Lovely new retro computing system. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2017, 06:02:10 pm
content: Apologies for anybody who had a P3 when they were new, you're getting old.I have put together a new Pentium 3 Slot 1 machine450 Mhz, 100Mhz FSB, 384MB RAM, 200 (i know it's OP) GB HDD, DVD-RW drive, SB Live! Value, and a GeForce 2 MX. When the case comes in (I have it running on at "Test bench") I will post some pictures.

author: RobK_NL
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2017, 09:34:16 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 19, 2017, 06:02:10 pmPfft! When I was about 15 or so, my dad brought home an original IBM PC with a genuine 8086.The first machine I bought for myself was an 80386.49, since last Tuesday

author: bsudbrink
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2017, 10:13:49 pm
content: I recently got this. It will be next on the bench when I get things cleaned up a bit.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2017, 11:49:53 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 19, 2017, 06:02:10 pmNo worries. I learned to program on a TI 99-4

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 12:15:23 am
content: Quote from: bitseeker on January 19, 2017, 11:49:53 pmI feel so sorry for you.That you had to use something from Texas Instruments.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 12:39:00 am
content: A PIII is nothing special. I've still got a couple of slot 1 PII Dell Optiplex boxes hanging about. I've also got a fully working 486 DX2-80 built in an original IBM AT case, with SCSI CDROM and 1GB HDD running Win95 or WfWG3.11, and I probably still have its original IBM AT motherboard in my box of retro junk.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 01:10:54 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 20, 2017, 12:15:23 amLOLI survived!

author: Dan Moos
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 02:32:16 am
content: Let's see, Commodore PET at school was my intro to computers. Then the IBM PC at the library. First one I ever had at home was a TI 99/4A. P3...? Dude, yer young !Sent from my E6830 using Tapatalk

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 02:38:39 am
content: I think my Pentium III (which I still have) was maybe my 4th or 5th computer?If I remember correctly, I grew up with a Sharp MZ-800, an IBM PS/2 286, Generic 386 which I built, Generic 486DX2 and a Cirix-based Pentium machine before buying my PIII-450. For a short time I had a machine with an AMD K6 in it, which was by far the worst pile of crap I used. I also had a bunch of those Sharp electronic organisers and remember lusting over a Sharp Zaurus, which were basically palm-top computers; However I never did get one of those.I regret selling the MZ-800. I had the 4-colour plotter printer, original Sharp monitor and "Quick Disk" drive.

author: Sal Ammoniac
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 02:40:03 am
content: Quote from: RobK_NL on January 19, 2017, 09:34:16 pmNot to be overly pedantic, but the original IBM PC had an 8088, not an 8086.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 02:49:28 am
content: Damn do I feel young.And I should, I'm 15.This stuff is before I was born, but I love dabbling in this, it gives me an amazing feeling of being in the past. It's time travel for me.It's also fun, which is the largest part.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 03:02:02 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 20, 2017, 02:49:28 amGood on you! I'm in my late 20's but most of this kind of stuff was around when I was very young, but I loved it (especially pulling things apart). Of course I understand much more of it now than I did as a child. It gives me a great feeling of nostalgia. Most of the old computers I have now are ones I had at home or at school and they bring back some wonderful memories.Keep at it!

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 03:49:08 am
content: My first hands-on introduction to computers was on a '70s bare board 8 bit computer. IIRC I was given instructions on how to key in a Lunar Lander program in HEX!I learnt to program in BASIC on a PDP-8, submitting my programs on punched cards, using a manual card punch. I also dabbled in COBOL and FORTRAN and coded for the Commodore PET, and later the BBC Micro model B. Apart from my various ancient PCs, I've also got a small collection of Sinclair home computers, many of which I've owned from new.ZX81, ZX Spectrum 48K + Interface 1, Microdrives and ZX Printer, ZX Spectrum +3 + external FDD, Z88 portable, Various Sinclair QLs - my first was an AH ROM one that I traded a nearly new Commodore 64 for, then my workhorse system for many years was a QL with a 4MB SuperGoldCard (68020 accelerator), Minerva MK2 aftermarket ROM and RTC, QIMI mouse interface and Miracle Systems 40MB Winchester and 3.2MB floppy drives. Its still in working order although I haven't used it seriously since the late 90's. I also have a QXL 68040 hardware QL emulator card in the aforementioned 486 PC in an IBM case.

author: capt bullshot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 06:29:47 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 20, 2017, 12:15:23 amGreat box ;-) I remember beeing this thing running at real serious speed (felt like: if you'd do the calculations you've just coded by hand, using a pocket calculator, you'd be faster) ...A TI99/4A Was one of my first computers, besides a ZX81 and a educational box bought at a local flea market. The latter one used a 8 digit HEX display and a HEX keyboard to type in the binary code you'd have to assemble using the paper and pencil method. No way to permanently save a program, if you turn off the box, your program was gone ...

author: jazer
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 06:59:56 am
content: Why, when I was a lad we computed on abacii and we loved it! :-)This kind of discussion brings home a fundamental change in computing over the years. All those feeble old machines were used for creation. Most of the shiny new computing devices pervading our world have become little more than a conduit for consumption or communication.That's not to say those uses aren't valid and useful, but it's certainly a change.

author: shteii01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 10:46:44 am
content: Time to overclock the beast!I got Slot 1 P2 450 MHz overclocked to 469 MHz.

author: onesixright
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 11:51:18 am
content: P3= OLD ?Learned my first steps on a Kaypro II. No network, no Internet. Just BASIC and DBase II.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 12:02:05 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 19, 2017, 06:02:10 pmPfft, when I was a boy all this was 6502s...

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 01:01:50 pm
content: Quote from: shteii01 on January 20, 2017, 10:46:44 amI have a am486-DX4-100-SV8B clocked to 120 Mhz, I think that's as good as I will go for now. If anything is to be OC'd it's my main machine which it watercooled for the day I decide I need more power.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2017, 02:34:25 pm
content: Quote from: RobK_NL on January 19, 2017, 09:34:16 pmThe 8086 was on the COCOM list, no way I could have it back then (not belgium, obviously). Maybe something with the Z80.My Digital Technic teacher tell us a story how they managed to smuggle some 8085 in a diplomatic case, and then start reverse engineering what each opcodes did, since they did not have documentation for it.Good times!Well not really.

author: rrinker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2017, 02:58:06 am
content: My first computer was the Quest Super Elf - RCA CDP1802 CPU. I still have it, and it still works. It's now about 36 years old. The first computer I got to actually play around with was when the TRS-80 Model 1 came out, that would be around 1977 when I was 11. But I couldn't afford that and had to make do with buying just the manuals for $5 each and playing on the one in the store whenever I could. A few years later I was able to spend the $106 for the Super Elf kit and I never looked back.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2017, 03:11:42 am
content: I still have the first computer I bought, an IBM Aptiva 486, and several random home builds from over the following two decades. One has a Celeron 300 overclocked to 550 MHz. It was still working last time I tried it, but hasn't been started in 10 years or so.

author: Tom45
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2017, 05:25:58 pm
content: The first computer I worked with was a drum and tube Alwac IIIe.The first computer I bought was a Heathkit EC-1 Analog computer. Still have it but suspect it would need some work to get it operational again.Photo from the web. I'm too lazy to dig mine out.

author: retrolefty
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2017, 06:46:07 pm
content: Quote from: onesixright on January 20, 2017, 11:51:18 amA Kaypro 10 running CP/M was my second computer, replacing a heathkit H-89 Z-80 running HDOS.

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2017, 07:36:34 pm
content: Just to add my entry to the old farts club, the first computer I owned was a Tandy TRS-80 Model 1 which I upgraded from 4K of memory to 16K.However.................The first microcomputer I ever saw was was the Science of Cambridge MK14 which used an SC/MP microprocessor which had 256 bytes (yeah, bytes) of RAM.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 01:26:52 am
content: The irony is, while I do not remember, my first experience with computing was probably when my dad set up his C64.That I subsequently threw on the floor.Don't remember it, but apparently I did. XD

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 03:26:57 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 22, 2017, 01:26:52 amD'oh! Poor C64. (We need a broken computer smiley.)

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 05:25:48 am
content: Update:The machine is in one piece and running well. Some info on games:First some older titles I've tried.Doom, the classic, runs brilliantly using ZDoom (Latest version). It is somewhat playable, but can enter slideshow territory @ 1280x1024, but is good at lower resolutions.Duke Nukem 3D, another classic, runs perfectly. 800x600, perfect frames, full sound card compatibility.Now the real reason I like this machine.It absolutely destroys Half-Life. 1280x1024, never goes below 30 FPS. It's amazing, this thing struggles with DOOM at that resolution, but the GeForce 2 MX makes all the difference.What I can learn is that the bottleneck here is the CPU. Of course, but it still holds up to what I have thrown at it quite well.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 06:00:46 am
content: I think my PIII machine still has an 8MB Voodoo2 card installed. I'll have to dig it out.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 07:30:17 am
content: Quote from: jazer on January 20, 2017, 06:59:56 amPoeh . When i was a kid we didn't even have numbers to do our calculations!

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 07:39:24 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on January 22, 2017, 07:30:17 amYeah, back in my day, fingers were plenty. But you had toes, just in case.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 01:50:14 pm
content: Quote from: bitseeker on January 22, 2017, 07:39:24 amMaybe I'm not going retro enough...

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 01:58:45 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 22, 2017, 01:50:14 pmI agree you're not. Build a Babbage Difference Engine in LEGO:http://acarol.woz.org/difference_engine.htmlor Meccano:http://www.meccano.us/difference_engines/rde_1/

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 04:52:43 pm
content: Another mechanical computer from over 100 years ago, this on generates complex waveform and FFT analysis of waveforms. (Yes, a mechanical FFT analyzer...)https://youtu.be/NAsM30MAHLg

author: John Heath
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 06:08:02 pm
content: Quote from: Tom45 on January 21, 2017, 05:25:58 pmThat is a sweety. I cut my teeth on the 100 bus system pictured in the first post. Nice to know there is someone older than I. This would make you at lease 2 years older , an old fart compared to a spring chicken like myself. What on earth did they do with this ? No operating system , no CPU as non were around at the time ,, maybe a 4 bit banger ? This is rubbing shoulders with ancient carpet weaving machine with instructions drilled into wooden plates. Was it for , accounting , science?

author: Tom45
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 09:17:37 pm
content: Which computer are you referring to?The Alwac was a digital computer with 32 bit words. I don't know what its designers had in mind but the one I learned on at Oregon State University was used for programming courses. I don't remember if it was used for research programming. My first course using it was a high level language that I remember as similar to a subset of Algol. The next term I took two courses. One was an assembly language course using an assembly language for a computer designed at OSU but never built that I know of. An emulator for that computer ran on the Alwac. The other course was Lisp. I don't remember anything at all about Lisp as we didn't have a computer that could run Lisp. So we were taught a language that we never had a chance to run on a computer. Actually I do remember Lisp had lots of parenthesis and car, cdr.The Heathkit is an analog computer. Digital computers count, analog computers measure. Slide rules are analog computers that measure lengths to represent numbers. Electronic analog computers measure voltages to represent numbers. The basic processing element of an electronic analog computer is an op-amp. The Heathkit has 9 tube op-amps. Electronic analog computers excel in solving differential equations since op-amps can easily do differentiation and integration. Digital computers became fast enough to emulate analog computers, pretty much ending the analog computer era.In another forum a few years ago a guy contacted me privately to ask about something I'd posted related to computers. In general conversation I discovered that he had started working with computers about 12 years before my mid-60s start. So veteran vs. newbie is always relative.The 45 in Tom45 is the year I was born.Tom

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2017, 01:34:51 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 22, 2017, 01:50:14 pmI'm not sure you need to go quite as far back as the abacus or Babbage machines. But you might want to at least check out the C64 and/or Atari 8-bit machines as an intro to vintage computing.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2017, 02:40:28 am
content: Quote from: bitseeker on January 23, 2017, 01:34:51 amThe Curta calculator seems very interesting to me, but they are so ungodly expensive, I would never afford it.

author: John Heath
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2017, 06:44:23 am
content: Quote from: Tom45 on January 22, 2017, 09:17:37 pmI remember a college instructor telling us software never gets old if it is written properly. It took about 20 years to understand his meaning. I have a home brew ohms / reactance program coded 30 years ago. It has be translated 5 times for different platforms starting with HP 9825 , PET , Radio shack then IBM in quick basic. The reason it has lasted so long is it was written properly the first time making it handy and missed if it is not there which goes back to what the college instructor said so many years ago " software never gets old". The fussy point I am getting at is when coding in a given language does it really matter if it is a 8 bit machine or a 64 bit machine. Hardware may change but software is timeless.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2017, 02:36:01 pm
content: True enough, but the thing is as technology improves, the impressiveness of the software does too. This is why a 3D modeling program for a MIPS based SGI machine can't hold up to the tech and rendering options in something like Maya or 3DS Max.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2017, 06:09:41 pm
content: P3 450Mhz 128MB of ram was my first computer. I had used a 486 DX2 before that but our first one that we owned was the P3. Over 3 grand for that machine at the time.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 24, 2017, 10:26:10 pm
content: Quote from: bsudbrink on January 19, 2017, 10:13:49 pmWow, that's a rare one. I hope you can find a way to replace the missing paddle switch.Does that thing actually still have the protective film on the front perspex?

author: bsudbrink
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 25, 2017, 08:58:18 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on January 24, 2017, 10:26:10 pmYes, fairly rare. Arguably, the last commercially produced "real" front panel personal computer. It will make a nice bookend to my S-100 collection.Quote from: TerraHertz on January 24, 2017, 10:26:10 pmI subscribe to the "bait" theory of classic computer collecting. I decided about ten years ago that I wanted a DPS-1 and started collecting parts. I have five spare paddles (just the plastic) and three full momentary switches (paddles and switch mechanisms). I have several Ithaca Audio/Intersystems boards that I've picked up or traded for, including a Z-80II CPU, and an FDC.Quote from: TerraHertz on January 24, 2017, 10:26:10 pmYup. I hope that the adhesive hasn't damaged the finish. That could be a problem but I'm not sure yet.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 25, 2017, 10:12:41 pm
content: Take incredibly detailed pictures in the invent you need to repaint.

author: switchedmodepsu
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2017, 12:36:51 am
content: Pentium III is NOT "retro" - oh, by the way, people REALLY need to stop over-using the word "retro".Nice that you have it, enjoy, but NOT an old computer.

author: ANTALIFE
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2017, 12:42:49 am
content: Ah another dick waving contest ;^)

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2017, 12:50:55 am
content: Quote from: bsudbrink on January 25, 2017, 08:58:18 pmI hope you have a video camera and record the event. Peeling original protective film off a genuine antique computer front panel must be some kind of retro-record.Good luck with it. I once found a nice brushed-finish stainless steel case microwave oven, street tossed. Some idiot had never peeled off the original blue plastic protective film. It had become _impossible_ to peel - the glue became harder and the plastic film degraded, so was now weaker than the glue. Just a little bit, enough to make you think _maybe_ you could get it off. But no... Hairdryer, solvents, nothing worked.That was the only thing wrong with the unit. The peeled-around-the-edges blue film looked disgusting.So bad even I gutted it and threw it back out again.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2017, 01:49:20 am
content: Quote from: switchedmodepowersupply on January 26, 2017, 12:36:51 amYou've opened up pandora's box!Does the term VOGONS computer suit your needs? And it's the term old school that REALLY grinds my gears. I hate that word, and while I don't love retro, there really is no better description. And it's always a debate on what counts as retro or not. I would even consider a Socket A machine as retro as it's not something you would want to daily drive. It can't run modern operating systems well, it can't drive anything faster than PCI (PCI-X if you're lucky).It doesn't matter, I collect computers, and there is a period of games on a P3 that is best on original hardware. The general consensus is that everything after LGA755 is not that retro as they are still in the mild scope of modern day use, but the edge progresses year by year.It's also a jump the gun thing. There is almost a perfect line moving originally from the XT class systems to now the 486 hardware of pretty decent spikes in price. Socket 5 and 7 are soon comming, and then will Slot 1 and SSocket 7. The system was ~ 100USD and I am happy with it.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2017, 02:50:44 am
content: Old PCs are gaining value? This is good news for mypilecollection.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2017, 04:27:13 am
content: Quote from: bitseeker on January 26, 2017, 02:50:44 amYea, prices in 486 parts have gotten stupid. Dirty ass broken boards go for 40 bucks. I paid around 150-170 USD for my system including mouse, board, CPU, 32MB RAM, a Diamond Multimedia Stealth SE (Trio 32) VLB, a DTC Dual channel EIDE VLB M/I/O card, and an AWE32 (the later AWE64ish AWE32)

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 26, 2017, 05:17:32 am
content: Quote from: bsudbrink on January 19, 2017, 10:13:49 pmNice, Ithica, we had one in the lab at college. Ran the 2nd BBS in town on it.I think a few years later they sold it for the copper in the PSU (holy crap it was heavy)

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2017, 07:33:07 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 26, 2017, 04:27:13 amFascinating. Hmm, to sell or not to sell, that is the question.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2017, 08:02:41 am
content: Quote from: bitseeker on January 26, 2017, 07:33:07 amKeep it under your hat and wait for it to really get pricey. If the 386 and 486 follow suite later on with 286 and 8088 gear, it could get really valuable.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2017, 08:16:40 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 26, 2017, 08:02:41 amI can wait.

author: switchedmodepsu
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2017, 01:17:34 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 26, 2017, 04:27:13 amWell that's handy to know, I have a warehouse with 917 "new old stock" IBM 486 machines, and 200 Sun SparcStations, also NOS.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2017, 01:59:37 am
content: Quote from: switchedmodepowersupply on January 27, 2017, 01:17:34 amComplete systems are going for the most. Currently I think the asking prices are bullshit, but given time the market may stabilize and valuable asking prices like 500-1000USD for a good complete box with all you need may become the norm.Keep an eye out for scrappers though. A LOT of good hardware is going under due to scrappers, so make sure when you sell, it goes to a collector, and not to some asshole who's gonna melt down some cool piece of history for a few bucks.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2017, 03:38:04 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 19, 2017, 06:02:10 pmThat is basically the same specifications as my FreeBSD router than I have been running for the past 10+ years. It has 6 x 100Mb/s ethernet ports, 384M of ECC SDRAM, and was running a Celeron 300A at 450 MHz until recently when I updated it to a 450 MHz Pentium 2. It has outlived 4+ ISP modems and its only failure was when the ice machine leaked water which dripped into the basement and into the case; a day later it was rebuilt and running again.On my desk is my backup workstation from 2 generations ago which I use for legacy hardware and applications; it is an Abit BX6 Revision 2 motherboard with 1GB of ECC SDRAM and a 1.2 GHz Pentium 3. Downstairs I have a server with a GX chipset motherboard, 2GB of ECC SDRAM, and dual 900MHz Pentium 3 Xeons.

author: bsudbrink
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2017, 04:57:26 pm
content: Quote from: boffin on January 26, 2017, 05:17:32 amYes, it weighs a ton, as do most really useful S-100 chassis. I'm on the east coast of the US and it was on the west coast. To be sure that it arrived in one piece, I employed another collector to "hand carry" it across the country. He was picking up some things for himself as well. Those big linear power supplies are suitable for arc welding.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2017, 08:11:27 pm
content: I've got an ASUS P3BF motherboard, brand new, never used or installed, still in the original box with all papers, mint condition. Maybe I should try to ebay it.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2017, 09:25:50 pm
content: Quote from: rdl on January 27, 2017, 08:11:27 pmMake sure to check the caps. The Slot 1 era was NOTORIOUS for ruined caps, even from reliable manufacturers.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2017, 09:31:54 pm
content: That's for sure. I have several Pentium motherboards that are riddled with bulging caps. Tantalums on boards from that time period like to pop, too.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2017, 09:44:23 pm
content: I just dug it out to look. All the caps are Rubycon and in mint condition. There's not a hint of bulging or leakage. I should go ahead and take some photos while I have it out.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2017, 09:58:38 pm
content: I finally had to change the capacitors on my Abit BX6 Revision 2 motherboard a couple years ago but did so when inspection shows that some were bulging or leaking while it still worked fine. It has a Slot 1 to PGA370 adapter which has its own regulators and capacitors but it still looked good so I left it alone.The one motherboard I always regretted not getting is theAbit BP6which could run dual Celerons.I also have a working Intel OR840 system with dual Slot 1 Pentium II processors. It would make a good cryptographic random number generator if that function had been better supported. Unfortunately it really only runs Windows well; Linux and BSD have problems with it because of its wacked ACPI implementation.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2017, 11:17:32 pm
content: The Celeron system I mentioned in reply #22 uses an Abit BM6. Abit motherboards were highly regarded at that time. I need to drag that system out and see if it'll still run.I think I still have one of those Slot 1 adapters that I never used.

author: pelule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2017, 11:45:04 pm
content: I guess, a battle of age of used computers has started.I have started with a Siemens 3003.My first home computer was a self build z80 system, to begrammed in HEX ocde (a real pain) - I later expanded it to CPM80.

author: Housedad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 07:05:46 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 19, 2017, 06:02:10 pmOld, crud. i learned on a brand new PDP-8 in high school and later got a Bill Godbout S100 buss 8080a, kit form. Now that is a bit old but not as fer back as Tom45