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
Motherboard is pretty generic. Drives are nothing too special. Cards nothing too special. I don’t think I’m going to put this Frankenstein machine back together. I’ll keep the case for another project.
October 26, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Motherboard is pretty generic. Drives are nothing too special. Cards nothing too special. I don’t think I’m going to put this Frankenstein machine back together. I’ll keep the case for another project.
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
Motherboard is a bog standard board of the era with 128 MB of memory. Dallas clock so that is probably dead. The chip is a Pentium 166 MMX. Time to clean, re-assemble, and see if there’s life in this computer.
October 11, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Motherboard is a bog standard board of the era with 128 MB of memory. Dallas clock so that is probably dead. The chip is a Pentium 166 MMX. Time to clean, re-assemble, and see if there’s life in this computer.
For cards we have an Diamond Stealth 3D 2000, a Sound Blaster 16, 3com network card, modem and USB card. For drives a 1.44, a 850 MB Quantum, and a Liteon CD/RW. Nothing too impressive.
October 11, 2025 at 2:55 PM
For cards we have an Diamond Stealth 3D 2000, a Sound Blaster 16, 3com network card, modem and USB card. For drives a 1.44, a 850 MB Quantum, and a Liteon CD/RW. Nothing too impressive.
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
Interesting that’s not where the power supply goes for the disk drives. But appears to be an original power supply. Aftermarket controller card and brackets might be 3rd party.
September 14, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Interesting that’s not where the power supply goes for the disk drives. But appears to be an original power supply. Aftermarket controller card and brackets might be 3rd party.
No shielding but the board looks clean and has been upgraded to the full 48K possible. Judging by the Tandy logos with original memory.
September 14, 2025 at 7:42 PM
No shielding but the board looks clean and has been upgraded to the full 48K possible. Judging by the Tandy logos with original memory.
Some dates put it as a midlife span model with dates in 1982.
September 14, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Some dates put it as a midlife span model with dates in 1982.
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
It has a funky orange filter but the screen burn in is pretty heavy. I can read the menu. Was in a doctor’s office. From the wear we can see the keypad was primarily used. Some wear on the top edge – were we storing paper on top of the machine?
September 6, 2025 at 4:48 PM
It has a funky orange filter but the screen burn in is pretty heavy. I can read the menu. Was in a doctor’s office. From the wear we can see the keypad was primarily used. Some wear on the top edge – were we storing paper on top of the machine?
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