In theory, I can put together a NOS system, one of these P MMX, or a K6-2, or a K6-2+ I've got unused, a P55T2P4 rev 2, which I think was NIB, though a P5A-B might be open box new, unsure until I try inserting a PCI card or RAM into it and getting that first crunch. T2P4 probably needs dallas or mod due to age anyway. Then I've got new, sealed 40GB PATA drive, new CDROM, new PCI soundcard, new PCI GF 6200 PCI, only new SIMMs I have are 4MB..

Yeah it would be an unbalanced mess, but all new 🤣
Actually, be a bit better if the P5A-B is new, because then A GF4 440MX AGP that's new can go in there, with a K6-2+, but not sure if I've got new new SDRAM, think maybe one stick of 128 if it likes it... though I am not sure it would like the GF4 MX either.

There's not really anything I am really saving to remain new, but I am kinda "use up the old one first" oriented, so as long as I've got better or as good at hand for messing with, I don't need to use them yet.

Pondering though whether to "take steps" to avoid using a boxed and shrinkwrapped ATI 9600 AIW... I have got a loose one, so I am going to mess with a cable for that and it might be all the 9600 I need for now.

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on 2026-05-17, 15:39:

Cuttoon wrote on 2026-05-16, 22:45:

Yeah, well - that's the whole point. Up to now, it's a collectible. Once I install it, it's used hardware. Remember that revolver in "Lord of War"?
As a matter of principle, I do own a humble CMS-401 II for mere functionality.
U sure there's a tiny Zilog CPU hidden there?

Tiny, what do you mean by that? Obviously none of the chips are Z80, it is not like they are somehow invisible.

That was a response to the post I quoted.
It may come as a shock to you, but not quite all government approved top nerds know at once and by heart how a Zilog Z-80 chip looks like. And in any case, those buggers may come in different shapes not readily recognizable and not marked as such. So, I looked it up, most likeley they are standard, IIRC, so called DIL beetles, 40 legs.
There's such a thing on the CMS card I linked to.
But would have been news to me if that's a Z-80. I always considered these interfaces to be even simper affairs.
In any case, I don't plan to reverse engineer any. 😉

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on 2026-05-17, 15:39:

Thinking that some NOS electronics is some huge collectible is just... plain weird IMO. I don't get it. I've gotten countless of NOS components, software and games throughout my retrocomputing years and every single one I've bought for one reason only: to use them and getting fun tinkering time out of them. Zero regrets, zero anxiety. I personally don't see a point in hoarding boxes of components on the shelves just for the sake of having them sitting there. I don't get it, it is just hoarding for the sake of it IMO. But you do you ofc.

Don't take that so literally. "Collectible" was more of a joke.
It's just that I'm operating with limited space and finances, so I have to consider reselling stuff.
The stupid AI description in the offer claimed it did the intelligent mode - and a disclaimer "AI description subject to errors". Which is like writing "may cure cancer or not" on your product. But I guess that's simply the kind of world we live in, now.
And then there's the writing on the box. So I got curious whether anyone here knew. But there's no hurry, as I do have the other card already. And, I just assumed that "unused" would be a slight upgrade in resale value?
Point taken about "hoarding", yet with this part, I don't even deprive anyone of of a retro experience, since those cards are readily available as replicas.

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on 2026-05-17, 15:39:

Silliest example I've seen about this was one guy in Reddit who posted a photo of his vintage Mac collection, all in NOS in the original brown and white cardboard boxes. People posted that the batteries and caps are leaking in those things and they are already if not completely ruined, then well on their way to be so. But the anxiety this guy had about his stuff was unreal, he didn't want to take those out and fix or maintain them and I think that he never did, he just left the thread. I bet he has corroding junk in those boxes to this day and he or anyone else never got to enjoy those machines.

You lost me at "vintage Mac collection" 😁

Picked up a Dell XPS 710. Actually just for the Ageia PhysX card, but as a whole it's quite the monster.
QX6700, dual 8800 GTX, X-Fi XtremeMusic, water+peltier cooling...

And of course free leaky caps.

PD2JK wrote on 2026-05-18, 18:17:

Picked up a Dell XPS 710.

😮 the Ultimate in 'I have no clue but money is no object'.

PD2JK wrote on 2026-05-18, 18:17:

dual 8800 GTX

Was that stock? I looked at some reviews and 710 originally shipped with Quad SLI with two GeForce 7950 GX2 or even dial X1950 XTX.
The case is nice, and impressive power supply for the time.

rasz_pl wrote on 2026-05-19, 08:12:

:o the Ultimate in 'I have no clue but money is no object'. […]
Show full quote

PD2JK wrote on 2026-05-18, 18:17:

Picked up a Dell XPS 710.

😮 the Ultimate in 'I have no clue but money is no object'.

PD2JK wrote on 2026-05-18, 18:17:

dual 8800 GTX

Was that stock? I looked at some reviews and 710 originally shipped with Quad SLI with two GeForce 7950 GX2 or even dial X1950 XTX.
The case is nice, and impressive power supply for the time.

I wasn't even aware that Dell built anything but bland office equipment.

So, that was an OEM, off-the-shelf PC?
Did it come with an official power rating, a wattage?

Cuttoon wrote on 2026-05-19, 10:15:

rasz_pl wrote on 2026-05-19, 08:12:

:o the Ultimate in 'I have no clue but money is no object'. […]
Show full quote

PD2JK wrote on 2026-05-18, 18:17:

Picked up a Dell XPS 710.

😮 the Ultimate in 'I have no clue but money is no object'.

PD2JK wrote on 2026-05-18, 18:17:

dual 8800 GTX

Was that stock? I looked at some reviews and 710 originally shipped with Quad SLI with two GeForce 7950 GX2 or even dial X1950 XTX.
The case is nice, and impressive power supply for the time.

I wasn't even aware that Dell built anything but bland office equipment.

Didn't Dell buy Alienware?

Yes, all stock. Even the PhysX was optional and selected (online I guess?)

These XPS machines are Alienware light/on a diet. Dell acquired them yes.

Just replaced some 820uF caps...

I have no clue why the first one measured perfectly fine, but I replaced it anyway. And also applied some fresh paste under the heatsinks.

You can tell they went FULL nVidia there. Even the chipset itself is nVidia (MCP55)

Found at a thrift store where I would normally not expect it so it was a nice surprise. Sealed never opened, and for Commodore, Epson, HP, IBM!! 😜

Got this bad boy from Japan today along with a few console goodies:

No interface card included of course, but I already have plans for that. The MIF-IPC-B from lo-tech doesn't look very "retro" to me, so I took the opportunity to start learning KiCad and have been working on a replica of the MIF-IPC-A that is much closer to the original. Now I just need to wait for the PCBs from China...

eesz34 wrote on Today, 01:00:

Found at a thrift store where I would normally not expect it so it was a nice surprise. Sealed never opened, and for Commodore, Epson, HP, IBM!! 😜

Well there's no excuse not to write to your grandma on that fancy new computer, and what is it, word prefect, now you can save 30 letters on a disk.

Incredible luck struck today... As I was sipping morning coffee going through new listings on my countries OLX market I noticed an ad posted few hours ago. It was a motherboard, Soyo SY-7VBA133U. Tested and clean, it was advertised as price upon request.... Checked seller credibility, 240+ postitive reviews over 15 years. I immediately contacted him and he said the price is 10$... It seemed a bit strange and I was suspecting he was testing me with that price. I decied to tell him that board is worth much more to avoid that possibility and then we came to a price of 30 dollars which is also ridiculous.... 🤣

Order confirmed and it should arrive by Monday. Let's hope it goes well and I add second Tualatin board to my collection.

eesz34 wrote on Today, 01:00:

Found at a thrift store where I would normally not expect it so it was a nice surprise. Sealed never opened, and for Commodore, Epson, HP, IBM!! 😜

I have a few boxes of these. Somehow I have developed a strange fascination with 5 1/4" floppy disk box design... I have a box of Maxell disks on the way right now. I don't do anything with 'm, the boxes are just decoration. I have seen other people do with Creative Labs or 3Dfx cards. 😀

[seller photo]

pan069 wrote on Today, 09:24:

I have a few boxes of these. Somehow I have developed a strange fascination with 5 1/4" floppy disk box design... I have a box o […]
Show full quote

eesz34 wrote on Today, 01:00:

Found at a thrift store where I would normally not expect it so it was a nice surprise. Sealed never opened, and for Commodore, Epson, HP, IBM!! 😜

I have a few boxes of these. Somehow I have developed a strange fascination with 5 1/4" floppy disk box design... I have a box of Maxell disks on the way right now. I don't do anything with 'm, the boxes are just decoration. I have seen other people do with Creative Labs or 3Dfx cards. 😀

The attachment s-l1600.webp is no longer available

[seller photo]

I remember those nice designs, 3.5" weren't as shiny and glamorous.
Probably being money they at least made them look good.