TPU's Nostalgic Hardware Club

[Ahhzz]

I remember Go Back. I recommended it to our Trainer to use with the users so she didn't have to worry about what they did to the computers during class. Very useful piece of software.

 

[Retrorockit]

I had a lady friend who used her computer to work from home. It would get infected, or she would load some free crapware, and then I'd get the late night phone call. I bought her a copy of Go Back. Were still friends now.

 

[Trekkie4]

For those of you who may have been wondering, my Celeron build is on hold until further notice. I can't seem to find anyone willing to sell (or trade) me HDD and PSU for this thing... And those who DO happen to own these are either asking too much money or willing to do absurd trades - one guy wanted to trade his 10yr old PSU for a DDR3 RAM!

On top of all that, I've noticed that the price tag for old hardware has suddenly spiked up. Not sure why & what's to blame, but I suspect that it has to do with world economy & ppl wanting to squeeze every single cent they can, from the stuff they're selling *sigh* Either way, it seems I won't be buying parts any time soon, so stay tuned for future updates on the Celeron situation.

 

[Retrorockit]

My battery in my UPS died. So I went to Radio Shack and bought a new one. They had them on sale for 1/2 price. I installed it and waited 2 days but it still wouldn't charge up. So I pulled it out and checked the date of Mfg. 10/13/10 It was older than the one I took out! I don't know how old my PSU is, but it's on it's 4th battery.

I still have all my old HDD back to Pentium 166. I kept them due to personal info. on them. Now I don't have anything that can erase them. Probably not worth shipping to EU anyway.

 

[Trekkie4]

My battery in my UPS died. So I went to Radio Shack and bought a new one. They had them on sale for 1/2 price. I installed it and waited 2 days but it still wouldn't charge up. So I pulled it out and checked the date of Mfg. 10/13/10 It was older than the one I took out! I don't know how old my PSU is, but it's on it's 4th battery.

I still have all my old HDD back to Pentium 166. I kept them due to personal info. on them. Now I don't have anything that can erase them. Probably not worth shipping to EU anyway.

Wait, not sure I understood you... You mean, you don't know how to erase your hard drive of personal information? You got 2 options - destructive one and non-destructive one.

Destructive way of erasing your data is to open it up & soak it into sea water, that's going to permanently erase all your personal data, for sure! (not kidding!)

Non-destructive way is a little bit complicated, but pays off in the end... First format your drive, wipe off everything you had. Once you did, boot up the OS of your choice via either CD-ROM or USB media (Hiren's Boot CD helps a lot) and access your old (& empty) hard drive from there. You want to get yourself a really big file (DVD *.ISO image, for example) and copy it (or them) onto your hard drive, until you fill up the entire storage capacity. By doing so, you're going to overwrite the sectors on your hard drive, which contained your personal information meaning no one will be able to restore and/or access your personal information any longer.

Alternatively, you can buy (or even get for free, some companies provide these utilities for free) HDD erasing program, which basically does the same thing, but automatically - it overwrites every single sector until the drive is fully overwritten & all the previous data corrupted/lost.

 

[Retrorockit]

I don't have a running IDE computer, to connect them to. Just SATA. Since they're not going anywhere right now it's not an issue. If I wanted to destroy them I have a drill press that will work just fine. I do have one motherboard with SATA and IDE. I probably need to make it run so I have 1 ATX in my life so I can test video cards before I mod. them for BTX.

 

[GreiverBlade]

My cellular, bananular phoooneee Seriously though, nice one! Makes me kinda sad for not having our 1st mobile "Philips Diga" from around 1996, 97 any longer.

sorry ... i couldn't resist ...

 

[Retrorockit]

Before Texas Instruments invented the digital calculator in 1968 this is how it was done. The Curta portable calculator. Bigger photos and caption in my album below.

http://www.overclock.net/g/a/1298590/default#

 

[dorsetknob]

In School which ended in May 73 we were taught and expected to use one of these

The Dumb kids tried to use their fingers and toes

 

[Retrorockit]

Don't let anybody see you with one of those or you might get a wedgie!

 

[dorsetknob]

Don't let anybody see you with one of those or you might get a wedgie!

Sharp pencils a sharp tongue and the ability to run fast and dodge things Nerds learn early if they want to survive

 

[Trekkie4]

I don't have a running IDE computer, to connect them to. Just SATA. Since they're not going anywhere right now it's not an issue. If I wanted to destroy them I have a drill press that will work just fine. I do have one motherboard with SATA and IDE. I probably need to make it run so I have 1 ATX in my life so I can test video cards before I mod. them for BTX.

Oh, I see! Nah, you can always get those IDE to SATA converters, they're cheap and mostly reliable

 

[dorsetknob]

Old Tech in fact old Camera tech

some info here
http://redbellows.co.uk/CameraCollection/HoughtonButcher/JBEnsign_gen.htm

Taken with new Camera Canon EOS 400D

 

[stinger608]

Wow @dorsetknob , have you checked the value of that antique camera man? That puppy might be worth a ton!!!

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

In School which ended in May 73 we were taught and expected to use one of these

The Dumb kids tried to use their fingers and toes

so kids from Norfolk could count up to 28.

 

[Retrorockit]

I noticed he felt compelled to include a very sharp looking pencil in his photo.

I tried to warn you. But I see the "Cruncher Society " is after you now.

 

[STIG_ZA]

Updated AthlonX2 rig

 

[dorsetknob]

Another Vintage Camera
This one is The 6-20 Folding Brownie
The Kodak Folding Brownie Six-20 or Kodak Six-20 Folding Brownie was a viewfinder folding camera for making 6x9cm exposures on type No. 620 film rolls. There were two models; the first was produced in the UK by Kodak Ltd from 1937-1940 and the second from 1948-1954

THIS IS THE MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN MODEL

Note the Tripod mounting thread on left hand case And the Original Brown Leather carry case

This Camera was purchased by my Grandfather and given to and for my Father to take to Kenya to do his National Service in the late 40's this was just before the Mau Mau Uprising officially Started my dad was there from Dec 1947 to early 1950

PS note to @CAPSLOCKSTUCK
My dad was Based in an Army motor Pool just outside the Capital Nairobi.
my dad was there and witnessed the solar Eclipse of 1st November 1948

Camera info here
http://www.brownie-camera.com/93.shtml

 

[stinger608]

That is frigging awesome @dorsetknob !!!!!

Buried in my stuff in storage I have one of the old "3D" Kodak cameras from the late 50's. I think it was from the late 50's. Maybe the early 60's. Can't remember for sure now.

And I know 4 or 5 years ago they were bringing pretty good prices on Fleabay but haven't checked since then. I'll have to dig it out and take some pictures of it and post them here.

 

[Tatty_Two]

The only old things I have is me and the wife I suppose that would be classified as "software" and not hardware so I will ban myself for off topic trolling.

 

[stinger608]

The only old things I have is me and the wife I suppose that would be classified as "software" and not hardware so I will ban myself for off topic trolling.

Oh god I just spit coffee all over the damn desk @Tatty_One !!!!

 

[Dia01]

Heres a Coolit Freezone Elite v2 cooling a C2 Extreme QX 6850

Mobo is a Maximus Formula BIOS modded to a Maximus Rampage (lga 775 / x38)

Thanks again @Dia01 for kindly giving me the Freezone Elite !

The 120mm fan is needed to cool the very hot northbridge heatsink while I have this rig @ 3.6

though its currently upside down as I was taking it on and off for photos

Good to see it being used

 

[dorsetknob]

The budding Nostalgic Musician

an original Zylophone well worn but still making AWFALL SOUNDS ( die rolf its your fault)

and some more vintage Camera's from the 70's

Kodak Instamatic X15f circa 1976 to 88

Kodak 66X Circa 1973 to 77

Halina Instamatic 110 telephoto Circa 1973

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

The Xylophone looks quite different to the newer type that my son annoys us with.

 

[MIRTAZAPINE]

so kids from Norfolk could count up to 28.

Talking about the slide rule. It remind me when I was being taught to use an Abacus back in school when I was a child. I forget how to use it now. I have trouble doing it that I ended up using workings instead to do abacus assignments lol. I should take it up again to improve my brain now. Below a picture of an abacus could not find mine. Would post if I found mind. Mine was one with yellow beads that could not spin. It is the cheaper version but I don't find it as fun as the the beads that can spin around and I play the abacus sliding it around. The one in the picture is the expensive one that cost 3 times more than mine during that time. I think people in the old days do more with primitive things like this "mechanical computers" and have sharper brains than now with modern electronic computer that is supposed to take mental load away from the brain. It is strange what is supposed to make us easier also reduces our skills and creativity.

EDIT : I guess this gap between machines and our brain is one to bridge. The day where we improve tremendously is when is possible to integrated computers into our brain to bypass the limitations I said above. Some futurist predict it to be in 2040 for the singularity.