keenmaster486 wrote on 2025-08-28, 15:33:

The T4x series is nice. When SBEMU first came out I did some testing on my T42, and it worked as advertised.

Yeah, it's a hole in my collection of ThinkPads; I currently have one in most of the main CPU eras:

385ED
240
600X
T440

That left quite a gap between the 600X and the modern T440. I knew it had to be a 4:3 screen and a trackpad (not point), so that limited the options a little.

Update on Toshiba Portege R200:

Screen had really loose hinges. Fortunately it turned out to just be loose screws and so that was easily solved.

Internal CMOS battery pack had started to leak - it had the same party trick as all the old Toshiba laptops used to do; the battery leaked and through capillary action had wicked along the wires to the header terminal on the mboard which had started to turn green; it has been removed and will need neutralising with vinegar and then cleaning with isopropyl alcohol. Why on earth release such a late model with old-style leaky NiMH batteries???

Damage was actually more extensive than it appeared, so the header had to be removed to clean up the corrosion hidden underneath:

It has two lithium battery packs - the built in, slimline one, and an external, clamp-on extended brick. I think the internal one is dead, or only charging to 1-2%. I'll need to work out if either is useable.

No internal drive; but I do now have a 1.8" to CF adapter which I can use - for now I just swapped in the old 1.8" PATA drive from the Latitude X1. DOS booted fine, VSBHDA detected the same ICH6 audio device and it all works as expected. Bonus compared to the Dell is that VSBHDA volume control seems much better (on the Dell I had to use /VOL9 to get any [ear splitting] audio, at anything less it was whisper quiet, with the Toshiba I can use lower volumes nicely). Old format 1024x768 panel looks much nicer in the few games I tested (Doom, Duke3d).

The main bad point is that there is a fault with the keyboard - I'm getting missing keys around the right 3/4, as well as the occasional 'ghost' keypresses, so I suspect the matrix is damaged in some way. No spares at present to be found on Ebay.

If either of the lithium batteries turns out to hold a charge, then it feels like it may be worth trying to source a replacement keyboard; it's a solid feeling device, but very lightweight and incredibly slim. It feels much more modern than its age would suggest. It reminds me very much of the Sony Vaio Z-series.

I am cross-posting a link to my thread here. If there is anyone willing to test, I am trying to improve on the VEXP utility for stretching the graphics output to the native LCD panel for laptops with CT6555x chipset, especially for those with 1024x768 panels.

Found some nice demo program originally on the Toshiba Satellite Pro 440CDT notebook HDD called _P440.EXE.

Recorded some video, but you can run it on yours Windows 95 computer as well!

_440P.EXE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgWuX9-lX30

Note: the demo originally didn't contain any music, so I added music separately from the game Brett Hull Hockey '95

Related, a few months back I found the Toshiba T5200C's demo program: https://archive.org/details/toshiba_t5200c_demo
The strange thing - it was on the hard drive from my NEC UltraLite SL/25C, a system from two years later?? Couldn't fathom how it ended up on that drive.

3lectr1c wrote on 2025-10-30, 04:29:

Related, a few months back I found the Toshiba T5200C's demo program: https://archive.org/details/toshiba_t5200c_demo
The strange thing - it was on the hard drive from my NEC UltraLite SL/25C, a system from two years later?? Couldn't fathom how it ended up on that drive.

Since it's perhaps the first TFT portable laptop - the T5200C would've surely been a bit much to move around but the Ultralite looks usable on the move.
The owner of both probably transferred the whole contents of the T5200C's hard drive over laplink or something when they upgraded.
A very lucky find!

Thank you for your continued uploads on the internet archive and the macdat site 😀 They're a great help.
I really need to upload part 2 of the Toshiba portable service booklet, scanned all that in the other day and made it into a PDF.

In regards to perfect retro laptops, I am a big fan of pixel perfect scaling and recently found that the SXGA+ versions of the Toshiba Tecra 8200 do perfect 1:2 scaling of VGA and 320x200 to the panel resolution, giving a 13" VGA screen size!

Coupled with a tolerable Trident graphics solution and the Yamaha DS-XG audio, this is my new favourite. If you're looking for one, the 900MHz and 1GHz models of the Tecra 8200 seem to have the higher res panel.

Are those buttons hard or soft-touch plastic? I have a similar Toshiba laptop where I am expecting the buttons to turn to goo at some point.

Thermalwrong wrote on 2025-10-30, 14:50:

Since it's perhaps the first TFT portable laptop - the T5200C would've surely been a bit much to move around but the Ultralite l […]
Show full quote

Since it's perhaps the first TFT portable laptop - the T5200C would've surely been a bit much to move around but the Ultralite looks usable on the move.
The owner of both probably transferred the whole contents of the T5200C's hard drive over laplink or something when they upgraded.
A very lucky find!

Thank you for your continued uploads on the internet archive and the macdat site 😀 They're a great help.
I really need to upload part 2 of the Toshiba portable service booklet, scanned all that in the other day and made it into a PDF.

Glad that the macdat network has been useful!
The hard drive otherwise was just a clean factory install from NEC, I didn't see any files on there or other Toshiba utilities, so I don't know. It's certainly possible. And it was a very lucky find indeed - that UltraLite's HDD was a Quantum GoDrive 😳
The T5200C actually had a passive matrix color display - it was announced one month before the T3200SXC, Toshiba's first (and the first) TFT color laptop. And fitting, because the UltraLite SL/25C was the first TFT color notebook. Mine's dead (needs a recap and who knows what else).

Does that Toshiba booklet contain any of the missing service manuals? We've got all of them up to around 1996/97 and then it gets really spotty.

3lectr1c wrote on 2025-10-31, 13:58:

Glad that the macdat network has been useful! The hard drive otherwise was just a clean factory install from NEC, I didn't see a […]
Show full quote

Thermalwrong wrote on 2025-10-30, 14:50:

Since it's perhaps the first TFT portable laptop - the T5200C would've surely been a bit much to move around but the Ultralite l […]
Show full quote

Since it's perhaps the first TFT portable laptop - the T5200C would've surely been a bit much to move around but the Ultralite looks usable on the move.
The owner of both probably transferred the whole contents of the T5200C's hard drive over laplink or something when they upgraded.
A very lucky find!

Thank you for your continued uploads on the internet archive and the macdat site 😀 They're a great help.
I really need to upload part 2 of the Toshiba portable service booklet, scanned all that in the other day and made it into a PDF.

Glad that the macdat network has been useful!
The hard drive otherwise was just a clean factory install from NEC, I didn't see any files on there or other Toshiba utilities, so I don't know. It's certainly possible. And it was a very lucky find indeed - that UltraLite's HDD was a Quantum GoDrive 😳
The T5200C actually had a passive matrix color display - it was announced one month before the T3200SXC, Toshiba's first (and the first) TFT color laptop. And fitting, because the UltraLite SL/25C was the first TFT color notebook. Mine's dead (needs a recap and who knows what else).

Does that Toshiba booklet contain any of the missing service manuals? We've got all of them up to around 1996/97 and then it gets really spotty.

Ah, yeah that makes sense that the T5200C would probably be DSTN - shame that there are no videos of it 😒
The Quantums have problems with sticky bumpers in the drive like the connor ones, right? Very lucky indeed.

I don't think the service booklet contains any new information per se, but it does solve an issue I had in that a few maintenance manuals shared online are the later PDF format ones rather than the full scanned in ones. The main issue being that the Toshiba T1800 maintenance manual is missing the pictures - my scan has the pictures 😀
There's a few things like that where not all information is included in the maintenance manuals from ATLAS 97 but was included if you read the ATLAS text version or the scanned ones from ATLAS 95. Like the power supply diagnostic info for the T4400 is only included in the text format version: Information on Toshiba T4400 Power Supplies

Something else popped up recently and I'm *really* hoping I can get it, this would fill in all the blanks for diagnostic codes since currently I'm referring to the Libretto 100CT maintenance manual for codes - the only MMX era maintenance manual that we have. But not all of it matches for all things especially when trying to diagnose P3 / coppermine era boards.

Hello,
I am quite new here and I have read almost through entire thread and maybe a good idea to revive it a bit....
Recently I have acquired two interesting laptops on our local market but due to business trip I had to go for next day, I had not much time to investigate more about them.... The price was relativelly low, so I just got them and can't wait until I am back home on weekend so I can check more..... Maybe someone of you have experience with any of them, if they would be at least partially suitable for some DOS gaming....

1. TOSHIBA PORTEGE 660CDT - it is Pentium 150MHz and with 16MB RAM, F65554 Video and Yamaha OPL3-SA2 Sound. Runs WIN95. It is in absolutelly great condition with no damages or cracks or whatever. Whoever was using it, did not use it frequently or better said he did not use it at all.... Seller was probably not the first owner, but told me he is in some health troubles and is reselling his collection and said that cmos battery was replaced and he also kept main battery in good shape by periodical "formatting". Not sure what he meant by this On first power up battery was flat and I also got CMOS battery error, but after charged I saw that main battery is in quite good shape, working for about a hour in and cmos battery error never came back..... Very nice small machine, 800x600 TFT display but in bios I saw that there is stretch option for DOS resolutions, so maybe not bad, although keyboard keys and especially cursor ones seem to be so small for playing.... Please anyone some experience or opinion on this machine?

2. SIEMENS SCENIC MOBILE 750AGP - Pentium III 450MHz, 64MB RAM with ATI 3D Rage LT Pro and ES1946 Audio. I got it for 55eur on local add site and seller was in the same town, so I jumped in my car and one hour later it was home.... That was an old guy who was waiting for me, invited to enter his house and showed me this thing powered up and working.... Excellent condition, no damages only minor marks of use... The old guy was former employee of siemens and this was once one of his duty laptop, only used rarely it seems. He said that battery is dead, however it is not - I was able to run more than one hour with max brigthness just in windows without activity, so maybe it is not yet to throw away.... (For additional 15eur he also gave me siemens mobile 710 for parts - this one is heavily damaged, not working display, keyboard broken but it boots up and runs via vga output). What I really like on that 750AGP and never seen before, is that entire display itself can be removed by pressing on two quicklock buttons under hinges and completely detached from main unit, so you put it aside if you want to use it with external monitor.... Another interesting feature is that CD drive with 1,4" floppy drive is integrated in one slim quick-removable module.... bad news is that they both are inop, maybe belts are snapped because they make some sound like something was turning (motors)...... so i am in chasse to buy replacement CD/floppy module.... It runs WIN2000 which I want to get rid of and install WIN98 instead. (seems like machine was delivered with either w98 or w2000 upon customer choice). Well a fact is that I could not get any information or experience with this machine on the web....However, I was very happy when I found out that all the drivers, bios updated, patches and user documentation is still available at fujitsu support site 😀 At ebay.de, I see I can also buy quite cheap docking station, which features a gameport... Seems like not bad machine for DOS or early windows games? Please any thoughts or experience?

airbone-x, I have a 750AGP model, yes, it's very rare and has its own peculiarities. Besides the detachable screen, another feature I haven't seen in any other laptop is the ability to use both external and internal power supplies (i.e., it has two power connectors). I recommend using the external one to avoid putting unnecessary strain on the internal, alternative power supply.

Fujitsu Siemens Mobile Scenic 750AGP. 1999 model. I bought it seven years ago for $115. Also have a replaceable DVD module instead of the combo CD/FDD drive. My model is 366MHz. I like the presence of the "cpuslow" keyboard button, which allows you to reduce the processor frequency at any time.

The floppy drive is a Citizen W1D; replaced the belt in mine and it works again. Your CD drive might be working, but keep in mind that it doesn't read CD-R discs. For my combo drive, I created an alternative assembly by taking a CD drive part from another laptop, so now it is read even CD-RW.

Belt available for sale here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/321645614652

Please do not attempt to disassemble Siemens laptop to find the BIOS battery; it's practically impossible to do without breaking the plastic. I gave up after unscrewing all the screws and still couldn't safely take it apart. This is the only laptop in my collection that still has the original, unreplaced BIOS battery.

I can't afford to buy a docking station with a game port because of the excessively high shipping costs.

Here Grand Prix 2 game demonstration on 750AGP:

https://youtu.be/MAc4Xi_Qfos?si=yNntYklJgpVwm3Lf&t=127

I haven't had any experience with the Toshiba 660CDT, but it should be a good and fairly reliable model. All the Toshiba laptops I've bought so far are still working, while 2-3 Sony Vaio have died for various reasons.

Both laptops good for DOS gaming.

MAZter, thank you so much for your info. Sadly I do not have this internal power adapter - it is replaceable module that goes into battery bay since there it is a slot on the left side to attach 2pole adapter with 220V. I have one but it is for scenic 710 and it does not fit to 750.
I have disassembled that floppy and you are right, the belt is torn into pieces - I will order that one and sort it out. I had no idea that this cd drive won't read CD-R, can you please share what type of CD drive you used? Or what type and P/N is that drive so fpc and dimensions will fit to 750 fixture? And please, if you have also DVD drive, if you can check P/N as well, I may look if there is any for sale....

About that bios battery, I have read somewhere.... Battery is good for now but just curious what type is it and where it is located... Not able to find any info online...
For the docking station, it is available on ebay and it is only 15eur, shipping to my country is 23eur, so also quite expensive shipping, but I would probably invest that to have gameport to play some old simulation games....

ebay item 310214927128

That 750agp has windows 2000 installed and I certainly do not like this, so I want to install win98 on it. Is it neccessary to install dual boot win98/dos or is it enough win98 to start in dos/prompt mode to play dos games? Sorry for dumb questions, but last time I worked with DOS was in 1996 😀

airbone-x wrote on 2026-01-17, 15:40:

Or what type and P/N is that drive so fpc and dimensions will fit to 750 fixture?

This is a custom-made drive, with bezel corrected using Dremel tool; unfortunately, I couldn't find a perfectly fitting that time, HP GSA-U10N:

And please, if you have also DVD drive, if you can check P/N as well, I may look if there is any for sale....

DVD drive:

Lea (S26391-F213-V300)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/156487682926

airbone-x wrote on 2026-01-17, 15:40:

Is it neccessary to install dual boot win98/dos or is it enough win98 to start in dos/prompt mode to play dos games? Sorry for dumb questions, but last time I worked with DOS was in 1996 😀

Not necessary, just install Windows 98 and replace autoexec.bat and config.sys:

A Thinkpad X21 just joined the clan yesterday. PIII 700M, Rage mobility pro and DOS tolerable audio. 1024x768 screen. Gotta get it booting first, HDD seems to be pining for the fjords.

Maybe a bit fast for classic DOS era, not sure how much speedstep and cache killage will do. Thinking it might be good on voodoo2/3 era things, late DOS, Win98 (Non glide exclusive, obviously)

Tidy package though, like plus sized netbook, very "bring-along" feeling. Could end up finding a spot for it in my Maverick, for out of house downtime. The plus over netbook options would be I could textbash on it more easily, should I feel more like doing that rather than DOSing around.

MAZter wrote on 2026-01-17, 18:57:

airbone-x wrote on 2026-01-17, 15:40:

Is it neccessary to install dual boot win98/dos or is it enough win98 to start in dos/prompt mode to play dos games? Sorry for dumb questions, but last time I worked with DOS was in 1996 😀

Not necessary, just install Windows 98 and replace autoexec.bat and config.sys:

The attachment 750AGP.zip is no longer available

Many thanks for all of that!

Guys, I’ve got a Toshiba 460CDT in absolutely perfect condition. It’s been sitting in a closet for about a year, and I decided to fire it up again. I’ve noticed a vertical line on the screen. Shaking it and gently tapping didn’t help, but after 30+ minutes of running, the line disappeared.

I turned it off for a while and powered it on again—no line. But after leaving it overnight and starting it up the next day, the line came back in the exact same place, though it’s now barely visible. I’m guessing it will disappear again after it’s been on for some time.

What is this likely to be? Is it a known issue? Bad caps that need replacing (as usual)?

I just saw similar on that thinkpad above, it was colder than room temperature when I turned it on first time. Had a green line and I thought "oh crap" and then it disappeared quickly and hasn't come back. I have seen lines come and go before, I have never really seen one "progress" as it were into more of a problem. One machine my wife bought at a large discount in early noughts because it had a line on the screen that went through the scrollbar, for some reason that disappeared some months later and never came back, 20 years later, turn it on, no line... I suspect reasons are many and varied for lines, just bad contacts that clean up with some movement, thermal or mechanical, or minor electronic hangups that respond to power cycling or something.

Hello!
Is it possible to use Thinkpad A22p for DOS gaming? Whenever I launch any DOS game within Windows 98SE, I get a flickering screen. I don't have this problem with the A22m... Could it be that my drivers are too recent? (M6.73.2 from Thinkpads.com)

Flare400 wrote on 2026-01-29, 17:06:

Hello!
Is it possible to use Thinkpad A22p for DOS gaming?

Try using SBEMU.