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Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 5:32 pm
by cbmeeks
Floopy wrote:The other day I was looking for a HDD for my portable, but why does a 25 year old HDD cost 3x as much as a new one???
I have a x86 motherboard from 1997 but I'm having tough luck finding parts for it.
I'm in the same situation. I'm having a hard time finding some basic parts for my 486 that I want to build. Like an IDE controller that isn't insanely expensive or completely void of all make/model numbers.

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 9:18 am
by Floopy
I really like the Apple IIc, it's just so compact.

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 11:36 am
by Floopy
cbmeeks wrote:
Floopy wrote:The other day I was looking for a HDD for my portable, but why does a 25 year old HDD cost 3x as much as a new one???
I have a x86 motherboard from 1997 but I'm having tough luck finding parts for it.
I'm in the same situation. I'm having a hard time finding some basic parts for my 486 that I want to build. Like an IDE controller that isn't insanely expensive or completely void of all make/model numbers.
The cheapest way I find parts is usually asking older people if they have any. They are usually happy to find someone who will take them. Although it's a bit hard finding these people sometimes.

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 1:45 pm
by Bobbi
I guess I really like the idea of all those expansion slots in the //e! I had a II+ for many years as a kid.

The //c is nice, but the slots are a big part of what the Apple II is all about IMO. (Also all the //c machines I see these days are very yellow, while the //e I just bought looks to be pristine.)

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 6:19 pm
by Floopy
Bobbi wrote:I guess I really like the idea of all those expansion slots in the //e! I had a II+ for many years as a kid.

The //c is nice, but the slots are a big part of what the Apple II is all about IMO. (Also all the //c machines I see these days are very yellow, while the //e I just bought looks to be pristine.)
I do like the IIe, but I don't have the budget for expansion slots. Most of all I like the small form factor (the handle too). If I do come across any Apple II for a decent price though I will pick it up. My only issue is that my shop is running out of space :?

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 8:48 pm
by cbmeeks
I own several IIe's. I just bought some more prototype boards for the IIe. I hope to build another Mockingboard board soon. In fact, I'm working on an experimental audio board for the VIC-20. If that works out, I'm going to take the same technique over to the IIe. :-)

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 8:48 am
by Bobbi
I have been reading your postings on comp.sys.apple2 cbmeeks :)

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:29 pm
by Floopy
cbmeeks wrote:I own several IIe's. I just bought some more prototype boards for the IIe. I hope to build another Mockingboard board soon. In fact, I'm working on an experimental audio board for the VIC-20. If that works out, I'm going to take the same technique over to the IIe. :-)
I wish I owned more old stuff (software, hardware, random parts, tools), sadly when you're in college you can't afford to buy yourself a SX-64 anytime soon. :x

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 10:11 am
by Floopy
I guess this would be appropriate to post this here...

Today I checked my 286 and 486 PC to see the barrel batteries. Well ones starting to leak and I need to find someway of replacing it?
What can I do, is there replacement batteries or should I try another battery type? Has anyone tried this before?????

Aside from that, I found a solution to my HDD problem. Instead of using a 80 MB hard disk drive I just went with a Compact flash card adapter.
I do have a new issue though; my floppy drive on my portable happens to be dead :evil: so I need to find a replacement beige FDD.

If you have any solutions to my issues I would be glad to know.

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 11:35 am
by cbmeeks
Floopy wrote:I guess this would be appropriate to post this here...

Today I checked my 286 and 486 PC to see the barrel batteries. Well ones starting to leak and I need to find someway of replacing it?
What can I do, is there replacement batteries or should I try another battery type? Has anyone tried this before?????

Aside from that, I found a solution to my HDD problem. Instead of using a 80 MB hard disk drive I just went with a Compact flash card adapter.
I do have a new issue though; my floppy drive on my portable happens to be dead :evil: so I need to find a replacement beige FDD.

If you have any solutions to my issues I would be glad to know.
I would definitely cut those barrel batteries off. I've seen those leak many times. They are the worst.

I believe you can replace them with "coin-cell" type batteries assuming you can get an adapter or coin-cell holder. Of course, you'll have to match the voltage. If you replace them with a barrel type, I would try and find a holder to solder on so that the battery can be removed for storage.

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 1:55 pm
by RobertBe
I would only be interested in the Commodore 486 laptop. ;)

Writing from Portland, Oregon,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

P.S. At this year's CommVEx, attendees were amazed at the Commodore PC20-III on exhibit. They didn't know that CBM made MS-DOS machines. :)

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 9:02 pm
by Floopy
RobertBe wrote:I would only be interested in the Commodore 486 laptop. ;)

Writing from Portland, Oregon,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

P.S. At this year's CommVEx, attendees were amazed at the Commodore PC20-III on exhibit. They didn't know that CBM made MS-DOS machines. :)
:shock: COMMODORE MADE DOS MACHINES!!! I never knew that. I need to look into that more.

Update: I got a new floppy drive for a few dollars.

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 9:20 pm
by Floopy
cbmeeks wrote:
Floopy wrote:I guess this would be appropriate to post this here...

Today I checked my 286 and 486 PC to see the barrel batteries. Well ones starting to leak and I need to find someway of replacing it?
What can I do, is there replacement batteries or should I try another battery type? Has anyone tried this before?????

Aside from that, I found a solution to my HDD problem. Instead of using a 80 MB hard disk drive I just went with a Compact flash card adapter.
I do have a new issue though; my floppy drive on my portable happens to be dead :evil: so I need to find a replacement beige FDD.

If you have any solutions to my issues I would be glad to know.
I would definitely cut those barrel batteries off. I've seen those leak many times. They are the worst.

I believe you can replace them with "coin-cell" type batteries assuming you can get an adapter or coin-cell holder. Of course, you'll have to match the voltage. If you replace them with a barrel type, I would try and find a holder to solder on so that the battery can be removed for storage.
I have some dead motherboards with CR3032 battery holders. I think I will un-solder them and put them in, the pain is that the motherboard is in my portable so I will have to do alot of unscrewing.

Re: 486's that valuable??

Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2017 11:08 am
by Floopy
Found this neat little guide, this person clearly explains what I need to do on my 286 and 486
http://pc-restorer.com/replacing-cmos-b ... n-old-pcs/