How did you collect so many? How many retro pcs do you have running?

kolderman wrote:

How did you collect so many? How many retro pcs do you have running?

I started buying a few years ago and word got around, now more often than not people call me when they have stuff they want to get rid of. How many I have "running" is kind of a difficult question. Most of what I have is functional, but there are certain specific PC's I'm after - namely being all the ones I had or used extensively while growing up. I only have about half of them which is the main reason I joined this forum - someone here has one I've been looking for for a long time 😀 Of those that I do have (3) they are in perfect working order, if not particularly optimized.

Once I've completed the collection I'm going to build a room in my basement specifically suited for them to be set up and used. I'll also extensively thin my collection at that point.

retronerd wrote:

someone here has one I've been looking for for a long time 😀

You mean a specific OEM PC or just by internal components?

retronerd wrote:

Once I've completed the collection I'm going to build a room in my basement specifically suited for them to be set up and used. I'll also extensively thin my collection at that point.

I have a similar goal...I have a much (much!) smaller collection than you, but instead of putting them all in the basement I want to get a bigger house then spread them throughout the house...so as I am walking around I might pass one that I feel like playing so I just can.

Once I've completed the collection I'm going to build a room in my basement specifically suited for them to be set up and used. I'll also extensively thin my collection at that point.

This is what most of us are after... but even after many years hasn't materialised. Maybe next year 🤣

kolderman wrote:

You mean a specific OEM PC or just by internal components? […]
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retronerd wrote:

someone here has one I've been looking for for a long time 😀

You mean a specific OEM PC or just by internal components?

retronerd wrote:

Once I've completed the collection I'm going to build a room in my basement specifically suited for them to be set up and used. I'll also extensively thin my collection at that point.

I have a similar goal...I have a much (much!) smaller collection than you, but instead of putting them all in the basement I want to get a bigger house then spread them throughout the house...so as I am walking around I might pass one that I feel like playing so I just can.

2 of the machines I'm looking for are specific OEM, the one in question being one of them. The 3rd is by component as it was something I built as a teenager.

If I didn't have a family, I'd would most definitely have them spread about the house! But as it stands now the missus would kill me 😀

kixs wrote:

Once I've completed the collection I'm going to build a room in my basement specifically suited for them to be set up and used. I'll also extensively thin my collection at that point.

This is what most of us are after... but even after many years hasn't materialised. Maybe next year 🤣

Touche 😉

If i may use german: Holla, die Waldfee!

I think my wife would divorce me. 🤣 ... no really

McBierle wrote:

If i may use german: Holla, die Waldfee!

I think my wife would divorce me. 🤣 ... no really

I'd probably give it all up for the wife, but I'd have to think long and hard about it!!

kolderman wrote:

How many retro pcs do you have running?

Here's one particular PC I was after for some time and got ahold of last year. It's an HP Pavilion 7360 - Pentium 200 w/ MMX, 32 MB RAM, 3.8 GB HDD, 2 MB onboard video. One of the family businesses had a similar model when I was growing up and I used it for a lot of homework and whatnot. The one we had was actually a Pentium 150 but finding EXACT models could be a lifelong endeavor so I am willing to settle for systems with the same base hardware and aesthetics. I've since paired it with a period appropriate HP keyboard and mouse, still hunting for the proper CRT though.

There are a lot of PCs in there that I've been on the lookout for for quite a while now. I hate and respect you all the same. 🤣

appiah4 wrote:

There are a lot of PCs in there that I've been on the lookout for for quite a while now. I hate and respect you all the same. 🤣

Which ones?

Wotz a wife ??
Did you mean WiFi ?
🤣

I dunno how old you are, but if you have kid(s), once you reach a certain age, they will not let you get away with having hoards of stuff. Large piles of stuff is quaint and cool until they realize that they will have to clean up and get rid of it all when you're gone. Mine has been pretty firm about it with me. And rightly so...

Those Dell's are up there at the apex of asthetic case design to me. I owned a Dimensions XPS P90 in 1994, and at 17 took it to college where I steadily upgraded it over the years. The case was fantastic to work with.

You mentioned wanting to set them up - will you bake the large duplicate quantities down to a unique set of "best of the best" built systems (with the healthiest parts), and then keep a small backlog of parts, and unload the remainder?

Only asking.. I have two totes holding roughly three machines from 20-ish years ago, that I originally had planned to setup at some point in my future old age. Well.. I'm now that older future guy, and I barely have time to spare for my modern active retro projects (dos gaming on retropie), let alone what my past-self cared about. Plus, functionally speaking, I find the Pi offers far better power, space, and operational-conveniences versus retro hardware. Maybe I needs to 3D-print a micro Dell XPS Dimensions case for my Pi, and call it good 😀 That's just me though.

When you do start setting stuff up, I'm looking forward to more pictures and your thoughts!

retronerd wrote:

appiah4 wrote:

There are a lot of PCs in there that I've been on the lookout for for quite a while now. I hate and respect you all the same. 🤣

Which ones?

IBM Aptiva and Dell XPS towers and the Dell GX1 LP Desktop.

Wonderful hoard there. I notice nothing's that old. I see one newer IBM desktop.

krcroft wrote:

Those Dell's are up there at the apex of asthetic case design to me. I owned a Dimensions XPS P90 in 1994, and at 17 took it to college where I steadily upgraded it over the years. The case was fantastic to work with.

I had a Dimension XPS P90 as well. Loved that thing to bits. However, I think the ones on display are third wave P3 equipped units. The first wave ones (like my XPS P90) had a smooth face without vent strakes.

Do you have an extra 5.25 bay cover on those two dell dimension towers? They look circa 1998. I have one which needs one of the bay covers, and only these Dell covers will work

That's a beautiful sight, You definitely belong here!
Hopefully you'll have some time to do some builds and post them here, even if they aren't your dream ones