I just moved in to a new place and besides trying to get everything setup, I have just started a couple small projects:

1. Cleaning all my old IBM Model M keyboards and figuring out how to solder PS/2 connectors on some that are missing SDL cables...after a search, I found that just soldering a PS/2 cable on to existing locations on the PCB is all it takes...took a look at one of them with a PS/2 connector built in and realized all my other ones have provisions for this same connector (pictured), but the points are just empty in lieu of SDL port...so it should be easy...anyone here ever try this on a Model M?

2. Cleaning the keyboard to my newly acquired Emerson 286 computer (I am going to do a separate post regarding my new Emerson 286)...I already tried using Mr Clean Magic eraser on a small part of it, and it did the trick even on some of those nasty marker and sticker 'stains'.

3. Restoring the original look to the power button on my Emerson 286 (this is the only part of the computer that was not in Near Mint condition....I may try to re-create the original texture and spray paint to match (I know it's going to be near impossible to match exactly 🤣).

I'd say that a worn power button is a good sign, to me it means it was a well-loved and often-used machine. 😀

Finally got my Emerson keyboard clean. Looks good as new. Mr Clean Magic eraser made it easy.

The hardest part was getting in between the keys...cotton swabs did the trick.

Now on to my IBM model M keyboards.🤣

That's a clean looking keyboard! What kind of switches does it have?

Holy crap your right those mr clean pads work great! I finally got that gunk off the front of the IBM PC300gl! WOOT Thanks for mentioning those. 🤣
Also that keyboard looked yellowed but the after picture looks nice and white, how did you do that?

AidanExamineer wrote:

That's a clean looking keyboard! What kind of switches does it have?

I think they are the "mushy" spring type, not clicky spring like model M unfortunately, but more like old Tandy 1000 keyboard type feel.
It's an OK keyboard, nothing to write home about, but it certainly came out looking clean!

it's part of my total restoration project on this Emerson 286 computer I got recently and it matches the CRT and Desktop case, so I really wanted it to look clean...not much to really 'restore' as everything in the computer was near mint condition...just needed a good cleaning and maybe a Dallas RTC chip 😵 mod to use a regular CMOS battery (will be getting out the dremel out for that job).

King_Corduroy wrote:

Holy crap your right those mr clean pads work great! I finally got that gunk off the front of the IBM PC300gl! WOOT Thanks for mentioning those. 🤣
Also that keyboard looked yellowed but the after picture looks nice and white, how did you do that?

no prob...that's great...glad it worked for your IBM PC300gl...which is a beauty BTW!

Yeah those cleaning pads do work miracles...I finally have got tough stains and black marks off many of my old cases that I could never get off with anything else (especially marker and pen ink stains).

As for the keyboard...to tell you the truth it's just the lighting in the rooms I took the pics in. The keyboard actually has no yellowing (I know it really looks like it in the 'before' pic, but I assure you, the color is closer to what is shown in the 2nd pic)....too bad in a way because I wish the Mr. Clean magic eraser would 'magically' work better than retrobrite and just "de-yellow" old retro cases, crt's and keyboards 🤣

Nice.

retrofanatic wrote:

The hardest part was getting in between the keys...cotton swabs did the trick.

Toothbrush, damp not dripping with windex. Final pass with folded tissue.

Favorite keyboard (for cleaning) was on the cheap 486 back at the cafe. The key caps were all attached to the to top plate, with a single silicone-dome mat underneath. Both got a quick hot scrub in the dish pit, then the cap assembly simply shaken dry in the alley. 105 keys makes a hell of a maraca.

Good job cleaning! I rarely do: too time consuming.

Yesterday I played a WarCraft II level and a SimCity Classic Windows 3.11 scenario.

Fired up Turbo C++ 3.0 and brushed up on my DOS programming skills

Just finished the Human Campaign in WarCraft II. Now I will install the expansion and continue. I am not sure I can play the Orcs. I very much dislike them. 🤣

Completed my project of displaying the video game Portal's ending credits on a EGA mono setup

Portal "Still Alive" on EGA mono

PeterLI wrote:

Just finished the Human Campaign in WarCraft II. Now I will install the expansion and continue. I am not sure I can play the Orcs. I very much dislike them. 🤣

I just started Warcraft II, human campaign of course - I dislike those green mofos too 😀

I'm playing on a POD83 powered VLB system, Sound Blaster Pro + SCC1. I was a fan back in the day and am enjoying it this time around too, but not as much as my recent C&C play through.

Regarding the POD83 - I've only just started using it and am not totally convinced. Initially the system was freezing in DOOM when using sound FX (sound blaster pro). This was fixed by resetting the BIOS to defaults (the motherboard is a ASUS VL/I-486SV2GX4 wit the latest bios). The BIOS settings I was using were working fine with a 486SX 33 and 5x86 133, so it seems unreasonable that the POD would act up. Scandisk has also found FAT errors / lost clusters where pre-POD it found none, so that seems odd too.

Anyway, it's fast so I'll persist for now, but it's on notice.

I'm attempting to revive my dead MCCI SuperEISA motherboard. I was able to get it to post and even boot to C:, but it's very slow. It takes 3 minutes to reach C:. I think I have isolated the problem to the 8253 system timer. I suspect I make have a bad 14.31818MHz crystal. I have ordered replacements. In the meantime I removed the old crystal oscillator and soldered in a socket. I bought several other oscillators for overclocking purposes as well. I am going to have a shot at 3x44MHz on a Cyrix 5x86 to see if I can reach the magical 133MHz.

Have fun with WarCraft II! I started the expansion yesterday but will need to read a guide. Good luck with the EISA MOBO!

Played some more Far Cry and, using Bandicam, capturing my progress. Planning on a new, much much better, review of the game.

Started a new "Roland vs Yamaha General MIDI" series as well. First video is uploading as I'm typing this.

You're a busy man Phil! I'm impressed at your commitment - mine comes and goes.

badmojo wrote:

You're a busy man Phil! I'm impressed at your commitment - mine comes and goes.

Thanks 😀

The thing is, it never stops. There is so much else I would like to do. I don't think I will ever reach the point of "it's done". For example I started with DOS and just wanted to focus on 386 / 486 games. But then I mucked around with Windows 98 and it's so much fun! And now with Windows XP and that too is so much fun! 🤣

I get sucked into big projects and it takes me forever to get up the energy to finish them. Your work rate is impressive!

The Roland vs Yamaha Doom video was excellent by the way. Makes me want to spend money I don't have on MIDI modules. 😁

My retro activity for today was (with a lot of advice from you guys) installing a Voodoo 1 into my 96 Packard Bell Platinum 55 and then proceeding to play GlQuake. I think the PSU might be teetering at it's limit though because when I plug in a USB stick to transfer some files the whole computer freezes and then reboots. Either that or the Voodoo card is causing a conflict with the USB storage device. Oh well that's how it goes, fix one thing and break three. 🤣

AidanExamineer wrote:

The Roland vs Yamaha Doom video was excellent by the way. Makes me want to spend money I don't have on MIDI modules. 😁

Thank you 😀 Planning on doing a few more, a mix of games to look at it from different angles. My biggest project to date is the over 3 hour long Roland tutorial. Man that was so much work. I think it's one of these "once in a life" projects 🤣