Retro-computing tip

[bitrex]

For you users who have things like e.g. SCSI controllers, IEE-488 cards,
and stuff that connects to a PCI bus (you know who you are!) to
interface with e.g. legacy test equipment.

If there are drivers available the old stuff often still works fine, you
might be surprised what you can still make work all the way up to Win
10. And on a modern motherboard and processor combo with full
virtualization capabilities/PCI passthrough via VT-d or whatever the AMD
equivalent is, PCI devices sometimes work fine in virtual machines, also.

But PCIe to PCI bridges are flaky. Stuff like this doesn't tend to work
with storage controllers, only sometimes sound cards and the like:

<https://www.amazon.com/Sintech-Express-Extender-Bracket-Extension/dp/B0C4F6S31W/>

And motherboards with both PCI and PCIe slots seem to use similar flaky
bridges, just integrated.

So the rule is, either use an old PC which has a real PCI bus. Or try a
modern mobo with only PCIe slots and use the _only_ reliable PCIe to PCI
bridge, that seems to work with every device I've tried, including
storage controllers:

<https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-PCI-Express-Adapter-Card/dp/B0024CV3SA>

[bitrex]

Post by bitrex
For you users who have things like e.g. SCSI controllers, IEE-488 cards,
and stuff that connects to a PCI bus (you know who you are!) to
interface with e.g. legacy test equipment.
If there are drivers available the old stuff often still works fine, you
might be surprised what you can still make work all the way up to Win
10. And on a modern motherboard and processor combo with full
virtualization capabilities/PCI passthrough via VT-d or whatever the AMD
equivalent is, PCI devices sometimes work fine in virtual machines, also.
But PCIe to PCI bridges are flaky. Stuff like this doesn't tend to work
<https://www.amazon.com/Sintech-Express-Extender-Bracket-Extension/dp/B0C4F6S31W/>
And motherboards with both PCI and PCIe slots seem to use similar flaky
bridges, just integrated.

And if they failed obviously that would be bad enough. But they don't.
OS will let you install drivers, Windows will report everything is
"working properly", front panel lights will blink, attached devices will
spin up.

And then...nothing will happen, to ensure you feel like you're losing
your mind.