When did we lose the PS/2 connector?
Jun 17, 2015, 12:02 pm
#16
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Jun 18, 2015, 9:39 am
#17
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Back in those days, I had several custom-built Intel MB using AT cases running Windows ME that needed add-on "Windows ME" USB drivers (v1.0) for it to recognize the USB drives - mid/late 1990's - and they had PS/2 connectors - just like the legacy Dell Optiplex GX series. Still have 2 HP/Compaq Pentium's (10 years old desktop) upgraded to Win7 with working PS/2 ports on the MB ... using USB keyboard & optical mouses these days (found a Dell usb mouse with mechanical trackball in the storage bin, unopened/never used)
Jun 18, 2015, 11:14 am
#18
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Jun 18, 2015, 12:24 pm
#19
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There were a couple of late Windows 95 "OEM service releases" which were not sold at retail* that added USB support to Windows 95. It was flaky. It wasn't entirely non-flaky even on 98 -- 98SE and then 2000 had big improvements on USB support**, and a lot of the truly plug-and-play nature of USB wasn't fully realized until the much-maligned Vista.
(* officially; plenty of computer stores sold the "for sale only with a new system" OEM packages.)
(** I 'd imagine Windows ME had further improvements over 98SE, too, but I never had any occasion to run it.)
(* officially; plenty of computer stores sold the "for sale only with a new system" OEM packages.)
(** I 'd imagine Windows ME had further improvements over 98SE, too, but I never had any occasion to run it.)
Jul 2, 2015, 9:02 pm
#20
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Never know when old parts will come in handy.
Jul 3, 2015, 8:53 am
#21
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True, but I was at a loss to know what to do with my old MFM/ESDI hard drives. 
But apparently there's somewhat of a lively market out there with nostalgia buffs and guys maintaining old equipment. I was able to unload the drives for a decent price.
The Seagate ST-225 (a whopping 20 MB!) seems to be a pretty hot seller.
But apparently there's somewhat of a lively market out there with nostalgia buffs and guys maintaining old equipment. I was able to unload the drives for a decent price.
The Seagate ST-225 (a whopping 20 MB!) seems to be a pretty hot seller.
Jul 3, 2015, 10:02 am
#22
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Old-timers probably still got a few 3.5" FDD around - I also stashed away a practically new seldom used 5.25" FDD - maybe I'll pop in the old Condor 3 (pre- dBase 3 DBMS) that ran on dual floppies then on the good old XT desktop in the mid 1980's - HQ'd then near DCA just off K Street and we used it to manage membership lists, labels & merge mailing, etc. - been a long way since PC-DOS 3.x days.
Those good old Seagate/WD 20/40 & even 60/80 GB IDE and SATA HDD are coming in handy lately, woke them out of their storage/external enclosure & imaging several PC's to get ready for having some fun with the upcoming free W10 rollout, which apparently will be staggered ... although, usb drives are dirt cheap these days but not about to get more for these JIC (just in case) backup tasks.
Those good old Seagate/WD 20/40 & even 60/80 GB IDE and SATA HDD are coming in handy lately, woke them out of their storage/external enclosure & imaging several PC's to get ready for having some fun with the upcoming free W10 rollout, which apparently will be staggered ... although, usb drives are dirt cheap these days but not about to get more for these JIC (just in case) backup tasks.
Jul 3, 2015, 1:25 pm
#23
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I had to dig out my usb/ps2 adapter last year from the dusty storage room when my wireless usb mouse was malfunctioning. Attached the old mouse and used vitual keyboard until I realized the wireless setup was getting interference from the usb3 portable hard drive.
Never know when old parts will come in handy.
Never know when old parts will come in handy.
Jul 3, 2015, 2:39 pm
#24
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OTOH, you can usually take anything you've got 3 or more of and get rid of all but two of them (if you get rid of all but 1, Murphy's also says that's going to be the broken one.
)
Jul 3, 2015, 7:57 pm
#25
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Murphy's law applies. If you throw it away, that pretty much guarantees it's the next thing you need.
OTOH, you can usually take anything you've got 3 or more of and get rid of all but two of them (if you get rid of all but 1, Murphy's also says that's going to be the broken one. )
OTOH, you can usually take anything you've got 3 or more of and get rid of all but two of them (if you get rid of all but 1, Murphy's also says that's going to be the broken one.
)
