compaqportableplus
Veteran Member
Here is my fairly tricked-out IBM PC 5150 that I've had for quite a few years now. I think I got it in 2013.
The configuration has changed a lot over the time I have had it, but I think I've finally settled on something I'm 100% satisfied with.
When I got it, it had an Intel Inboard/PC 386 accelerator board, two very cheap and poorly-built half-height floppy drives and a dead Seagate ST-250R RLL hard drive paired a Seagate ST-11R controller.
First thing I did was put a different hard drive in, which was a Seagate ST-238R. This drive proved unreliable, so I swapped that for a Seagate ST-277R, which is very healthy and sounds smooth as butter.
A few years after that, I found an original IBM-branded Tandon drive at Goodwill (which was very unexpected), so the half-height drives went out and the Tandon went in.
A month or so ago, I decided to build this into my perfect 5150. The accelerator had to go. I want this to run like a true 5150, not an AT clone. I installed an NEC V20 CPU instead. I will keep the Inboard/PC for now. It's safely tucked away in an anti-static bag.
After that, I installed an AST SixPackPlus, with 384KB, so I have full 640KB.
Next I installed a BOCA EMS board I found for a great price on eBay (pictured below). It has 1MB installed, and can be upgraded to 2MB, which I'll do someday. Great for things like Windows 2.xx.
Last thing I installed just a few days ago is a second hard drive. It's a Seagate ST-251-1 42MB MFM drive, formatted to 65MB RLL, essentially making it another ST-277R. Oddly, this drive used to be dead, until I removed to cover, put it back on, and now it works! Doesn't even have a single bad sector! It sounds insane with two of the monsters. Love it.
This PC was built in July of 1985, so it's my oldest IBM PC.
This PC has served me very well over the years. Will definitely never get rid of it.
And for anyone wondering, yes the PSU has been upgraded to a 200-watt unit. And yes, all of my expansion slots are full, but there's really nothing else I want to put in it, so it doesn't matter to me.
That's my PC!
The configuration has changed a lot over the time I have had it, but I think I've finally settled on something I'm 100% satisfied with.
When I got it, it had an Intel Inboard/PC 386 accelerator board, two very cheap and poorly-built half-height floppy drives and a dead Seagate ST-250R RLL hard drive paired a Seagate ST-11R controller.
First thing I did was put a different hard drive in, which was a Seagate ST-238R. This drive proved unreliable, so I swapped that for a Seagate ST-277R, which is very healthy and sounds smooth as butter.
A few years after that, I found an original IBM-branded Tandon drive at Goodwill (which was very unexpected), so the half-height drives went out and the Tandon went in.
A month or so ago, I decided to build this into my perfect 5150. The accelerator had to go. I want this to run like a true 5150, not an AT clone. I installed an NEC V20 CPU instead. I will keep the Inboard/PC for now. It's safely tucked away in an anti-static bag.
After that, I installed an AST SixPackPlus, with 384KB, so I have full 640KB.
Next I installed a BOCA EMS board I found for a great price on eBay (pictured below). It has 1MB installed, and can be upgraded to 2MB, which I'll do someday. Great for things like Windows 2.xx.
Last thing I installed just a few days ago is a second hard drive. It's a Seagate ST-251-1 42MB MFM drive, formatted to 65MB RLL, essentially making it another ST-277R. Oddly, this drive used to be dead, until I removed to cover, put it back on, and now it works! Doesn't even have a single bad sector! It sounds insane with two of the monsters. Love it.
This PC was built in July of 1985, so it's my oldest IBM PC.
This PC has served me very well over the years. Will definitely never get rid of it.
And for anyone wondering, yes the PSU has been upgraded to a 200-watt unit. And yes, all of my expansion slots are full, but there's really nothing else I want to put in it, so it doesn't matter to me.
That's my PC!
