VOGONS


Mr. Fusion's Home Lab

Topic actions

First post, by mrfusion92

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

After so many posts about issues about my machines, it was about time to give them an official presentation.

The main machines are these two:

The attachment 20220612_155410.jpg is no longer available

1) IBM PS/ValuePoint type 6381

The attachment 20220612_155841.jpg is no longer available

CPU: 486 DX 33Mhz
RAM: 3x4 MB (I'm waiting for the arrival of 2 x 16 Mb modules, so future total will be 40 MB)
GPU: Tseng ET400/W32 (upgraded with 1 MB VRAM)
Drives: Gotek, CF-IDE adapter and generic CD-ROM
Sound: ES1868
Ethernet: NE2000 compatible
OS: DOS 6.22 and Wfw 3.11

It was in the office where I work buried somewhere. It works ok. DOOM is playable, Duke Nukem isn't at all.
There was an ISA IBM 5250 emulation card since it was used as terminal for an IBM AS/400. I removed it.
Based on the IBM manual the CPU can be swapped with a 486 DX2 66 Mhz or a Pentium OverDrive 83 Mhz but since the average cost of the latter I think I will go with the DX2.

2) The media-monster or all-in-one or rule-them-all PC

The attachment 20220612_160038.jpg is no longer available

MB: Abit VH6T
CPU: Celeron 1.3 Ghz
RAM: 2x256 MB
GPU: MSI Nvidia FX 5200 Ultra + Diamond Monster 3D II 8 Mb
Drives: Generic CD-ROM, Iomega Zip-100, Panansonic JU-475-4AK0, IBM/Tandberg SLR5, generic floppy
Storage: 128 GB SSD with SATA-to-IDE adapter
Sound: Creative AudioPCI
Ethernet: Generic Realtek 10/100
SCSI: Adaptec 2940UW
Other: ALI USB 2.0 PCI
PSU: Aerocool 500W (new)
OS: Windows 98 with NUSB patch only

The attachment 20220612_160221.jpg is no longer available

Fully assembled by me. I already had the FX 5200, the AudioPCI, the ethernet card and the generic drives.
Everything else was taken from where I work (small IT company active for 30 years with rooms filled with old stuff) for free or waited for bargain prices on eBay.

Future (possible) upgrades:
- the Voodoo2 8 MB card was only 25€ or so on ebay but If I encounter a cheap 12 MB one I will probably buy it for a future SLI (I will probably remove the USB2.0 card in that case).
- CF-IDE adapter with slot bracket. I mean the AMR slot is the only one empty... I can't accept that.

The attachment 20220612_160348.jpg is no longer available

*** Random thoughts ***
The IBM Model M keyboard was from work too, it's a fantastic I can understand why it's worth so much but my plan is really to keep it. I do use it occasionally when I feel like to use a typewriter!
I do have other spare stuff, some ISA cards and PCI/AGP video cards. But not really worthwhile to be shown.

And what about notebooks? I do have an AMD K6-2 notebook from Mitac, I love it and works very good but externally is in bad condition and that's why I'm not showing it right now here.
I bought also a Dell C540, a very nice and capable notebook with a P3 and a ATI GPU. I replaced the screen, added the wifi module and installed a SSD M2 to IDE adapter. With Windows 2000 works like a charm, for a quick retro game session is perfect.
And finally a Toshiba SP4300, I think a very common machine here.

Sooner or later I will post the photos of the notebooks too.

That's all for now folks!

Reply 1 of 3, by Radical Vision

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Nice systems, but that black Zip drive does look like was pulled out of other system 😁 . To see ABIT is nice, also no blown caps huh they may be just dry then. Sadly the Voodoo II is only 8MB, but you can upgrade it if u want to 12MB, so not big of a deal.. Windows below Vista/ 7 mess up with SSDs, you want to use HDD or trim the SSD, otherwise will wear in no time. My IBM PS/2 is of the smaller calliber, i prefer bigger like urs, but at least it takes less storage space..

Well there is nothing to wonder why the IBM Model M cost so much in ebay and everywhere... It is one of the most refine and nice keyboards to type on... I am just using mine on my main system, and let me tell you, the damn thing feels just great... I heard IBM Model F is even better, but i dont own one for now.. Seems your is of the better one Model M Gen 2 with the grey logo they are better, i had the Gen 3 and was not as good, and there is gen 1 and gen 0 they are considered even more premium, but as rare too... The feel and, sound and everything on these IBM keyboards just feel damn good.. Lets just say it i feel joy only from typing on it, the feel, the sound, the build quality it is just masterpiece... But is no wonder, after all IBM did invest ALOT of money in order to create the buckling spring mechanism... Sadly everything after Model M Gen 2 (grey logo) feels worse, and Unicomp is even more worse as is considered Gen 5 or 6...

Mah systems retro, old, newer (Radical stuff)
W3680 4.5/ GA-x58 UD7/ R9 280x
K7 2.6/ NF7-S/ HD3850
IBM x2 P3 933/ GA-6VXD7/ Voodoo V 5.5K
Cmq P2 450/ GA-BX2000/ V2 SLI
IBM PC365
Cmq DeskPRO 486/33
IBM PS/2 Model 56
SPS IntelleXT 8088

Reply 2 of 3, by mrfusion92

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Radical Vision wrote on 2022-06-12, 21:40:

Nice systems, but that black Zip drive does look like was pulled out of other system 😁 . To see ABIT is nice, also no blown caps huh they may be just dry then. Sadly the Voodoo II is only 8MB, but you can upgrade it if u want to 12MB, so not big of a deal.. Windows below Vista/ 7 mess up with SSDs, you want to use HDD or trim the SSD, otherwise will wear in no time. My IBM PS/2 is of the smaller calliber, i prefer bigger like urs, but at least it takes less storage space..

it isn't a zip but a tape drive! But yes taken from an old IBM server. About the TRIM for the SSD I already added the rloew patch in the autoexec.bat, should be enough. Found the Abit on Ebay sold with the Celeron, was a really bargain price, fortunately I saw the listing just as soon was created.

Radical Vision wrote on 2022-06-12, 21:40:

Well there is nothing to wonder why the IBM Model M cost so much in ebay and everywhere... It is one of the most refine and nice keyboards to type on... I am just using mine on my main system, and let me tell you, the damn thing feels just great... I heard IBM Model F is even better, but i dont own one for now.. Seems your is of the better one Model M Gen 2 with the grey logo they are better, i had the Gen 3 and was not as good, and there is gen 1 and gen 0 they are considered even more premium, but as rare too... The feel and, sound and everything on these IBM keyboards just feel damn good.. Lets just say it i feel joy only from typing on it, the feel, the sound, the build quality it is just masterpiece... But is no wonder, after all IBM did invest ALOT of money in order to create the buckling spring mechanism... Sadly everything after Model M Gen 2 (grey logo) feels worse, and Unicomp is even more worse as is considered Gen 5 or 6...

I think we do have a Model F too at work, from an old terminal. It was really big. Gonna check for it today if it is still there.

Reply 3 of 3, by Radical Vision

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Well then u get that Model F then... Even if is for terminal is still Model F, expensive and wanted keyboard... You can do 2 things with it, try to mod it make it work with normal PCs, or straight sell it on ebay for sweet amount of money...

Mah systems retro, old, newer (Radical stuff)
W3680 4.5/ GA-x58 UD7/ R9 280x
K7 2.6/ NF7-S/ HD3850
IBM x2 P3 933/ GA-6VXD7/ Voodoo V 5.5K
Cmq P2 450/ GA-BX2000/ V2 SLI
IBM PC365
Cmq DeskPRO 486/33
IBM PS/2 Model 56
SPS IntelleXT 8088