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GeoffB17 · 24th Feb 2016, 2:45 am

Well, I'm still using an old 80486sx machine for one of my own 'jobs' - this machine is in a separate room from my main 'office', the same room where my Amstrad PCW with it's various non-standard disks operates. The PC is being used for CPM <--> PC disk transfers, the machine has 5.25 and 3.5" floppy drives, and has 22DISK on for reading/writing to various CP/M formats. Actually, the machine still runs pretty well, although one of the HDs inside makes a bit more noise than usual, maybe just because it's not fixed down properly?

I'm also still using an old Pentium 75, this one is in the 'office' next to my main PC (MUCH more powerful, with XP and Gbs of HD). The Pentium again has a special role, it's the machine with my Roland LAPC-I card installed (the card is an 8 bit ISA card, and my newer machine does NOT have any ISA slots). So the P75 is the 'midi' machine, the Roland card links to Yamaha and Korg sound modules (and others when I make space for them) and they in turn connect to a Fostex MC102 mixer/cassette unit perched on top of the XP machine.

Both the older machines are happily running MS-DOS 5.0, no Windows. Both are doing things the XP machine cannot do! The XP machine cannot work correctly with the floppy drives for the 22DISK system, and it cannot take the ISA card for lack of slots! As long as I can keep at least one of the old machines running, I'm OK.

I've also got a Windows 7 laptop. Barely used, more of a toy than anything.

Geoff Barnard

24th Feb 2016, 2:45 am	#43
GeoffB17 Tetrode Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Guisborough, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 80	Re: Old & still used 486 Well, I'm still using an old 80486sx machine for one of my own 'jobs' - this machine is in a separate room from my main 'office', the same room where my Amstrad PCW with it's various non-standard disks operates. The PC is being used for CPM <--> PC disk transfers, the machine has 5.25 and 3.5" floppy drives, and has 22DISK on for reading/writing to various CP/M formats. Actually, the machine still runs pretty well, although one of the HDs inside makes a bit more noise than usual, maybe just because it's not fixed down properly? I'm also still using an old Pentium 75, this one is in the 'office' next to my main PC (MUCH more powerful, with XP and Gbs of HD). The Pentium again has a special role, it's the machine with my Roland LAPC-I card installed (the card is an 8 bit ISA card, and my newer machine does NOT have any ISA slots). So the P75 is the 'midi' machine, the Roland card links to Yamaha and Korg sound modules (and others when I make space for them) and they in turn connect to a Fostex MC102 mixer/cassette unit perched on top of the XP machine. Both the older machines are happily running MS-DOS 5.0, no Windows. Both are doing things the XP machine cannot do! The XP machine cannot work correctly with the floppy drives for the 22DISK system, and it cannot take the ISA card for lack of slots! As long as I can keep at least one of the old machines running, I'm OK. I've also got a Windows 7 laptop. Barely used, more of a toy than anything. Geoff Barnard