at it in a few days as it's just a few hours from home.

If anything it would make a nice case for my 6000 =)

Who knows? A close look of the part numbers might reveal Quantum 3d logos.

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 13.09.04 at 19:12:36

wrote on 13.09.04 at 19:03:30:

Hum, i don't imagine really Q3D using slots Isa.

Quantum3d was spun off 3dfx in March 1997 and ISA was still very much in use then.

The question is what did they sell back then as far as "systems" go? I'm digging around their press release page now.

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 13.09.04 at 19:14:42

JACKPOT!

http://www.quantum3d.com/press/HTMLarchive/10-23-97.html

The entry configuration, for PC-based coin-op applications, packaged in a commercial mid-tower chassis, includes a 266MHz Intel Pentium II processor with 32 Megabytes of EDO RAM, Microsoft Windows 95, a 2.1GB EIDE hard drive, 24x CD-ROM drive, 1.44MB floppy drive, Yamaha 3D audio subsystem, Intel Pro 10/100 PCI Ethernet network interface card (NIC), Quantum3D Obsidian 100SB-4400V realtime 3D graphics accelerator with companion 2D/VGA and a GCI.

Other configurations, including 300MHz Pentium II processor, multiprocessor and rack-mount systems are also available.

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 13.09.04 at 19:33:08

wrote on 13.09.04 at 19:28:41:

If they used a slot Isa, i would say that's probably for a Nic card, even the SB100 is on a slot Pci and the companion 2D/VGA didn't use a slot.

Anyway, this is very interesting. :)

Or it was used for the sound card, since ISA sound cards were still in use in 1997-1998 and high quality sound is not a huge factor in arcade consoles back then.

Or they simply got a good deal on motherboards with ISA slots =)

I'm excited now, woo!

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by FalconFly on 13.09.04 at 19:59:03

Yep, I see a completely normal intel FX or LX Motherboard with SD-RAM and the ISA-Slots (completely normal).

ISA was still used alot for expensive and very high Quality Soundcards, as well as special Hardware.

(I still miss my Soundblaster AWE32 and AWE64 Boards)

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 13.09.04 at 20:32:32

wrote on 13.09.04 at 20:26:39:

He, he but if i go to the USA i would need a very good wallet and ... a trunk. ;D

You are going to laugh- This e-mail has been in my mailbox for months and just remembered to look into it again this week. On first blush I thought it was just a rack mount box someone stuck decals on till I looked into it this morning..

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 13.09.04 at 21:18:36

wrote on 13.09.04 at 20:57:16:

Hope that he owns always the machine. ;)

He did as of a few hours ago =)

I'll be inspecting it later this week.

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 13.09.04 at 22:30:41

wrote on 13.09.04 at 21:55:11:

And buying, i hope. ;)

As long as he doesn't want some ridiculous price.

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by paulpsomiadis on 14.09.04 at 04:36:32

Looks like maybe it's an X-24 in that quantum rig! ???

NICE! 8)

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 14.09.04 at 05:13:51

wrote on 14.09.04 at 04:36:32:

Looks like maybe it's an X-24 in that quantum rig! ???

NICE! 8)

Nah, whatever it is, it's plugged in the AGP slot and it sure doesn't look like a V2 AGP.

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by fish on 14.09.04 at 10:06:52

Really cool. Wish you good luck.

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 14.09.04 at 15:14:45

wrote on 14.09.04 at 10:06:52:

Really cool. Wish you good luck.

I'm thinking about getting a rack mount system for the office, would be a cool way to run and display the "active" cards =)

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by fish on 14.09.04 at 15:56:19

Yup, that's right. I had already the same idea. ;D

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by paulpsomiadis on 14.09.04 at 20:05:37

Quote:

Nah, whatever it is, it's plugged in the AGP slot and it sure doesn't look like a V2 AGP.

DOH! ::)

I shoulda' known better... :P

Wonder if it's VSA-100 based then? ???

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 14.09.04 at 21:37:23

wrote on 14.09.04 at 20:05:37:

Wonder if it's VSA-100 based then? ???

Doesn't look to be in the pics, wrong timeframe for an EDO ram machine ;-)

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by FalconFly on 14.09.04 at 23:12:34

*hint*

There is no EDO-RAM in there, those are 3 standard SD-RAM Slots ;)

And IMHO, no Pentium II Motherboard was ever built with EDO-RAM support.

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 15.09.04 at 00:06:07

wrote on 14.09.04 at 23:12:34:

*hint*

There is no EDO-RAM in there, those are 3 standard SD-RAM Slots ;)

And IMHO, no Pentium II Motherboard was ever built with EDO-RAM support.

Quote from Quantum3d press release-

"266MHz Intel Pentium II processor with 32 Megabytes of EDO RAM"

Find out soon enough =)

The PII-266 ran at 66 mhz bus, same as P-100, 133, 166, 200. No reason a PII could not run EDO ram if the motherboard supported it.

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by FalconFly on 15.09.04 at 00:23:21

Well, the Image clearly shows 3 full slots of SD-RAM...

EDO-RAM always came in pairs of 2 for 32bit Systems (pairs of 4 for 64bit Workstations), and had to be mounted in a tilted manner, just like PS/2 RAM.

What "might" be, however, is that this System is equipped with the extremely rare ESDRAM (SD-RAM based EDO derivate, very expensive, and just about never used)...

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 15.09.04 at 03:08:31

wrote on 15.09.04 at 00:23:21:

EDO-RAM always came in pairs of 2 for 32bit Systems

Well now that you mention it your 100% correct, I forgot all about that. EDO is always installed in pairs unless it's a 486... which I think we can discount that as a possibility!

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 21.11.04 at 03:40:56

RELENTLESS PERSISTANCE PAYS OFF- Almost 6 months since I was contacted by the seller and here it is!

Specs- PII 333 with 96 MB of ram, Intel LX ATX motherboard with dual 2.1 gig WD harddrives.

Unwiped. Hard. Drives. =)

Even better the admin was lazy and left his password blank, I was running around the office whooping at the top of my lungs when it logged in on the second try.

Current video is a Matrox AGP, I suspect <chuckle> it didn't ship from Quantum3D in that configuration. The drivers present on the drive indicate it had either a 90-4440 or 200SB.

I'm going to have to examine things in a careful & methodical manner to figure out what Quantum3D card is missing so I can restore it. Looking in the registry shows listings for Obsidian AND Obsidian 2/NX.

I suspect it shipped with an Obsidian card and then was upgraded to Obsidain2 later on.

The main hard drive is dated 'Oct 1997.

More later, have to head out to the store.

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gamma742 on 21.11.04 at 04:05:47

Dang if that don't look like my Intel Seattle BX II motherboard I'm try to build a merc with.

Title: Re: What do you guys think of this? Real or fake?
Post by gdonovan on 21.11.04 at 19:18:06

Looks like the software that was on the hard drive relates to defense simulations.

I tried installing a 200SB *but* something does not work correct, there is an error when a program is run or trying to access the control panel.

Looking through Quantum3D documents there is mention that boards could be configured with a software key on board (indeed the x-24 and 200SB have a "bios" chip with decal) to prevent software theft.

I suspect for "high end" applications like this a dongle is also required too.

It looks like the Windows NT4 workstation install is original as Quantum3D sales and service is listed as the registered computer owner. =)

I'll have to pick over the drive careful as there is some 3dfx docs in the directorys that might not be in the FF archive or generally available.

There is some clues as to where the box came from on the drive, I may contact the company and see if they have any other units to rid themselves of *if* I can figure a discrete enough way of approaching their IT dept.

Last thing I want to do is call up and go hey- I have this old computer loaded with what might be old DOD software that I traced back to you, 'ya have any more?

LOL!

I think heads would roll.

Title: Re: Quicksilver!? OR Heavy Metal!?
Post by gdonovan on 20.12.04 at 17:57:14

I'll have a page up tonight perhaps if it's quiet around the house... I found some real amazing things on this computers hard drive.

1) Looks like it was setup July 1998.

2) It looks like it hasn't been used since 1999.

3) Dual boot system (Win95b and NT4)

4) First VGA video card was an ATI Rage.

5) Only installed Quantum3D board was *pre-production* Obsidian2 200SB. This is based on registry, drivers and text file in c:\

Quote- "Prior to bring the system all the way up I recommend that you open the system and press the two halves of the Obsidian card together. This is because it is a pre-production card without proper stand-offs."

6) Computer is identified under network settings as-

Workgroup = Quantum3D
Computer name = HEAVYMETAL1

(shortened from HEAVYMETAL15 I assume judging by #15 tag on back of computer)

7) Browser cache was intact and contents were dated Oct, 20th 1998! ATI, Intel and Quantum3D's sites were the only ones accessed. New ATI drivers were downloaded as was a new Intel bios. From the Quantum3D site Obsidian2 drivers were download as was an opengvs demo with the zip file still in cache! Woop!!

The Quantum3D site cache had images I have not seen before and will reconstruct the page shortly for local viewing.

Title: Re: Quicksilver!? OR Heavy Metal!?
Post by gamma742 on 21.12.04 at 07:11:50

Is the QuickSilver case the same size as the Mercury?

Title: Re: Quicksilver!? OR Heavy Metal!?
Post by gdonovan on 21.12.04 at 13:34:09

wrote on 21.12.04 at 07:11:50:

Is the QuickSilver case the same size as the Mercury?

Yes.

Title: Re: Quicksilver!? OR Heavy Metal!?
Post by Obi-Wan_Kenobi on 21.12.04 at 15:50:07

hey Gary is that an A-Open 20X AKU CD-Rom drive with MRTP technology?

Title: Re: Quicksilver!? OR Heavy Metal!?
Post by gdonovan on 21.12.04 at 15:59:35

No idea nor have I dissassembled the unit to check build date.

I suspect it's original since the unit appears to have been little used.

Title: Re: Quicksilver!? OR Heavy Metal!?
Post by gamma742 on 24.12.04 at 04:11:20

Let us know if you get any tech demos running on it with your 200SB or SBi card.

Title: Re: Quicksilver!? OR Heavy Metal!?
Post by gdonovan on 24.12.04 at 04:29:05

Will be a bit, lots on my plate right now.