Andrew's Tech Break

Quiet evening cleaning the Kaypro II keyboard.
#retrocomputing #kayproii #kaypro

IT’S ALIVE! This Kaypro II is back. It boots and it appears the repaired A drive works. Time to tackle the grubby keyboard.
#retrocomputing #kayproii #kaypro

One bad voltage regulator replaced and the dead drive is fixed. Back to re-assembling the Kaypro II.
#retrocomputing #kayproii #kaypro #tandon

Two Tandon TM100-1A drives from the Kaypro II. One checks tests good the other doesn’t spin. Time to do some debugging and fixing.
#retrocomputing #kayproii #kaypro #tandon

A little bubbling in some rust remover and I the original screws on the Kaypro can be re-used.
#retrocomputing #kayproii #kaypro

First time I use steel wool to clean a computer case. Rub off the oxidation on the aluminum case of the Kaypro.
#retrocomputing #kayproii #kaypro

Oh that Rifa cap looks ready to give the next guy to power on this Kaypro II a bad day. EW! A gooey anode cap. But so far nothing really bad.
#retrocomputing #kayproii #kaypro

So that’s a Kaypro II. Pretty simple and industrial construction. No old crumbling plastic or delicate little snaps or clips to break. No “unoptanium” chips. Just a metal box, screw in and wire up what you need. Cleaning time and reassembly.
#retrocomputing #kayproii #kaypro

Good news is it looks like all the guts are still in the Kaypro II

Latest pick up a Kaypro II. Been looking for one for a while. This one was in a basement for the past 40 years. Pretty dirty and all the screws are rusty. But all (except the keyboard wire) looks intact. Time to bust it open and see how it looks inside.
#retrocomputing #kayproii #kaypro

Montreal passed a law where models with replaceable batteries are no longer permitted. They either have to be hard wired or the models with sealed batteries. I still have to pick some of those up.

Yuck! What a mess. How has this PSU been working for the last 3 weeks. Well go to see what it looks like under there and start pulling leaking caps. Hopefully there are still some good traces under there.
#retrocomputing

Some project boards from JLCPCB arrived. Something to do on long rainy weekend.
#retrocomputing #jlcpcb #xtide

This Toshiba 3200SXC has a horrible BIOS programmed to only accept two specific HDD. So XT-IDE is the only option. Though I’d try the XT-IDE on Floppy that Bits und Bolts built and worked perfectly. Pretty cool alternative to a ROM on card.
#retrocomputing #msdos #toshiba #toshiba3200sxc #xtide

Oh no. Crumbling plastic in the worst place – the screen supports. Toshiba really didn’t give much in the way of support with hollow pegs holding the strong springed screen hinges. This is going to be a challenge to rebuild.
#retrocomputing #msdos #toshiba #toshiba3200sxc

UGH! You have to remove the whole screen to get into a Toshiba T3200SXC. And screws behind a sticker label. Not cool!
#retrocomputing #msdos #toshiba #toshiba3200sxc

Box of goodies from @mouser-elec.bsky.social for a couple of projects arrived today.
#retrocomputing

I love to see little things like this Computerland stickers that give a glimpse into the past of this machine
#retrocomputing #msdos #toshiba #toshiba3200sxc #computerland

Ouf! This T3200SXC is heavy. Considering what it costs when it was new I doubt anyone took the risk of carrying these suckers by that handle. Especially with an all plastic construction.
#retrocomputing #msdos #toshiba #toshiba3200sxc

Next up on the bench, this Toshiba T3200SXC. These portables were rather luggables then laptop. With no battery but max performance and expandability for the period. They were beasts. Hope there’s still life in this old machine.
#retrocomputing #msdos #toshiba #toshiba3200sxc

Windows NT 4.0 seemed to be the logical and period correct OS to install on the Pentium Pro
#retrocomputing #pentiumpro #windowsnt4

WIN! When you find the exact I/O shield you need in your stash for an old motherboard.
#retrocomputing

New project. Finally collected the pieces for a missing link in the collection – a Pentium Pro system. Been a while since I assembled a vintage PC from pieces.
#retrocomputing #pentiumpro #intel

In that chapter 18 on the Intel Multibus? Picked up an Intel 80/10 and I'm going to be diving into seeing if there's life in that old system soon.

Little side project. Picked up an old GVC modem and decided to wire in a WIFI RS-232 modem. Keeps it nice and retro when used with my retro machines.
#retrocomputing #bbs #marchintosh #macintosh

105 "Foam and Foil" Capacitive Pads for KeyTronic & BTC Keyboard Repair - TexElec This set of 105 count foam capacitive pads for repairing vintage KeyTronic and BTC keyboards with deteriorating foam pads. These are homemade in house and the 105 should cover what you need with a few...

Texelec seem to be the only ones making reliable replacements texelec.com/product/foam...

All cleaned and buttoned up. This “Mackintosh” computer is a very nice piece of Canadian tech history to have in the collection.
#retrocomputing #marchintosh #mackintosh #macintosh #appleii

This little guy needed some cleaning and some attention. My only Apple II joystick so worth the effort. Just need to 3D print a replacement button.
#retrocomputing #marchintosh #mackintosh #macintosh #appleII

And if you haven't gotten to the keyboard yet - it's foam and foil so it'll need attention too.

Also if your drives seem to be sticking. Some drives had a little solenoid that lifted and dropped the heads and there was a little pad that absorbed the snapping of the arm. That pad after time decomposed and got sticky. If you want take the whole arm out.