Warren, So the *drive* is toast, or the motherboard and CPU? It was a little hard to figure that out from what you wrote. It sounded like the drive was failing, but the CPU and motherboard were still working. But maybe I am reading it wrong.
If it is just the drive you might be able to get a replacement drive and restore the W95 OS and get him back working again. md > On 03/13/2021 5:31 PM Warren Chris <war...@resara.com> wrote: > > > Thanks Maddog (and all others that have replied to me directly). > > After talking to my friend in greater detail about what happened, it > sounds like data corruption on his OS drive (he had two drives in the > machine) probably due to hardware failure. So it ran along enough for him to > get essential data off of it, now its toast. > > Redeveloping the software isn't an option for him, at least that's what > he says. He wrote the software 30 years ago and doesn't have it in him to > start from scratch...the system failing may be forced retirement. He may end > up buying something on Ebay, I know he visited with someone today but turns > out they didn't have what he needed (which now I understand is a 2 ISA slot > board, P1). > > We shall see. It's too bad, back in the Resara/Linux days we had lots of > this stuff laying around. When we closed the office in 2011 we took about 80 > computers to the recycling center, now I don't really have any spare computer > parts. > > Thanks, have a great weekend! > > On Fri, Mar 12, 2021 at 12:46 PM < jonhal...@comcast.net > mailto:jonhal...@comcast.net > wrote: > > > > Hi Warren, > > > > Assuming that no pack rat answers you with a free motherboard, > > there are some on Ebay in the 25-40 dollar range, tested and guaranteed to > > work. > > > > You mentioned "upgrading" him to a P1 or P2. I might suggest you > > stick with exactly what he had before and let him stay with W95 unless you > > have a reason to move him. Along those lines how are his other components > > such as disks, etc? > > > > > > Someone mentioned a USB to ISA adapter. I tracked down the > > company and here is the URL for a one slot board: > > > > http://arstech.com/install/ecom-prodshow/usb2isar.html > > > > Here is the URL for a three ISA slot board: > > > > > > http://arstech.com/install/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=usb2isax3&sid=36o79v9t3624qpggs903m60it3010rs7 > > > > However, in reading the web page carefully you might want to to add > > some power supplies, a case, etc. and it appears the software that drives > > the interface requires a newer version of the operating system (Win XP, > > etc.), so there might still be application changes that you would have to > > make. And the three slot solution would start at 169 USD and probably be > > about 200 USD by the time you add the case, power supply and cables. > > > > Interesting is the fact that the converter also has a Linux driver > > (Intel 32/64 bit and ARM) and will run on the Raspberry Pi. I do not know > > how complex the user-level application that feeds the controller is, or if > > he still has the source code for it, but that might be another alternative. > > > > To me it sounds like the more you try to move him to newer > > solutions the more things might have to change and it might be easier and > > cheaper to just try and replace the hardware exactly. You say that "he > > built the machine" back in the 90s, so he might have an idea of how complex > > it would be to start over from scratch and move everything forward. > > > > Of course he probably has a backlog of disks now, and that solution > > might take too long and be too risky. I would say the fastest and least > > risky solution is to buy an ebay board that is a duplicate to what he has, > > let him stay with W95 and think about moving him over the long term to > > another solution. > > > > Warmest regards, > > > > maddog > > > > > > > On 03/10/2021 10:56 PM Warren Chris < > > war...@resara.com mailto:war...@resara.com > wrote: > > > > > > > > > Greetings, > > > > > > It has been years since I last posted here...Alas, I could > > > use some help in regards to tracking down some older computer hardware. > > > I have a friend who built a machine to punch out discs for antique music > > > boxes back in the 90's that was automated by a computer running Windows > > > 95 (i know, i know....). well, after all these years, that computer has > > > failed, and his backup computer has failed. The controller that runs the > > > machine is an ISA card, so I am helping him track down an old P1 or PII > > > system with ideally 2 ISA slots that we can hopefully rebuild his system > > > with so he can continue his work. > > > > > > If you are curious, my friend is one of a handful, or the > > > only person in the world depending on the music box, conducting new works > > > and providing new discs for these music boxes. He works out of his > > > basement and has been doing this for 50 years, out of Peterborough, NH. > > > http://www.henstoothdiscs.com/Thorens45.htm > > > > > > any help would be greatly appreciated in tracking this PC > > > hardware down. ideally we would like to build a system with redundant > > > parts (power supply, motherboard, ram, hard drive. cpu) and willing to > > > pay fair/reasonable cash prices. > > > > > > Thanks for your help, best regards! > > > > > > > > > -- > > > warren > > > _______________________________________________ > > > gnhlug-discuss mailing list > > > gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org > > > mailto:gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org > > > http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > warren >
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