Re: DELL 433/L - Downgrade Failure

Posted on 2024-03-19, 04:02

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Thanks for the suggestions! I tried an SX-25 which worked ok and subsequently put the DX33 into a different (working) board - nothing :-( So it seems to be indeed the CPU (this is a first for me as I thought these old low MHz variants last forever). So I will fire up my soldering iron and find that …

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Re: 2024 - End of the era of Retro Computing Youtube channels?

Posted on 2024-03-19, 02:33

by

by Aui

in Milliways

in Milliways

I've been called anti-science for trying to explain that leaving your refrigerator door open will not cool your house well it potentially could, if you face the backside of the refridgerator towards an open window...

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Re: Help identifying this 286 motherboard

Posted on 2024-03-18, 09:56

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Interesting - thanks! They do look somewhat similar. Its strange that it is called "Protech" as the board I have really is called Protek. One would expect that a company that is making highly sophisticated 286 mainboards should have an established company name?! I am especially wondering about the …

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Re: AT (Clone) - Motherboard Formfactor

Posted on 2024-03-18, 09:49

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

That 386 DX40 quickly became one of my favourite machines. Its not very fancy but it now runs very well and both FDDs work correctly - which is awesome. The only thing I have not found yet is a serial mouse. I tried some PS/2 mice with serial adapters but that never worked. I will probably need to …

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Help identifying this 286 motherboard

Posted on 2024-03-18, 09:14

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Hi everyone, I need some help identifying this board - here are some of the key specs: The Brand is "PROTEK V2.08" of which I never heard of... - CPU: 286 12MHz - Chipset: Suntac - Dallas RTC - Only socketed RAM - 2x 8Bit / 6x 16Bit ISA Thanks

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DELL 433/L - Downgrade Failure

Posted on 2024-03-18, 07:30

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Hi everyone, I am currently trying to downgrade a DELL system from a 486ODPR100 to an 486 DX-33. I assume both CPU's should run at 5V on a 33 MHz FSB ?! However, if inserting the DX33 I only get a few quick (squealing) beeps from the speakers and the system is not booting (CPU gets warm though). So …

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Re: What game are you playing now?

Posted on 2024-03-17, 01:57

by

by Aui

in Milliways

in Milliways

Has anybody tried "Guns Gore and Cannoli", especially the multiplayer version? Its not really a retro game, although it has an awesome retro artstyle. The couch coop is a lot of fun, and the humor (both graphic and verbal) is hilarious. PG rating (profound carnage... 😉 )

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Re: Big Box PC Games – Show and Tell

Posted on 2024-03-11, 09:15

by

by Aui

in Milliways

in Milliways

LGR just uploaded the quintessential DUNE I Boxart and Game review (and no, I dont think the age of retro gaming channels has reached its end yet) I like this game a lot especially because it very nicely blends adventure elements with strategy gameplay which is rare. In addition, just like the old …

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Re: best version of Office to learn

Posted on 2024-03-01, 05:45

by

by Aui

in Milliways

in Milliways

Every new version of office takes a few buttons and exchanges them with some random others. Sometimes they may be bundled into a ribbon. A few years later the ribbon will be unpacked and put into a customizable submenue. Next year they will be probably packed into a box from the metaverse. There is …

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Re: This is not a PC, but it may as well be! (My PowerMac G3 Blue & White)

Posted on 2024-03-01, 00:16

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Hi and thanks for sharing this build. I have a similar machine and your post entused me to maybe get it up and running again. However, I have close to no experience with these more recent Mac "PC's" so I hope you dont mind a few questions. At first the machine would not post at all, so I replaced …

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Re: Newly made Retro styled AT/Baby AT Case

Posted on 2024-02-29, 23:55

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Ok - on another recent post ( https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=81133&p=1239245#p1239245 ) I saw something that reminded me: "The quintessential AT desktop case". If there ever will be an attempt to recreate an AT case - this design should be the blueprint or at least the reference: …

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Re: Patched together a 286-20MHz. What should be the expected performance?

Posted on 2024-02-29, 04:43

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

+1 for removing that battery asap.

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Re: My 15 Retro PC KVM Setup aka the "RetroRacks Project"

Posted on 2024-02-29, 02:48

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Those Highscreen desktops are among the best AT cases ever: - pleasing beige color - check - cool badge - check - no proprietary LPX form - check - not too bulky - check - vertical floppy to save space - check - keylook - check - turbo and reset button - check - digital MHz display - check - …

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Re: Orange spider web on the screen , Help :(

Posted on 2024-02-29, 00:24

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I just share a repair attempt that went 85% ok. This is a early Vaio sub-notebook which had serious vinegar disease. I managed to install new polarizers, but you can see 2 spots on the screen where some tiny dust flakes remained causing small bubbles on the display - but otherwise it worked ok. If …

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Re: Orange spider web on the screen , Help :(

Posted on 2024-02-28, 03:46

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

If it is indeed Vinegar Syndrome, not al is lost, although the repair is challanging. The repair needs the replacement of the lcd polarizer which can be done. The key challanges are: - Disassambly of the screen without breaking anything - removing the (glued on) polarizer without force or damaging …

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Re: Bought these games today

Posted on 2024-02-24, 13:12

by

by Aui

in Milliways

in Milliways

Yes, you have a point. I also like the Morrowind slipcover version a lot. In fact, long ago I found a (very frial and poorly made) Morrowind Big Box only containing the CD but no map. So I got the slipcover version as well and put that one into the big box 😀

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Re: Nostalgia for old Graphics Programs?

Posted on 2024-02-24, 07:27

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ Software

in Marvin \ Software

Not strictly a "graphic" program but a lot of fun to play around with was FRACTINT - please give that one a try if you dont know it. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractint

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Re: Coincell Barrel in old Dell 433/L

Posted on 2024-02-22, 01:53

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Forgot the image

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Coincell Barrel in old Dell 433/L

Posted on 2024-02-22, 01:51

by

by Aui

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Hi everyone, Im currently looking at an old Dell machine (433/L) and found an old barrel battery mantled with tape. Opening the tape revealed a stack of 3 GPA76 (LR44) coin cells. Is this the "original solution" Dell came up with? Im wondering because the connector on the board was corroded and …

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Re: Retro PC assembly/refurbish to order - does anyone do this in the UK?

Posted on 2024-02-21, 23:29

by

by Aui

in Milliways

in Milliways

I see. I dont know if such business exist in the UK. You can sometimes find "refurbished" PCs online but those are usually much more recent models. It is also difficult to offer it as a business (Do you pay someone who unsucessfully tried to get a CD drive open and close properly for 2 hours ?). …

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