Sony VAIO PCG-505 from Japan. Very early Japanese model 1997 version. Recently restored from several parts machines.

Pentium 133 MHz
64 MB RAM
NeoMagic MagicGraph 128ZV graphics
ES1878S sound
Upgraded with a 4GB Compact Flash card
Installed Windows 95 Japanese and Windows 98 English

Thank you to the Vogons forum and everyone who posts here for all the knowledge that has been collected, and helped me many times restoring older machines over the years. There is so much information here for installing older operating systems and running older software and drivers.

CPU photo shows a Pentium 166 MHz from one of the faulty main boards

Sony VAIO PCG-505

These early VAIO notebooks are incredible machines, especially these ultra slim subnotebook type. One could think that some macbooks were inspired by their design some 20 years later.

And repect for restoring one to its full original shape, not an easy task! I once restored one and it took a ton of patience...

januscycle wrote on 2026-04-18, 16:52:

Sony VAIO PCG-505 from Japan. Very early Japanese model 1997 version. Recently restored from several parts machines. […]
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Sony VAIO PCG-505 from Japan. Very early Japanese model 1997 version. Recently restored from several parts machines.

Pentium 133 MHz
64 MB RAM
NeoMagic MagicGraph 128ZV graphics
ES1878S sound
Upgraded with a 4GB Compact Flash card
Installed Windows 95 Japanese and Windows 98 English

Thank you to the Vogons forum and everyone who posts here for all the knowledge that has been collected, and helped me many times restoring older machines over the years. There is so much information here for installing older operating systems and running older software and drivers.

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CPU photo shows a Pentium 166 MHz from one of the faulty main boards

I think I saw this one on YouTube just the other day.

TechieDude wrote on 2026-04-19, 10:46:

januscycle wrote on 2026-04-18, 16:52:

Sony VAIO PCG-505 from Japan. Very early Japanese model 1997 version. Recently restored from several parts machines. […]
Show full quote

Sony VAIO PCG-505 from Japan. Very early Japanese model 1997 version. Recently restored from several parts machines.

Pentium 133 MHz
64 MB RAM
NeoMagic MagicGraph 128ZV graphics
ES1878S sound
Upgraded with a 4GB Compact Flash card
Installed Windows 95 Japanese and Windows 98 English

Thank you to the Vogons forum and everyone who posts here for all the knowledge that has been collected, and helped me many times restoring older machines over the years. There is so much information here for installing older operating systems and running older software and drivers.

The attachment DSC08234b.jpg is no longer available

The attachment DSC08264b.jpg is no longer available

The attachment DSC08275b.jpg is no longer available

The attachment DSC08286b.jpg is no longer available

CPU photo shows a Pentium 166 MHz from one of the faulty main boards

I think I saw this one on YouTube just the other day.

Heh yeah, my YouTube algo has me pegged and recommended me Janus's vid as well - subscribed, and I'll be checking it out later. 🙂

johnvosh wrote on 2026-03-30, 11:10:

Here are my Retro Beige Boxes. A Penitum II 400MHz slot 1, AMD K6-2 550MHz socket 7, AMD Athlon 1200MHz socket A, Pentium III 700MHz slot 1, Pentium III 1000MHz socket 370, Pentium 4 1.8GHz socket 478.

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nice cases i like the grey/white one in the middle. the one under the table i need! my dads got the same case in black he's had since 2004 recently upgraded his pc and he refused to upgrade the case as well.

not too long ago i built him a 98 computer and was hoping to find one of those cases in white/beige to sit along side his black one, he got his from a local computer shop called novatech here in the UK i also picked up one of these cases from a local seller who used to work for the same shop.

i thought they might have only been sold by this shop in the UK (they sell a lot of cases with their brand name) but ive seen a few pics of them here as well as different variants, so i guess they were sold in different countries, does anyone know the make and model?

Not strictly a retro rig, but I still have the dual P3 setup I used as a server in 2010s when I was a student. Looks like it's still functional, based on memtest86.

Mike_ wrote on 2026-04-24, 13:22:

Not strictly a retro rig, but I still have the dual P3 setup I used as a server in 2010s when I was a student. Looks like it's still functional, based on memtest86.

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Assuming you don't think it's a "retro rig" because it's a server, because it's certainly old enough. But ehh, arguing what's "retro" is tedious and extremely subjective - I say it counts!

Also, pretty cool! Looks like TheRetroWeb doesn't have that particular Tyan mobo, if you're up to yanking the board and taking some pics for them.

ubiq wrote on 2026-04-24, 17:49:

Assuming you don't think it's a "retro rig" because it's a server, because it's certainly old enough. But ehh, arguing what's "retro" is tedious and extremely subjective - I say it counts!

Also, pretty cool! Looks like TheRetroWeb doesn't have that particular Tyan mobo, if you're up to yanking the board and taking some pics for them.

I guess that's a good point. 😀

Also, I guess I could remove it from the case some day and take some pictures. Is there anything specific they would like to have in pictures or just a general picture of the board?

Here is a group shot of all my Desktop PC's. The two empty cases on the top will soon have AMD boards in them, a Socket 939 and a socket AM2

johnvosh wrote on Yesterday, 20:22:

Here is a group shot of all my Desktop PC's. The two empty cases on the top will soon have AMD boards in them, a Socket 939 and a socket AM2

Wonderful!!

johnvosh wrote on Yesterday, 20:22:

Here is a group shot of all my Desktop PC's. The two empty cases on the top will soon have AMD boards in them, a Socket 939 and a socket AM2

That blue Gigabyte case reminds me of one I briefly owned for my Pentium4 system. I remembered the somewhat unique color.
Mine, however, was a no-brand case, and cooling was poor, and the Prescott inside overheated and the fan made crazy noise. I replaced the entire system with a Northwood CPU and a Thermaltake Lanmoto.