Setting up old eMachine for MAME. Cyrix M-II 266. 64mb ram. dos? W98?

[quarterback]

I've already posted my 'monitor' questions here in the monitor forum.  But I have other overall questions as I continue to try and get this system set up.

I pulled this old eMachine mobo out of 'retirement' in the basement after reading a post that Peale made regarding these motherboards and using them for inexpensive arcade-monitor-using mame setups.   They have built in video which is an "ATI Rage II C".  They have built in audio which is "Crystal cs4235"   And mine is running on 64 meg of ram and a Cyrix M-II 266 CPU.

This is going into my cocktail cab kit.  My plan was to set this up with Win98, run MAME v.55b, connect it to an arcade monitor via a video amp and run only vertical classics.   But  I have some basic questions based on my complete lack of knowledge about certain things.


First off, where does a 1998 Cyric M-II 266 CPU fall in the food chain?  I don't have a really good idea of what this processor is.  Is it comparable to a Pentium?  A P2? 

Is my Win98/MAME .55 plan a feasible one?    I went and found the thread where Peale mentioned this motherboard and I was reminded that I'm not sure if he was running MAME through Windows or DOS.   In his post here he says "They have onboard ATI Rage 3D graphics and Crystal sound.  The ATI will do 15KHz, and there are DOS drivers for the sound."   

The statement about "DOS drivers for sound" makes it sound like he's using DOS, but I don't know anything about setting up MAME in DOS.  I'm sure I can learn, but I'm wondering if anybody has any insight into whether or not I need to use the DOS version, considering what I want to play (vertical classics) and the system I'm using (Cyrix chip)


I don't know.  That's all for now.   This really isn't one of those "what's the best system for MAME" threads, I'm just looking for some reasonable feedback on this potential setup while I'm in the process of installing Win98.
Thanks
qb

[Kremmit]

I think that chip compares to a slow PII-era Celeron.  Or maybe an AMD K6-II.  I'd have a go at MAME .55 or .37final.  Or, if neither of those work, try Vantage instead of MAME.  I've never used it, but it's supposed to be written specifically to run fast on crappy computers. 

[SirPeale]

First, upgrade that processor!  Mine is 450 K6/2.  Ok, 550, but you can't get it any higher.

[TOK]

You can probably find a better computer than that at a yard sale cheap. My buddy bought a 750mhz AMD machine for $50. Still a little slow, but you're going to be stuck running early 80's stuff on a .3x version of MAME to get anything out of that machine.

[SirPeale]

The biggest reason for using this particular machine is the ease of setting it up in DOS with an arcade monitor.   I've got two cabs using this board, and it's awesome.  Classics, sure, but the Williams bunch (Robotron, Stargate, Defender, Bubbles, etc) run 60/60 without issue.  And that's using .96.

Of course, I did upgrade the processor to a 550 (that only runs at 450, unfortunately) but that's a cheap speed increase.

Leave the RAM where it is.  You don't need any more.

[quarterback]

Thanks y'all.   I did some messing around with .55 in windows early this a.m. and had less than stellar results due to the slow processor speed.   I haven't looked, but my guess is that I can upgrade the chip pretty cheaply through eBay but since .55 wasn't working so well, I pulled out.36 and was getting 60fps from all the games I tried.

For Example: Asteroids was playing at 5/60 with .55 and at 60/60 with .36  For the time being, I can live with that.  After I get everything configured, I'll look into a faster CPU.

Okay, back to the monitor forum for me to figure out the video portion of this

[quarterback]

For Example: Asteroids was playing at 5/60 with .55 and at 60/60 with .36  For the time being, I can live with that.  After I get everything configured, I'll look into a faster CPU

Well, this previous statement isn't quite true.  Part of the significant framerate difference was related to the fact that I didn't have sound working in DOS.  When I got the onboard sound all fixed up, the framerates weren't quite as good.

But, that being said, overall I can live with my current CPU for the time being.

[destructor]

.37final

.36 final

[2600]

Don't get too excited, as I did do some clean up, but it's possible I may have some of those AMD K6's laying around.  PM me if you want me to look for them.  If I find them, pay shipping and they are your's.  Try to PM before this weekend, as I'm going up to Massachusetts for a few days.

[Kremmit]

.37final

.36 final

Why .36 and not .37?

[quarterback]

.37final

.36 final

Why .36 and not .37?

Indeed.   What's the skinny?

Don't get too excited, as I did do some clean up, but it's possible I may have some of those AMD K6's laying around.  PM me if you want me to look for them.  If I find them, pay shipping and they are your's. 

Hey 2600, thanks for the offer.   PM sent.

[destructor]

.37final

.36 final

Why .36 and not .37?

Because .37 never has 'final' version. 36 has final version only and is excellent version (I remember it)

[SirPeale]

Once he upgrades his processor, a newer version of Mame will work just fine, depending on what games he wants to play.

You never did say...just what games were you looking to play on this machine, anyway?

[quarterback]

Once he upgrades his processor, a newer version of Mame will work just fine, depending on what games he wants to play.

You never did say...just what games were you looking to play on this machine, anyway?

Just vertical classics.   Easy stuff.  Pac Man, Galaga, Donkey Kong etc   And it looks like 2600 is hooking me up with a CPU upgrade, so YEAH for me!!