What's best to do?? classically speaking

From: Fred Cisin <cisin_at_xenosoft.com>
Date: Thu Jun 21 21:47:05 2001

> > I have a Compaq Portable 386...
On Fri, 22 Jun 2001, Tony Duell wrote:
> I'm a user, not a collector. I want my machines to work and be useful, so
> I am generally happy doing modifications.
>
> Hmmm... Often modern OSes require rather more memory, disk space,
> processor speed, etc than you get on classic machines. I'm normally
> happier with OSes from about the time of the machine. My MS-DOS PC(s) run
> 3.3, nothing later.

I would run _COMPAQ_ MS-DOS 3.31, or _COMPAQ_ MS-DOS 5.00, or [FIRST
CHOICE:] generic 6.2x with MODE.COM from Compaq 5.00 (with SETVER). It is
nice to have a version of MODE.COM that supports the internal/external
video issues of the Compaq.

That'll permit running Windoze 3.1x.
I would not run Windoze9x unless you are really desperate for that.

> > 2) The machine came with a 5 1/4" diskette drive, I am considering
> > replacing that with a 3 and a whatever" drive, or once again more
> > generally when one has an older machine is it good to upgrade the
> > hardware to make it more usefull.
> I have no problem with reversable hardware mods. If it's just a matter
> of slipping out the 5.25" drive and slotting in a 3.5" one in one of
> those adapter frames, then I see no problem. But I find it very useful to
> keep 5.25" drives around. I asusme, though, you can't fit 2 drives into
> this machine.
> I do, however, object to modifications that totally change the machine
> (e.g. putting a Pentium motherboard, even one running a PDP11 emulator,
> into a PDP11 case).

How do you feel about cutting a hole in the case to mount an additional
3.5" drive, instead of replacing the 5.25"? It's NOT reversible, but
works well. In addition, there is no need to mount the hard drive exposed
as Compaq does. Drill a hole for an LED, and remount the hard drive
inside, making more room for accessible drives (5.25", 3.5", AND CD-ROM)

--
Fred Cisin                      cisin_at_xenosoft.com
XenoSoft                        http://www.xenosoft.com
PO Box 1236                     (510) 558-9366
Berkeley, CA 94701-1236
Received on Thu Jun 21 2001 - 21:47:05 BST

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