VOGONS


First post, by Indrid Cold

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Situation a little unusual: you have to know that among my passions there is also photography, especially landscapes and abandoned places, preferably industrial/military ruins. Just this Sunday I went to photographic exploration near my town, in a place where I knew I would find an abandoned mine and an old waste disposal center also abandoned by more or less 10 years. In this center, very large and fascinating, including abandoned vehicles, offices, machinery, etc. I found some PC-related vintage stuff, I could not resist to the rescue - usually I devote myself only to take pictures, but when I have seen many MultiSync CRT and Sony monitors left crying on the pavement, I felt something break inside my little retro-nerd heart... exploring the old offices, including degradation and neglect, as well as vandalism and looting at the hands of the usual copper thieves and more, I carried to safety these little treasures (many software and Windows 3.11 and MS-DOS FULL FLOPPY SETS!) - I would be grateful if someone help me identify this strange memory bank and the unknown Compaq branded card:

Unknown memory bank with enclosure:
IMG_4205.jpgIMG_4206.jpg

Compaq-branded unknown expansion board:
IMG_4207.jpgIMG_4209.jpg

Windows 2k Upgrade box and manuals:
IMG_4219.jpgIMG_4210.jpg

Vintage motherboards manuals:
IMG_4213.jpgIMG_4214.jpgIMG_4215.jpgIMG_4216.jpgIMG_4217.jpgIMG_4218.jpg

2x floppies containers, lots of software for Win9x and MS-DOS, drivers, original FULL SETS of Windows 3.11 / different DOS versions!
IMG_4220.jpgIMG_4222.jpgIMG_4224.jpg

Sealed 3x Windows NT Microsoft License Pak:
IMG_4225.jpg

Reply 1 of 14, by shock__

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Check those: http://www.robotrontechnik.de/index.htm?/html … erbeitraege.htm
Sadly all in German and related to GDR 8/16bit computers - but some really impressive rescue/restauration actions there.

Personally I've found nothing during UrbEx so far, but then again I've only been to "popular" or long abandoned places (like since the 70s) so far.

Current Project: new GUS PnP compatible soundcard

[Z?]

Reply 2 of 14, by Indrid Cold

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shock__ wrote:

Check those: http://www.robotrontechnik.de/index.htm?/html … erbeitraege.htm
Sadly all in German and related to GDR 8/16bit computers - but some really impressive rescue/restauration actions there.

Personally I've found nothing during UrbEx so far, but then again I've only been to "popular" or long abandoned places (like since the 70s) so far.

Cool site, sadly only industrial machines, but great operations. It would be nice if someone else in the forum has this passion to document/show his rescue.

Reply 3 of 14, by Indrid Cold

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Sorry for the OT, if at least some of you are curious on the subject, I just put online the pictures taken at this abandoned center:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/138427408@N02/3buR02

Some findings:

25358920604_557c07c0fa_o.jpg
25691076520_5b6509247c_o.jpg
25896661711_dc4061c645_o.jpg
25965698076_0eba355eb6_o.jpg

Reply 4 of 14, by Dropcik

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I do the same as well, the places around where I live are either gutted empty or heavily vandalized. The only thing I have found that was computer related was a windows 95 upgrade box at honky ranch. I normally don't take things, but computers may be the only exception if I ever see any.

Off topic? (software rescue) Some thrift stores throw out floppy disks that come in disk carriers. Its a private policy thing, but the same thrift stores sell hard drives that still work. I bought an external owc firewire 400 hard drive that still worked and had important documents on it that if in the wrong hands could ruin someone's week. Has anyone ever put anything important on a floppy disk? If its 1983, then maybe. Has anyone scored else good software/games/drivers/ect. off floppy disks or hard drives?

Ayy LMAO

Reply 5 of 14, by shock__

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Off older media I've scored the datebook of a priest on an Atari ST as well as a master thesis in medicine so far - the ST was bought off eBay, the other was a dumpster dive.

Current Project: new GUS PnP compatible soundcard

[Z?]

Reply 6 of 14, by Indrid Cold

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Interesting discussion - More times I've had in my hands, as a result of road findings and other, storage devices also containing sensitive information, such as billing and statistical data. It's also true that I've never wasted time rummaging through all this data, I was only interested in formatting and clean everything, and well. Public authorities, above all, do not care virtually NEVER about erasing all traces of these data, as I've seen until now... and they should be the first to do so.

Going back to my exploratory trip, I repeat: I NEVER usually take anything from these fascinating places, but... in the end, these vintage findings would go to heaven, and counting how rare they are becoming with the passage of time ... why not? In fact, I'm just planning to prepare other little trips in search of valuable computer waste, that I won't think twice to rescue, rather than let them rotting...

Reply 7 of 14, by Stojke

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Jeez, who cares if you took some old stuff? If you love it you take it, it has been abandoned either way, no one will miss it. 😀
I used to go to an military junk yard and dig all day for pieces of commodore amiga, ibm and other computer parts. Fun times.

Note | LLSID | "Big boobs are important!"

Reply 8 of 14, by Indrid Cold

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Stojke wrote:

Jeez, who cares if you took some old stuff? If you love it you take it, it has been abandoned either way, no one will miss it. 😀
I used to go to an military junk yard and dig all day for pieces of commodore amiga, ibm and other computer parts. Fun times.

OMG my wildest dream

Reply 9 of 14, by shock__

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Thing is taking stuff from abandoned places is usually frowned upon - because it kills all atmosphere, leaving blank rooms behind. Also depending on the situation who owns it, it might be considered theft.
Only expection I'd make would be finding prototype stuff, but that's super rare to happen (the robotron guys found a few prototypes so far - but they usually do it the legal way _and_ shortly before those places are pulled down).
About PC/Amiga/etc. stuff ... better look for hoarders giving up the hobby/who have passed away. I know of 70m³ of hardware looking for a new owner for a _very_ cheap price currently.

Nothing wrong with taking stuff from recyclers tho, those guys are usually idiots - lusting for parts of gramms of gold out of valuable material.

Current Project: new GUS PnP compatible soundcard

[Z?]

Reply 10 of 14, by Stojke

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What all living beings have in common is freedom, no one is allowed to deny me my wish to take something that is discarded and thrown away.

Note | LLSID | "Big boobs are important!"

Reply 11 of 14, by Indrid Cold

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Stojke wrote:

What all living beings have in common is freedom, no one is allowed to deny me my wish to take something that is discarded and thrown away.

Yes, I think I agree to this...

Reply 12 of 14, by chinny22

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The Compaq board is for a Compaq Contura 400 according to the spare part number.
Its a hard choice, on the 1 hand yes its theft, and it takes away a bit of the atmosphere
on the other a lot of this stuff will simply be destroyed anyway, either vandalism or economically not worth the trouble to sell.
Think its fair to say what you got had no chance of surviving and wont be missed

Reply 13 of 14, by shock__

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Stojke wrote:

What all living beings have in common is freedom, no one is allowed to deny me my wish to take something that is discarded and thrown away.

Okay, I'll make sure to break any hardware beyond repair I discard in the future then 😀 Just to ruin your hobby.

Current Project: new GUS PnP compatible soundcard

[Z?]

Reply 14 of 14, by Indrid Cold

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chinny22 wrote:
The Compaq board is for a Compaq Contura 400 according to the spare part number. Its a hard choice, on the 1 hand yes its theft, […]
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The Compaq board is for a Compaq Contura 400 according to the spare part number.
Its a hard choice, on the 1 hand yes its theft, and it takes away a bit of the atmosphere
on the other a lot of this stuff will simply be destroyed anyway, either vandalism or economically not worth the trouble to sell.
Think its fair to say what you got had no chance of surviving and wont be missed

Thanks chinny, I've seen - nice old laptop from Compaq then - and yes, I don't think these things will be missed - they should have been destroyed, then, with all the rest of the complex.

shock__ wrote:
Stojke wrote:

What all living beings have in common is freedom, no one is allowed to deny me my wish to take something that is discarded and thrown away.

Okay, I'll make sure to break any hardware beyond repair I discard in the future then 😀 Just to ruin your hobby.

Totally useless affirmation.