Recent content by RetroViator

I found the culprit, and I was very lucky. I started pulling ICs, and I started with the 386DX, the Cyrix FastMath co-processor, and the Intel 82385 cache controller. I then tested for shorts before pulling more, and the resistance was up to 400 ohms on the previously shorted rails. So I...

I did more research on the motherboard, and realized that I won't be restoring the System 310 to its original condition because I have the motherboard for its big sibling, the Dell System 325. The 310 is a 20MHz 386DX and the 325 runs at 25MHz. When released, the System 325 was Dell's flagship...

Righting a Wrong My company was cleaning out an old telecom closet when they decided to get rid of the "door stop" they had been using to prop open the door when working in the tight space. It was a Dell System 310, or so it seemed. The IT guys knew of my interest in old computers, and I was...

Wrapping Up The parts for two additional updated (version 1.4) Power Up IIusi kits arrived, and I assembled and tested them today. Based on my last experience, I tested the transistors to verify they had the correct leg orientation, and both kit-provided transistors did this time. One...

I’m also interested in a kit when you are ready. Thank you for sharing your fun and impressive work with others.

Hero+ System Earlier (here), I built up the Echo board and outfitted it as my "hero" model with my best accessories. However, when @Byte Knight shared that his IIsi came with a DayStar accelerator, I realized that the Golf system I acquired from a nice retired couple in 2020 came with a DayStar...

I built the second of the updated Power Up IIusi kits I ordered after the JST V connectors arrived, so I could transfer the mains plug I had modified in the earlier Power Up IIusi design. I also needed to remove the Mac IIsi wiring connector. It was fiddly, but I got it done. The 5V...

PSU Redux I received the washers so I could button up the Power Up IIusi replacement PSUs, but something was bothering me. CayMac Vintage had updated the design significantly from the open source version I built, and the new design is better in many ways. First, you don't have to tweak the...

What a creative idea. This is something the early Macs would have embraced, had presentation software been dominate in the office like it is now. I see you list “copy paste properties.” Does that mean you can bring in material from MacWrite, MacDraw, MacPaint etc.?

Welcome. It’s good to see folks interested in the wide range of Macs. I was a 68k guy that returned in the G4/G5 era. That was an exciting time from a design and software standpoint, but a bit limiting from a hardware perspective.

Like some others, I’ve been dabbling with Airtables, but I love the idea of something purpose built for our hobby. I’ll check this out. Thanks!

I’ve experimented with using AI as a “thinking partner” when I get stuck on a repair project. I’m not trained in electronics. What I’ve learned has come from reading a few books, scanning forums, and watching YouTube. By now, I have a decent idea where to go when I hit a road block, but let’s...

Good thread on what it takes to maintain a solid forum. I appreciate the spirit of this place and the professional yet friendly attitude I find throughout. I’m not a frequent poster, as I’m only able to dip in from time to time, but I look forward to seeing TD continue to deepen its bench with...

Jumping in to say that the Compact Mac section gets a lot of postings, and the others are have less interaction. So I wonder if focusing on Compact 68k, then Other 68k, then PowerPC, and Intel is good enough. Just food for thought.

This is a great level of detail that will help others. Personally, I’ve not had the discipline to document my knee jerk reactions, back and forth testing, and head scratching approach to my repair work. Keeping a lab book is a good idea. I would like to come up with a way to conveniently...