Andrew's Tech Break
@andrewstechbrk.bsky.social
Spending free time taking a look at, fixing, and conserving Retro and New Tech.
October 31, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Next clone looked like XT/286 system – but looks like someone crammed in a K6-2. What is this? Someone’s sleeper PC from back in the day. All this and not a new case?
#retrocomputing #pcclone
#retrocomputing #pcclone
October 26, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Next clone looked like XT/286 system – but looks like someone crammed in a K6-2. What is this? Someone’s sleeper PC from back in the day. All this and not a new case?
#retrocomputing #pcclone
#retrocomputing #pcclone
This Pentium 166 clone is all fixed up. Nothing too special found in this pickup. Not sure I need another Pentium clone so the case might go towards another project.
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
October 25, 2025 at 2:32 PM
This Pentium 166 clone is all fixed up. Nothing too special found in this pickup. Not sure I need another Pentium clone so the case might go towards another project.
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
A little surgery on the Dallas chip and the message is gone and BIOS settings can now be saved again.
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
October 12, 2025 at 10:13 PM
A little surgery on the Dallas chip and the message is gone and BIOS settings can now be saved again.
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
Re-assembled and first power on this old Pentium clone and it’s alive. Oddly set to 100Mhz but couple of dips later and we’re at 166. No surprise the Dallas is dead. It still has a funky Windows 98 install.
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
October 11, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Re-assembled and first power on this old Pentium clone and it’s alive. Oddly set to 100Mhz but couple of dips later and we’re at 166. No surprise the Dallas is dead. It still has a funky Windows 98 install.
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
First look at this PC clone I picked up. Was hoping for a 386/486 judging by the case but looks like we have a Socket 7. And the CD and USB card are kind of a tell.
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
October 11, 2025 at 2:55 PM
First look at this PC clone I picked up. Was hoping for a 386/486 judging by the case but looks like we have a Socket 7. And the CD and USB card are kind of a tell.
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
#retrocomputing #pcclones #pentium
Picked up these two non-descript PC clones. One looks from the XT/286 generation and the other 386/486 generation. But the CD drives make me doubt that’s what I’ll find inside.
#retrocomputing #pcclones
#retrocomputing #pcclones
October 7, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Picked up these two non-descript PC clones. One looks from the XT/286 generation and the other 386/486 generation. But the CD drives make me doubt that’s what I’ll find inside.
#retrocomputing #pcclones
#retrocomputing #pcclones
The TRS-80 Model III is fixed, cleaned, assembled, and tested. Nice to have this piece of computing history in the collection. I have memories of using these in high school before the IBM clones took over.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
October 5, 2025 at 11:16 PM
The TRS-80 Model III is fixed, cleaned, assembled, and tested. Nice to have this piece of computing history in the collection. I have memories of using these in high school before the IBM clones took over.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
Quiet Friday evening pulling keys and cleaning the Model III keyboard.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
October 3, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Quiet Friday evening pulling keys and cleaning the Model III keyboard.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
After some fiddling with IMD both drives are aligned and the Model III is booting off its drives once again. Time to tackle the dirty keyboard.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
October 1, 2025 at 11:00 PM
After some fiddling with IMD both drives are aligned and the Model III is booting off its drives once again. Time to tackle the dirty keyboard.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
Good and Bad news with the Model III. Hooked up a Gotek and the machine boots – so controller is good. But when I try and format or copy to the drives same errors on both. So pretty sure it’s the drives.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
September 30, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Good and Bad news with the Model III. Hooked up a Gotek and the machine boots – so controller is good. But when I try and format or copy to the drives same errors on both. So pretty sure it’s the drives.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
IT’S ALIVE! First power on for this TRS-80 Model III and the system is up and the screen is good. Unfortunately no “Diskette?” prompt and no boot from the disk drive. So not sure if it has controller or just drive problems.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
September 28, 2025 at 3:10 PM
IT’S ALIVE! First power on for this TRS-80 Model III and the system is up and the screen is good. Unfortunately no “Diskette?” prompt and no boot from the disk drive. So not sure if it has controller or just drive problems.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
Stepper motor on the Model III drives seemed very stiff and sticking. A couple of hours of exercising both drives and they’re working much smoother.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
September 26, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Stepper motor on the Model III drives seemed very stiff and sticking. A couple of hours of exercising both drives and they’re working much smoother.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
TRS-80 model III is blown apart. All is there and looks good. So time to start cleaning and get it re-assembled for a first power up.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
September 25, 2025 at 12:10 AM
TRS-80 model III is blown apart. All is there and looks good. So time to start cleaning and get it re-assembled for a first power up.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii #septandy
Oh! I don’t like that. Metal washers under the power supply. And only 3 bolts so one of those was just floating there – that’s not good. Time to print up some plastic washers.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
September 23, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Oh! I don’t like that. Metal washers under the power supply. And only 3 bolts so one of those was just floating there – that’s not good. Time to print up some plastic washers.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
Good news is this TRS-80 Model III case is not empty, looks likes all the guts are still there. We have some gooeyness on the anode cap and some RIFA caps just waiting to give the next guy to power this on a bad day.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
September 14, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Good news is this TRS-80 Model III case is not empty, looks likes all the guts are still there. We have some gooeyness on the anode cap and some RIFA caps just waiting to give the next guy to power this on a bad day.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
This TRS-80 Model III has a 16K badge and the model is 26-1062 but we have dual drives and an extra port so some upgrades were done in the past.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
September 6, 2025 at 4:47 PM
This TRS-80 Model III has a 16K badge and the model is 26-1062 but we have dual drives and an extra port so some upgrades were done in the past.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
For #SepTandy 2025 I’m going to restore this TRS-80 Model III I picked up a while back. I have mixed feelings about these computers. My high school had these and being a Commodore kid they nothing for me at the time.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
September 2, 2025 at 11:17 PM
For #SepTandy 2025 I’m going to restore this TRS-80 Model III I picked up a while back. I have mixed feelings about these computers. My high school had these and being a Commodore kid they nothing for me at the time.
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
#retrocomputing #tandy #trs80 #modeliii
That 286 accelerator card works. It give this IBM 5160 a nice period correct boost. Doesn’t do much for disk access performance and could us a 287 since even the 8087 blows just the 286 math out of the water.
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
August 31, 2025 at 4:49 PM
That 286 accelerator card works. It give this IBM 5160 a nice period correct boost. Doesn’t do much for disk access performance and could us a 287 since even the 8087 blows just the 286 math out of the water.
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
This IBM XT 5160 is all cleaned up and working great. But I think I want to give it a little boost. I found this generic 286 accelerator card a while back and this machine would be a great candidate to inherit it. Let’s see if this upgrade card still works.
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160
August 27, 2025 at 11:30 PM
This IBM XT 5160 is all cleaned up and working great. But I think I want to give it a little boost. I found this generic 286 accelerator card a while back and this machine would be a great candidate to inherit it. Let’s see if this upgrade card still works.
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160
Took me embarrassingly too long before I figured out why CTRL-ALT-DEL wasn’t working on the 5160. Can you see it?
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
August 24, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Took me embarrassingly too long before I figured out why CTRL-ALT-DEL wasn’t working on the 5160. Can you see it?
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
Turns out the knocking on WD12 was the rubber end of the head brake after all these years sticking. After a little help to unstick it the WD12 drive is alive. A low level format later and we’ll see what the surface looks like after some Spinrite action.
August 23, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Turns out the knocking on WD12 was the rubber end of the head brake after all these years sticking. After a little help to unstick it the WD12 drive is alive. A low level format later and we’ll see what the surface looks like after some Spinrite action.
The IBM 5160 is all back together, no errors and clean boot to disk. Unfortunately nasty knocking from the HDD so the old WD12 may be dead.
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
August 23, 2025 at 4:50 PM
The IBM 5160 is all back together, no errors and clean boot to disk. Unfortunately nasty knocking from the HDD so the old WD12 may be dead.
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
IT’S ALIVE! Start up with the basics and this IBM XT 5160 is working. Some tweaking of the on video card and we have color mode. Time to keep going with the assembly.
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
August 17, 2025 at 9:47 PM
IT’S ALIVE! Start up with the basics and this IBM XT 5160 is working. Some tweaking of the on video card and we have color mode. Time to keep going with the assembly.
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
All cleaned up and it’s time to re-assemble this IBM XT 5160.
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
August 17, 2025 at 4:34 PM
All cleaned up and it’s time to re-assemble this IBM XT 5160.
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt
#retrocomputing #ibm #ibmpcxt #ibm5160 #ibmxt