How It Started

Some time ago, the idea to build a retro PC seemed fun. I found some nice deals on eBay and local markets and got quite some hardware together.

Parts that I got:

• Two CRT monitors
• Six motherboards
• Multiple RAM modules
• PCI expansion cards
• Various CPUs for experimentation
• And much more hardware...

The Pentium 4 Phase (and Athlon 64 Upgrade) / Apr. 2025

The first build attempt used a Pentium 4 processor, but the onboard audio chip failed. The system was rebuilt with an upgrade.

Final Pentium 4 Era Config:

• AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor (replacing the failing P4)
• Nvidia GeForce GT 330 GPU
• Windows XP

This configuration was quite nice and I played:

• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
• Half-Life series

Unfortunately, the CPU started showing problems after extended use. Time for another upgrade...

Upgrading for Better Performance - Phenom II Era

To achieve better frame rates in Oblivion and run more games smoothly, the system received another major upgrade.

Current Configuration:

• AMD Phenom II X4 965 (quad-core)
• Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 (modern-ish GPU)
• Windows Vista + Arch Linux

While no longer strictly "retro", this configuration provides much smoother gameplay and better overall performance. The GTX 960 has working drivers for both Windows Vista and Linux, making this a very nice setup.

The WindowMaker environment on Linux provides a nice retro aesthetic that actually complements the vintage hardware aesthetic.

Current Status and Use / Aug. 2025

Right now the PC mainly runs Linux with WindowMaker. I use it for programming and the occasional gaming session. Lately, Monster Hunter Frontier has been a real highlight on this setup!

Recent games

• Monster Hunter Frontier - excellent fit for this setup
• Classic Elder Scrolls titles (Oblivion, Morrowind)
• Half-Life and source engine games

Well ofc Gentoo / Jan. 2026

I of course had to install Gentoo at some point...

The Gentoo installation on this Phenom II actually completed in reasonable time. I let it compile for a full day, so pretty nice compared to Pentium M.

I really like how Trinity suits this machine. The combination of vintage hardware aesthetics and Trinity's retro-inspired interface creates a very cohesive retro computing experience. It's exactly what I was going for.

Future Plans

I'm also planning to build a Pentium III PC with Windows 98 and maybe some old Linux distro. Most parts are already acquired except for the case and IDE drive.