Anyone here collects old computers?

[Telecolor 3007]

Anyone here collects old computers? (computers before Pentium 1 = 586)
Some one promised me for free 2 old computers: an 286 (I think is an "Olivetti") with "Windows" 3.1 installed and an 386 (without hard disk) plus an 12" (30 cms) black and white monitor.
Shoot, at I.R.U.C. (Întreprinderea de Reparat Utilaje de Calcul = Calculation Equipement Repairing Enterprise) they dumped around 2004 a lot of "I.B.M." XT :tears:

There is no computers are on AK? :sigh:

 

[Ed in Tx]

Accumulate would be the better word for me. I still have my old Pentium 100 with Windows 3.1, which I upgraded with new MB etc from a 386 DX40 170MB 32Megs ram which as I recall originally cost over $2k to put together... and I still have my old NEC laptop 8088 based that ran IBM PC DOS off of 2 720 floppies, used that to log into Prodigy back in the early '90s. Hate to throw old computers away, and have no use for them either.

 

[Grainger49]

Not on purpose, mine are just always old.

 

[mhardy6647]

The first PC we bought ourselves was an AT&T PC6300 (made by Olivetti)... an interesting beast with proprietary high-res (for its time, 640 x 400 mono) graphics and the full 16-bit 8086 processor. Added a 20 MB HDD card and a 1200b Hayes smartmodem card (neither was exactly inexpensive in the mid 1980s).

Made good use of it in grad school and for a few years thereafter. Long gone now, though.

 

[RichPA]

"Not on purpose" is a great answer - it applies to me, too. Let's see, just within sight - Mac Classic, Power Mac, ancient Toshiba laptop ... and I've given some away.

 

[jamesrpm]

I am keeping a Packard Bell Pentium 60. First in the pentium series sill has the flawed processor in it. Not that I think it will be worth much though.

 

[AnalogDigit]

I used to collect computers when I was a computer technician. I used to upgrade them just for fun. I once had an IBM PC, two Compaq portables, one had the Intel I-386 upgrade, Compaq portable III and many clone computers. Had them all on a website on Geocities over 10 years ago. Sold them on eBay or gave them away. I guess to make room for all the vintage stereo equipment I collected.

I only have a Pentium 90 with 32 MB of RAM and a 1.2 MB hard drive. The machine dual boots to Windows for Workgroups 3.1 with MS-DOS 6.22 or Windows 95. I have a bunch of old DOS games on the drive. Some of the games on the drive are 25 years old and cannot be played because the processor is too fast!

I still have a Dell Latitude CPX laptop that still works, A Clone AMD Duron 1.4 GB processor running XP for my music server. The AMD motherboard replaced a Pentium III motherboard since most people now want to covert their cassettes and records to MP3, so I needed a motherboard that supports 2.0 USB drives.

My main computer is a Pentium 4 with a 3 Gig processor. I have been transferring all my videos on 8mm and Beta to this machine. My brother has a Pentium 1.8 clone. He gets all my hand-me-downs. He just uses it to surf the web.

Would like to get a cheap clone and use it to power the lights in my home. I believe the older computers can still be useful.

 

[garww]

These two are not particularly interesting, but it's fun to go back. From the PC era, I have most of the processors and am only really tickled by hod rod lunchboxes. The ATT was a olivetti, I think and was well regarded, but not so PC compliant. It was on my dream list, but so was the apple lisa.

I actually like W3.1 and 3.11 very much, but i mostly used Desqview because Windows wouldn't support eight modems.

Something like a Northstar Advantage is interesting. Or a Sinclair QL.

 

[whsh93a]

Depends on what you consider "old"

I still have my Poly-88 S-100 based computer that I built from scratch in the 1970's - uses cassette and paper tape readers and still works fine. Sold a Sinclair on E-Bay a few years back. Owned the original Windows 1.0 operating system (sold it on E-Bay) and STILL have a bunch of software designed for the original IBM PC - including DR DOS. Also IBM DOS and various versions of MS DOS.

DH

Anyone here collects old computers?
Some one promised me for free 2 old computers: an 286 (I think is an "Olivetti") with "Windows" 3.1 installed and an 386 (without hard disk) plus an 12" (30 cms) black and white monitor.
Shoot, at I.R.U.C. (Întreprinderea de Reparat Utilaje de Calcul = Calculation Equipement Repairing Enterprise) they dumped around 2004 a lot of "I.B.M." XT :tears:

There is no computers are on AK? :sigh:

 

[Rome]

As I type this answer to your query I am using my trusty Premio PII w/ Windows 98SE & 256 MB of RAM.

My girlfriend gave me a Dell 4500 w/ Windows XP & updates, 1GB of RAM, & IE 8 for my birthday, but I am still using ole faithful until she breathes her last breath.

The only thing I wish I could right now is to view YouTube videos. It seems IE 6 is no longer supported there & IE 8 does not support Windows 98SE.

This ole puter has been through many things & still continues to perform. If ever I run across another Premio like this one or an updated one, I will try my best to buy it.

Premio computers are most reliable.

Rome

 

[garww]

Depends on what you consider "old"

I still have my Poly-88 S-100 based computer that I built from scratch in the 1970's - uses cassette and paper tape readers and still works fine. Sold a Sinclair on E-Bay a few years back. Owned the original Windows 1.0 operating system (sold it on E-Bay) and STILL have a bunch of software designed for the original IBM PC - including DR DOS. Also IBM DOS and various versions of MS DOS.

DH

Ya, we got('74) a IBM mini that used a modem (dedicated line switched to send or receive) punch card and punch tape. So, I feel a PC is modern : ) I only went to windows v2 because I could buy a springboard publisher for cheap compared to Ventura publisher. I still don't like windows very much, and to see Linux go stupid is a insult to computing.

 

[SOTA]

I still have one of each model made by the Osborne computer company...a Model One and an Executive. Both machines are in working order and I have a full package of CP/M software that they operate with. Those old 4 bit processors are so slow by todays standards but I can't bear to part with these fine examples of the first portable computers ever made. They look like sewing machines when they are closed up for carrying.

J.R.

 

[garww]

I still have two PII a very nice Deskpro 400 - almost makes me think it's a dec or a sun inside. And a later optiplex gx1p 450 that is reliable - more so than my later PIII optiplex. The 450 is my MIDI machine : )

 

[kcollins4]

I have my old Packard Bell Legend, which was the first new computer I ever had, and my little project is a Compaq Portable III. It's identicle to the one pictured here, but is their first 386 portable, the 2670. Look what these were selling for in 1987...

http://oldcomputers.net/compaqiii.html

Recently upgrade the HD to 528 mb, the largest it will accept, but that drive crashed within the first week. Crap.
It's been fun to play with. I even have the black zip up carrying bag with the Compaq logo.

 

[garww]

I still have one of each model made by the Osborne computer company...a Model One and an Executive. Both machines are in working order and I have a full package of CP/M software that they operate with. Those old 4 bit processors are so slow by todays standards but I can't bear to part with these fine examples of the first portable computers ever made. They look like sewing machines when they are closed up for carrying.

J.R.

Those truly are collectible in my book !! At the same time, though, the lowly Sun Pizza box should be a collectible, but no one wants one : )

 

[mhardy6647]

Found an IBM PS/2 model 70 "luggable" in like-new condition on the swap pile at our town dump last Saturday... hesitated for a moment... and it had already been adopted.

PS I remember the Osborne, Kaypro, and the Heathkit H-89 all in one well and (in the latter case, at least) quite fondly. Don't have an example of any of 'em, though.

 

[garww]

I have my old Packard Bell Legend, which was the first new computer I ever had, and my little project is a Compaq Portable III. It's identicle to the one pictured here, but is their first 386 portable, the 2670. Look what these were selling for in 1987...

http://oldcomputers.net/compaqiii.html

It was truly a spectacle watching the privileged trying to move around with the early luggables. They eventually evolved into the nice lunchbox sized powerhouses.

 

[KLH9]

I don't "collect" them, I just don't part with them once I upgrade.

Below is my first computer, first drives, and some early software on 8" floppy (all from the mid 70's)

 

[BruceRPA]

I have a TRS-80 Model I, Level II Basic, 32K (not Meg!), Expansion Interface, 300 Baud modem, 13" B&W monitor, and one or two (I don't remember anymore) 5" double sided disk drives @ 500K(?) each. That system would have cost about $3,000 back in the olden days. Oh, and there is a wide carriage daisey-wheel printer that still has the original ribbon and is still in the original box. I think that it was about $600 when it was new. The last time that I powered it up it all worked but it has been in boxes for quite a few years now.

I know that there are a couple of other TRS-DOS computers and a dot matrix printer or two stashed away as well. The Model I is somewhat of a museum piece, for me at least, but I think I could loose the others without missing them very much.

 

[mhardy6647]

I have a TRS-80 Model I, Level II Basic, 32K (not Meg!), Expansion Interface, 300 Baud modem, 13" B&W monitor, and one or two (I don't remember anymore) 5" double sided disk drives @ 500K(?) each...

Were those hard sector drives?

The H-89's original drives were hard sectored (there were 10 - or was it 11? - holes punched in the circumference of the disk adjacent to the spindle hub which were "read" by an optocoupler to index the sectors. Ahh, those were the days...