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. […]
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.

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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 2026-04-25, 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 2026-04-25, 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.

DudeFace wrote on 2026-04-20, 07:31:

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 […]
Show full quote

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.

The attachment IMG_2570.JPG is no longer available

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.

The attachment 20250907_151513.jpg is no longer available

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?

I have never seen the black one of those cases. I've got the beige/grey variant from 2003 that will house my Socket 939 AMD system!

Nexxen wrote on 2026-04-26, 00:19:

johnvosh wrote on 2026-04-25, 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!!

Thanks!

dr_st wrote on 2026-04-26, 03:44:

johnvosh wrote on 2026-04-25, 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.

That is actually a Chieftec Dragon case. It came in a few colours, of which I use to own 3 other coluors, but have to downsize when I had moved. I still like the case to this day and would love to get another one! This things does get quite loud if you have all 4 80mm fans fitted. I don't think I ever have any issues with cooling, but I never owned a P4 back in the day, I was AMD until I had got a Core 2 Duo

johnvosh wrote on 2026-04-25, 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

Sumptuous!

johnvosh wrote on 2026-04-25, 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 has the best KVM ever? 😀

johnvosh wrote on 2026-04-25, 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

wow... i have chieftec case like that 😁

gerry wrote on 2026-04-27, 15:14:

johnvosh wrote on 2026-04-25, 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 has the best KVM ever? 😀

I would love to have a massive KVM switch so I could all of these plugged in at the same time!

johnvosh wrote on 2026-04-29, 23:31:

I would love to have a massive KVM switch so I could all of these plugged in at the same time!

I have a 16 port Belkin KVM. Though, it has a problem where if you play a game that requires holding down an arrow key, then that key gets stuck on after you release. My 8 port belkin KVMs dont have this issue. I've been trying to find an updated firmware, but no luck so far.

Back from the dead - Compaq EN/SB with 400MHz Celeron Mendocino CPU. Got it for about $10 in "as is, untested" condition. Was absolutely caked with dust and grime. Luckily no board level repairs were required.

Here's the inside of the floppy drive:

And before you ask, yes, I do have multiple CRTs, they are all great, but it's not very practical to use them during repairs, because stuff gets moved around a lot.

This baby put me through my paces - I did not want to use the ISA Realtek RTG3105iEH card it came with, because it's ridiculous on any computer, and this is a quite powerful PC from 1998, so first I tried an untested AGP ATI Rage 128GL. It did not work. I thought the Rage might be dead, so I tried a known good AGP S3 Virge/GX2. It did not work either - you still get the "video not found" beeps. So I thought maybe the board or the AGP slot were dead. As a hail mary I tried an untested AGP Intel 740 (Starfighter) - a Palit Daytona 740, to be exact. And it worked like a charm. I still hoped to make this a mid-90s Windows+DOS gaming rig, so I tried a known good TNT2 M64. And if you're wondering at this point why most of the cards are low end - that's mostly what I have for universal AGP/AGP 1.0 that are not in a build, without going into 2000s territory. So in the end I was stuck with the Intel 740, which is a pretty low-end 3d accelerator for 1998/1999, but it is surprisingly good for 2D and late-era DOS gaming.

And as I was already going with a DOS-first gaming rig, I decided to go with an ISA sound card - ESS Audiodrive ES1869 is my go-to card, and I had one in storage, so I went for it (with MK1869 modded drivers, or else if you run DOS games from Windows you won't have FM sound - the original 1869 VXD drivers are buggy). I don't have a waveblaster daughterboard for GeneralMiDi, so I went with Roland Virtual SoundCanvas 3.0 for MiDi.

Don't get me wrong, a PC like this wasn't cheap when it came out - it would set you back around $1600 without a CRT monitor. So maybe not one of my "dream PC" builds, but a very capable beast.

So, what games would you play on it? Any advice? I have some ideas 😀)