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Thread: New and old PC gear chat.

  1. #46
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    22nd June 2005 - 13:13
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    I've still got a ZX80, ZX81, Spectrum (original rubber keys), Spectrum (rehoused into a proper keyboard), Sinclair Microdrive and the Sinclair printer, that zapped off the surface metal layer to expose the black beneath. Lovely smell of ozone when that was running. I also remember that a friend bought the very expensive 16K (I think) memory pack for the ZX81. I gave him a pack of ciggies to borrow it for a week and then proceeded to reverse engineer it. I think I made and sold around 20 of them for half the price of new ones, still making a nice profit.

    I also had a nice little sideline installing replacement ULA (uncommitted logic array) chips into Sinclairs. These basically drove the things and had a heat related problem where you had white letters on a white background. Spraying freezer on the ULA would bring the characters back until the chip heated back up. These chips were coded specifically for Sinclair and were unavailable. Unless you did work occasionally at the Ferranti Oldham factory where they were made

    I also have an IBM 386 laptop, which although small for the time, had a power supply the size of a brick. This ran DOS 5 and Windows 3.0, the first version that was released to the public and was well suited to the limited memory of the time. I have the original set of disks for this, including the owners manual, from when they were still provided in book form.

    Anyone remember IBM OS2 Warp? Arguably a much better operating system than Windows but unfotunately unable to break the Microsoft grip.

    Sent from my CMR-W09 using Tapatalk

  2. #47
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    24th September 2004 - 06:46
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    Quote Originally Posted by FLUB View Post
    I.
    Anyone remember IBM OS2 Warp? Arguably a much better operating system than Windows but unfotunately unable to break the Microsoft grip.

    Sent from my CMR-W09 using Tapatalk
    Yip. I have a 486 DECpc with OS/2 v3 and the network client from Warp Server v4 on it. Also have boxded copieis of various versions. Collecting early/old operating systems is a hobby of mine.
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  3. #48
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    3rd February 2004 - 08:11
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    1982 Suzuki GS1100GK, 2008 KLR650
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    One of the older items I have is a Microsoft Flight Simulator v1.0 on 3.5" diskette, was used by IBM sales people to prove how clone PCs (mainly those from Exzel - Ellis brothers) were not fully compatible , despite their completely pirated BIOS.
    it's not a bad thing till you throw a KLR into the mix.
    those cheap ass bitches can do anything with ductape.
    (PostalDave on ADVrider)

  4. #49
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    9th November 2005 - 18:45
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    Quote Originally Posted by FLUB View Post
    ... Anyone remember IBM OS2 Warp? Arguably a much better operating system than Windows but unfotunately unable to break the Microsoft grip. ...
    Proper pre-emptive multitasking!

    My first real programming job was for a small company that did industrial control type stuff. One thing I programmed was a pump controller for a rural water supply scheme. Sat on a water tank on a hill, and told the pumps down at the river how hard to work. There was a radio link back to the regional council so they could monitor it all.

    486's were still very expensive then so they couldn't dedicate a PC, they wanted to still run Word and Excel * or whatever on it. "Well, you need OS/2 Warp" we said.

    A few weeks after go-live they ring to complain it's stopped logging. "What did you change?" we ask. "Nothing!" they said.

    Of course, "nothing" actually meant they didn't like OS/2 so had "only" installed Win 3.11 on the PC instead!


    (* that was the damned if you do, damned if you don't part of OS/2 Warp. It could run "normal" Windows software. So few wrote anything that made you want OS/2.)




    My old computer fun at the moment is messing with Commodore 64 stuff.

    Anyone know the specs of the choke on the 9 VAC input? (One of my C-64's has a dodgy power circuit, and that's the one part I can't find on any schematic.)
    Measure once, cut twice. Practice makes perfect.

  5. #50
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    24th September 2004 - 06:46
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    I used Dos/Windows 3.1x well in to the late 90s. Using the Calmira(win9x lookalike for 3.1x) shell near the end. Got Win3.1 loaded on my Zenith Z286LP Plus with 8megs of ram and is my main IRC client setup. The win9x thing just didn't interest me initially. Later I got a second IBM PC300GL mini tower with Windows 98, the original, on it. Served as the families ppp gateway untill we got broadband at home. Still have it in storage.

    Just been going though my 2-8gig ide hard drives. Not one has any version of Dos or Windows on it but Linux and OS/2. The OS/2 v3 drives were used for networking by the POs. The Linux drives have various versions of from Turbo Linux 6.0(1999) through to Debian 8.1. It gives you an idea of the progress and non progress of Linux over the years. Some of the drives need reformating an reinstallation of an operating system of some sort.
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  6. #51
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    24th September 2004 - 06:46
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    Just going through some random 3.3" floppy disks, remember those? One had some old screen shots of mine on it. OS/2 v4 shots from 1999 and a Red Hat Linux 7.3 shot from 2014.

    Got Xorg finally set up on my old RH 7.3 drive today. It's a bit like an old freind. Is was my first real serious foray in to getting to know the ins and outs of Linux for primary desktop use.
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  7. #52
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    3rd February 2004 - 08:11
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    I found some old DPT SmartCache RAID controller cards if anyone wants. Narrow/wide SCSI attach, Have the disks and manuals.
    it's not a bad thing till you throw a KLR into the mix.
    those cheap ass bitches can do anything with ductape.
    (PostalDave on ADVrider)

  8. #53
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    24th September 2004 - 06:46
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    Got 2 RiscPCs up and running, Rearrange my old computer test area and storage out in the shed. Tested some old ide drives on Acorn and x86 systems. On one I found DesqViewX, GeoWorks 2.0 and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 loaded on it. I'll definitely clone/image that bugger

    To give myself a bit of a reward I went for a ride....

  9. #54
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    31st March 2005 - 02:18
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    I got Server 2003 and XP running on HyperV 2016 in other news
    Quote Originally Posted by Jane Omorogbe from UK MSN on the KTM990SM
    It's barking mad and if it doesn't turn you into a complete loon within half an hour of cocking a leg over the lofty 875mm seat height, I'll eat my Arai.

  10. #55
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    24th September 2004 - 06:46
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    Picked up a nice Super Socket 7 era AT case with PSU and 3.3" floppy drive. A bit of yellowing on top but that cleaned up well with suger soap, Jif and a scotchbrite pad. I'll transplant the 486 DX2/50 guts in to it so I can clean it's front panel up then sand blast and powder coat the steel top cover. It was used as a Workgroup server back in the day and has an ide interface card with cache ram on it to help speed up file transfers over the network. First one I've come across of that era.

    Almost got another Acorn RiscPC sorted out as well.

  11. #56
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    24th September 2004 - 06:46
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    Just replaced Mint Linux 17.3 with Devuan Beowolf. Used the netinstall method. A far better experience. It's snappier by a long margin and a lot more stable. Using the LXQt desktop with is simple and easy to get at applications.

  12. #57
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    24th September 2004 - 06:46
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    Found a nice wifi IP surveillance camera software to use on my Linux system. It is called Xeoma and was very easy to set up. Picked or cap carport camera straight away. It is available for other computer operating systems as well.

    https://felenasoft.com/xeoma/en/
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  13. #58
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    24th September 2004 - 06:46
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    Found a great site with IP Camera administration logins and passwords.

    https://www.a1securitycameras.com/te...lance-cameras/

    Ordered a cheap one off Trademe and will test that out when we receive it.

    Everything with the current set up is running well and even Connie is having a play with it on her 10" Samsung tablet. And I've set viewing /control software on a couple of ancient cheap 7" Android tablets

    Who said a couple of 61 year olds can't use modern teknowjelly?

    Just don't put it on my motorcycles.

    Just saying...

  14. #59
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    24th September 2004 - 06:46
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    Connies artheritis in her feet has gotten worse over the last six months so tidied up my hobby computer area so she is less likely to trip over something.

    Also got an ol shitter back up and running for use in the shed so we can access the interweb with a decent sized monitor and keyboard.. It's running Linux Mint and is connected to the WLAN.

    It's fun mucking around with old stuff, especially if you can put it to good use.

    Just saying...
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  15. #60
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    3rd March 2008 - 11:55
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bonez View Post
    Connies artheritis in her feet has gotten worse over the last six months so tidied up my hobby computer area so she is less likely to trip over something.

    Also got an ol shitter back up and running for use in the shed so we can access the interweb with a decent sized monitor and keyboard.. It's running Linux Mint and is connected to the WLAN.

    It's fun mucking around with old stuff, especially if you can put it to good use.

    Just saying...
    Looking at your pics, your garage would be an ideal new home for the box of stuff I've got sitting in the garage.... ISA/VESA/AGP cards various (sound, video, modem etc), old ram, IDE hard drives...

    Must fire up the old P150 that's sitting in the corner and reacquaint myself with windows 98SE some time too.
    Riding cheap crappy old bikes badly since 1987

    Tagorama maps: Transalpers map first 100 tags..................Map of tags 101-200......................Latest map, tag # 201-->

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