Retro Rebuild

[AmEv]

And now, for something completely different.

http://i.imgur.com/0pH3niD.jpg

What I have here is a machine that I'm rebuilding, partially to have a period-correct computer, and partially just because I can.

http://i.imgur.com/YyD1qyE.jpg

Ain't it a beauty!

http://i.imgur.com/uXBCT15.jpg

I'm... still working on the cable management, but it isn't finished yet!

http://i.imgur.com/eIcbwGh.jpg

However, that doesn't mean there isn't room to improve and to grow! Just look at that I/O!

http://i.imgur.com/5a3RESi.jpg

Beauty shot of the components!

http://i.imgur.com/P4TZj4h.jpg

The motherboard is an Alaris Cougar II, with an onboard IBM Blue Lightning "4"86 processor, clocked at 75 MHz.

(I had a 387 math co-processor installed, but... I kinda fried it when I misaligned it. :dead:)

http://i.imgur.com/lEhqSuP.jpg

A whopping 16 megabytes of DRAM! Woot!

Now, onto storage!

http://i.imgur.com/UyBShZe.jpg

A Quantum Atlas III 9GB SCSI HDD

http://i.imgur.com/dKRxrEV.jpg

And a CF-IDE adapter (with no CF card... yet.)

http://i.imgur.com/ZfLooX4.jpg

Now, nothing says "90s computers" like a sound card with an OPL chip.

This is a Sound Blaster 16, with IDE port.

http://i.imgur.com/BBGgu11.jpg

And a Trident video card with 4MB of RAM.

On the one hand... 4MB. On the other hand... I have VLB slots...

http://i.imgur.com/HLJ1CJX.jpg

Interesting D-Link 10Mb Ethernet card. Got both an RJ-45 and coaxial connector.

Nothing definitely says "the 90s" like...

http://i.imgur.com/Zh1f1dy.jpg

...the floppy drive!

http://i.imgur.com/Re3mf19.jpg

The Teac lidless for a beauty shot.

And, possibly the only "period correct mod" of the project:

http://i.imgur.com/fx8AOOh.jpg

Sleeved power supply cables!

...maybe period correct? Dunno.

http://i.imgur.com/jI5nwqP.jpg

230 watts out to be enough for everybody, right???

http://i.imgur.com/0pH3niD.jpg

As you might have been able to see, I am missing a few parts. As I get them, I'll definitely post these here, so look forward to more updates! :D:up:

[TLHarrell]

This is amusing to me. I'll be watching to see if you can even get the thing to boot and find drivers.

[AmEv]

This is amusing to me. I'll be watching to see if you can even get the thing to boot and find drivers.

Considering I had a 486 a few years back... that I kinda tore apart... It's amusing to me as well.

Edit: I do have photo documentation that I am able to get it to POST and get into the BIOS settings page:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CsRtLD2VMAEyUJX.jpg

Unfortunately, the HDD pictured has had its controller board die (the platters are still "good", though).

[Airbozo]

Nice ! ISA Slots!

I have a friend looking for a mobo with ISA slots for an old VR setup.

Watching for sure...

[TheMainMan]

Components directly placed on shag carpeting, ack! Love the retro build though!

[AmEv]

The good news is, I got it to boot!

http://i.imgur.com/8sX6lyK.jpg

The great news is, I got an installation to happen!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C4KXsQ-UEAAt7t7.jpg

The bad news is, the floppy drive died right around this picture.

AARRGGHH

[TLHarrell]

At least it's just a floppy drive. Should be able to locate those easily enough still.

[AmEv]

Yeah. It's not a total loss. At least I have one more spare for my musical contraption!

One thing I'm seriously considering is somehow modding in a floppy drive emulator. I'll have one more floppy interface when I get the SCSI card, which will allow me to have the two bay floppy drives, and the emulator.