Big Pink wrote on 2023-10-15, 19:43:

JFC! I've spent over £400 (and rising) putting a 5150 together piecemeal yet somehow someone is tossing a full system into the b […]
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theelf wrote on 2023-10-13, 15:02:

This IBM was going to trash in a store near my house, i think was used to do accounting stuff until recent, because the floppy have lotus 123 spreadsheets with date july 2023

JFC! I've spent over £400 (and rising) putting a 5150 together piecemeal yet somehow someone is tossing a full system into the bin. Bravo, sir.

gerry wrote on 2023-10-13, 15:15:

i cant imagine upgrading from an old pc like this and lotus 1-2-3 all in one giant leap! 😀

From the device that escaped the mainframe to leap into the cloud. I'd call that a downgrade.

Terrible, this time thank god this computer was saved from a terrible end... but i think same... how much great old computers every day are dump to trash... 🙁

I will never forget, 3 years ago, i was walking when i saw a gipsys disasembling...no... destroying! CRT TVs to recover copper... and when i was close to them... a Amiga 1080 screen... i feel soo bad... for maybe 1 euro of cooper...

theelf wrote on 2023-10-15, 20:58:

Terrible, this time thank god this computer was saved from a terrible end... but i think same... how much great old computers every day are dump to trash... 🙁

I will never forget, 3 years ago, i was walking when i saw a gipsys disasembling...no... destroying! CRT TVs to recover copper... and when i was close to them... a Amiga 1080 screen... i feel soo bad... for maybe 1 euro of cooper...

Unfortunately, the majority of population equate "outdated" with "worthless." IMHO anyone selling retired (but working) electronics on auction, yard, or e-waste is more knowledgeable than 80% population.

dormcat wrote on 2023-10-16, 01:53:

theelf wrote on 2023-10-15, 20:58:

Terrible, this time thank god this computer was saved from a terrible end... but i think same... how much great old computers every day are dump to trash... 🙁

I will never forget, 3 years ago, i was walking when i saw a gipsys disasembling...no... destroying! CRT TVs to recover copper... and when i was close to them... a Amiga 1080 screen... i feel soo bad... for maybe 1 euro of cooper...

Unfortunately, the majority of population equate "outdated" with "worthless." IMHO anyone selling retired (but working) electronics on auction, yard, or e-waste is more knowledgeable than 80% population.

And what a lot of people do not understand is that "recycle" means the majority of it usually ends up going to a land fill because it cannot be recycled (CRT tubes cannot, the phosphorus coating makes it impossible to cleanly melt down the glass for reuse, same with fluorescent bulbs AFAIK)...better they sell the stuff for proper re-use.

Big Pink wrote on 2023-10-15, 19:43:

JFC! I've spent over £400 (and rising) putting a 5150 together piecemeal yet somehow someone is tossing a full system into the bin. Bravo, sir.

A fully grown 5150 takes up huge space and it's completely useless for someone not into retro stuff. It's nothing more than the old washing machine you don't want anymore, it's trash. You could argue that it could be useful to someone else but here is the problem: most people don't want to deal with strangers and certainly don't want to give away stuff for free. They'd rather put it in the trash instead of giving it away to freeloaders. I tried freeloading in the local community and only managed to get a lowly P4 after like 4 months of trying. But guess where I find most of my retro stuff: in the same community during the annual e-waste collection program, I usually get like 10-30 systems out of the dumpster each year. That means that people still have a fukton of old computers in the basement but they can't bear the thought of just giving it away for free, not even locally.
When they do want to sell they ask like $30 for a thing that was used as an ashtray for 10 years before it was finally promoted to mouse nest duty in the basement.
Just a little insight into how people's mind works.

Mandrew wrote on 2023-10-16, 08:13:

A fully grown 5150 takes up huge space and it's completely useless for someone not into retro stuff. It's nothing more than the […]
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Big Pink wrote on 2023-10-15, 19:43:

JFC! I've spent over £400 (and rising) putting a 5150 together piecemeal yet somehow someone is tossing a full system into the bin. Bravo, sir.

A fully grown 5150 takes up huge space and it's completely useless for someone not into retro stuff. It's nothing more than the old washing machine you don't want anymore, it's trash. You could argue that it could be useful to someone else but here is the problem: most people don't want to deal with strangers and certainly don't want to give away stuff for free. They'd rather put it in the trash instead of giving it away to freeloaders. I tried freeloading in the local community and only managed to get a lowly P4 after like 4 months of trying. But guess where I find most of my retro stuff: in the same community during the annual e-waste collection program, I usually get like 10-30 systems out of the dumpster each year. That means that people still have a fukton of old computers in the basement but they can't bear the thought of just giving it away for free, not even locally.
When they do want to sell they ask like $30 for a thing that was used as an ashtray for 10 years before it was finally promoted to mouse nest duty in the basement.
Just a little insight into how people's mind works.

I would love to own a mint 5150 for my own personal enjoyment. However, I am fully aware that I have no place to set one up and no place to store it safely in the interim. I'm happy to see this go to a collector that can appreciate it more than I ever could. I'm quite satisfied with my little dream.

I have a lot of respect for those that can afford their own little museums of functional, usable machines.

Mandrew wrote on 2023-10-16, 08:13:

When they do want to sell they ask like $30 for a thing that was used as an ashtray for 10 years before it was finally promoted to mouse nest duty in the basement.
Just a little insight into how people's mind works.

Oh, I know. I know. I trimmed a paragraph from my reply stating the same: an Apple I gets tossed at the recycling centre, meanwhile while you see some sellers on eBay wanting a day's pay for a broken grotty Happy Meal toy from 2017.

found this beauty in a scrapyard. Creative BlasterBoard M003

broken traces, not starting. repair required.

there was one broken trace on this Chaintech 486SLE board, after fixing - it is starting/POST

dm- wrote on 2023-10-17, 03:56:

found this beauty in a scrapyard.

broken traces, not starting. repair required.

That looks very salvageable and I'm otherwise pretty good condition, all things considered. I've never seen a board with a Sound Blaster Live! onboard before. That's pretty cool. These cards support SB Pro/SB16 emulation in DOS. Add those two free ISA slots and you have a pretty solid retro board there.

Kahenraz wrote on 2023-10-17, 04:16:

That looks very salvageable and I'm otherwise pretty good condition, all things considered. I've never seen a board with a Sound Blaster Live! onboard before. That's pretty cool. These cards support SB Pro/SB16 emulation in DOS. Add those two free ISA slots and you have a pretty solid retro board there.

I've almost went away from this board, cuz it is really in a bad condition, but guys told me this is super very extremely mega rare board, and i took it...
from the top - board is good, but bottom completely damaged. starting to recover traces. but chances very low.

dm- wrote on 2023-10-17, 04:24:

I've almost went away from this board, cuz it is really in a bad condition, but guys told me this is super very extremely mega rare board, and i took it...
from the top - board is good, but bottom completely damaged. starting to recover traces. but chances very low.

That does look pretty bad. Let me know if you are unsuccessful with you repair and would like a second pair of eyes to go over the traces. It does seem rare enough to be worth salvaging, if possible. I knew that Creative made all kinds of different hardware boards, but I didn't know that they ever made a motherboard.

Kahenraz wrote on 2023-10-17, 04:45:

That does look pretty bad. Let me know if you are unsuccessful with you repair and would like a second pair of eyes to go over the traces. It does seem rare enough to be worth salvaging, if possible. I knew that Creative made all kinds of different hardware boards, but I didn't know that they ever made a motherboard.

Any professional help with this mobo in UAE will be appreciated.

Extremely cool find and well spotted that Blaster board.

Had to put the AT cases out the way in outdoor storage again, hopefully nicer than where they were, I'm down like a 20ft shipping container worth of storage so struggling to find space. But now I know they are there I can check up on them. They might come out during winter if I get the urge to start restoring. Anyway.... the case thatcase.case vertical slotted front, that had a 486 board in, I took a look, and took the board out because it wasn't screwed in, just loose in there for some reason. Seems to be another QDI, but the microhouse picture might be terribad on https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/qdi-v4s471-472p Mine has got V4S471/472P printed beside the first slot. I don't see where the board has the option to mount 30pin AND 72pin though, weird they would have that as a board designation where they used different PCBs. Anyhoo, varta green death in progress so should neutralise it ASAP...

I was expecting the CPU to be a SX33 or DX33 or something, nope DX4, wow, why did I let that go to the shed?? I thought I had had one in the past but couldn't find it, ordered one earlier this year, at least it was confirmed to work type for system I wanted it for. This one earlier non-WB, but guess that means I will have less trouble using it in older boards. SK051.

edit: searched retroweb a different way to see if it still came up QDI.. this time found this one which is identical in layout until you get to where the 30 pin aren't on mine https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/qdi-v4s471-g which oddly didn't show up on the search term V4S471 the first time. That board built without the 3V regulator tho. There's yet another QDI 471, but that looks a bit different around the CPU.

dm- wrote on 2023-10-17, 03:56:

photo_2023-10-17 07.58.48.jpeg […]
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photo_2023-10-17 07.58.48.jpeg

found this beauty in a scrapyard. Creative BlasterBoard M003

broken traces, not starting. repair required.

486sle.jpg

there was one broken trace on this Chaintech 486SLE board, after fixing - it is starting/POST

the board has been fixed by "Bits und Bolts" from Dubai. Repair video has been released on youtube. You can find it under the "Unique Slot 1 motherboard: Creative Blaster Board M003" name.

Kahenraz wrote on 2023-09-30, 03:36:

douglar wrote on 2023-09-29, 23:03:

I found a big box of CPU's. A big sturdy box with MSI on the side, but it smelled like basement & death, so I emptied and discarded it as quickly as possible.

Do not discard the fans that are attached to the Overdrive CPUs, even if they are seized. The bearing is removable and can be completely replaced, as long as the shaft is undamaged.

You will have to sacrifice the sticker to get to it though, unless you can find a way to remove it carefully. I tried to apply a little heat with the aid of a hot air gun and mine melted almost immediately, so I do not recommend this method. I wish I had scanned mine first, so that I could have reserved making a new replacement as an option.

I use to remove old stamps with soppy water + bicarbonate in it.... detached anything on a envelope/postcard....

dm- wrote on 2023-10-26, 16:00:

dm- wrote on 2023-10-17, 03:56:

photo_2023-10-17 07.58.48.jpeg […]
Show full quote

photo_2023-10-17 07.58.48.jpeg

found this beauty in a scrapyard. Creative BlasterBoard M003

broken traces, not starting. repair required.

486sle.jpg

there was one broken trace on this Chaintech 486SLE board, after fixing - it is starting/POST

the board has been fixed by "Bits und Bolts" from Dubai. Repair video has been released on youtube. You can find it under the "Unique Slot 1 motherboard: Creative Blaster Board M003" name.

Pretty cool. From the video, very little damage. Not sure if he said in the video. Which chipset is on that board?

smtkr wrote on 2023-10-27, 22:30:

dm- wrote on 2023-10-26, 16:00:

dm- wrote on 2023-10-17, 03:56:

photo_2023-10-17 07.58.48.jpeg […]
Show full quote

photo_2023-10-17 07.58.48.jpeg

found this beauty in a scrapyard. Creative BlasterBoard M003

broken traces, not starting. repair required.

486sle.jpg

there was one broken trace on this Chaintech 486SLE board, after fixing - it is starting/POST

the board has been fixed by "Bits und Bolts" from Dubai. Repair video has been released on youtube. You can find it under the "Unique Slot 1 motherboard: Creative Blaster Board M003" name.

Pretty cool. From the video, very little damage. Not sure if he said in the video. Which chipset is on that board?

a regular bx440, some early revision, vrm support only 1.8v and up, so no coppermine. but it has a 4 memory slots. i'll check upgrade options later when i receive board back to me.
the one thing, i hope Live is working good in DOS on this board. Maybe Creative connected SBLink directly to the Live! chip -)) will see.

Another day on scrapyard.

Nice find.

Instead of what Intel is doing today (bring out one socket, subsequent two processor families), I like them short lived platforms from the old days. Socket 8, Slot A, socket 939...

Do TV/VCR combos count?

Got this Emerson VT-1920N for free today.

"VCR doesn't work."

Challenge accepted.