best cheap/free scores 1.1

[TechGeek]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Some interesting drops this week.

A couple 7th gen I5 laptops.
Gateway ZX4270 AIO w/bad HDD. E1 APU & 8GB RAM. Stuck a SSD in it and reloaded it. Not a speed demon, but very usable.
Dell pentium-m laptop w/1gb ram & xp....works but utterly useless.

The pick of the litter: Gateway2000 P5-90 full tower case. Motherboard & drives missing but case is in great shape....and AT.

Is this one of the rare penthouse-tower styled cases (hard disk cage at the very top, capable of accepting twin full-height 5.25" SCSI drives), or the New Tower case, where the hard disk cage is now under the power supply?

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Is this one of the rare penthouse-tower styled cases (hard disk cage at the very top, capable of accepting twin full-height 5.25" SCSI drives), or the New Tower case, where the hard disk cage is now under the power supply?

I don't know, I haven't looked inside it yet.

It looks like this one; some random pic I stole off the interwebs, as I haven't taken any of mine yet:



Since it's incomplete, it's worthless for originality....so gonna have a little vintage fun with it....seeing what dual CPU board I can shoehorn into it...

[Xenon-Codex]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

This Pioneer was "fixed" with a piece of cardboard to press the plate. But the plate was not perfectly seated and then the player did not read any disc.
Not even the tray belt needed replacement. It also lifts the laser unit to read the disc.

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Today's scores:

- Xbox 360 Zephyr w/ box - rare as heck here, unfortunately E73s (though better than just 3-led RROD!)
- funny Nokia-styled JNC "TAC" build w/ N6600GT
- earbuds clone that needs cleaning and charging
- Dell Latitude C600/610 that needs repairs.

[TechGeek]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I don't know, I haven't looked inside it yet.

It looks like this one; some random pic I stole off the interwebs, as I haven't taken any of mine yet:



Since it's incomplete, it's worthless for originality....so gonna have a little vintage fun with it....seeing what dual CPU board I can shoehorn into it...

That'd be a New Tower case.
Too bad it's incomplete, these were pretty unique systems. My '93 80486DX system was pretty much complete (other than it missing a hard drive), sporting a 50MHz 80486DX CPU (not a DX2 or a DX4, a straight-out 50MHz DX) on a non-EISA/non-VLB Micronics motherboard. From what I've been able to tell, a lot of these systems were either core-swapped to something else (usually either a higher-end Pentium board or to an AMD K-series platform), or were simply gutted for parts decades ago.

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

That'd be a New Tower case.
Too bad it's incomplete, these were pretty unique systems. My '93 80486DX system was pretty much complete (other than it missing a hard drive), sporting a 50MHz 80486DX CPU (not a DX2 or a DX4, a straight-out 50MHz DX) on a non-EISA/non-VLB Micronics motherboard. From what I've been able to tell, a lot of these systems were either core-swapped to something else (usually either a higher-end Pentium board or to an AMD K-series platform), or were simply gutted for parts decades ago.

Yea, not even going to bother a resto attempt; as rounding up all the authentic hardware would be pretty futile...not to mention KB, mouse, and display.... FWIW, I do have a 14" Triniton gateway2000 monitor of the period that works.....but this will be a weird dually for the fleet... I have a P6DNE dual P-pro that a varta battery did very mild damage to, but I can't get it to POST....if I could get that to work, that'd be my first choice to go in it. I do have a backup plan of a working Tyan S1564D dual skt7....which this system was originally a single skt7...

[TechGeek]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Yea, not even going to bother a resto attempt; as rounding up all the authentic hardware would be pretty futile...not to mention KB, mouse, and display.... FWIW, I do have a 14" Triniton gateway2000 monitor of the period that works.....but this will be a weird dually for the fleet... I have a P6DNE dual P-pro that a varta battery did very mild damage to, but I can't get it to POST....if I could get that to work, that'd be my first choice to go in it. I do have a backup plan of a working Tyan S1564D dual skt7....which this system was originally a single skt7...

Is that monitor from the early-90s? (pre-94)

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Is that monitor from the early-90s? (pre-94)

It's datecoded July 1996. The tower I've got is dated Sept 1994. Close enough for most, but they're still a couple years apart.

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Gotta update the thread with these:

- loads of Xbox 360s:
- 2x Xenon phats - both RROD, one has 0102 which equals trash, one has 0020 which means there's chances of it to come back after some TLC.
- 1x Trinity slim - previously modded by someone with RGH3, yet I also found one of those interesting glitch chips based on Xilinx CPLDs. Removed the chip as it wasn't connected anywhere.
- 2x Falcon phat - one RROD 0020 due to previous failed RGH3 mod which ripped a trace for the GPU, one untampered board unit sans the RF powerboard. Latter got most of the parts from the RROD unit transplanted onto it, except the DVD drive which I had to source from the 0102 RROD Xenon (neither of the drives I got with the Falcons worked at all)
- HP dv6-3298eg - i5 460M/HD6550M 1GB/2x2GB/noHDD. Bottom case and LCD cover had to be replaced.
- PS3 backwards compat, CECHC04 - bad NECs, evidenced by syscon log being full of 1001 and 1002 errors
- MSI CX620 - hangs at random points after power on except BIOS.
- Sapphire HD4870 1GB Vapor-X - works but one of the screws broke, not sure how I'll be able to remove it

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Ok, nothing to get too excited about, but I have noticed that white socket P4's are starting to get a little more scarce. This one is an Aopen S661FXm uATX with a Prescott @ 3GHz and 1GB RAM, it was in a full ATX case...so I yanked it....I'll find a more befitting uATX case for it....someday.. The only reason this one didn't meet the scrap bin, it has an 8x AGP.

In the oven.



CMOS battery was dead of course.



Caps are ok, new batt, and booting fine.



Loads... Pulls from the +12v EPS rail and the 3.3v rails only. Nothing from the 5v rail. Memory is obviously what's tugging on the 3.3v rail; memory-related tests had the 3.3v rail pulling 6~7A and the CPU (12v EPS rail) would drop to ~4A. When motherboard/CPU tests would run, the 3.3v would drop off to ~4A and the EPS rail would be around 6~7A.

I'll just bag this one up for something later....eventually a build idea will come up.

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Not much for today, but didn't come home empty handed either from the local car boot sale.

- PS3 OG Sixaxis - pretty rare IMO, it's the model without rumble motors.
- Chaintech CT-9BJA0 - i845, SDRAM mobo on 478. Bought it to replace the 423 I sold, though it seems to need some recapping (and a AT-styled connector)
- ASRock Z77 Pro3 - scrap, the socket is mangled and bending half of the pins already got me dizzy (not even joking)
- Dell Studio 1737 - works, sits aside for now as I cannot source any replacement LCD cover, hinge and power button. (I had to power it through the touch buttons above the keyboard)

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

A bank called and said come grab a pickup load of junk....and here we are!



There was also a Lenovo Ideacentre 510-22ASR AIO that rode in the cab. Mint condition....This one will be detailed in another thread.



Back to the servers..... Both the towers are Haskwell E3 Xeons in pretty useless server boards....so nothing to get too excited about.









Now for this goofy thing in an Antec rack case. I've got no idea what this internal hardware would be used for in a bank....it'll make sense in a minute...



Has onboard GPU of course.....and then this....looks like some kind of dual GPU PCIe setup....





SSD hiding in there along with the 2TB HDD's.



This stuff goes directly to the scrappers...no passing go or collecting $200.



The keeper pile.... I want to play around with thise Kyrocera printers... That HP is a monster color laser.... Worth looking at before junking.



Some network gear. That will wind up at the e-waste recycler eventually...I usually wait until I've got a full gaylord....they pay a nice bounty for metal cased network gear.



Pile of Polycom IP phones....



Now back to this weird one in the Antec rack case..... The motherboard is an Asus P8H77-V.....a looooong way from IT grade...and of course those two mystery GPU's. The system still functions off the onboard when I tested it, I got no display from any of those others, they're obviously controlled by software not the system BIOS. I was not able to identify them.





Here's the board. 3rd gen I7-3770 @ 3.4GHz w/ 16gb RAM. Even today it has the makings of an entry level gamer....so I pulled that and the PC Power & Cooling PSU from the case. I was impressed with the PSU build quality, all primary & secondary caps were UCC! The only annoyance is it being modular and of course I don't have all the cords for it. Fortunately the essentials are all there.



It ran stable when I had it on the workbench.....but it'll spend the night in the oven.....





Loads are pretty light.



...and that's all for this batch other than testing the printers....not that I'd post about that....who cares about printers....

[dmill89]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

so I pulled that and the PC Power & Cooling PSU from the case. I was impressed with the PSU build quality, all primary & secondary caps were UCC! The only annoyance is it being modular and of course I don't have all the cords for it. Fortunately the essentials are all there.

The PC Power & Cooling Silencer MKIIIs are essentially just re-badged semi-modular versions of the Seasonic S12II, so very solid PSUs.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

The tower I've got is dated Sept 1994.

1994 is indeed the "FDIV"-Pentium-bug-era!

[TechGeek]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

That rackmount system was probably a surveillance DVR, given the large amount of drives and the two GPUs, likely used for hardware-accelerated video encoding and processing.

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

The PC Power & Cooling Silencer MKIIIs are essentially just re-badged semi-modular versions of the Seasonic S12II, so very solid PSUs.

Thanks for the info. I just hope I don't need any additional modular power connectors for it....

That rackmount system was probably a surveillance DVR, given the large amount of drives and the two GPUs, likely used for hardware-accelerated video encoding and processing.

Possible I suppose....but I've never seen a surveillance interface like this one...and I've seen theirs when I picked this stuff up.....gazillions of IP camera feeds. The only place in the building and grounds that can't be seen by a camera are the bathrooms.....but their bathroom entrances are sure watched. Given some of the weird interfaces on it, I believe it's a controller for an ATM. I'll ask next time I talk to the IT director.

FWIW, the Asus P8H77-V passed ~17hrs of abuse in the oven with no errors.

[Xenon-Codex]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

This Luxman is saved from the dump. Needed a bit acting, and the "watcher" went away so I could save this. It's missing the flat cable between the know and the selector switch. These Alps parts are common, so maybe I can find a spare part. The thing itself is working.

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Today a couple P4-era PC's and a box with a bunch of junk cards in it...and every card pretty much was. Old modems, junk video cards, and one gem....

Nothing less than a Voodoo5 5500!



Tested in nothing less than a VP6.





Card pulls ~1A under test loads, I connected it to the PCIe power connector. I imagine under heavier loads that will definitely go up. THis of course also assuming it doesn't draw from the 5v rail....I am not sure if it's relying solely on the 12V rail. The 12v rail is the only one monitored on the PCIe interface in the Oven. Fans were making a little noise, but nothing to get too excited about....but for a free voodoo5, I will not complain!

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Today's score would be an ECS (haven't heard of them in quite some time!) latpop, a Green736 to be specific.

2.8GHz Northwood (non-HT, 800FSB)
Radeon Mobility 9600
512MB DDR333
1400x1050 SXGA display.

[madan1]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Probably my best cheap score of the year is a FBT J8A 8" active speaker. Got it from the usual scamplace ebay for about 20EU (~350-400eu current retail price). Described as "flooded, working but with distorted sound". After receiving it, I did not notice any water damage or signs of water neither on the amp board or the speakers. Just for in a case I removed the yellow glue of death from the pcb and after figuring out the input signal plugs I realized what a gem I've scored! I have always been skeptical about class D amps and small size speakers, but what a surprise this one is!