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Commodore VC-20, 1983

The VIC-20 was Commodore's first colour home computer, announced in 1980. The VC-20 was re-badged for sale in Germany, owing to the unfortunate meaning of the original name. Commodore had the PET, but it was the VIC-20 that propelled the company's machines into the mainstream, and set the stage for their incredible C64.

This PAL VC-20 is from 1983, with the "cost reduced" short board. Note the beautiful rainbow badge, indicating it was built alongside the C64. I bought it broken from a chap in the UK in 2023, and restored it with some retrobright, reseating its hodgepodge of mismatched ICs, and replaced the broken keyboard with an "Aldi 64" unit (while retaining the orange function keys). The modern round-pin sockets and extensive flux residue on the back indicates this machine had a rough life, but I'm so happy she's functional and beautiful again. I agree with Adrian Black, the VIC-20 had the best breadbin case.

The last thing I want to do is the S-Video mod for use with my Retrotink, but I'm exploring if there are options to do something similar but not destructively.

Component	Part	Socket	Date	State	Memo
System
Name	Noel Llopis	-	-		His VIC-20 video really helped!
Case	Stock	-	-		Retr0brighted to fix some nasty blotching
Keyboard	Aldi 64	-	-		Replaced dead board with one from an Aldi 64
Motherboard		-	-		PAL shortboard version
ICs
CPU	MOS 6502 B	UE10	0683
CIA 1	MOS 6522	UAB1	??86		Much newer, must have been replaced
CIA 2	MOS 6522	UAB3	4682
VIC Video	MOS 6561-101	UB7	1883		Want to do S-Video mod
BASIC ROM	MOS 901486-01	UE11	3883		BASIC 2.0
KERNAL ROM	MOS 901486-07	UE12	5281		Much older, must have been a replacement

Commodore Plus/4, 1984

The Commodore Plus/4 was introduced in 1984, as the flagship of the 264 line. While it lacked the sprites and sound capabilities of the C64, it had an expanded 121 colour palette and a much-improved BASIC 4.0, along with some interesting but limited productivity software. Its case design is easily my favourite among all 8-bit machines, and Bil Herd's little motherboard is a work of industrial art. It's a gorgeous machine!

My parents bought me this, a C16, a breadbin C64, and a 1541 drive for my birthday in 2004, back when these machines were going for peanuts. While I love the aesthetics of the Plus/4, I admittedly spent more time on the C16 because the keyboard felt nicer to use. I got into the habit of writing stuff on the C16 and running on the Plus/4, to extend the life of the latter.

The PLA finally died in 2023, so I replaced it with Eslapion's PLAnkton +4. Works flawlessly!

Component	Part	Socket	Date	State	Memo
System
Name	Bil Herd	-	-		The lead 264 and C128 designer
Case	Stock	-	84		Some very minor scratches
Keyboard	Stock	-	84		Rattly/scratchy, might need lubrication
Motherboard	Stock	-	84		Gorgeous design!
ICs
TED	MOS 8360R2	U1	2684		NTSC video and sound for the 264s
CPU	MOS 8501R1	U2			Needs heatsink
PLA	PLAnkton +4	U19	23		Replaced dead MOS 251641-02 (2584)
BASIC ROM	MOS 318006-01	U23	2884		BASIC 4.0!
KERNAL ROM	MOS 318005-05	U24	3884
Func. Low ROM	MOS 317053-01	U25	3884
Func. High ROM	MOS 317054-01	U26	3084
SPI ROM	MOS 6525B	U27	3284		Plus/4 software. Wonder if I could replace?

Commodore 16, 1984

The Commodore 16 was introduced by Commodore in 1984. It used the same familiar breadbin case as the Commodore VIC-20 and C64, though its tiny motherboard was similar to the other machines in the ill-fated 264 family. This actually makes it great for expansion, because you have so much room to work in.

My parents bought me this, a breadbin C64, a Plus/4, and a 1541 drive for my birthday in 2004, back when these machines were going for peanuts. I was starting to get interested in 8-bit computers at the time, and admittedly spent more time on the C16 than any of the others. I was always more interested in weird productivity tools and tinkering than games, so it's software and keyboard just.. clicked? I didn't realise at the time how little these sold compared to the C64; I thought it was a wonderful machine.

In 2022 I upgraded the C16 using SaRuMan's excellent non-destructive 64 KiB memory expansion module, which slots under the TED. Unfortunately, it's also developed an issue with its reset line over time, where it can't be warm power-cycled. I'm still troubleshooting.

Component	Part	Socket	Date	State	Memo
System
Name	David Dunham	-	-		My high school computer and bowling teacher
Case	Stock	-	84
Keyboard	Stock	-	84		Repaired a broken 6 key
Motherboard	Stock	-	84		Upgraded with SaRuMan 64 KiB
ICs
TED	MOS 8360R2	U1	4084		NTSC video and sound for the 264s
CPU	MOS 8501R1	U2			Needs heatsink
BASIC ROM	MOS 318006-01	U3	3084		BASIC 4.0!
KERNAL ROM	MOS 318005-04	U4	3184
PLA	MOS 251641-02	U16	2984

Commodore 128, 1985

The Commodore 128 was 8-bit computing's swan song. It was three computers in one: a C128 with improved BASIC and 128 KiB of memory, a C64 mode that was almost entirely compatible, and a CP/M machine running on a Zilog Z80. It was designed by Bil Herd and his team, the same people behind the 264 line. The biggest external design changes were a sleek new beige case with larger vents, a numpad, and a set of extra function keys for use in C128 mode. This machine meant business, but also had that legendary C64 sprite and sound hardware.

I don't think it's a stretch to call it the most capable 8-bit machine of all time, as its exhaustive parts lists and complicated motherboard can attest! Sure, there have been machines with multiple CPUs, but consumer hardware on different instruction sets, on the same board!?

Josh Nunn of The Geekorium gave me his PAL Commodore 128 after hearing me wax lyrical about the machine on an episode of my silly podcast. Over time its 80-column circuitry and some of its higher memory banks have started having issues, which I've yet to fix. I couldn't find a replacement for the missing F7/F8 key, but I did find a little extra HELP.

Component	Part	Socket	Date	State	Memo
System
Name	Screenbeard	-	-		The gracious person who gave it to me :)
Case	Stock	-	85		Retrobrighted and fixed grounding strap
Keyboard	Stock (fixed)	-	85		Repaired function keys, replaced F7/F8
Motherboard	Stock	-	85		Mostly works, but not 80-column mode
ICs
CIA 1	MOS 6526	U1	4285
CIA 2	MOS 6526	U4	4285		Has "S" printed on top
SID	MOS 6581 R3	U5	4285
CPU/MPU	MOS 8502 R0	U6	4085		Used in C128 and C64 modes
MMU	MOS 8722 R2	U7	4385		Memory management unit
CPU Z80	Zilog Z80 B (Z8400BPS)	U10	3585		Z80 mode for CP/M
PLA		U17			#TODO: Add here
Char. ROM	MOS 390059-01	U18	1985		"CBM M452995 8541H"
Colour SRAM	Hitachi HM6116P-4	U19	2785
VIC-II	MOS 8566	U21	4185		PAL version
VDC	MOS 8563 R2	U22	0786		Non-functional
Clock Gen.	MOS 8701	U28	4185		"F6 S" printed on top
KERNAL ROM	MOS 251913-01	U32	4185		With BASIC. "Taiwan 26011D-370"
BASIC LO ROM	MOS 318018-02	U33	4185		"Taiwan 26011D-290"
BASIC HI ROM	MOS 318019-02	U34	4185		"Taiwan 26011D-291"
128 KERNAL ROM	MOS 318020-03	U35	4085		"Taiwan 26011D-292"
User Socket		U36	-

"Aldi" Commodore 64, 1987

The "Aldi" Commodore 64 is a bit of an oddball. Commodore wed a motherboard and keyboard from early-revision 64Cs with an older-style breadbin case, and sold them in Germany through Aldi and a few other supermarket chains in 1987. As an Aldi fan, I can absolutely picture these machines being sold in the middle isle of shame between hiking boots and economy-sized bags of pfeffernusse.

Confusion abounds online about these machines. I wrote a post about how these cases were indeed grey, after reading people say they had the same cases of original breadbins. Other sites claim they pre-date the 64C, despite that machine first coming out in 1986. Either way, Aldi 64s were manufactured by Commodore USA and imported, perhaps to use up an oversupply of spare parts. They've since become a bit of a collectable on account of their weird configuration and history. Mine has since yellowed to that "coffee milk" colour, which I oddly like.

My Aldi 64 is empty, I have to confess! I snagged an original keyboard and case from Europe, though it didn't come with a motherboard. My plan is to use the chassis for one of those Commodore 64 replacement boards, and all-modern ICs as a fun experiment.

Component	Part	Socket	Date	State	Memo
System
Name	Jan Beta	-	-		German! And it was his first 64 :)
Case	Stock	-	87
Keyboard	Stock	-	87		Repaired a broken 6 key
Motherboard		-	-		To be bought

Commodore 64C, 1988

The Commodore 64C was a redesigned C64, first released in 1986. Despite rumours of the impending demise of the line in favour of the more expensive C128 and Amiga, demand for the 64 remained strong, and was a valuable source of cash for Commodore in later years. It included new motherboards with consolidated ICs, and a sleek new beige case which made typing much easier. It also proved physically incompatible with certain peripherals popular in Europe, hence the introduction of the breadbin 64G with 64C internals.

I'd always wanted a 64C since seeing one in a magazine. I didn't have any nostalgic memories or personal attachment to the breadbins, but the 64C looked gorgeous. Even the keyboard font is amazing, despite it being printed instead of double-shot to save costs. In the end I found a PAL unit for sale in Australia from 1988, though it was mildewy enough that it took a few soapy baths and scrubbing to make usable.

This is probably the closest I have to a "daily driver" Commodore, though that may change when I finish my Aldi 64. It's compatible with all the awesome new homebrew hardware out there today, including my beloved EasyFlash 3. Adrian Black is right, these machines were built to last.

Component	Part	Socket	Date	State	Memo
System
Name	Adrian Black	-	-		His videos fixed so many of my machines!
Case	Stock	-	88		Slight retrobrighting
Keyboard	Stock	-	88
Motherboard	Stock	-	88
ICs
CIA 1	MOS 6526A	U1	3588		"216A"
CIA 2	MOS 6526A	U2	3588		"216A"
KERNAL ROM	MOS 251913-01	U4	3188		With BASIC
Char. ROM	MOS 901225-01	U5	3488
CPU	MOS 8500	U6	3588
VIC-II	MOS 8565R2	U7	3388
Super PLA	Sharp 251913-01	U8	3388		"LH5062B A"
SID	MOS 8580R5	U9	3688
Clock Generator	MOS 8701	U20	3588		"F6 22"

Apple //e Platinum, 1987

The Apple //e Platinum was the last of Apple's 8-bit computer line, starting with the original Apple ][ in 1977. The //e Platinum included the mixed case support from the IIe and IIe Enhanced, along with an 80-column card and numpad included standard, and a revised colour scheme to match their other new machines at the time. The 16-bit IIgs would later define an entire II on a single chip.

It's interesting to contrast this iterative development with most other 8-bit companies at the time. Had Commodore taken a similar approach, the C64 may have been a compatible evolution of the PET, rather than a clean-sheet architecture. Woz and his team also encouraged expansion with the II, which seems almost unbelievable compared to the sealed boxes Apple sells today.

The //e was probably the second computer I ever used. My first and second primary schools were in the process of phasing out their II machines, but we still used them for a year or two. The hardware, video, and sounds imprinted in me, to the point where I immediately recalled them years later when watching YouTube. My beautiful specimen came soon after, bought from a chap in Melbourne who restores old Apple hardware.

Component	Part	Date	State	Memo
System
Name	Ms. Brooks	-		My first primary school teacher
Case	Stock	86		Bit yellowed, but great condition
Keyboard	Stock Platinum extended	86		Nicest feeling keyboard I own!
PSU	Stock, recapped	8734
Motherboard	IIe International NTSC	86		B607-0288-C
Cards
AUX	AIIE 80COL/64K Expansion			Pre-installed
Slot 1		-		(Usually printers)
Slot 2		-		Would like a Super Serial Card
Slot 3	(80 column card, indirect)	-
Slot 4		-		(Usually memory expansion)
Slot 5		-		(Usually for mouse)
Slot 6	Apple I/O Controller	8417		655-01-10B
Slot 7		-		(Usually for co-processors)
Storage
Disk A	Apple 5.25 140 KiB A9M0107	86		Connected to I/O controller
Disk B		-		Would love a FloppyEmu

Sun SPARCStation 5, Model 544

The handsome SPARCStation 5 was released by Sun Microsystems in 1994. It uses the same "Aurora" case as the S20 and S4, sitting between them in capabilities and performance. It can be expanded with 8 DSIMM slots and 3 horizontal SBus slots, one of which was shared with a faster AFX bus for higher-capacity frambuffer cards. I suspect these are rare as hen's teeth today! It also supports two 1-inch SCSI drives, a floppy drive, and has space for an optional slim optical unit that's almost as rare.

I loved my time using Sun kit at university in the mid-2000s. To this day I still regret getting a Power Mac G5 (since sold) over one of those UltraSPARC towers when I had the money to. Sun even had retail stores in Singapore, just a few shops down from Make Fine where I built my first PC in 1998. FreeBSD people have a lot to be thankful for from Solaris.

This gorgeous machine was graciously given to me by Mike of Chinwag fame, after he read me talk nostalgically about pizzabox computers like this. He even pre-installed NetBSD on it for me!

Component	Part	State	Memo
System
Hostname	mike.lan		Named for Mike who gave it to me!
Case	Stock		Service Code S5, PN 600-3432-01
PSU	Stock		P/N 300-1279-01
OS	NetBSD 9		Want to dual-boot with older Solaris/illumos
KVM Port	8
Motherboard
Motherboard	02 Rev 50
CPU	Sun microSPARC II 70 MHz		STP1012APGA MB86900 9508 Y31 -70A
RAM	64 MiB (2 x 32 MiB) ECC		Want to upgrade to 256 MiB
Audio	Crystal CS4231A-KL		Surface mount chip under SBus3
Cards
SBus 1
SBus 2
SBus 3/AFX	Sun STP3010PGA TurboXGX		Graphics card, frame buffer 270-2253-02 Rev 50
Storage
FDD A	Sony MPF420-6 3.5 1.44 MiB
SCSI 0	Seagate ST5660NC 545 MB		4500 RPM, 80-pin
SCSI 1
SCSI 2			Would love a slim Sun CD-ROM!

DFI Am386, 1991

DFI (Diamond Flower International) were a manufacturer producing PC clones in the early 1990s. This basket of parts originally came with a 386SX-16CN/20CN baby AT motherboard with an AMD Am386-SXL, a mix of SIMMs for 4 MiB of memory, a Multi-IO card, switchable Oak CGA/EGA/VGA graphics card, and a TEAC 5.25 1.2 MiB floppy drive.

I bought the parts for this machine in a junk bin at Challenger in the late Funan Centre in Singapore when I was a teenager. I could never get them working, so they sat in a box for the best part of two decades until 2023, when I finally made them functional with little more than DeOxit and some thorough cleaning! I paired it with a cute tower from eBay, and have been slowly building it into the best 386 SX I can.

The most recent additions include an Intel i386-SL co-processor, Sound Blaster 2.0, Ethernet NIC, and a SCSI controller. The original Multi-IO card only supports one IDE channel, so I experimented briefly with running a CD-ROM off a Sound Blaster IDE channel. Without the funds for an Atari Falcon (!), I've made this into my GEM desktop, and am keen to track down a single-sided 5.25 drive for it.

Component	Part	State	Memo
System
Hostname	mio.lan		Because it has a MIO card. Ahonhon!
Case	Weird Baby AT mini tower		Needs proper clean
OS	MS-DOS 6.22/ViewMAX, GEM/3		Should probably be DR-DOS!
KVM Port	5
Motherboard
Motherboard	DFI 386SX-16CN/20CN		Baby AT
CPU	AMD Am386-SX/SXL-25		Surface-mount
Coprocessor	Intel i387-SL N80387SL		Bought in 2023
RAM	8 MiB (8 x 1 MiB) 30-pin SIMM		Max supported!
BIOS
Chipset	Chips & Technologies CS8281
Cards
Multi-IO	Acer MIO-400 KF ISA		IDE, FDD, game, serial, parallel
Graphics	OAK OTI-067, ISA, MGA/EGA/VGA		Needs HY51C4256S-10 upgrade
NIC	3Com EtherLink III 3C-509B ISA
Sound	Sound Blaster 2.0 CT1350B ISA		Other PCs were too fast for it
SCSI	Adaptec AHA-1542CP ISA		To mess with SCSI storage options
Storage
FDD A	TEAC FD-55GFR, 5.25 1.2 MiB
FDD B	Panasonic JU-2561888PC, 3.5 1.44 MiB
IDE 0	PQI 256 MiB Disk-on-Module		Highest capacity without going XT-IDE
IDE 1			Might get a CF adaptor?

NEC APEX VPS, 1996

This horizontal desktop is an unusual Tatung PC clone rebranded and sold by NEC Japan in 1996, desu. Someone I met in Australia bought this machine when he lived in Japan, and used it as a DOS game machine. IBM PC clones like this were still fairly unusual in Japan at the time, owing to the proliferation of NEC's PC-9800 and later machines.

It was scary how many boxes this machine ticked. Our first family computer was a 486 with VLB, and I had Japanese friends in Singapore who either had this exact machine, or one that looked similar. It even included the exact Sound Blaster 16 CT2230 with OPL3 I used to have! Everything about the design also screams 1990s Japan, with a layout that harkens back to the original IBM 5150.

I originally wanted to replicate the family 486, but this ticks all the boxes. Unfortunately, I do have a sensitive nose, and it smells extremely musty and mildewy when it heats up, so I might need to do a through cleaning at some point.

Component	Part	State	Memo
System
Hostname	ryza.lan		Because it has a VLB riser!
Case	Original NEC case and JP stickers
PSU	Astec [sic] SA145-3430 145W		Stock, P/N TCS-9510
OS	PC DOS 6.3 JP, Windows 3.11
KVM Port	7
Motherboard
Motherboard	Tatung TCS-9510		With ISA and VLB riser
CPU	Intel i486DX2-66		95301066AD, 93
RAM	16 MiB 72-pin FPM		Like to upgrade to 64
BIOS	PhoenixBIOS 4.01 5762		1995-09-08
Chipset	UMC UM82C491
Ext. Cache	128 KiB		Like to upgrade to 256 KiB
Cards
Graphics	Cirrus Logic CL-GD5428, 1 MiB		Onboard
NIC	TODO: Need to get
Sound	Sound Blaster 16 CT2230 ISA		With a real Yamaha OPL3!
Storage
FDD A	Sony MP-F17W-50D 3.5 1.44 MiB
FDD B
IDE 0	Quantum Fireball ST 1.6 GB
IDE 1
IDE 2	Creative Infra48 CD3220E CD-ROM
IDE 3

Childhood MMX, 1998

This was the machine that started it all. We had a family 486 and Pentium 1 growing up, but this was the first computer I built myself. I'd wanted my own computer for years, and coming second place in a primary school writing contest gave me the funds!

The debate I had at the time was going with a Pentium Pro, or the Pentium MMX. I chose the latter because I thought the higher clock and multimedia instructions would make it better for games, but then I proceeded to use it to learn programming and do tinkering instead! Either way, the CPU was paired with a generic Octek Socket 7 motherboard, the last of the classic AT designs before the world shifted to ATX. I resisted upgrading it to an AMD K6, preferring to keep it as I original built it.

When the original family 486 was thrown away (sadly!), I was able to harvest the 5.25-inch Panasonic HD floppy drive, and the Sound Blaster 32 ISA card, both of which I thought made sense to put into this machine. There's a lot of family history in this banged-up box, and it still works as well as the day I cobbled it together.

Component	Part	State	Memo
System
Hostname	ami.lan		First anime crush, first PC!
Case	Beige DIY Baby AT		Needs sanding and repainting
PSU	Speed ATX-580W		With -5V rail and AT-ATX adaptor
OS	Windows 95 OSR2
KVM Port	6
Motherboard
Motherboard	Octec Rhino 12+
CPU	Pentium P55C MMX 200 MHz
RAM	64 MiB SDR UDIMM		Like to upgrade to 256
BIOS
Chipset	VIA Apollo VPX/97
Ext. Cache	256 KiB		Surface-mount
Cards
Graphics	Matrox Mystique 220 PCI		Stunning VGA quality
NIC	Compex ReadyLINK RL2000-PCI		My first NIC!
Sound	Sound Blaster 32 CT3600 PnP		IDE controller died, but I don't use
SCSI			Need for Zip Drive
Storage
FDD A	Panasonic 5.25-inch 80-track		Needs deep clean
FDD B	Mitsubishi 3.5-inch HD		Need to fix door flap
IDE 0	SanDisk Extreme 32 GiB CF card		Works with passive IDE adaptor
IDE 1			Need another UDMA CF card
IDE 2	Mitsumi 32x CRMC-FX3210S CD-ROM
IDE 3
SCSI 0	Iomega Zip 100 MiB		Works, but need SCSI controller

Compaq Presario 5060, 1998

This was the machine all my friends had when I was a kid in Singapore, and I secretly wanted. My overeager imagination at the time thought the front bezel looked like a rocket ship, with its flippy USB and Game Port cover being the gap between its fins. I still think its design holds its own among other beige-tastic boxes from the time.

After years of searching for one in decent condition, I decided to amalgamate a few into one working box. I found a 5070 from the US with a badly broken power supply and motherboard, but had a functional optical drive and was in good cosmetic condition. Six months later I found a 5060 from the UK that booted, but was banged up badly on the outside. Voila!

Today it's a massive pain with its proprietary power supply, IO shield, and ports, but naturally it's one of my favourite machines. This is what I use to play those old Windows games like Worms World Party and Age of Empires II, just as I did with friends back in the day.

Component	Part	State	Memo
System
Hostname	yoko.lan		From mecha sci-fi Gurren Lagann
Case	Merged from 5060, 5070		Two broken cases made one good one!
PSU	MiTAC MPU-110REFP 110W		Compaq proprietary
OS	Windows 98 SE
KVM Port	2
Motherboard
Motherboard	MiTAC/Trigon Typhoon 10		Compaq OEM EMEA board
CPU	AMD K6-II 333 MHz		Could upgrade, but gonna keep stock
RAM	112 MiB (16 + 32 + 64) SDR UDIMM		Upgrade to 384 MiB
BIOS	686A1 ROM, 1998-08-27		F10 to access
Chipset	VIA Apollo MVP3		Released 1997-09-22
Cards
Graphics	ATi Rage LT Pro, 8 MiB		Onboard. Claims to be AGP.
NIC	(Missing)
Modem	Compaq PSB215A Fax/Voice, ISA		Not stock, from another Compaq
Sound 1	ESS ES1869F AudioDrive		Onboard. Very low noise chip!
Sound 2	Sound Blaster 16 Value CT2770, ISA		For DOS games
Storage
FDD A	Mitsubishi MF355F 3.5 1.44 MiB		Compaq P/N 304235-001
FDD B			-
IDE 0	Quantum Bigfoot TX 5.25 Series, 4 GB		My first 5.25-inch hard drive!
IDE 1			-
IDE 2	Panasonic CR-588-C(CQ) 32x CD-ROM		Stock. P/N 310185-004
IDE 3			-

HP Brio BA600, 1999

Brio machines formed part of HP's small-business line in the late 1990s, to complement the Pavilion line aimed at home users. They had a classy, understated design compared to the bulbous plastic of their Pavilions, and more pedestrian graphics hardware. Despite using the same OEM part sources as Compaq, the Brio machines had beautifully standard components. Even the Dell Dimension I bought later was more proprietary than I expected, despite it looking more like a plain box!

A Brio BAx was my second childhood PC, bought at a COMDEX show in Singapore at a steep discount. This one was binned during one of our many house moves, much to my chagrin. Fortunately I managed to find someone selling the slightly lower-end BA600 that otherwise looked identical. The dead power supply was replaced with a generic SFX.

The original Brio had dark grey drives, which long since died. I replaced them with a black CD-ROM for something different, and my extremely unusual blue Iomega 5.25 Zip drive. Normally I prefer keeping colours the same, but I think the recess in tbe bezel makes it look intersting.

Component	Part	State	Memo
System
Hostname	darjeeling.lan		British HP Sauce... Girls und Panzer!
Case	Stock OEM HP, Model DTPC-19		System Number D9083A
PSU	PTC-400 SFX (replacement)		Original HP gave up
OS	Windows 2000
KVM Port	4
Motherboard
Motherboard	MiTAC/Trigon 6110Zu
CPU	Pentium III 550 MHz
RAM	512 MiB
BIOS	Award HW.27.09 (QHW.09.05)
Chipset	Intel 440BX (Seattle)
Cards
Graphics	Matrox MGA-G200A-D2, 4 MiB		Onboard
NIC	SMC EN5030B PCI		Stock. Need drivers
Sound	Crystal CS4280-CM SoundFusion		Onboard
SCSI	Iomega Jaz Jet SCSI Accelerator, PCI		Advansys ABP-960
Modem	Rockwell WS/M1-5614PM3 PCI		CIS Technologies
Storage
FDD A	Panasonic D2035-60391 1.44 3.5		JU-256A316P F3007
FDD B
IDE 0
IDE 1
IDE 2	NEC ND-3450A DVD-RW		From HARDOFF in Otsu, Japan!
IDE 3
SCSI 0	5.25 [sic] Iomega ZIP100Si "Insider"		Unusual form factor!

IBM Aptiva 2199-200, 2000

IBM made some gorgeous desktop hardware. I'm especially partial to the industrial design of their PS/2 era machines, but their generic PC Aptiva line is almost as striking, and much easier to work on with its standard ATX components. This Aptiva 2199-200 came out in 2000, at the tail end of IBM's beige days. It even retains the original drive door, which most people seemingly broke or removed. I love comparing its design to my Presario 5060; they have similar components and construction, but are so wildly different.

I bought this machine in 2023, ostensibly to use as a Sleeper PC on account of its standard PC components and positions. In the end, I couldn't bear to change anything about it, so I'm trying to turn it into an OS/2 machine. I was even able to pick it up with Clara from the seller, and take it for a walk!

Component	Part	State	Memo
System
Hostname	hitori.lan		Most relatable character in a long time
Case	IBM FRU P09N5402
PSU
OS	OS/2 Warp 4.5, NetBSD
KVM Port	1
Motherboard
Motherboard	IBM PR0263 Rev 3.0
CPU	AMD K6-II
RAM
BIOS	Award PCI/PnP 586 230759922
Chipset	SiS 530/5565
Cards
Graphics	GeForce FX5500 256 MiB PCI
NIC	3Com EtherLink XL 3C509B-TPO PCI		EEPROM socket for XT-IDE
Sound	ESS 1938S H170		Onboard
Modem	ESS 2838 V5.0 PCI Modem		MPE28383PS FM-3623-11 W06/01
Storage
FDD A	NEC FD1231T 3.5 1.44 MiB
FDD B
IDE 0	Quantum Fireball CR 6.0 GB		FBCRA 655-0695
IDE 1
IDE 2	LITE-ON LTN-403 17-40x CD-ROM		IBM P/N 36L8788
IDE 3	Creative CD620E Hex CD-ROM		Our first CD-ROM! Needs repair

Dell Dimension 4100, 2000

This Dimension from October 2000 is surprisingly weird. Dell used this beige case for several of the computer lines, including the later XPS. I didn't know until I bought this unit that the entire plastic shell is clipped onto an internal metal frame. This explains how the "A-TCH" [sic] OEM sold the same chassis for Micron; they just swapped the panels.

Dells were boring, but ubiquitous in Singapore. Our school had a fleet of them, complete with Zip drives which made ferrying homework much easier! I still feel those warm childhood fuzzies when seeing them, because it meant fun subjects were about to start. Nostalgia is weird.

I don't think they were as popular in Australia, so I was surprised to see someone selling one in Canberra. It's my highest-performing retro PC, though I'm tempted to replace the PSU and motherboard with non-proprietary parts at some point.

Component	Part	State	Memo
System
Hostname	kyou.lan
Case	Original OEM		Service Tag 42VF21S
PSU	Proprietary in ATX form-factor		To replace with non-proprietary
OS	Windows Me, FreeBSD		Win Me is bad, but hey, nostalgia
KVM Port	3
Motherboard
Motherboard			To replace with non-proprietary
CPU	Pentium III "EB" 800 MHz
RAM	PC133 SDRAM
BIOS	Dell A05		To replace with non-proprietary
Chipset			To replace with non-proprietary
Cards
Graphics	ATI Rage 128Pro AGP (4x)		Stock. My only AGP card!
NIC	3Com EtherLink XL PCI		3C905B 03-0184-000 Rev-A
Sound	Sound Blaster Live! CT4780 PCI		Came with machine
Storage
FDD A	NEC FD1231T		Dell P/N 09886C
FDD B			-
IDE 0
IDE 1			-
IDE 2	LG CRD-8482B CD-ROM		Dell P/N 0699YR, October 2000
IDE 3	LG GSA-H42N Super Multi DVD Writer

OrionVM FreeDOS, 2014

Is including a VM a stretch for this page? Maybe! It was one of the first virtual servers I booted on OrionVM, and got it working using Michael B. Brutman's excellent mTCP stack. Today I keep it around as an ice-breaker for client meetings.

Component	Part	State	Memo
Hostname
Hypervisor	OrionVM Xen HVM
OS	FreeDOS
RAM	512 MiB		Minimum on OrionVM
Graphics	Cirrus Logic GD 5446		QEMU virtualised
NIC	Realtek RTL8139		QEMU virtualised
HDD	10 GiB		Minimum on OrionVM

Palms

Palms (ne. PalmPilots, Pilots) were personal digital assistants sold in the 1990s and 2000s. They were lightweight, fast, had endless battery life, and synced easily with your desktop using PalmSync.

I loved PalmPilots when I was a kid. I didn't have to track contacts, business expenses, or tasks, but what self-respecting nerd wouldn't want a small computer the could carry around in their pocket? I downloaded games, BASIC interpreters, books, and the AvantGo package that let me read web news on the go.

This is my small collection of Palms, mostly from family. I'll admit I use the ones with removable batteries more often, just because AAA cells are so much easier to source and replace. My roommate at uni lost my first III, but I managed to replace it! They also all have protective cases.

Units

Unit	Year	Display	Memory	State	Memo
IBM Workpad 20x	1998	160x160 greyscale	2 MiB		Rebadged III, bought from eBay
Palm IIIx	1999	160x160 greyscale	4 MiB		My first Palm
Palm V	1999	160x160 greyscale	2 MiB		Dad's work Palm. Needs new battery
Palm m515	2001	160x160 colour	16 MiB		My mum's. Needs new battery
Palm Tungsten W	2003	320x320 colour	32 MiB		My first smartphone! It was dropped :(
Palm Zire 72	2004	320x320 colour	32 MiB		My mum's. Needs new battery
Palm LifeDrive	2005	320x480 colour	4 GiB Microdrive		Bought on eBay in 2022

Loose Parts

Components that aren't currently in a machine. Probably for testing, a future build, or nostalgia in their own right.

Part	State	Memo
AOpen PT75 Plus II PCI, S3 ViRGE/GX, PCI		Q5C4BB 86C385
Diamond Viper V330 RIVA 128 4 MiB, PCI		Testing Win31 driver limits
Tseng Labs ET4000AX 1 MiB VGA, ISA		PN 9201 Rev A1
Sound Blaster 16 Value		Our first sound card!
ESS AudioDrive ES1868F		From my P1, but have IRQ conflicts
NEC USB D720101GJ, PCI		29931461-003009 V1.1

Bootdisk

This is the config for my DOS boot disk, which contains benchmarking and diagnostic stuff. This should be made into a menu.

AUTOEXEC.BAT

@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $p$g

PATH A:\RUBEN;A:\TOOLS;A:
SET DIRCMD=/A/O:GEN/P
SET TEMP=A:\TEMP
SET TMP=A:\TEMP

GOTO %CONFIG%

:MINIMAL
GOTO END

:FULL
LOADHIGH A:\DOS\DOSKEY.COM /INSERT
:: http://adoxa.altervista.org/shsucdx/
A:\TOOLS\SHSUCDX.COM /D:JIMKLOSS
:: https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=72553
A:\TOOLS\UNISOUND.COM

:END
		

CONFIG.SYS

[MENU]
MENUITEM=MINIMAL, Minimal Boot
MENUITEM=FULL,    Full Boot (HIMEM, EMM386, Drivers)

[COMMON]

[MINIMAL]

[FULL]
DOS=HIGH,UMB
LASTDRIVE=E
DEVICE=A:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF /VERBOSE
DEVICE=A:\DOS\EMM386.EXE RAM I=E000-EFFF NOTR VERBOSE
;; http://www.kegel.com/nansi/
DEVICEHIGH=A:\TOOLS\NNANSI.COM
DEVICEHIGH=A:\TOOLS\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:JIMKLOSS
		

Thanks

My special thanks go to the following amazing people and projects, without whom this hobby wouldn't be possible:

Clara

For her unwavering encouragement!

Adrian's Digital Basement

For all his tool recommendations and repair walkthroughs for Commodore, Apple, and PC hardware.

FrogFind

For letting me search the web on old hardware!

The Internet Archive

For hosting all that original documentation and disk images.

Jan Beta

For introducing me to the Aldi 64, and for his Commodore 16 repair videos.

The NetBSD Project's i386 and SPARC ports

It keeps so much of this old hardware alive, and lets me dual-boot with a NIC to copy files. The NetBSD team are legends.

Noel's Retro Lab

For his beginner-friendly lab advice and Commodore VIC-20 repairs.

Phil's Computer Lab

For his recommendations for DOS benchmarking tools, drivers, and hardware.

The Retro Web

Their classic PC hardware documentation is an absolute treasure!

Wish List

This is part pie-in-sky, part shopping list, part thinking out loud.

• Apple II 3.5 controller card and drive for my //e Platinum
• Apple II Floppy Emu, for loading software
• Commodore PC-1, the cute Commodore PC clone.
• Palm VII, even though its wireless clearly wouldn't work anymore. Or... could it?
• Space, to put all this stuff.
• Sun CD-ROM for the S5. They need a specific bezel size.

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