MikeTech
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Pre-release for the video covering some of my oldest systems.
🕑 Added 2023-05-05 01:39:18 +0000 UTCWell, I couldn't manage to fit five systems in this video, but certainly found some gems in the systems I did cover! These are some of the oldest systems from the Franklin eWaste haul. Going back to the mid-80s! Wanted to get these opened up due to potentially leaky batteries. Glad I got this done in time... Hope you enjoy! https://youtu.be/2K_WgjtAsLw
Comments
MikeTech
It was fun typing all of those in during the LL format attempt! Really hope I can get that drive working. First time I’ve ever encountered a full-height MFM drive with a voice coil!
MikeTech
Ah Watson… Yeah there must be an IBM connection there.
Edmond Shwayri
The defects on the label weren't there for shopping purposes. You can use it to map the progression of bad sectors as the drive ages. They are also there so when/if you low level the drive, you can manually re-input those bad sectors into the format tool. Unlike modern IDE drives, older MFM/RLL/SCSI drives are capable of low level formats. During the format you can optimize things like interleave to maximize performance for your particular setup.
Edmond Shwayri
Even back then modems were smaller than that. This card is almost certainly a combo modem and multi-user answering machine. What I find super interesting is it looks like they must have had a PS/2 version because it appears in IBM's PS/2 manual as "Automatic telephone answering, multi-user voice mail, 300-2400 baud Hayes® compatible modem, telemarketing, automatic telephone attendant. " -- nice description. The part that really catches my eye is it lists it under "Natural Microsystems (TM)" and "Watson (R)". Now anyone who knows IBM, knows that today the name Watson is very much an IBM thing. I wonder if there is a story there.
