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Yes, they are very similar. I suspect the model number has been somewhat mangled. The machine series is called the 'HP9000/200 series'. The machines are either '9826' and '9836' or 'HP9000/226' and 'HP9000/236' depending on whihc catalogue you beleive. If it lets you type in BASIC, you have a ROM BASIC card, which is not at all standard. Most of these machines booted BASIC from a system disk. This ROM card will be in one of the 'hidden' slots at the back (remove the covers and interface boards to see what I mean). You can get disk images for various software from http://www.hpmusuem.net/ Be warned a lot of it is for 3.5" disks, you then need an HPIB 3.5" drive unit (HP9122, for example) and also a boot ROM version 3.0 or later. Can you get a directory of the disks? Can yoy inintialise a blank floppy? It's possible you have drive or controller problems (which can be fixed). An HPIB interface is standard (it's on the motherboard). A second HPIB interface (HP98624) in an expanison slot is not that common. An RS232 interface (which one?) is not standard, but it is common and very useful. Most of the RS232 interfaces have a 50 pin microribbon connector, carrying power lines (and sometimes RS422 signals) as well as the normal RS232 signals, it's easy to make a cable to the DB25 connecotr. The problem is finding the wirelist of the cable -- if you want ot do it, I'll finf which manual it's hidden in. Alas you can't, The video circuitry is very different, and the 9826 doesn;t hcve the monitor conenctor (a DA15 socket) on the back anyway. If you want a large-monitor machine, you'd be better off buying a complete 9836 (especially at taht price!). You could move your interfaces, RAM, ROM BASIC, etc into it. Also, the monochome and colour mnnitors for the 9836 family can't be swapped over. The video PCBs are very different. -tony