Got Elite running on the PC-4641 last night, seemed it might be playable, despite the LCD blur, kinda makes it like 80s TV scifi video effects 🤣 ... Paku paku ran but with garbled display, think I was only seeing the top quarter, maybe doesn't support the text mode its based on. Gotta try some more stuff. Does anyone remember what Snooper bases it's benchmark score on, XT or 286??? got 6 in fast mode, 3 in slow mode, which seemed odd.

Edit: Found snooper documentation, it does indeedy reference a 286.

I admit I was not in the best health / frame of mind when I tried to set up Basilisk - but it was a disaster IIRC. I have a few machines in desperate search of tasks.

Moving and cleaning some systems today. Had to stuff some others in a closet, and I'll have to dig them out soon and wipe them down - they were stored outside. Most of them are just nice circa 2010 cases I had to rescue, mainly Antecs.

I have started working on the Great Storage Rearranging. Got a Dell Poweredge 830 cleaned and up on a shelf, pulled my second Socket 423 system back in and it's next in like for my workbench. The machine on there now isn't even properly retro, I think, though the A8-6500 was released in 2013. The funny thing is, it was paired with a GT-610. I'll have to benchmark it, but I suspect there won't be much difference between the GT-610 and the bare A8.

I found a really nice clean Phenom II recently, thinking of pairing it with a Radeon 4890 for an "End of the XP Era" machine (not the best possible XP machine, of course).

Edit: Oh, and the Tualatin-based Optiplex GX-150 I just got is missing the CPU fan, so now I'm trying to figure out if it's even close to possible to shoehorn a 120mm fan into it, with a printed mount. Maybe a smaller fan, but the challenge is a 120. Will take pics if I figure it out. (Addl edit: It's an SFF clamshell - a tower would be pretty easy to get that fan into!)

It'll game faster with the A8 output and physx on the GT-610. Even on low end cards the physx runs a few times faster than software mode. Other than that, the 610s have some okay video codec stuff built in, so helpful on PVR rigs vs "just need to see something" older gfx.

BitWrangler wrote on 2021-05-27, 02:09:

It'll game faster with the A8 output and physx on the GT-610. Even on low end cards the physx runs a few times faster than software mode. Other than that, the 610s have some okay video codec stuff built in, so helpful on PVR rigs vs "just need to see something" older gfx.

I imagine that it was just "what cheap parts we have in the box," not really a plan. It might have been intended as a media system. Will make a good generic desktop, though.

Today I dug out a couple of old Mobile Phones and loaded up a microSD card with some Cassette games for my Sinclair ZX81, converted to .WAV format.

I tried several Samsung Galaxy phones first (from 2013 and later), but none would load a game properly onto the ZX81 regardless of whatever App or volume settings I set. So I thought I'll see what some older phones can do and to my surprise, the ZX81 worked great with an old HTC Desire C Android phone from 2012 & an old Blackberry Curve from 2009. My ZX81 loaded absolutely everything I threw at it with both of those phones.

This makes the ZX81 much easier to use, as I previously had it tethered to a Thin Client + USB Sound Adapter, accessing the .WAV files from Windows over Remote Desktop. This worked but was an extremely clumsy way of doing things and certainly not user friendly for other people. I'll probably pair up the Blackberry with the ZX81 permanently, since its physically in much better shape than the HTC and I don't particularly need a touch screen interface.

Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can also achieve any success with an old iPhone 4S. I'm betting probably not, but will be an interesting experiment nonetheless.

I knew someday I'd find a sane reason to keep old "useless" phones in my storage drawers. They can be handy to assist the retro hobby and saves me having to purchase more hardware like the TZXDuino. 🤣

Getting these setup on the computer desk. Still need to finish building an Open Amiga Mouse since my Amiga Store laser tank mouse died and they don't reply to warranty inquiries.

Just got the Pistorm + RGB2HDMI CPLD setup in the A2000, and the A4000 is mostly stock.

I drool over the Amiga 2000 and its Beigeness! What a great looking computer.

I don't know why, but last night a random thought popped into my head about my Macintosh G4 DP Mirrored Door model. Weather or not it had a battery... t does, so I removed it.

I need to repair the G4's PSU, it was a great Mac. It lasted longer than my next workstation, which was a DP G5 that ran hotter than the sun.

Went to Dreaded E-Waste today (good thing I did it today, it's going to be 105 degrees monday - that's 40.5 for people in countries who did not send people to the Moon). It was mainly consumer junk with a busted TV and monitor, and the remains of a few very fried laptops that had been stripped for usables. Oh and an old DirecTV box whose HD, fan, cpu cooler, and PSU I kept.

They don't allow rummaging, which is sad because I saw either a Powermac or Mac Pro sitting all forlorn in one of their crates, destined to be scrapped for the aluminum. Some people just want to watch the world burn, I guess.

I managed to find my way through the menus of a small 1080P TV and get it looking crisp as a monitor, so that shall be it's fate. Chores dragged me away from retro stuff for the last few days, but I hear a rumor there might be something for me to pick up tomorrow (rubs hands together greedily). But that little fan from the DirecTV might work on the Optiplex GX150 - there is grossly no room at all for a 120mm fan, and even an 80mm seems unlikely to fit. I get too... umm, need to make a shroud, though.

The amount of Amiga photos in this thread pleases me very much.
Keep it coming !

(RIP my family's old Amiga 600 ^^)

Installed a 60 mile range HDTV indoor/outdoor antenna to my DTA box that is connected to my Kawasho TV set and I get the CBC station, which only works if nothing else is turned on (interference).

Attempted to fix the Game Link Port on my childhood GameBoy Color and it broke the IC socket the clock signal connects to. Gotta order a replacement board or console and swap the display with the TFT and order parts for the IPS upgrade for both of the consoles.

Today I dedicated some time to the MB 386DX, I selected the cards to be used, among various audio video controllers LAN modem, all of course ISA.
Unfortunately, having only ISA slots it is not possible to add other useful things such as USB, perhaps if you want you could solve the problem of data exchange via LAN or with LAPLINK (and special cable).
Going back to the MB, I removed the 3.6V battery leaking acid, and cleaned the tracks, but I noticed that under the keyboard connector there was a lot of oxide, so I removed that too, after cleaning I found under the connector of the keyboard a couple of broken tracks (from corrosion), this could explain why the seller sold it, the keyboard no longer works and thus got rid of the faulty board.
Restoring the tracks is not complicated, for the moment I have not yet decided whether to tin the parts in "Naked Copper", but it could be a good idea, and I will probably do so, obviously I will fix the two interrupted tracks, while the keyboard connector does not have decided whether to change it or put it back (having already cleaned it).
The battery will be replaced by a new one, but it will no longer be welded directly, I will use wires to distance it and position it away from the MB, in this way I should have solved the problem of leaks, alternatively there would be the use of the external battery (and setting jumper), but using the wires to space out I would avoid getting battery holders and rechargeable batteries.
I put pictures to show before and after cleaning the oxide, apart from those corroded areas, the rest is in excellent condition, the card without that problem would be practically like new.

Here is the final result after cleaning.

Attempting to remove a heatsink from some manner of AMD processor.

So far I've tried some judicious mechanical leverage, submerging it in boiling hot water (and letting it sit), soaking it in acetone overnight...

I'm starting to think this isn't so much a processor and heatsink as it is a single block of aluminum cleverly machined into the shape of a processor and heatsink.

The fit is so perfect I can't get anything under the edge, including tiny fibers, not to mention a tool.

I got an HP a732n, which is kind of tragic as just about every capacitor in it is bad (but it boots). Unless the motherboard turns out to be special (unlikely as it's an HP part), it will probably pass on, but I got a 3.4 GHz Northwood out of it. The FX 5200's a question mark as it has bad caps but fewer of them. The case is nice, though... few dings.

There's also the Dimension 4500 clamshell tower - which is "iconic" like the influencers say, and relatively well-equipped, but apparently doesn't support the 3.4 Northwood I just got. Also, it weighs approximately the same as a 15 kilowatt diesel generator.

Got an i7 920 (slower than my 870) on another badcaps special with, get this, *four* sticks of DDR3 - all 1Gb sticks (ARRRGH).

And a 1Tb drive, as yet untested, from a DVR. And some small laptop and other device PSUs.

I thought the Radeon 4850 was dead, but after I put the machine away I realized I hadn't plugged in the 6pin power... so I have to test that again. Brilliant!

I have three optical drives that needed drive belts, I got a package of random drive belts - and not a single one of them fits any of the three drives! There must be a better way!

So as it turns out, I *did* get up to some retro activity this weekend after all. Still need to re-test the 4850, and, if a miracle occurs, remove that AMD unknown (I think it's an Athlon 64 or X2) from its heatsink. And test a few HDDs. And maybe clean a case or two.

PC@LIVE wrote on 2021-05-30, 19:14:

Unfortunately, having only ISA slots it is not possible to add other useful things such as USB, perhaps if you want you could solve the problem of data exchange via LAN or with LAPLINK (and special cable).

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/33037705524.html

Apparently comes with the DOS driver. Shipping may be slow, and I didn't check if they wanted you to order 100 of them to get that price. 😀 It is Aliexpress after all.

Merovign wrote on 2021-05-30, 19:26:

Attempting to remove a heatsink from some manner of AMD processor. […]
Show full quote

Attempting to remove a heatsink from some manner of AMD processor.

So far I've tried some judicious mechanical leverage, submerging it in boiling hot water (and letting it sit), soaking it in acetone overnight...

I'm starting to think this isn't so much a processor and heatsink as it is a single block of aluminum cleverly machined into the shape of a processor and heatsink.

The fit is so perfect I can't get anything under the edge, including tiny fibers, not to mention a tool.

I got an HP a732n, which is kind of tragic as just about every capacitor in it is bad (but it boots). Unless the motherboard turns out to be special (unlikely as it's an HP part), it will probably pass on, but I got a 3.4 GHz Northwood out of it. The FX 5200's a question mark as it has bad caps but fewer of them. The case is nice, though... few dings.

There's also the Dimension 4500 clamshell tower - which is "iconic" like the influencers say, and relatively well-equipped, but apparently doesn't support the 3.4 Northwood I just got. Also, it weighs approximately the same as a 15 kilowatt diesel generator.

4500.jpg

Got an i7 920 (slower than my 870) on another badcaps special with, get this, *four* sticks of DDR3 - all 1Gb sticks (ARRRGH).

And a 1Tb drive, as yet untested, from a DVR. And some small laptop and other device PSUs.

I thought the Radeon 4850 was dead, but after I put the machine away I realized I hadn't plugged in the 6pin power... so I have to test that again. Brilliant!

I have three optical drives that needed drive belts, I got a package of random drive belts - and not a single one of them fits any of the three drives! There must be a better way!

So as it turns out, I *did* get up to some retro activity this weekend after all. Still need to re-test the 4850, and, if a miracle occurs, remove that AMD unknown (I think it's an Athlon 64 or X2) from its heatsink. And test a few HDDs. And maybe clean a case or two.

Can you post a picture of the CPU and heatsink in question. Also what AMD cpu is it since they have alot?

Merovign wrote on 2021-05-30, 19:39:

PC@LIVE wrote on 2021-05-30, 19:14:

Unfortunately, having only ISA slots it is not possible to add other useful things such as USB, perhaps if you want you could solve the problem of data exchange via LAN or with LAPLINK (and special cable).

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/33037705524.html

Apparently comes with the DOS driver. Shipping may be slow, and I didn't check if they wanted you to order 100 of them to get that price. 😀 It is Aliexpress after all.

OK thanks.
Obviously it is a bit expensive as a solution, but it is certainly very useful with old PCs, even you can even put it in an XT, having the 8Bit ISA.
I will try to look for similar, but cheaper ones, I don't know if I will find something, but in case I could buy at least one.

chrismeyer6 wrote on 2021-05-30, 19:53:

Can you post a picture of the CPU and heatsink in question.

chrismeyer6 wrote on 2021-05-30, 19:53:

Also what AMD cpu is it since they have alot?

I don't know. That's why I'm trying to get the heatsink off.

It came on a dead motherboard. CPU could be dead, not sure, would like to know which one it is before I pick a motherboard to test it on.

Looks like socket AM2 or AM2+. Could be anything from a 64 to an Opteron.

Merovign wrote on 2021-05-30, 19:26:

Attempting to remove a heatsink from some manner of AMD processor.

So far I've tried some judicious mechanical leverage, submerging it in boiling hot water (and letting it sit), soaking it in acetone overnight...

I'm starting to think this isn't so much a processor and heatsink as it is a single block of aluminum cleverly machined into the shape of a processor and heatsink.

Maybe go the other way and freeze it to see if whatever is holding it (thermal epoxy stuff?) goes brittle. Put the heatsink on it's side on a hard surface, with a towel or something under the CPU so it's got something soft to land on. Put a broad screwdriver on the side of the metal CPU case and give it a couple of gentle taps. I'm assuming the CPU case will be stronger than the glue.

snufkin wrote on 2021-05-30, 21:02:

Merovign wrote on 2021-05-30, 19:26:

Attempting to remove a heatsink from some manner of AMD processor.

So far I've tried some judicious mechanical leverage, submerging it in boiling hot water (and letting it sit), soaking it in acetone overnight...

I'm starting to think this isn't so much a processor and heatsink as it is a single block of aluminum cleverly machined into the shape of a processor and heatsink.

Maybe go the other way and freeze it to see if whatever is holding it (thermal epoxy stuff?) goes brittle. Put the heatsink on it's side on a hard surface, with a towel or something under the CPU so it's got something soft to land on. Put a broad screwdriver on the side of the metal CPU case and give it a couple of gentle taps. I'm assuming the CPU case will be stronger than the glue.

Cool idea. Pun intended.

I saw someone use dental floss, I was about to try it myself but the GPU in question had softened the adhesive with its own heat, so that's also an idea, put some load on the processor.

snufkin wrote on 2021-05-30, 21:02:

Maybe go the other way and freeze it to see if whatever is holding it (thermal epoxy stuff?) goes brittle. Put the heatsink on it's side on a hard surface, with a towel or something under the CPU so it's got something soft to land on. Put a broad screwdriver on the side of the metal CPU case and give it a couple of gentle taps. I'm assuming the CPU case will be stronger than the glue.

After the current alcohol soak that's the next step... then the heat gun.

Won't be a screwdriver, though, will use something metal that can push against the whole edge of the IHS and not just part of it.

I had thought of making a tool that could grasp both sides of the IHS... but making a giant thin custom plier or wrench might just be excessive.

If freezing and heat gun don't work, I might send it to a material sciences company to research for purposes of manufacturing stronger materials in the future for space travel.