OMG, why are people (and me) so stupid! I got this board from one "IT guy", so I didn't inspect it so much. Look at the middle bottom RAM chip.

I am pretty sure that the chip shouldn't be rotated! As soon as I turned it on, the chip got hot as balls. Well if it died, no big deal, actually I have 8 of these RAMchips somewhere in my workshop. But if it did something worse to the board...!

Oh that DRAM's dead for sure. Fortunately the damage tends to be isolated so go ahead and replace it. 😀

Umm... can I use these?

Nothing stands out as being incompatible. I recommend you double check yourself.

http://www.datasheet4u.com/datasheet-pdf/NMBT … f.php?id=521686
http://www.datasheets360.com/pdf/-7303039259885408999

Well, I replaced bank 1 with these, still no beeps, but the CPU gets warm, so I guess it is doing something? Well, since I don't have any ISA graphics card...

By the way, please do neutralize the acid residue with vinegar.

Vinegar? Are you sure? I would think something alkaline, like solution of sodium bicarbonate, not acidic vinegar...

vinegar or lemon juice will work fine for battery/capacitor acid

NiCd batteries have an alkaline electrolyte, so battery "acid" isn't a very accurate term.

alexanrs wrote:

NiCd batteries have an alkaline electrolyte, so battery "acid" isn't a very accurate term.

Actually allways wondered why people say that an acid (vinegar) can neutralise another acid (battery).
Just does not add up. 🤣 Acid is 6.9 and below after all.

Oh yeah, you are right, derpy me. Nickel-Cadmium's electrolyte is pottasium hydroxide, which is alkaline.

Car batteries came first and they were lead-acid based so everybody thinks acid for battery leaks.

Unknown_K wrote:

Car batteries came first and they were lead-acid based so everybody thinks acid for battery leaks.

Yeah... Lead plates and sulfuric acid (mixed with destilled water).
The acid are well known for being used in Acid-attacks. Makes horrible facial damage and nasty burns.

I think most non-rechargeable batteries are alkali as well.

I actually got these for free due to an earlier refund from another seller - you may remember that, it hadn't come in when I bought the Socket 7 board, so I just waited as that board was cheap anyway and I knew I'd have made the money back by the time my self-Christmas present hunting came around. Then someone else covered the rest of the cost because, well, Christmas.

This means I basically got my latest purchase for free!

I own FIVE of these now. 9-inch SVGA Monochrome monitors. I have a plan and it will be epic... Or really shit. Not sure until I try. They weren't expensive anyway, together they would have cost less than a single monitor. I will be back later with another hardware purchase (Christmas Present) if all goes to plan. it's a good one...

And lastly for today, something I needed and have paid for myself.

A 19" Trinitron CPD-420GS. Bought because my LG is dying and I refuse to go to LCD for my main machine, I will hold out with CRT until OLED becomes an option, at which point this monitor will hopefully still work and be moved to something else, probably replacing the old Belinea my music computer is using. The LG will be demoted to my "Preview Monitor" until it gives up. I can fix the LG, but the phosphor in it has gone to hell.

Postage cost more than the damn monitor, but at least I finally own one. Here's hoping it gets here in one piece.

Think I will sell some shit to cover the cost, as I still need parts for that damn Xeon. Wish things would stop breaking so I didn't have to replace them. The old systems are currently not being maintained though, so if those die they'll be out of action until the Xeon is done, I would have left the monitor and got the next part for the Xeon, but I need something to do in the meantime and I can do nothing without a monitor. My laptop might be good, but it simply isn't capable of everything the workstation is and I need both of them working ideally.

Now I just have to hope the workstation's cooling loop can hold out. It should.

Could dip into my council grant money after the move to kickstart the Xeon build back into gear I guess. Not like I'll be spending it on that write-off of a so-called house I am expected to live in. Fucking government treat the lower class like animals or some shit. And it'll all probably get stolen anyway the first time a burglar shows up.

Got a couple unopened boxes of 1.44MB floppy disks from my former landlord for free. 90 disks in total. I'm never again gonna need to dig through thrift stores, salvage shops or eBay to find more for my vintage collection.

So colorful! 🤣

Used to use those same disks and they didn't last long... But that was because the pecker head at the computer shop wouldn't repair my faulty floppy drive. Prick. Those disks were awesome.

bristlehog wrote:

According to Cloudschatze, all of PA Spectrum 16 and Studio 16 cards require -5V, except for 650-0097-xx (IXW-SCSI 1-1) Pro Audio Studio XL card. I am not sure if he has every PAS16 variant, but indeed he owns a 650-0060-xx (IXW-PAR). It seems IXW-PAR needs -5V.

this means this card requires a specific PSU to work properly???

Nope.
Some Startech ATX to AT adapters have a linear voltage regulator that derives the -5V line from the -12V, allowing these cards to operate correctly.
Also, all AT PSUs should have provides -5V, and all early ATX PSUs have those as well.