770Z + Windows 7 + Selectadock III = no pci ?

[WalterLeeJackson]

I installed Windows 7 ultimate 32 bit which is significantly faster that XP on my 770Z

The pci video card in the Seletadock III is not recognized because device manager shows the driver installed, but not working, in the IBM 20H2999 PCI to PCI Docking Bridge.

I've downloaded other potential drivers from the internet, but none will install. Windows 7 declares: "The best driver software for your device is already installed".

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

TIA

--Walt Jackson

[pkiff]

Hi Walt, which PCI video card are you using? I have a lot of experience getting PCI cards working under Windows 98SE and under XP with the 770X/Z and 600E/X series in a SelectaDock III, but I never tried with Windows 7.

Is your card on this list?:
http://thinkpads.kiff.ca/selectadock3/graphics_cards

[brchan]

You could try installing any xp drivers in compatibility mode, if you haven't already done so. Even if you were to get the proper drivers working, you are still dealing with 16+ year old hardware. I doubt you would notice any real improvement.

I installed Windows 7 ultimate 32 bit which is significantly faster that XP on my 770Z

I installed windows 7 on my T23 (1.13ghz cpu, 1gb ram), and it was bearable at best, and painful at worst. I can't imagine how it would be on for a 770Z. Any special configurations you made with windows?

[WalterLeeJackson]

>which PCI video card are you using? <

I'm pretty sure it's not the video card. The pci slot the video card uses is not seen because device driver show that the pci to pci bridge driver is not working.


> You could try installing any xp drivers in compatibility mode, if you haven't already done so. <

That's how I installed the driver, but Windows 7 doesn't recognize it. It recognizes all the other drivers, though.

> I doubt you would notice any real improvement. <

Actually, everything is quicker under Windows 7 than under XP. Windows open and close quicker, the contents of the windows render quicker, and it prints quicker. Not fast, just quicker than XP.

I decided to try this because I've read multiple reviews of Windows 10 on the web and how much faster it runs on legacy hardware compared to Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP. Windows 10 is purportedly a complete rewrite of the windows code that is much more compact and that runs quite well on the old stuff. One likened it to Windows 2000 in speed. I found Win 2K much faster than XP.

> Any special configurations you made with windows? <

No, just a straight install using 512 mb ram and a new hard drive with more than 300 gb of space available.

I understand Windows 7 Home edition runs even quicker. Again, not fast, but quicker.

I find the system quite useable on a day to day basis. Perhaps I'm just more patient than others.

In a few weeks, when I have more time to play with the 770z, I'll install Windows 10 and see if that solves my driver problem. Everything else about the Selectadock III works.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. It's fun to bring and old "friend" back to life!

--Walt Jackson

[Norway Pad]

Win7 on a 770Z sounds like a cool Retrocomputing project. I have a little difficulties understanding how Win7 works satisfactory with only 512MB RAM, as I know my Win7 installs uses more than that just at idle. It must use the paging file quite a lot, as that in theory provides you with all the memory you want, but it sure slows things down. Whenever I have tried to run a modern OS with very low RAM and extensive pagefile use, it usually freezes up randomly for a minute or so with the HDD light solid on, and every shutdown triggers minutes of HDD activity. I assume your 770Z behaves that way.

But good job, interesting to hear about these experiences.

[pkiff]

which PCI video card are you using?

I'm pretty sure it's not the video card. The pci slot the video card uses is not seen because device driver show that the pci to pci bridge driver is not working.

Mmmm...not sure what to do about that. Just doublechecking, though, did you try the SelectaDock without any PCI devices installed first? And the system still shows a problem with the PCI bridge driver then too?

[calvinb]

It may be the video card - it may not have compatible drivers, it may not be compatible with the machine itself (PCI version/power draw) and that stuff.

I'm not surprised that 7 runs well on such HW. I have it running on my 867 MHz Coppermine and it's snappy. Windows 8 and up though will need a P4 Prescott for the CPU flags though.