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Found a couple old computers in my dumpster
racketboy - Jun 6, 2003

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  racketboy Jun 6, 2003
I was taking out the trash this morning before I went to work and in the dumpster (I live in an apartment) there were a couple of old computers on the top. Unfortuanately they were both Compaqs.

I yanked um and threw them in my car.

I got to work and looked up the serial #s and found out what model and the basic specs and everything.

Compaq's site wasn't much help -- it couldn't give me specs for those old of models, but eBay came to my rescue

One is an original Pentium 166.

The other is a 486.

I might be able to use the Pentium for something, but I don't know about the 486.

Should I dump it?

Would any of the parts be worth pulling?

Could I use it for something?

 Tindo@heart Jun 6, 2003
check out the 486's harddrive and you might can add it to the Pentium. The memory might be the same too and you can just add them to the pentium machine. Check the expansion cards for any good soundcards, NICS, or modems. If you find a good ISA modem those can be pretty good. ISA modems are usually hardware modems that have their own DSP chip. Hmm? DSP? I think I might be using the wrong acronym But NEway, It might not be a software modem that requires a fast CPU.

You might can even keep the cases or power supplies for backup of each other. If the Pentium's PSU ever goes out, you might can use the 486's

Both have potential in doing something. The 486 can be a Print or file server. Or you can play around in Linux or something.

What is the Mhz for the 486? You might can make it into a fun Gameboy and NES emulator!

Goodluck and keep us posted!

 racketboy Jun 6, 2003
well the problem with the old compaqs is they make them really hard to upgrade

I haven't opened the 486 yet, but I had a compaq 386 a long time ago and it was such a mess inside

I breifly looked at the insides on the Pentium and it was icky as well.

The HD was easy to access, but the power supply (if my memory serves me correctly) was right over the RAM slots. Unless I can take it apart, you'd need really small hards to work with it.

As for the NES/GB emulator idea, that's what my DC is for

thanks for the suggestions though!

keep um coming

correction: the floppy drive was over the memory -- but! the whole front part with the floppy and HD flips out so you can access the whole board with no problems! very cool

 ExCyber Jun 6, 2003
You didn't mention the clock speed... lower-speed 486s are about perfect for playing old PC games. Throw MS-DOS 6.22 on there and hit some abandonware sites.

 racketboy Jun 6, 2003
also, neither box has a CD-ROM

however the Pentium does have USB ports so I can use by USB burner if I need to (once I have an OS on it that supports it)

the Pentium has 1 PCI slot

should I get an old video card for it?

what would be a good one that would boost the overall performance of Windows98 and some educational games?

(I'm thinking of using it for my wife's piano students)

BTW, here's the model: Compaq Deskpro 4000S 5166X

I'm pretty sure it's a P166 -- hense the name.

If I wanted to swap the chip, what the best one I could replace it with?

 Zziggy00 Jun 6, 2003

  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by racketboy@Jun 6, 2003 @ 01:38 PM



 also, neither box has a CD-ROM



however the Pentium does have USB ports so I can use by USB burner if I need to (once I have an OS on it that supports it)


is the pentium a 166Mhz?? i didn't even know computers had USB back then...is it on a pci card or is it built into the motherboard?

 Myname Jun 6, 2003

  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by ExCyber@Jun 7, 2003 @ 01:09 AM



 You didn't mention the clock speed... lower-speed 486s are about perfect for playing old PC games. Throw MS-DOS 6.22 on there and hit some abandonware sites.


Agreed. You might be one of the few people left who can play System Shock without having to spend 3 days fixing your computer afterwards.. Never was a game more aptly named.

 racketboy Jun 6, 2003
yeah I was surprised that it had USB too.

I had my hopes up when I first saw the USB ports.

"wow cool this has USB, so it must be like a Pentium II or something"

haha

BTW, I realized the box doesn't have sound, so I might have to use the PCI port for that.

It has another card slot which I'm guessing is ISA slot.

Can I get a SB-compatible card to put in there?

edit: hehe...


  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by Myname+Jun 6, 2003 @ 07:27 PM-->
QUOTE(Myname @ Jun 6, 2003 @ 07:27 PM)