21 Jun
2001
21 Jun
'01
2:47 p.m.
> 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).