So having spent ages on the NES PC to get a network boot install of XP it loaded, ran the install, restarted then failed with a BSoD. So everything was consigned to the cupboard for a few days. Saturday came and with renewed vigour I started again, network booting was simpler this time having got the other issues out of the way, so it was straight into install. This time I used one of my other Windows Xp discs and copied it to the shared folder. A couple of hours later and the NES PC booted into Windows XP once more. It lives!!
So now for some tinkering, firstly a Google search to see what services can be disabled and stopped to give the computer some head room in the 256 meg of Ram and hopefully run a little smoother. A few sites checked to ensure the right services are left on and the right ones turned off and it seems a little quicker. Time to add some emulators.
First on is Gens the Megadrive (Genesis) emulator, and it works ok considering the 800 MHz and the lack of ram (which is being sorted with an Ebay purchase of 1 gig of ram which is the Mini ITX maximum amount) so next it’s time for the NES emulation. No go, as there is no Directx 9 installed as the windows XP version is SP1. As the NES PC is not going to be used online or even a network it means I’m not concerned about viruses etc. too much and haven’t installed the latest and updated service packs. Instead I go for the SNES emulation, same again, and a couple of others I try all require updates to be added. As I have more memory and now decided to get a bigger hard drive it’s time to put it to one side again until they arrive and everything can be upgraded at once.
It’s nice to see that the NES PC will work on a tv screen through the AV leads as it can be put to use again as a gaming console once I have finished the tinkering.
