How many old computers have you ? [Archive]

Taillefer

11-26-2003, 11:38

Confessing elsewhere that I was an old computer hoarder made me wonder how
many of us are out there.

You know she has served you well but the time is reached, all too regularly,
when she has to move over. I have given old ones away to the family but they've
got wise to me now. I always seem to feel that its not worth parting for buttons.
I can/will use the old PC as a firewall - there are still games playable on the Amiga
that are'nt on the PC and, you know one of these days, when I blow the dust off
it - I might just get round to having a game.

We get a TV programme here called ' Lifes Laundry ' and for those unfamiliar this
formidable lady and her 'Robin' sidekick challenge the hoarders to unload. My own
Boadecia grabs the remote and tries to tether me - thinks it may be good for me.

So, I wonder how bad am I compared with you folks. Poll it confidentialy - I promise
I wont send a truck.

Taillefer.

Aymar de Bois Mauri

11-26-2003, 13:12

Quote[/b] ] Poll it confidentialy - I promise I wont send a truck.

LOL http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

Well, I still own a ZX Spectrum 48K http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/shock.gif and a 286 PC just for the sake of memories http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
The other more recent PCs, I've been able to ditch in to the hands of anyone not that informed about the rapid obsolescence of IT products... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

Paxx

11-26-2003, 15:26

LOL I still own too a living Schneider Euro PC II, 8086 processor at 9.14 Mhz http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif
Any others were sold, so I could make upgrades for the new ones http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

FesterShinetop

11-26-2003, 15:30

I have three old computers (not counting my good old Atari 2600), 2 PC's and an Amiga
Pretty funny as I am typing this on one of the oldies as my newest computer broke down last week (should come back today, yay http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ) So it is always good to keep a backup machine handy http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
And I still regret I ever sold my Atari 800XL http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif

Jacque Schtrapp

11-26-2003, 18:17

Whenever I get a new box I always recondition the old one and pass it off on a family member that will never buy their own. So far I have given away five recycled PCs to relatives. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

MonkeyMan

11-26-2003, 18:23

I have 1 amiga 500
2 old pc's of mine
2 old work pcs i'm yet to find a home for
1 pc that used to be my brothers.

So 6ish, and i still wish I didn't give away my BBC B. My lifes ambition is to prove you can use 7 computers at the same time and watch TV and prove my mom and my girlfriend wrong about my computer hoarding habits. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Theredlemming

11-26-2003, 18:35

Yeah i know how you feel. My father and I constantly keep the old P.c's with excuses like we will need them for a Doom2 LAN party, to this day no such party has ever emerged.
THe trick is to be seen useing it that we when she complains (i think you know who i mean;) ) you can say: hey wot are you on about i used it only yesterday,)

Mr. Full of excuses (the red lemming) with a household of arguments http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/argue.gif

scudknight

11-26-2003, 19:55

I have so much junk it's not even funny *pans around room*
ah, i see a computer sticking out of the closet - its a portable compaq with a screen on it and a handle for carrying - I dont know the model (too lazy to go look) but I know my wife played prince of persia on it as a kid with five inch floppies. Weighs more than my desktop.

Just off the top of my head I think i could build 8 or 9 old pcs with the junk ive got. the rest could go to a swap meet.

Kraellin

11-26-2003, 21:23

well, not counting card readers and smart terminals, i have 6 computers, a commodore 64, a commodore 128, an amiga 2000, and 3 pcs of varying age and configurations. and one of the old smart terminals used those old 10 inch floppies :)

i've also got a laser disc player and several old vcr's i bought and repaired, but then never sold. lol.

btw, if anyone's got an old 1084s monitor for my amiga, i'd be interested.

i could also prolly scrap together a couple more pcs from old boards and cards lying around.

hmmm, i may have to start a museum.

K.

A Nerd

11-26-2003, 21:23

My sister has a 486 she won't throw away for some reason. The old relic sits in the closet and collects dust. Too bad antique collectors don't buy computers.

Cazbol

11-27-2003, 11:03

1. ZX Spectrum 16K (or was it 64K?) - in storage
2. Victor 8086 PC. 14 Mhz but strangely with a switch to tune it down to 7 Mhz. (Maybe it was 7 Mhz and downgradable to 4 Mhz, can't remember) - in storage
3. Laser 133 Mhz. Ran almost non-stop for 5 years and is still running, mainly for X-COM. I love that machine.
4. 1,9 Ghz PC. The current thing. Strangely slow for a 1,9 Ghz though.

Derfal Cadarn

11-27-2003, 14:12

ok call me a hoarder but i have this profound failure to get rid of any of the stuff i use to use, so therefore i still have the following

TRS-80 Micro complete with additional cassette record
Amstrad cpc 464 with green screen monitor and seperate floppy drive
Atari ste 500
IBM 386 20mhz (complete with 4mb ram and 40mb hard drive)
gateway 486
dell pentium 120mhz
dell pentium 333 mhz
own build pentium 400mhz
compaq pentium 2 1.0 ghz
and presently using a mesh 2.9ghz athlon with a nice 22inch monitor :-)

Taillefer

11-28-2003, 08:13

Derfal - Youve got the prize so far

Come on now, surely someone can top this ?

Taillefer

Black Arrow

12-01-2003, 15:34

Just done a quick check but I can only find five hardly a patch on Derfal http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wacko.gif

taoistlumberjak

12-01-2003, 15:56

do they have to be working computers?

I have one i just built a few weeks ago (P4 2.6ghz 800fsb 512 ram)

Also, i have a p3 450 gateway and a 486. I gutted my gateway for a couple parts, and the 486 is, well, doing a good job as a footstool.

dessa14

12-01-2003, 16:11

ive got an old computer as my internet server and ive got 25 old commodore 64's and 128's and ive got hundreds of bits of computers
thanks dessa

BDC

12-01-2003, 22:57

I'm up to my neck in old computers here. It's terrible...

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

Jacque Schtrapp

12-01-2003, 23:11

Recycle people. Give to those who would otherwise never experience the joys of technology. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

barvaz

12-01-2003, 23:58

Hmmm...now that you mention it, I simply can’t part with old computers, certainly not throw them away. Lets see:

- Sinclair ZX81
- Apple IIe
- IBM PC XT
These are preserved for historical and nostalgic reasons. The Sinclair still has the original box, 16K memory expansion, all the books and some cassettes with games. I am still upset about the Commodore that was donated to a family member in the late 80s never to be seen again.

- About 5-7 286s, 386s and 486s
These are mostly junk (except one functional 486SX) and served over the years as source for spare parts. Some had their dead bodies abused and mutilated in various “scientific” experiments.

- IBM thinkpad laptop pentium I 133mhz
- pentium 90 laptop of unknown brand.
One of these will serve some day as a digital picture frame.

- About half dozen of semi-modern PCs, ranging from Pentium I 100 to pentium II 400
These go on and off duty serving various purposes like linux firewalls, mp3 servers, print server etc. One is reserved for a future MAME powered arcade cabinet project (If I ever find the time).

Newer machines (i.e. the one I replace when I get a brand new) are passed down our family and friends computer users’ food chain, going from my wife to sister, parents and friends. Of course, I collect them back when they are no longer needed. You can never know when you need an almost retired PC.

Besides that, I have my gaming machine, which I try to keep 1-2 years old max and my work laptop (IBM thinkpad all the way).

That makes it total...well, too many probably but nothing I can do about, just can't throw them away.

- barvaz

MrWhipple

12-02-2003, 01:14

Somewhere in the pile of junk, only counting working systems, I have from oldest to newest:
1) an ELF. 4k ram and a 1mhz 8080; but it has 8k BASIC in ROM too. I don't run it anymore because I don't have the paticence to toggle in machine code every time I want to run something.
2) a Sinclair (doorstop) Those of you who ever had one know what I mean.
3) 2 Heathkit H89s. Blown out to a full 64k RAM and a 100k 5in floppy. The Kansas City spec cassette interface is still in one of them just in case I have to load up some of my early games that are on tape.
4) a Heath/Zenith H150, Z80 processor overclocked to about 3mhz, external twin 8in floppys, and a line printer that will make you go deaf in under an hour. The Heath systems run a CP/M operating system, the H150 can run CP/M, MS-DOS, or Z-DOS
5) I think that the C64 with all the toys is still out there but it may have gone to one of the kids.
6) 2 PII 400s
7) an old HP NT server that I still plan to put into operation as a firewall and print server.
and boxes and boxes of parts and bits and old software.
I am sure that I am leaving out a few things, but that is the interesting bits.

Kekvit Irae

12-02-2003, 06:07

I miss my old C64/128 and AppleIIgs. My father was (still is) in the CIA, and my mother was a registered teacher, so I grew up in a very computer-oriented family. A shame too, I'm the only one who is competent in computers. :P
I was writing my own BASIC code at around 7 or 8, created my own game at 10, and various other oddities.

Pitt_Slayer

12-02-2003, 15:33

hmm i love old computers http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif its great fun getting them to work http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

1 towerd A1200 Amiga 3.1 rom 3.5 workbench http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
1 A500
1 A500+ 4mb ext harddrive (hiden some where)
1 48K Speccy (collecting dust)
1 128k speccy 2+ (collecting dust)
3 crappy pc's 2.4\700\laptop p75

Lord De Moray

12-02-2003, 17:55

Why I dont know but I've got;

Sinclair ZX81
Commador 64
Commador 128
Atari ST

MiniKiller

12-30-2003, 22:35

3

It's mainly my father, I've kept one but my father kept 2, both of which are literally fried.

Sun Tzui

01-07-2004, 18:40

I have 2: one sinclair 48K and 1 amiga, both working.

Big King Sanctaphrax

01-07-2004, 18:57

I lose count of all the PCs I've got...the company my Dad used to work for used to use standardised equipment, and when stuff got out of date, they would update all of the PCs at the same time. When this happened, any of the employees who wanted one of the old ones could just take one home. My dad always used to take advantage of this, though we've never used any of them. Plus there'a a crappy Tiny, an old 133mhz Gateway, our current Dell 2.53 Ghz, and a really old PC up in the Attic that used to use really massive disks. Anyone remember commander Keen?

Teutonic Knight

01-07-2004, 20:57

I have three in my house...

Finn

01-16-2004, 18:59

2 currently, one of which is being used as a linux server/firewall etc, gave one away to my parents and my g/f has her own so when we move in together that will be 3

Teutonic Knight

01-16-2004, 19:02

Quote[/b] ]Anyone remember commander Keen?

hell yeah I played those things like crazy when I was a kid. I beat all three of them I think. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-glasses2.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-thumbsup.gif

Basileus

01-23-2004, 17:35

Still got my amiga 500 http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

And a Pentium 2 400mhz

Along with my current baby, which needs a few minor upgrades http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-computer.gif

Plantagenet

01-23-2004, 21:36

None. They all end up in my dad's workshop...where tired computers go to die. I generally build a new system every year or so. The parts from my old ones are donated to my dad, the guy who taught me to how to build/repair PCs. Down in his basement is a 3-sided workbench covered with every PC and component the 2 of us have accumulated over the past 2 decades, including a Commodore Vic20 with tape drive, a Commodore 64 with a genuine floppy disk drive, etc.

I have no idea why he hoards them. Sometimes when I'm visiting, he'll remind me that he has my first hard-drive, or say remember the first PC you built yourself? I still have it downstairs; 2 MB of RAM, an original SoundBlaster, Windows 3.1, etc.

I try to tell him they're all relics with no value or useful potential whatsoever, but he won't listen...I think its his equivalent of a family Photo Album...

Lord of the morning

01-24-2004, 21:45

I am a true computer hoarder, we have one 286 and one 486 although the ram is picked out so they are totaly useless, one P 100MHZ one P 233MHz laptop, one P2 400Mhz. one PIII 800MHZ laptop, one 1.4GHZ Athlon, one 1800+Athlon, two P4 2.0GHZ and one P4 2.3GHZ and in the attic we have one reaaly old IBM machine with a one collour monitor and you have to write the programs yourself.

The reason for all theese computers are the swedish taxsystem for personell computers, that is, if the company offers employees to purchase computers through the company you get to pay 40-60% of the real price (since theese computers are paied before paying incometax), and the company also earn money by getting reduced tax.

Lord Xelous

01-27-2004, 07:42

I've got an Original PONG game (Retired - door stop)

A commodore 16 (not 64.. a 16) (Retired - cupboard)

2 Atari ST's - Both in use

1 486-SX25 PC - Not in use (CPU used as beard comb)

2 Pentium PC's 133 and 333Mhz (Not in use).

1 CeleronII FCPGA 733 PC in - (used in shop)

2 P4 - 1.8GHz PC's Developer PC's for office staff

1 P4 2.6Ghz - My PC for playing MTW & NTW

1 Dual P4 Xeon 3.2 Ghz Server - Company server

So what's the tally.... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-computer.gif 12....

I didn't know I had so many plug sockets....

Alrowan

01-27-2004, 23:02

in my house...

1 Microbee (a really old thing)
1 086 XT (this baby flies)
1 286
1 386
1 486 66 MGHz
1 Pentium 100MGHz
1 Pentium 2 333MGHz
2x Pentium 3's 800MGHz, 633MGHz
1 AMD Athlon 1700 XP 1.46GHz
1 AMD Athlon 2100 XP 1.9GHz
1 I-Book G4

there might be more than this, im not too sure, ill have to ask my brother who hordes all the old ones. but the last 4 on that list are all in use still, and the Pentium 2 is a server for the home network

The Tuffen

01-29-2004, 01:23

I've got 3 PC's (one not in use) at my house + a Laptop.
Then I've got my main game playing computer at my G'friends.

Teutonic Knight

01-29-2004, 15:50

Quote[/b] (Alrowan @ Jan. 27 2004,17:02)]in my house...

1 Microbee (a really old thing)
1 086 XT (this baby flies)
1 286
1 386
1 486 66 MGHz
1 Pentium 100MGHz
1 Pentium 2 333MGHz
2x Pentium 3's 800MGHz, 633MGHz
1 AMD Athlon 1700 XP 1.46GHz
1 AMD Athlon 2100 XP 1.9GHz
1 I-Book G4

there might be more than this, im not too sure, ill have to ask my brother who hordes all the old ones. but the last 4 on that list are all in use still, and the Pentium 2 is a server for the home network
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-stunned.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-stunned.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-stunned.gif

Iga

03-24-2004, 19:08

an out dated compaq

Agravain of Orkney

03-29-2004, 17:32

Living in New England us yanks have a streak of thriftiness in our blood. My first computer was a 486 33mhz with 8mb ram, 250mb hard drive, and 5 1/4 inch floppy drive. I rebuilt it into a Pentium 100mhz, 64mb ram, 2gb hard drive with CD burner and 3 1/2 inch floopy drive. It's final reincarnation was in the form of a K62-500, 384mb ram, 20gb hard drive, using one of the last motherboards I could find in an AT form factor with enuf slots for all of my old ISA legacy cards.

This served me well until along came Medieval Total War http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif I could play the game with small unit sizes and lag that resembled some of the very first films ever made. Multi-player was out of the question.

Dad now has a new computer and the old one belongs to my sons, ages 6 and 3. Already I am starting to hear Daaaad, can we play on your computer?