VOGONS


PC tower cases by year

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Reply 160 of 219, by Luke4838P

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Got this case the other day.
Don't know what year it is.

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file.php?mode=view&id=134727

On the right the black display it has the MHZ display but i have no idea on how to turn it on.

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Reply 161 of 219, by Cuttoon

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Luke4838P wrote on 2022-04-09, 14:37:
Got this case the other day. Don't know what year it is. […]
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Got this case the other day.
Don't know what year it is.

Spoiler

file.php?mode=view&id=134727

On the right the black display it has the MHZ display but i have no idea on how to turn it on.

No point integrating the full size photo with the "img" tags - anyone can just click the attachment thumbnail.

The case, many like that around. This thread will have info to narrow it down, but I'd guess late 486 era, 1995.

Lucky that it indeed has the MHz display build in and not just the window for it.
Pentium and later systems had little use for it but it should be easy enough to reactivate.
There are only a few basic layouts around:
http://www.minuszerodegrees.net/led_speed_dis … eed_display.htm
And there are countless of threads on the topic here, just search for keywords like MHz turbo LED display.

I like jumpers.

Reply 162 of 219, by Luke4838P

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Cuttoon wrote on 2022-04-09, 15:06:
No point integrating the full size photo with the "img" tags - anyone can just click the attachment thumbnail. […]
Show full quote
Luke4838P wrote on 2022-04-09, 14:37:
Got this case the other day. Don't know what year it is. […]
Show full quote

Got this case the other day.
Don't know what year it is.

Spoiler

file.php?mode=view&id=134727

On the right the black display it has the MHZ display but i have no idea on how to turn it on.

No point integrating the full size photo with the "img" tags - anyone can just click the attachment thumbnail.

The case, many like that around. This thread will have info to narrow it down, but I'd guess late 486 era, 1995.

Lucky that it indeed has the MHz display build in and not just the window for it.
Pentium and later systems had little use for it but it should be easy enough to reactivate.
There are only a few basic layouts around:
http://www.minuszerodegrees.net/led_speed_dis … eed_display.htm
And there are countless of threads on the topic here, just search for keywords like MHz turbo LED display.

About the image, i wanted to make it so that it's easier to see it without clicking and i posted it using spoiler so to not clutter the thread.
You're right on the CPU, it's a 486DX4 100 MHz and it has a circuit board with many jumpers on its back, although it's not easy to access with all the components installed, i should be removing some components then i can get a better view.

Reply 163 of 219, by Cuttoon

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Luke4838P wrote on 2022-04-09, 15:15:

About the image, i wanted to make it so that it's easier to see it without clicking and i posted it using spoiler so to not clutter the thread.

I got that and it's much to your credit that you're aware of the clutter issue.
I don't know about the user experience on mobile devices or certain browser, but on this desktop firefox, it's perfectly fine to click the thumbnail to open the full size in a new tab or the same and then go back.
Generally, this forum seems very quick, convenient, ergonomic and low BS - so, basically, the anti-facebook 😉

Luke4838P wrote on 2022-04-09, 15:15:

You're right on the CPU, it's a 486DX4 100 MHz and it has a circuit board with many jumpers on its back, although it's not easy to access with all the components installed, i should be removing some components then i can get a better view.

If it is indeed the original system: That is all very much a stab in the dark and more of a fuzzy statistical statement, but if it's an intel or AMD with 100 MHz then, IIRC, pretty sure around 1994 or 5. The 100 MHz was a short intermediate step. After that came 486's peak with the Cyrix and AMD 133 MHz chips which went on to be sold as budget system for years, while Intel focused on the Pentium.
While no one could tell the time it was actually assembled or sold, it's rather easy to determine the maximum age of major components. E.g. Intel CPUs have the manufacturing date in the 2nd line:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/common … _MHz_SK051.jpeg
"L543" means it was made in 1995, week 43.

The MHz thingy, my advice:

- Make detailed photos of anything you can see now, what wires go where, etc. before unplugging everything vaguely connected to the front
(engineering standpoint would be to have comprehensive documentation and insight, but with those old machines, one has to make do)
- carefully remove the whole front plate of the tower. Usually it's a couple of philips screws.

This beauty is the closest thing I own (not rare at all, it's bound to be in this thread earlier on. It says 486 and 66 all around since I got it, without content. The 66 was very long lived):

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So, two screws on each side. Then take care the speaker's or other wires aren't entangled and none of the drives gets stuck when pulling it off.

Now, you'll have access and a view to solve the issue with a clear head:

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If you module is the same gk-568, this is your lucky day.
It's the type that does not have any direct connection to the mobo.
- first two cables on the left, white and yellow, power the single "Turbo" led besides it.
- second three, orange, black, white, are connected to the switch. And the switch has a parallel set of wires to inform the motherboard.
- last two headers are for a 5 V power, usually provided via a molex adapter to the PSU. They're marked, ground and +5V on the pin to the right.
I was able to confirm all that abusing a simple CD audio cable and an external HDD PSU.
All the other jumpers below are merely to define the display for each segment. So, this being two digits, there are 14 jumpers for each segment lighting up with turbo on, off, alway or not at all - in my case resulting in 66 and 8, respectively.

If your LED module is of a different type, make a clean photo, open up a thread, someone here will have the very same.

I like jumpers.

Reply 164 of 219, by creepingnet

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Brickpad wrote on 2018-05-21, 02:55:
arncht wrote:

IMG_20160822_221652.jpg

I have the mid-tower version of this case, but it does not have the MHz displayer or turbo switch. It's pretty sturdy, and plenty of room for cable management.

This is the closest picture I could find that matches my first *real* PC back in 1998. It originally started it's life as a custom Point-Of-Sales computer in my dad's store, around 1992-93. I'll put this one around the early 90s.

My sister's 386 from 1991 had this case. I don't remember much about it except it had a gray AMT sticker for the branding with orangey red lettering, and had a 5.25" in the top bay and a 3.5" floppy in the top 3.5" bay. Ran DOS 5.00, played many hours of Ultima 6 and Monkey Island 1 & 2 on that thing.

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Reply 165 of 219, by Trev-MUN

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Hey all,

I had seen in another VOGONS thread that someone had posted having (or seeing) a computer with this sort of case:

case.jpg

Last year when Fry's Electronics liquidated I was able to pick up one of their corporate machines on the cheap. The one I picked out had this case.

I was wondering if anyone might know the original make and model of it; I had tried finding that out myself when I found out that the Wayback Machine had not only archived some of Newegg's earliest pages for computer cases, but that Newegg used to link to case manufacturer websites and that the Wayback Machine had archived some of them as well. Frustratingly, I'd been able to identify the cases for all the other beige box machines that were on sale during the liquidation except for the ones which use this style of case.

Has anyone had any luck identifying this one?

Reply 166 of 219, by appiah4

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Short question.

When did ElanVital/ASUS T5/T10 and InWin A500/Q500 hit the market? I got an A500 in 1998 IIRac but I dont recall T5 being out at the time. Was it? Did either of them exist in 1997?

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 167 of 219, by PC Hoarder Patrol

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appiah4 wrote on 2022-05-29, 22:04:

Short question.

When did ElanVital/ASUS T5/T10 and InWin A500/Q500 hit the market? I got an A500 in 1998 IIRac but I dont recall T5 being out at the time. Was it? Did either of them exist in 1997?

Based solely on their respective archived websites, the T5 / T10 would be May 1998 and the A500 / Q500, a few months earlier, at January 1998 (so maybe just somewhere in 1997?)

Reply 168 of 219, by appiah4

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PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2022-05-30, 03:45:
appiah4 wrote on 2022-05-29, 22:04:

Short question.

When did ElanVital/ASUS T5/T10 and InWin A500/Q500 hit the market? I got an A500 in 1998 IIRac but I dont recall T5 being out at the time. Was it? Did either of them exist in 1997?

Based solely on their respective archived websites, the T5 / T10 would be May 1998 and the A500 / Q500, a few months earlier, at January 1998 (so maybe just somewhere in 1997?)

Thanks, this was very helpful. The earliest online mentions of the T5/T10 I could find were from 1999 so it was kind of important for me to validate their existence in 1998 for a 98 themed build I have 😀

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 171 of 219, by RJRC

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The first PC I had was about 1995 and it was a Pentium 60 from ESCOM in a case similar to this one:

fL4hlTCl.jpg

(Source.)

No, the LED figures didn't change according to your CPU speed and if they did only could have gone up to 199 anyhow. They were hardwired somehow. I know this because it kept showing 60 even when we upgraded to a 200MMX and a TOPGUN TX PRO motherboard.

The on/off switch made a very satisfying clunk noise when you used it.

Reply 173 of 219, by Chadti99

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arncht wrote on 2022-06-16, 16:30:
Second half of 1997, at case with pentium mmx […]
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Second half of 1997, at case with pentium mmx

SnEHhgN_d.webp?maxwidth=1520&fidelity=grand

I’ve got one of these! My cover is a bit too big so it bulges out at the sides just a bit. Maybe not the best built case but it looks sharp and it’s nice and compact.

Reply 176 of 219, by Corvair

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arncht wrote on 2022-06-16, 16:30:
Second half of 1997, at case with pentium mmx […]
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Second half of 1997, at case with pentium mmx

SnEHhgN_d.webp?maxwidth=1520&fidelity=grand

Late type AT case, without "Turbo" key and MHz display. Very widespreaded design for this time.

Reply 177 of 219, by douglar

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Going Left to right:

1) Pentium 133 on a VX mobo, guessing mid 1996
2) Pentium 166mmx on a VX mobo, guessing mid 1997
3) K6 166 on TX mobo, guessing late 1997. Case #2 and #3 are identical frames and both use those snap in foil like slot covers in the back. The differences are the face plates and #2 has a screwless spring clip latch on the mobo tray.
4) 486-66 on a Contaq based Lion Nice Green Mobo. The Bios was late 93, but the case seems a little newer. LCD CPU speed display only has 2 digits. Has strange bulges on the side like it is buttressed around the rubber feet. Guessing this was late a 1994 PCeven though the date on the 8x CD Acer rom drive was June 1996. The plastic front panel on the CD drive was so brittle that it pretty much shattered when I tried to open the case, so it isn't pictured here.

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Reply 178 of 219, by EvieSigma

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Trying to identify this case...it's got Inwin A500 vibes but it's clearly not an A500, so I don't know if it's a different Inwin case or some kind of Taiwanese clone.

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Reply 179 of 219, by S500collector

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Looks like the Inwin V500 T matx case, very good case . I still own several inwin S500 atx cases. The “T” refers to intels T.A.C case ventilation solutions.