VOGONS


First post, by rick12373

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I picked this up a few years ago. I upgraded the CPU from the 486SX2-66 to a 486 DX4-100 using an overdrive. I also took the RAM from the original amount (not sure if that was 12MB I can't seem to find the original specs) to 64MB RAM. I had to adjust the centering of the CRT by adjusting some of the tuning screws inside the monitor, which was very scary! So I got it working nicely back then until the hard drive died on me. It was the original 420 MB Conner? drive. I bought an SD Card to IDE interface but never got round to putting it in.

Anyway I decided to get it working again and I am happy to report getting the SD card to work was way easier than I expected. Right now I have a 256MB one in there but I will be upgrading that to a 512MB shortly. I was sure there was going to be some problem getting it to recognize the drive but it worked first time and DOS installed without a problem. I really do like this machine, I just hope the monitor never gives out as that would probably be non-repairable (especially for me). I love being able to slide the SD card out, put in my modern machine and then copy new software over before slotting it back in. So convenient!

I was playing Return to Zork recently and noticed that the sequences that stream from the CD were slow and choppy. The game has a program that tests the speed of the CD drive and it returned a speed well below the recommended for the game. I am not entirely sure what speed drive this machine came with, the information that I have found online seems to indicate that it is either a single speed 😮 or 4 speed drive. I am leaning towards it being single speed. After rooting around in my spares I found an MSI 52x Max CD ROM drive. It looks like it is in very good condition and even has a headphone jack and volume on the front, which I like. I haven't hooked it up yet. This drive should work on the machine shouldn't it? The picture isn't my machine by the way.

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486 DX4-100 (overdrive)
16MB 72-pin SIMM RAM (2x8MB)
1MB Diamond Speedstar Pro VLB video card
SB 16 Value CT2770
AOpen VI15G Socket 3 Motherboard
HDD/FDD VLB controller card

Reply 1 of 7, by Scraphoarder

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Nice Compaq. I got a used one many years ago and took out the motherboard and hoped to do some cool casemodding. That never materialised, but i managed to use it as a monitor. I trashed it some years after. Regret i didnt keep it now..

Reply 2 of 7, by rick12373

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Scraphoarder wrote:

Nice Compaq. I got a used one many years ago and took out the motherboard and hoped to do some cool casemodding. That never materialised, but i managed to use it as a monitor. I trashed it some years after. Regret i didnt keep it now..

I have always thought that if the monitor dies I will try to put an LCD screen and modern system inside.

I am thinking I will put Windows 95 on this as well. I think it would have had Windows 3.11 on it when it was new. By the way when this things was new it cost $2000!!

486 DX4-100 (overdrive)
16MB 72-pin SIMM RAM (2x8MB)
1MB Diamond Speedstar Pro VLB video card
SB 16 Value CT2770
AOpen VI15G Socket 3 Motherboard
HDD/FDD VLB controller card

Reply 3 of 7, by chinny22

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We got return to zork bundled with our PC, it was a 2x
Faster drives are actually a pain if your not constantly reading the drive due to spin up/spin down times. From memory Zork is always using the drive for at least audio so you may be alright. If not there are programs to slow down newer drives.
If the CD drive plugs into the motherboard your fine, It'll be a standard IDE drive.
If it plugs into the sound card it may be something else like a MDE/Panasonic drive. Even though it looks like a standard IDE interface it isn't! Quick google of the drives model number will tell you the answer. and even then you should still be able to plug your 52x in as a slave on your IDE interface

Reply 4 of 7, by rick12373

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chinny22 wrote:
We got return to zork bundled with our PC, it was a 2x Faster drives are actually a pain if your not constantly reading the driv […]
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We got return to zork bundled with our PC, it was a 2x
Faster drives are actually a pain if your not constantly reading the drive due to spin up/spin down times. From memory Zork is always using the drive for at least audio so you may be alright. If not there are programs to slow down newer drives.
If the CD drive plugs into the motherboard your fine, It'll be a standard IDE drive.
If it plugs into the sound card it may be something else like a MDE/Panasonic drive. Even though it looks like a standard IDE interface it isn't! Quick google of the drives model number will tell you the answer. and even then you should still be able to plug your 52x in as a slave on your IDE interface

It plugs in to the motherboard. I have also just found an old 8x CDROM, I think I will try that one.

486 DX4-100 (overdrive)
16MB 72-pin SIMM RAM (2x8MB)
1MB Diamond Speedstar Pro VLB video card
SB 16 Value CT2770
AOpen VI15G Socket 3 Motherboard
HDD/FDD VLB controller card

Reply 5 of 7, by Guy With 3 Cats

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Sorry to bump this but I just dug my old one out of the attic.

It is indeed a 1x CD ROM drive!

By any chance do you or anyone here have a link to the restore CD that came with it? I would love to get it back to its original form, especially with TabWorks and all the other stuff it came with. I can't find an ISO online anywhere, and no one is selling them on ebay. 🙁

Reply 6 of 7, by rick12373

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Guy With 3 Cats wrote on 2022-06-19, 19:10:

Sorry to bump this but I just dug my old one out of the attic.

It is indeed a 1x CD ROM drive!

By any chance do you or anyone here have a link to the restore CD that came with it? I would love to get it back to its original form, especially with TabWorks and all the other stuff it came with. I can't find an ISO online anywhere, and no one is selling them on ebay. 🙁

No I don't have it. Wish I did to be honest.

486 DX4-100 (overdrive)
16MB 72-pin SIMM RAM (2x8MB)
1MB Diamond Speedstar Pro VLB video card
SB 16 Value CT2770
AOpen VI15G Socket 3 Motherboard
HDD/FDD VLB controller card

Reply 7 of 7, by pampilhoso

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Guy With 3 Cats wrote on 2022-06-19, 19:10:

Sorry to bump this but I just dug my old one out of the attic.

It is indeed a 1x CD ROM drive!

By any chance do you or anyone here have a link to the restore CD that came with it? I would love to get it back to its original form, especially with TabWorks and all the other stuff it came with. I can't find an ISO online anywhere, and no one is selling them on ebay. 🙁

I can help you with this one 😀

I'm the founder of a dedicated facebook group regarding the CDS 500 series, https://www.facebook.com/groups/compaqpresariocds500series.
There's a sticky post with all the info you need regarding factory reseting the CDS.