The Old Living Room Machine - Guard Dawg (retired)


  • A-Open AT Desktop Case with a Spiffy Black Paint-job
  • TYAN S1590S Super Socket 7 M/Board
  • AMD K6-2/500
  • 256 MB PC-100 SDRAM
  • 6.4 GB Maxtor HDD
  • 20.1 GB Maxtor HDD
  • Voodoo3 3500
  • 32" JVC 3250 TV
  • 32x A-Open CD-ROM
  • 30x A-Boss CD-ROM
  • Linksys 10/100Mbis PCI NIC
  • 3-Com 10/100Mbis ISA NIC
  • Creative Labs AWE-64 Gold ISA Soundcard
  • Realtek 104-key Keyboard
  • Logitech Marblemouse


This machine's been retired for a number of years.  It used to play multiple roles as a NAT box for the ADSL modem and gateway to the LAN, a stereo interface for WinAmp to run MP3 Jukebox duties, a third position for 'Deathmatch' style games, our dedicated Unreal Tournament server (when in operation), and extra drive space for the LAN.  It was also an FTP server as well as the WWW server for many years when I had a static IP address through Verizon DSL.

First and foremost, this machine was a collection of leftover parts - basically junk.  The motherboard's IDE controllers were shot, so I pulled the mobo out of my wife's machine and threw it in the closet for a year.  Then I got this idea to flash the BIOS - nuthin' to lose...why not.  Well, it worked - and now it's the most important machine in the house.  I sure do miss TYAN motherboards.  This one ran like a champ for around 10 years with no hassle.  They don't make 'em like they used to.