So, two days ago I drove about a hundred miles to pick up a gigantic lot of old computer parts and misc electronics from a guy who did PC repair for about 30 years. While he did get rid of a lot of other stuff over the past few years, I'm very very pleased with what I've brought home. Especially because it cost me more in fuel to drive there and back than it did for me to actually buy the stuff.
I have computer components that go back to the mid 80s... and even one set of circuit boards from GRI dated 1969! There's a pile of 486 boards (most have significant battery corrosion damage but I'll see if any can be salvaged), WANG 286-10Mhz parts, 1987 Tandy 386-16Mhz parts, Olivetti parts from the early 80s, Socket 7, Super Socket 7, Slot 1, heaps of cables, bay covers and adapters, a Mitsumi Double Speed CDROM with controller card and cables, a couple hundred 3.5 and 5.25 floppies in storage cases (some original, mostly copies), Compaq KVM switch. There's also an original set of CheckIt Portable disks (two floppies) from 2000, with a PCI post code tester and an assortment of tester dongles that you attach to serial, PS2, and parallel ports. There was even a whole bunch of portable electronics that all seem to work. A Palm Vx, Everex WindowsCE handheld, Dell Inspiron 1100 (P4 2.4, 845G, Windows XP, 1GB RAM), and even a fairly decent Motorola MZ609 8.2" Android tablet that works really well (except for a loose charging port but it works fine you you charge it face down).
I also brought home an early-80s era Xerox daisy wheel printer with a ton of accessories, ribbons, cases of different wheel type sets and an auto-feeding assembly. He said it worked when it was last used... I hate printers but I can't wait to try this thing out. It is even in its original box with the foam packaging (it is certainly used however).
There was a lot more than this too. I packed my entire car full of stuff. To my astonishment, there wasn't a single ISA soundcard (aside from a Crystal base sound\modem combo) and there were very very few video cards. I'm assuming he got rid of these at some point in the past. Bummer!
... there was also an adorable little tiny Matrox card from 1997 that I totally didn't expect to find in this lot. 😉
Will post pics as I get a chance to take them. This is a lot of stuff to go through...
Now for some blitting from the back buffer.