Re: Problem with use of modern ATAPI device in 1990s Toshiba 470cdt / 490xcdt / 530cdt and similar retro laptops

Posted on 2023-09-18, 16:36

by

by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I have the BIOS updates from the official Dynabook support (I have downloaded them when they were available). Yes, seems like Dynabook removed all downloads for the old Toshiba notebooks some months ago. That's really a shame :( I couldn't even find an email address to contact them. I really hate …

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Re: Which one of theese Pentium 1 motherboards would you recommend me to buy?

Posted on 2023-09-16, 09:17

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Get them all! 🤣 What are you planning to do with it? A fast Socket 7 platform? Slowing it down to play old games? Both? Which CPU do you want to use and do they all support it? Is the AT-case already set in stone or can that still be changed to an ATX one?

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Re: 386/486 build in a mini ATX case ?

Posted on 2023-09-10, 19:04

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

No need to drill anything. Just use some plastic spacers to keep it away from the metal plate. The board is held in place by the ISA cards and the one metal standoff. I mean these things

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Re: Searching for small microATX case

Posted on 2023-09-10, 13:13

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

It has to support 4 slots, so a mini ITX case won't work. And both cases are even deeper than the Chenbro mATX 😀 I think it can't get any smaller than that one unless without any drive bay. But it seems that there are no such cases with low profile slots optimized for volume/size

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Re: Searching for small microATX case

Posted on 2023-09-10, 01:24

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Could you measure the depth from front to back?... sure Thank you. Unfortunately it has the same depth like most of the cases. More or less it's the depth of the mainboard + depth of an optical drive. The Chenbro case uses a slim drive that is mounted partially above the board, making the case 10 …

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Re: Searching for small microATX case

Posted on 2023-09-08, 00:41

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

finger and medion minitower for scale :smirk: Thank you for the pictures! Look like plain (which is good!) cases. The width and height can't get any smaller. Could you measure the depth from front to back? That is the problematic dimension of most cases, in particular those with full size drives. …

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Re: Searching for small microATX case

Posted on 2023-09-07, 22:37

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

For example HP Elitedesk 800 G3 is shorter depth (front to back) due to hard drive turned sideways and uses notebook type optical drive, but board is not ATX. What processor are you intending to use? The board seems to have mATX dimensions and the HP would be a nice solution since it's only 31 cm …

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Re: The million dollar question on retrocomputing

Posted on 2023-09-06, 22:37

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Perhaps, deep down, I am more of a user than a collector in my true nature, but the lack of free time 'forces' me to merely collect things instead of using them. Maybe you're a hoarder? lol I think for most of us, the reason to get into retrocomputers was exactly that - to restore old/retro …

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Re: Anyone know where to find these printer ribbon cartridge refills?

Posted on 2023-09-06, 22:21

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

New cartridges are dry? I thought they are still being produces because dot matriox printers are sill in use today.

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Re: Seekink Compatible Quantex Pentium II Shell Replacement

Posted on 2023-09-06, 22:18

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

There may be some that can be exchanged but usually that's not the case (no pun intended 😀 ). Is it really so hard to find cheap ATX cases where you live?

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Re: The million dollar question on retrocomputing

Posted on 2023-09-06, 21:50

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

And there are many examples of that in the forum as well - insanely overpriced DIY-kits or preassembled expansion boards from projects copying old computer parts. Generally I don't see any point in producing and selling ? few dozen pieces of cruelly overpriced "new old" PC-parts, but some people …

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Re: The million dollar question on retrocomputing

Posted on 2023-09-06, 21:27

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I wanted to understand how much retrocomputing fans are fans because they love old products because of their age VS how much they are fans because they love the memories of old products, but they don't care that the actual metal or plastic are actually aged: if it were brand new but identical to …

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Re: The million dollar question on retrocomputing

Posted on 2023-09-06, 08:48

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Interesting 😀 About the first question: maybe that can differ for hardware and software. A collector would probably prefer the original if available but a 'user' would prefer the new one. What if you are a collector of software but only a user when it comes to hardware?

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Re: Searching for small microATX case

Posted on 2023-09-06, 08:24

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

It's a standard micro ATX board with four slots. Hence the Satellite Micro-ATX Cube above does not fit. It seems that most mATX cases still have drive bays which makes them a lot deeper.

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Re: Anyone know where to find these printer ribbon cartridge refills?

Posted on 2023-09-06, 08:17

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Can't you buy a new cartridge for you printer? They are still being sold, at least for the common models. I remember that on some Youtube channel (Adrian's digital basement? 8 Bit guy? Tech tangents? Some other?) I've heard that you can refresh the cartridge with WD40 (of course, with what else? :-D …

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Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Posted on 2023-09-06, 08:06

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I'm certain that the response would be along the lines of, "send us your proof of purchase or order receipt." Although I would be incredibly impressed if a replacement were to be obtained in this way. Please keep us updated no matter the response, for posterity. Someone here probably has an old …

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Re: Searching for small microATX case

Posted on 2023-09-05, 21:19

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

That case looks good but from the OP I got the idea that size was thee most important thing here. Yes, but size of a case for a micro ATX board :) Have you looked at Antec's offerings as well? The Antec VSK2000 fits the bill pretty well for half-height mATX with a small profile. The Antec VSK2000 …

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Re: Searching for small microATX case

Posted on 2023-09-05, 20:54

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

The Avance L12 is really nice. I would maybe reconsider the low-profile decision if it were available :) The CiT S8i is also interesting. But it's strange that nobody seems to build really small cases. Nowadays nobody uses optical drives and SSDs are small. About the slim-drives: I've seen an IDE …

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Re: Searching for small microATX case

Posted on 2023-09-05, 18:27

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by HanSolo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

If size is really that important then one of the RISC or ARM based Single Board Computers might be better than the 1L PCs. Of course I don't want to just build 'a small computer' but one with a specific micro ATX board :) That Chenbro isnt smaller than the Lenovo M93p. That Lenovo would fit inside …

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