REALLY OLD computer help

[3100 MPFI]

Okay. I had some REALLY OLD computers give too me, and for shits-n-giggles, I want to try to get them running.

They are not quiet as old a MS DOS, but both of them says on a sticker "DESIGNED FOR MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95"

The one that has the specs sticker still on it says:

PACKARD BELL MULTIMEDIA E159

MAIN FEATURES:

150 MHz Intel Pentium processor
2.0 GB hard drive
16 X maximum speed, variable speed CD-ROM
24 MB of EDO RAM upgradable to 128 MB
256 KB of Pipelines burst cache
"Media Select" control panel
Keyboard with "fast media" access


VIDEO & SOUND:
Graphics/Video accelerator (64-bit), 1 MB Video EDO memory
MPEG1: full motion video playback
16-bit SRS 3-D amphitheater stereo sound, microphone, and stereo speakers included (I got the microphone).
Wavestream Wavetable Synthesis

COMMUNICATIONS:

33,600 bps modem with 14,400 bps Fax installed
Telephone Answering system, full duplex speakerphone, and voice view talkshop

SOFTWARE and SERVICES:

A popular selection of software
one year limited warranty
on-site service options availble.




Maybe it is just the dork in me (or the nerd, or the computer geek), but I think I want to get this bad-boy running. I dont plan on using it for any actual work, or internet, but I think it would make a good conversation piece.

My other computer that was given to me is an NEC READY 9620. It does not have the spec sticker, but it does say on it WINDOWS 95, and INTEL PENTIUM.




The NEC does not load up at all. It says OPERATING SYSTEM NOT FOUND.

The other one TRIES to load up, but then says PLEASE INSERT BOOTABLE MEDIA.

Anyone know any way to try to get this thing going? Or know of an OLD boot disk (floppy, no less), that I can try?

[ForcedFirebird]

Lol 2GB HDD.

My first PC was a 486sx with 100mb HDD 256mb RAM 5.25 and 3.5 floppy drives 3600 baud modem.

If it ran 95, it should be able to support a newer OS.

[SappySE107]

convert the power supplies to lab power supplies 5, 7, 10, 12, 17 volt DC outputs:P Everything else is junk. EDO ram. ha! extended data output ftw! Sadly, that is the era that I was all about the PC. I wonder if its a TX chipset. My first overclocking board was HX (older) but more powerful IT5H abit. You can upgrade the pipeline burst cache to 512 but I think a core 2 duo is at least twice as fast as that P150 so I wouldn't bother.

[Canyonero]

but I think a core 2 duo is at least twice as fast as that P150 so I wouldn't bother.

At least...

[IsaacHayes]

Lol 2GB HDD.

My first PC was a 486sx with 100mb HDD 256mb RAM 5.25 and 3.5 floppy drives 3600 baud modem.

If it ran 95, it should be able to support a newer OS.

256mb of ram on a 486? Damn my PII didn't even have that.. (you must have loved having more memory than HD space! RAM DISK! LOL) LOL I'm gonna say 2-4mb? My 486 had 8mb and it was top of the line. I later upgraded it to 16. I had a 14.4 modem which was nice at the time... LOL Ah good old bulletin board days and HTML 1.0. I remember when 2.0 came out animated gifs wooo hooo!

You could load linux on them and use them as a server or something. Or light duty web surfing... Not really sure what good they are for though. Unless you need to run old programs.

[SappySE107]

hmm, my first was an AT. I had games that went too fast on a 386 DX-33 so I had a 286 for them.

256 megs on a 486? Must have been a server cause I only knew of 16 meg modules back then but most were 1 or 4 meg simms with 8 slots on a board. 40 and 80 meg HD and then 120s.

[bszopi]

Yeah, I'd find an old Linux distro and load it up.

I still have my 100mhz laptop with 80MB HD and the upgraded 24MB RAM.

[onefastV6]

I might still have a windows 95 disc somewhere.....hell I threw out windows 3.1 floppies about a year ago when I moved.

[geoffinbc]

http://www.bootdisk.com/ has the files to make a bootable floppy. Then you need a win 95 or 98 install disc. I used to have an NEC 9022 and it ran win 98 ok. But don't try anything crazy like win XP or 2000.

Or try out a linux system.

[3100 MPFI]

The one that says "operating system not found", I am just going to get a new harddrive for it, and try Linux. I have been wanting to try that out for a while now, and it is the perfect cantidate.

My problem with making boot discs, is that I don't have anything that CAN make one. MY only computer here in the house is my lappy, and it is just the CD drive. It does not have a floppy at all.

I just want to get them running to play with. I do have a few old games that are windows 95, and they don't work on XP SP3 (my lappy)

[91LQ1Lumina]

Should be able to get a USB floppy drive from a computer store or the internet for about $35.

[gpse3400]

Ahh those halcyon days when I used to relish a fresh 28.8......

[IsaacHayes]

Even my desktop I built in 2004 I put a floppy drive in... LOL it has seen a little work but not much.

[torq455]

when the OS not found error comes on, did it try to boot from the A: drive only? if so it's more likely that BIOS is set to look in the A: only. iirc when you boot up, press the F8, or the F5 key about once per second and you should get an operations screen. that should tell you where it looks for the OS 1st, 2nd or the HDD etc. it is an old system, but generally the start ups are similar.

[Canyonero]

Accessing the bios is commonly done by pressing the delete key (not backspace). Some systems are different, F2, etc. But Del is the most common.

I know alot about 'em, but computers aren't much of a hobby for me anymore. I'm the network admin for a small Electric Coop and ISP, I get enough of computers at work. Have a few Windows servers, one Linux, and I use Macs for personal use. Though I have Windows MCE 2005 on a PC desktop I built years ago, just set it up as a DVR, pretty slick.