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@thomasfuchs@hachyderm.io
2026-06-15 15:04:04

Anyone familiar with DOSBox and crashes of Windows 3.11 apps?
This app installed fine but it's throwing this. I tried a few different CPU settings in DOSBox but it happens regardless if it's a 486 or Pentium or whatever.
#retrocomputing

@jamie@boothcomputing.social
2026-08-15 23:38:03

Today my CAD digitizer arrived. I'm going to pair that with my 486 running Microstation 5.0.
Then, unexpectedly, I went to my #retrocomputing meetup and somebody just dropped a gift for my PS/2 model 30 286 in my lap - a 386 upgrade RAM expansion card. I had no idea what it was, but it was like new and had all the manuals and disks.
[edit: actually add the pictures…

a SummaGraphics SummaSketch II Professional Plus with 4-button pointer, serial cable and power adapter sit on a black rolling chair.
an Intel PowerPack i386sx upgrade for 286 machines.  this one is for a PS/2 Model 30 286.
@mikejolley@social.linux.pizza
2026-06-15 15:35:33

Been working on a Toshiba Satellite T1910 (vintage laptop) which had a dodgy floppy drive. 2 drives and 2 goteks later I've worked out the issue was the flat ribbon cable I was using! 🤦‍♂️ Needs to be the twisted type; pins are reversed. Will defo write this up for other poor souls when I'm done! #retrocomputing

@penguin42@mastodon.org.uk
2026-07-12 13:38:47

My beeb series 7 was having heat problems, so I bodged some heatsinks onto the CPU and onto the infamous 245 next to it (which was getting well over 50c in a few mins)
The series 7 case has the back vent mostly covered to stop junk going in.
Hmm the wire ties aren't really satisfactory.
#retrocomputing

A photo of the CPU socket in a BBC B - a 40 pin DIP, under which is the easter-egg 'Bob's board'
A picture of my Beeb now with bodged bent mettle heatsinks on the 6502 and neighbouring 245.  Held on vaguely by wireties.
@jamie@boothcomputing.social
2026-06-13 23:09:52

Watch me clear off my dining room table and reassemble a Toshiba Satellite T2130CT from 1993.
#retrocomputing

@stiefkind@mastodon.social
2026-06-04 15:14:34

Damals, als Außendienstler von Versicherungen noch Pocket-PCs im Köfferchen dabei hatten. #vintagecomputing #retrocomputing #ti74

@penguin42@mastodon.org.uk
2026-08-11 14:12:37

Ooh, found my dad's slide rule; I guess I have to learn how to use it now!
#retrocomputing

A slide rule, with my dads name written on the inside of the slide.
It's got various scales on (including x^2 and 1/x) and has a nice red box for it to go in.
@stsquad@mastodon.org.uk
2026-07-01 19:58:25

You know it's serious #history when you get a blue plaque. #edsac #retrocomputing
BBC News - Blue plaque awarded for Cambridge computer creation:

Blue plaque celebrating EDSAC on the 6th May 1949
@mxp@mastodon.acm.org‬
2026-05-28 18:07:55

I managed to get HP-UX to boot on the HP9000/370 in the Virtual OS Museum on macOS, but running under two emulators, it’s unfortunately way too slow—I barely managed to type in the uname command.
I wonder whether it’s any faster with MAME running directly on macOS…
#retrocomputing #hpux

@mxp@mastodon.acm.org
2026-05-28 18:07:55

I managed to get HP-UX to boot on the HP9000/370 in the Virtual OS Museum on macOS, but running under two emulators, it’s unfortunately way too slow—I barely managed to type in the uname command.
I wonder whether it’s any faster with MAME running directly on macOS…
#retrocomputing #hpux

A screenshot of the Virtual OS Museum running HP-UX 9.01.
‪@mxp@mastodon.acm.org‬
2026-05-28 18:07:55

I managed to get HP-UX to boot on the HP9000/370 in the Virtual OS Museum on macOS, but running under two emulators, it’s unfortunately way too slow—I barely managed to type in the uname command.
I wonder whether it’s any faster with MAME running directly on macOS…
#retrocomputing #hpux

@penguin42@mastodon.org.uk
2026-07-15 14:02:17

Just typed in a RAM test program on my Series 7 BBC Model B - it passes clean; hmm - doesn't explain the instability then.
Also, I don't seem to be able to (reliably?) write to a floppy - hmm. save file, *. and find it's nto there. Hmm. Tried formatting and it's verifying bad. So some more debug todo.
(Also, hth did I type so much on a Model B keyboard, the keys are HARD)

@penguin42@mastodon.org.uk
2026-08-08 14:23:20

Added a heatsink to my Beeb's video ULA as well as the CPU and 245. And here's Frenzy running from Replica now that I sorted that double stepper out.
#retrocomputing

A BBC B motherboard showing various chips; on top of the CPU, the 74LS245 and Video ULA are bodged heatsinks held on by a wiretie, some glue and a dab of compound.
A blurry screen shot of the game 'frenzy' on a modern LCD monitor; it's blurry because the monitor doesn't like interlace. The play area is a rectangle and you draw boxes to try and trap a moving line;  it's basically a clone of QIX.
@jamie@boothcomputing.social
2026-06-04 22:40:18

Win95 setup: prove you own windows 3.11!
Me: you are booting on a gateway solo from 1996, installing an OS from 1995, and the current system time is in 2026. Of course I fucking own Win 3.11!!!
#retrocomputing
#Windows95

@stiefkind@mastodon.social
2026-05-28 12:51:07

Vor einem knappen Jahr habe ich von einem Bekannten einen A500 nebst einem großen Pappkarton Disketten und ein paar Büchern übernommen. Ich war lange unschlüssig, was damit anfangen. Vor ein paar Tagen dann der Entschluss: wird über die nächsten Jahre gemütlich vor sich hin restauriert und modernisiert. #vintagecomputing

@penguin42@mastodon.org.uk
2026-06-28 11:30:56

Screenshots of my beeb series 7 yesterday booting off my restored Cumana floppy drive. The last one, the Teletext editor is I think by my high school Maths Teacher at the time.
#retrocomputing

A 'Clares Replica' menu screen on a LCD monitor, showing classic Beeb games like Monsters, Snapper, Rocket Raid, and a few others.
Acornsoft Snapper loading page in Teletext mode showing the Acornsoft logo in red/green/yellow/blue.
Teletext Pages editor (c) Barry E Allen with F keys to run/help etc
@losttourist@social.chatty.monster
2026-06-16 17:06:05

This prediction from The Micro User magazine in January 1985 about where home computers might go, and how computer-touchers might still have different attitudes than the rest of the population, turns out to not actually be a thousand miles short of the mark.
#Retrocomputing #BBCmicro #futurism #TheMicroUser

@penguin42@mastodon.org.uk
2026-05-25 14:08:02

Combining #towelday and 5.25 day (OK, so that's american dates, but I've not got any 25⅛" floppies).
#retrocomputing

On a blueish towel lies the CD box sets of Phase 1 and 2 of the BBC Radio series of the HHGttG, behind it is a reel-to-reel tape box with HHGttG hand written on it; it has the radio series recorded from it's original broadcast.  In front is a box of Ferranti Computer Systems 5.25" disks.
@penguin42@mastodon.org.uk
2026-05-23 14:05:17

When did you last clean your 40/80 switch?
Go on, do it now.
#retrocomputing

@penguin42@mastodon.org.uk
2026-05-21 14:10:18

This old guy is a fancy one for an LS isn't it.
#retrocomputing

An old ceramic packaged 74LS38;  It's 14 (slightly wonky) pins, and it's a classic twiple layer black on top and bottom with white middle layer.  Labelled 'RC5544,  7814, SN74LS38J' with a TI logo
@thomasfuchs@hachyderm.io
2026-06-29 12:20:34

who did it best?
#retrocomputing

@jamie@boothcomputing.social
2026-06-05 21:46:04

Some Friday evening #retrocomputing
#RedHat
#RedHat5
#linux

picture of the install process for Red Hat 5.2 running the package install on a Gateway 2000 Solo laptop from 1995.
@thomasfuchs@hachyderm.io
2026-06-28 21:00:27

Lazy Sunday (Commodore 64-style)
made with @…
#retrocomputing

@thomasfuchs@hachyderm.io
2026-07-27 02:45:17

Did you know? IBM stands for “Itty Bitty Machines”
#retrocomputing

@thomasfuchs@hachyderm.io
2026-07-25 03:32:04

I’d pour one out for VARTA today, but they’re doing that by themselves
#iykyk #retrocomputing

@losttourist@social.chatty.monster
2026-07-27 08:02:18

I also lust after the Commodore-64 version of the keyboard. Absolutely identical to the others, but that colour scheme and font!
#8bit #RetroComputing #C64 #Commodore64

@losttourist@social.chatty.monster
2026-07-27 08:00:57

I've just learned that #8bitdo have released an #IBM #ModelM edition of their fabulous range of retro keyboards and I am definitely here for it!
#RetroComputing