Dell Optiplex GX1

"Nibby" (nibby68)
04/22/2017 at 20:14 • Filed to: retro computers

Pentium III Slot 1 550MHz
256MB PC100 RAM
3.5" floppy CD-ROM
10GB IDE HD
4GB 10,000RPM SCSI HD
Adaptec 2940UW PCI SCSI card
Onboard ATI Rage 4MB video (disabled in Windows)
Matrox Millennium G200 G2+
Onboard Crystal CS4236B sound
Onboard 3COM 3C905 ethernet
2x serial
Parallel
PS/2 ports
2xUSB 1.1
PCI + ISA slots
MS-DOS 6.22 + Windows for Workgroups 3.11 on one drive
Windows 98SE on another

I was going to add an ISA sound card but I really like the MIDI of the onboard Crystal so it’s not necessary. There are still drivers for Windows 3.x on Dell’s site for this machine! Even the Matrox has video card drivers for Windows 3.x... All runs like a charm. Games like Wolf3D and DOOM run great. Slot 1 machines like this have a special place since the first computers I tinkered with were these era Dell Optiplexes and Dimension XPS T/R series. They’re also quite versatile... this one box consolidates all my retro PC desires.

Before...

Filthy... these pictures don’t even show how bad it was

Air compressor, paper towels, magic eraser, fine sand paper... viola

In use

dat ass

Cleaned inside

Adaptec 2940UW SCSI card + 4GB 10,000RPM SCSI HD + 10GB IDE HD

dat Matrox G220 G2+ (dual 8MB)

MS-DOS 6.22 + Windows for Workgroups 3.11

Windows 98SE on SCSI drive

All set

DISCUSSION (22)

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Nibby
04/22/2017 at 20:19

I will always believe Windows 3.11 is Microsoft’s high point.

Nibby > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
04/22/2017 at 20:20

Everyone should still use it.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Nibby
04/22/2017 at 20:25

Someone give me dat WFW3.11 aesthetic on win10 pls. Or KDE-Plasma. Also, 10k 4GB SCSI drive? That sounds dope as hell. I need to start documenting and putting up some of my old stuff for sale since I’m moving out and won’t have room for it.

Nibby > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2017 at 20:27

I have Windows 9x themes and such for Windows Vista/7/8/10 if you want... please share your old stuff!

ttyymmnn > Nibby
04/22/2017 at 20:39

Aren’t you watching the game?!

facw > Nibby
04/22/2017 at 20:39

We were still buying these from Dell (at an exorbitant markup) long after Dell had better choices available for hundreds less because “if we bought black computers, we’d need to buy new monitors too”. Nevermind that we could easily pay for those new monitors just based on the price difference. Or you know, just have the case not match the CRT. Seems unlikely anyone could be too embarrassed by that given that we were also using monochrome dumb terminals at the time.

Nibby > ttyymmnn
04/22/2017 at 20:41

of course