VOGONS


First post, by allenm

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Go ahead, have a laugh on me!

Actually, it's the computer (built from repurposed parts) I use in my lab for experimenting with old software, mostly Borland/Trubo Pascal.

Pentium-S 133mhz, 32mb, 1.44mb flex disk, CDROM, 120gb HD, 80gb HD, (2) USB 1.0 ports, (2) serial ports, parallel printer port, network card, PS/2 mouse, AT keyboard.
I'm running Windows 95 OSR 2.1 B.

I mainly use my LAN for transferring files back and forth to my Windows 11 desktop, but also have a USB CDROM and an USB 1.44mb flex drive on my Windows 11 machine. I can also exchange files using a SanDisk thumb drive. Even though the Pentium only has USB 1.0 ports, they work fine with 2.0 and 3.0 thumb drives up to 32gb.

I can also transfer files with PcAnywhere but mostly use that to access my Pentium from the living room sofa with a Windows 11 laptop.

The power supply fan and CPU fan were much too loud, at least for programming, maybe not so noticeable for gaming activity. So, I removed the P.S. fan and installed a metal screen over the top. It stays around 43 degrees C, according to my infrared thermometer.

In the case of the CPU fan, I took its temperature with its fan unplugged. It got up to about 70 degrees C. Most specs say 50 C is acceptable with 80 C being maximum. So, I decided to put a 100 ohm, 5 watt resistor is series with the fan to simply slow it down. Now it runs around 43 degrees C, the fan is silent, and I can concentrate on programming.

Reply 1 of 7, by tanis

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I laughed at first because that would be hilarious

Reply 2 of 7, by kmeaw

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For a long time I had my home network "server" PC built in a desk drawer. It was a Pentium 100 with 2 Realtek NICs, 32M RAM.

Reply 3 of 7, by Matchstick

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Oh a LITERAL breadboard... ROFL

Reply 4 of 7, by DaveDDS

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Ha! - you're not the only one!
I've got a couple older DOS machines that I build on wooden boards.
Mainly for two reasons:
- I didn't have any spare cases (esp for the AT style one)
- I wanted them to be as small as possible (take up less storage space)

The one on the right:
A few years back while downsizing (hopeing to move) I sold the system I used
to develop ImageDisk... It's mainboard had a exceptional FDC that could read
most all formats I threw at in (Single density/128 bytes-sector etc.)

Enough people have wanted me to continue developing and supporting ImageDisk
that I "threw together" another one - fortunately I happened to have another
identical mainboard in a box on a workshop shelf.

The board (P200MMX) is old enough to be AT (not ATX).. I did still have a
couple AT supplies, but finding a case was near impossible...

You may note the floppy cable coming off the right site has two "twist"s in
it ... I did this to make the center connector A: for the "built in" 1.4FD and
put B: at the end where it is easy to attach different drives!

The one on the left:
When I buit the DVD Robot, I needed a "cheap case". A friend gave me an old
system he had decomissioned from his lab.. I used the case and threw the board
in a box (P4 ATX - still old).
A while back I wanted another DOS machine for some testing in the workshop,
so I tossed this one together.

Both systems work fine, I normally cover them with sheets of plastic (Garbage
bags) when not using them - just to keep them more dust free.

You'll note both have network cards - I use my own DDLINK to move files on and
off of them as needed.

Dave ::: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com ::: "Daves Old Computers"->Personal

Dave ::: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com ::: "Daves Old Computers"->Personal

Reply 5 of 7, by jmarsh

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I'm surprised you can use USB3 devices in USB1 ports, most of them don't bother to include low/full speed descriptors (I guess the USB3 spec made them non-mandatory?) so they won't enumerate.

Reply 6 of 7, by allenm

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It is hard to find a decent AT case, at least at a reasonable price. Another benefit to going caseless is no more jamming pieces of paper and plastic here and there to stop vibration/rattling noises. I do have a piece of plastic screen that I lay over the motherboard sometimes. I have a Pentium II in a metal case that I also use quite a bit. Everytime I take the case off & on, it's a hassle getting it to be quiet.

Reply 7 of 7, by PcBytes

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While not technically on a wood board (it's a book that sits underneath the mobo), that's how my KG7 RAID runs too. Out in the open.

"Enter at your own peril, past the bolted door..."
Main PC: i5 3470, GB B75M-D3H, 16GB RAM, 2x1TB
98SE : P3 650, Soyo SY-6BA+IV, 384MB RAM, 80GB