PlanetZ forums - scopeusers.com

Hi folks...

Been a while since I posted, but never really 'went away'.

So... My main Scope desktop machine died in early 2017.
I haven't had a PC to host my Scope cards since... Moved over to the laptop.

I understand that modern chipsets and motherboards either don't have PCI slots, or their support is (maybe) sketchy, for Scope PCI.

So am thinking of picking up a cheap PC from "the right era".
Local ad here in Ireland for:
Dell Precision 330.
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3.0GHz
RAM: 4GB DDR2
Storage: 500GB HDD

Has two PCI slots (I have two cards - a 15-DSP and a 6-DSP).

I don't own Scope 7 - just Scope 5.1.
I can get Win10 32-bit. I understand that Win10 32-bit works well with Scope 5.1?

Do you think that that PC would be a good host for my cards?

Thanks guys.

Windows 10 32 or 64bit is quite different than Windows 7 or 8. v5.1 will work with either, but the driver is not signed and so you'll need to disable signed driver enforcement to install. then, every major update will remove the v5.1 driver and you'll have to reinstall the driver. Win10 MUST connect to the internet and be allowed to update.


otherwise, it should work.

OK yeah. Thanks Gary.
I don't mind playing around with unsigned drivers, that's fine.

The CPU - which I see is a PLGA775 socket - that was a good era for PCI support?

I'm running 3 cards on an ASUS P5QL Pro LGA775 Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E6700 @ 3.20GHz
Last i checked I think it was 12 Masterverbs
If you can find a 3 PCI board I'd go ahead and do it cause you never know what deal you might pick up in the future.

Fair point. Thanks (y)

Eanna wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 5:30 am ...
So am thinking of picking up a cheap PC from "the right era".
Local ad here in Ireland for:
Dell Precision 330.
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3.0GHz
RAM: 4GB DDR2
Storage: 500GB HDD

Has two PCI slots (I have two cards - a 15-DSP and a 6-DSP).

I don't own Scope 7 - just Scope 5.1.
I can get Win10 32-bit. I understand that Win10 32-bit works well with Scope 5.1?

Do you think that that PC would be a good host for my cards?

Thanks guys.

I use HP server xw4600, Intel Core2Duo (3GHz /socket 775) 3 PCI 5V slots in addition to 1 PCIe x1 and 2 PCIE X16 and 1 PCIe x4.
Gigabyte GV-R455D3-512I graphics, 4GB DDR2 PC800 RAM, 10K upm WD VelocyRaptor 150 and 7.2K upm 1TB Samsung SATA2 HDDs, DVDRW, card reader, Win 7 Pro SP1 32Bit,- Creamware Power Pulsar (2nd gen) w/ ZLink plate, 2x Creamware Pulsar-2 w/ Plus plates and Sync plate connected to Power Pulsar.
Works w/ SCOPE 5.1 or 7.0.
It would work w/ XITE-1 too.

I´m actually not coming up w/ results because I´ll have to mod the computer case when using 3 SCOPE PCI cards.
I need 2 additional fans which don´t exist in original case design, front case fan blowing air directly on the PCI cards and another one on the side exhausting warm air.
Will be ready for work "soon".

These HP x4600 are available in large quantities used ... ebay etc. ...
I payed EUR 40,- incl. SAS controller card and another graphics card which I both don´t use now.
I´m pretty sure, w/ only 2 SCOPE PCI cards, it would run well w/o any case/ fan modification.



Bud

Rehoming a pc is very simple. If it's old, be a bit more gentle so old traces and solder aren't flexed as much. Ie, changing a case for a working PC is much easier than rebuilding.

My previous pc, to fit my 15 DSP, I drilled out rivets and hacksawed a bar that helped structural integrity of the case!

And no, I was not proud of the finished product. Looked like The Terminator was trying to remove a hard drive the hard way or something..

But that pc provided a home for my scope cards from 2011 to 2017, until what I reckon was a failure on the mobo..

Thanks for the feedback here guys. Helpful as ever!

xw4400 here, 3 cards, no problem.

garyb wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:08 pm xw4400 here, 3 cards, no problem.

great,- good to know !

Does stock xw4400 have a front case fan ?

The xw4600 has CPU-, PSU- and 100mm rear case fans only.



Bud

that's enough, unless your room is super hot. turn on the air conditioning.

Here they are giving away HP8300 for free ... unless this is a scam. Dunno if the PCI cards will fit in this form factor - but I think theres 3 PCI slots ...