VOGONS


First post, by pbuser

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Hi everyone,

For nostalgic reasons, I'm looking for a restore/recovery CD called "European Master CD" that was part of the software bundle from a Packard Bell computer I purchased at PC World UK back in ~summer 1995.

The main specs of this PC were :
- intel 486DX2 66MHz processor
- 8 MB RAM
- 528 MB Hard Drive
- Cirrus Logic 5430/5434 Video Chip
- 16-bit stereo Sound Card
- 3.5" 1.44 MB Floppy Disk Drive
- 2x Panasonic CR-563-B CD-ROM Drive

This Master CD is recognizable by its part number which reads 6705370200 as well as its red/silver top side :

PB_European_Master_CD.jpg
Filename
PB_European_Master_CD.jpg
File size
33.75 KiB
Views
847 views
File comment
PB European Master CD p/n 6705370200
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception
PB_EU_Master_CD_Jewel.jpg
Filename
PB_EU_Master_CD_Jewel.jpg
File size
145.23 KiB
Views
847 views
File comment
jewel case
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

It features MS-DOS 6.22 + Windows for Workgroups 3.11 and the following softwares in British English, French and German :

Encarta 95, Fine Artist, Works 3.0, Money 3.0, Windows Entertainment Package (Skifree, Rattler Race, Rodent's Revenge, ...) [Microsoft] | Sage Moneywise | Lotus Organizer | 3-D Body Adventure, 3-D Dinosaur Adventure, Kid's Zoo, Bug Adventure, Magic Theatre, Undersea Adventure, Speed Adventure, Space Adventure [Knowledge Adventure / Softkey / Instinct Corporation] | The Four Seasons of French Cuisine [Arome Interactive] | Cyberia Mission Norway [Interplay] | MegaRace [The Software Toolworks] | Multimedia Maestro and Multimedia Photo including 24 Photo Samples [Software Dynamics] | Language Learning with Asterix [Eurotalk] | Beethoven's 5th A Music Lovers Multimedia Guide [InterActive Publishing Corporation]

... among many others as well as drivers for sound, FM radio & video cards, CD-ROM drives...

Not to mention Packard Bell's alternative shell called Navigator (version 2.1), the builtin backup utility « Disk Image »...

It shipped from september to november 1995 with Packard Bell’s Legend, Axcel, Executive 95xx and Spectria product lines in UK, French and German retail outlets. AFAIK, this CD has been bundled with Packard Bells having a serial number beginning with 23 (possibly 22 too) :

PB_Executive_9503.jpg
Filename
PB_Executive_9503.jpg
File size
71.3 KiB
Views
2347 views
File comment
specification sticker from the box my Packard Bell came
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

The sticker on the rear of the computer case would look like this :

PB_rear_specs_sticker.jpg
Filename
PB_rear_specs_sticker.jpg
File size
109.62 KiB
Views
677 views
File comment
Format Number (FN) requested for system restoration ends with "S"
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

I've been looking for it FOR YEARS, ALL OVER the Internet (including retro computing-based forums like BetaArchive, VCF, ...), without any success. I even asked to Packard Bell customer support.

Searching on the Web, I came across 2 pages mentioning this CD :

- http://www.uktsupport.co.uk/pb/faq/model.htm
- https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.sys.pc-cl … Mc/T5oUhvMhg-gJ

Maybe someone here have or had a Packard Bell computer including this CD ?

Given its rarity, I'm willing to buy this CD at a GOLDEN price (up to £300).

ANY help will be GREATLY appreciated (and maybe HIGHLY rewarded). 😀

Thank you

Last edited by pbuser on 2020-08-23, 15:37. Edited 11 times in total.

Reply 5 of 13, by cyclone3d

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Do you have access to the BetaArchive FTP site? If not, I'll check and see if it is on there.

Yamaha modified setupds and drivers
Yamaha XG repository
YMF7x4 Guide
Aopen AW744L II SB-LINK

Reply 7 of 13, by Tetrium

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What does this disk look like? Have a pic of it?

Whats missing in your collections?
My retro rigs (old topic)
Interesting Vogons threads (links to Vogonswiki)
Report spammers here!

Reply 8 of 13, by cyclone3d

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Tetrium wrote:

What does this disk look like? Have a pic of it?

First result on google images for Packard Bell European Master CD comes up with the picture:

1372883228.or.46613.jpg
Filename
1372883228.or.46613.jpg
File size
33.75 KiB
Views
2388 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Yamaha modified setupds and drivers
Yamaha XG repository
YMF7x4 Guide
Aopen AW744L II SB-LINK

Reply 9 of 13, by Tetrium

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cyclone3d wrote:
Tetrium wrote:

What does this disk look like? Have a pic of it?

First result on google images for Packard Bell European Master CD comes up with the picture:

1372883228.or.46613.jpg

I suppose they had more master disks, which all may have looked different. Hence why I asked 😜

Whats missing in your collections?
My retro rigs (old topic)
Interesting Vogons threads (links to Vogonswiki)
Report spammers here!

Reply 11 of 13, by yawetaG

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Tetrium wrote:
cyclone3d wrote:
Tetrium wrote:

What does this disk look like? Have a pic of it?

First result on google images for Packard Bell European Master CD comes up with the picture:

1372883228.or.46613.jpg

I suppose they had more master disks, which all may have looked different. Hence why I asked 😜

Or they may all be the same except for the part number... 😵

Reply 12 of 13, by Tetrium

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yawetaG wrote:
Tetrium wrote:
cyclone3d wrote:

First result on google images for Packard Bell European Master CD comes up with the picture:

1372883228.or.46613.jpg

I suppose they had more master disks, which all may have looked different. Hence why I asked 😜

Or they may all be the same except for the part number... 😵

Or they may have the exact same part number but still look very different. I don't really know and before I commit and go through my stacks of optical media I'd prefer to know what the item I'm looking for actually looks like. It makes searching so much faster.

Whats missing in your collections?
My retro rigs (old topic)
Interesting Vogons threads (links to Vogonswiki)
Report spammers here!