If anyone is interested in learning more about Compaq's history, I'd highly recommend the documentary "Silicon Cowboys". I did a brief retrospective at the beginning of this video, but there's a lot more to the story and its worth a watch. Huge thanks again to HeroRareheart for the donation and to NCommander for helping out with the video!
as a certified Compaq repair tech from the 1990's you did good with your limited resources.. the wire on the back is from Compaq do not mess with it.. your cap idea is possible another thing you can do is ground yourself (i.e. ground strap or touch metal chassis while working) carefully remove all socketed IC chips then plug only the motherboard into the PSU and power on and see if you get a steady LED... i would suggest giving a try to fix the motherboard..could be a good learning experience and worse case you will need to source a new board... GREAT VIDEO cant wait till part 2!!
You were still working on these things in the 90s? That must’ve been equal parts maddening and fun, like when my dad would beat his old Kaypro with a rubber mallet to try and extract an old document.
@@thepirategamerboy12 yep the worst thing is when my dad gets rid of a pc he destroys it with a hammer because he doesn’t want anyone getting the data because he doesn’t understand how to remove data so I lost all of my childhood pc and laptops
@@samuel-wankenobi Oh that's brutal. Occasionally people toss PC's and they do things like pry the chipset from the MOBO or cut every wire with scissors in the PC, shit's infuriating.
The question I have is if Michael MJD will break the tradition of "The Compaq Portable will always explode in the TH-camr's face", cause trust me, that's an experience you don't forget.
It was truly a beautiful design inside the computer. Compaq really did make the machine easy to repair and maintenance. Maybe that was another favourable argument to buy this machine.
Some of that plastic damage was already there, some of it was me and my grandfather attempting to take it apart to see if his previous training in electrical circuitry could help in repairing it, and some of it was already there when I found it. I'm too embarrassed to tell you which is which.
They _mention_ Compaq in the first season as one of their competitors as they develop the Giant, and I think that's one of the reasons why MacMillan tried so hard to push the laptop form factor; to get an edge over them.
The things one could in the trash over there are impressive. Here, the dumpsters would only be filled with dead Core 2 era machines, and those that still run would be marked as "classics" and "collector's edition" and sold at jacked up prices even though they're really just generic, mass-produced, e-machines quality products already on their last legs Looking forward for part 2 (and part 3, hopefully)
I can't imagine _any_ computer made in the last couple decades _ever_ being considered a collector's item, let alone already. But then, I guess that's what everyone in the '80s and '90s thought too...
One day, I was in a vacation in Faro, and I found a iMac in the garbage. I don't know if it was just the box or the computer was inside, but by the box I guess it was an Leopard iMac.
Amazing job. My first computer was an IBM "breadbox" and looked very similar to this one. The amount of work you are putting into this is truly astounding.
I love how you thoroughly explain yourself and the process as well as explaining the history of this tech and the impact it had, explaining how you did everything is so intriguing on many levels, can't wait for part two would love to see this thing boot up again
I have a Compaq Portable for a few years now, but I've never tested it due to lack of time and because I was afraid of frying some capacitors. Your video is being very helpful.
Dude, great job with the diagnosis! You may not have an electrical engineering background but you have some legit repair tech thinking for sure. Loved this vid!
Finding any sort of older technology is always great for a technical TH-cam channel, As it's always interesting to see how times change. To think you have a lot more powerful thing in your pocket now then that computer.
My 1st computer(I don't count the C-64 which was only used for games in my household) was a Compaq portable 1 with dual floppies and no hard drive found in a thrift store in 1995 for 5 bucks. I had a Compaq 2 with a 286 and finally a Compaq portable 486. All thrift store finds. I used to call them my hernia boxes because the weight was so prohibitive to being lugged about. Your vid brings back MANY memories
I rescued on of these from a skip(Dumpster) about 20 years ago, cleaned it up, and took it to an amateur radio rally with my then boss put it on sale for £25. Neighbouring stall (who were friends of my boss laughed and said I would never sell it and should just dump it) I did sell it for the asking price! It was a 386sx25 with (iirc) 1 5.25 floppy drive and a 10MB Hard disk.I was happy it ws going to a new home to be used for packet radio or sstv, cant remember exactly.
Michael, well done with your help on this gem find , you're doing well so far ,patience , it's only a matter of time till the beast comes alive and rewards you back . Take care. 😀
Watch out for that switch assembly! They contain big old filter caps and they can POP being that old. Very messy and stinky. Board probably has a shorted tantalum cap somewhere. Just replace them all wholesale if you can. It would be good soldering practice.
MJD: Between you & RandomGamingInHD, I find myself enjoying videos about deep cleaning old tech. I dunno what it is, tbh. Lol. It brings respect to the restorer when you show the efforts involved. Can't wait for part 2. Cheers!🍻
I recommend RMC - The Cave, if you enjoy "trash to treasure" type content, and I mean down to re-capping the PCBs! I get more excited for these guys than anyone else I follow these days.
Worth mentioning about that bodge wire at the end is that's a common thing to find. Sometimes the manufacturer finds an issue with a board layout but determines a patch wire is more cost effective to install than to remap the whole board for production. Given how tidy the wire placement is, I'd almost put money on that being from the factory. Given the state of the motherboard, it's at least a reasonable time to get the supplies for soldering in the process of getting it running. If you end up getting it running, so much the better, but if it still doesn't work then sourcing a replacement board isn't bad, either, since that allows more part swapping in the future.
Just saw this channel and I can already tell you're a legend. Archaic tech should be charished and preserved in working condition if at all possible. Definitely checking out more of your stuff.
I always say repair. it will be a great learning experience. don't be afraid to try. it's already broke so all that can happen is either you fix it or it stays broken.
Very happy about this video and it's attracting me closer to your channel. I really hope you get it this PC working, and can't wait to see you trying to install all kinds of operating systems on it in the future.
That was what my dad got for his first PC in 1984. It's nice that you were able to get that computer so clean. I shudder to think what the lungs of the previous owner of that computer looked like!
Wow, I worked for Atlantic Computers in the 80s in the 90s. I replaced many of the power supplies in those machines with PC power and cooling power supplies. Those units used to blow a power supply if you turn them off and on too quickly. Now, whether or not I was the same Atlantic Computers, I don't know. I remember those Kalok hard drives, and what was referred to was the Ping of death with the actuator Motors.
Great vid. Like the "bigger project" setup. At one point I thought I was looking at a Quick 'n Bright commercial 😂 Hope you get the motherboard fixed soon! Checking for any shortend caps shouldn't take too much time.
I have one of these! Got it for $20 at a neighbor's garage sale 15 years ago. The neighbor was a retired psychologist and didn't wipe the HDD before selling it to me, I spent many hours browsing old patient records from the 80s. I sadly lost all the DOS and program disks in a move a while back so I haven't used it in a long time, but it's a truly excellent system. I need to go on ebay and see if I can find some replacement disks.
I'm glad you took the time to research and present the history of this machine. It's been done in the past, but sometimes a slightly deeper analysis of the machine itself is missing from the history lesson! I would be willing to bet a dollar it works, snip C83 off the motherboard and try powering the machine up.
For anybody who doesn't know, retro bright is a chemical compound that removes the top layer of the yellowed plastic, to reveal the non-yellowed layer beneath. Magic erasers are made from a very hard material called melamine, but in a foam state. So basically magic erasers are a very fine sandpaper. So using them to unyellow plastic would also remove the top layer of the plastic. Both retro bright and magic erasers thin out the plastic and can only make them more fragile. If you care about the longevity of your yellowed devices, don't use either. Do what you will with this information. Personally, I hate ugly yellowed plastics, but I hate dealing with broken or fragile plastics more.
Ok i know its 2 years ago but TH-cam decided i needed to see this and now i want to see part 2... Where did TH-cam hide it? 😂 Link me up if there's a part 2 please ❤
This was an excellent video, and I suspect it will be very handy for me in the future. Thank you for the meticulous detail in showing your disassembly process.
My high school computer room was filled with these when I was in Grade 9 (around 1993). Then the next year they were replaced with PCs with Windows 3.11 on them. These Compaqs had no hard drive so you needed a boot disk, a disk for every program you have and disks to save the work.
Wow, certain places in the US must be amazing for retro tech enthusiasts. Here in Australia, you would NEVER see anything like this at a 'thrift shop' or garage sale, let alone thrown in a damn garbage bin.
I’m in Melbourne and somehow, at different times, I found a Compaq Portable II and a Compaq Portable III on the street during hard rubbish collection. That was probably 15 years ago when they weren’t so valuable.
As far as retrobrighting goes - my best method so far has been a clear plastic box (covered with clingfilm), that 40 volume cream you mentioned, and a 60 watt halogen light. I don't wrap the thing I want to retrobright in clingfilm. I just smother it with the hydrogen peroxide cream, put it in a clear plastic box, cover the box with clingfilm and put the 60 watt bulb over the box to provide heat, or something. I've had no streaks on the plastic doing it this way and it really works, too 😊
Nice cleaning job! I have one of these lug-tops in my attic. My wife's father worked for IBM and then Compaq in the 80's and 90's which is where he acquired it from. It still powers on (last time I checked about a year ago) and boots into BASIC. I haven't done anything more with it in the 8 years I've been married to her and have had it around the house. I sure as hell know I'm not getting rid of it!
A few weeks ago was bulk pickup day, and someone had an Amiga 1000 (1985) with the keyboard sitting out... took it, gave it a day to air out, hooked it up and it works... it's crazy people just throw out vintage PCs like that. Glad I got to save it from going to the dump, along with a couple of CRT TVs and HDTVs. More that I wish I could've saved too but didn't have the means to take unfortunately
29:07 That "bodge wire" doesn't necessarily mean it has been repaired after the fact. I believe that in some cases depending on the severity of a bug/issue it was just cheaper to do the fix on the assembly line instead of getting an entirely new PCB revision made.
The other day, I found an HP Slimline PC in the trash. I took it home, plugged it in, hooked up the monitor and keyboards and everything and then it booted right into Windows 7. So I kept it. It obviously isn't as vintage as this Compaq, the one that I found is from 2010 to 2011, but it still works fine nonetheless.
@Michael MJD: You should try powering up the system with the motherboard reinstalled and the power disconnected from the same floppy drive you had disconnected during your power supply test. I have a suspicion that that floppy drive could be shorted and causing your problem. I have had this exact problem on one my vintage systems that turned out to be a shorted 3.5" floppy drive.
My father had this when I was a kid I remember learning how to type on the compaq portable 1. Not sure what ever happened to it but looking at the prices now I wish I could still have it!!
Hope you figure out what's going on with this machine. Consider a collab with LRG, Ncommander, the 8bit guy and Enderman. Wish I still had my 1st computer around so I could do something like this for fun.
Crazy how expensive these vintage computers have become since the rise of YT channels focusing on retro PCs like LGR and 8-Bit Guy. The same inflation phenomen is happening with audio and video equipment thanks to Techmoan. Also, kudos for the woman who found this PC and donated it to Michael, she's the MVP, this beauty is in good hands. And good job restoring this jewel!
It not entirely their fault, even if they are "contributing" to the problem. It's the common issue of the "bathtub curve" of item/component value vs supply. Very valuable at first when new and useful, value declines (sometimes fast) to low prices as the tech becomes less useful (or breaking, throwing away, selling), and those actions severely reduce supply right as collectors, repairers, etc want to acquire parts for restoration or some sort of need for a business running vintage hardware. It happens in almost every sector of production of mass market goods. Cars, furniture, tech, clothes, etc. There are people that have made livings off of exploiting the curve by buying 5-10 years into a product life cycles, carefully storing it (and possibly buying up available goods as they come to market again) and then selling it off 20-40 years later. Obviously this requires space, dedication, and market knowledge, but at it's core is a very simple principle.
You could actually just try to use the adaptor and the shorted cap will blow up so you know wich one it is. But its kinda risky cause idk how strong the traces are
I blew a trace out on my VDU. 8-bit guy blew a hole through his motherboard.I actually did check the caps on the VDU before I powered it on, which is why I got surprised when it exploded in my face; it wasn't a dead short. But yeah, that's the surefire way to find it :)
29:08 - in fact, the patch wire could be installed on factory -- sometimes manufacturers used to add modifications into circuit and use patch wires to reuse old PCBs
Ah yes, Tantalum capacitors, breaking vintage computers since the 80s. Adrian from Adrian's Digital Basement has made a couple of videos diagnosing and replacing capacitors on vintage computers, you might want to get in touch with him, Shelby from Tech Tangents or really any other retro tech repair TH-camr to get the motherboard sorted out, It's definitively cheaper (and easier) than finding a working one on eBay.
Attempt to repair, by far. Picking up the knowledge of soldering and basic electronics will probably be fun and valuable. Pus, I think it would generally be the cooler option!
my choices were sended it to this guy or let it rot in my house because I do not remotely have the skills necessary to fix something like this. I figured it had a better home in Michael's collection.
First trash-picked PC I ever found was an IBM 5150 in mint condition with the keyboard, screen, and everything. The only issue was that it smelled like cat piss. Still worth it
I used to have one of these that I put an original 10MB full height IBM drive in it from a 5160. The power supply would tend to overhead and shutdown. So I mounted a large fan to the PSU to keep it running. I later swapped to a hard card and didn't need the fan.
What a coincidence! In the last video I was watching you had commented, (it was not made by you) and now in my next up list I find the 8 bit guys restoration of the compas portable 1!
This was the first computer we had in our house in 1994. i think it was a hand me down from my uncle. I remember my dad had a morse code practice program on it that i would play around with. kicking myself near 30 years later that I didn't continue learning morse code as a kid.
As a seasoned computer tech, I agree with Mickey Mouse Park's suggestion. Trying to source a newish Mobo for that machine may prove to be hard and pricey. I am patiently awaiting part 2.
I can tell you really went the extra mile with the editing on this video. Also, it was fun to use my truly extensive TH-cam watch history to guess the failure points in what needed fixed. Never seen a Compaq Portable in person, but hell if I don't know what makes them tick haha
While I never had one of these Compaq 'Luggables', I did have two of the IBM models complete with all of the books, binders, and software. One even had the canvas should bag.. Unfortunately most of my old computer collection was lost during a move so I no longer have them. Too bad you don't live nearby as I would be glad to help work on the motherboard. I've recapped more than a few of them, graphics cards, amplifiers, radios, etc.
@@insert_username_here at the time I found it I was trying out college and I thought it would be hilarious to just bring it in and take notes on one day if it worked.
I have to admit, even though I do not have a Compaq Portable, I actually still own a broken Pentium MMX 200MHz machine that suffered from the same "turned on for a few seconds" issue. The AT PSU wouldnt work if the faulty motherboard is plugged in. Eventually I tried using some sort of ATX-AT PSU (I've been advised those aren't recommended later on due to lack of negative 12v voltage) adapter and if blew one of the tantalum (nicknamed tantrum) capacitors on the motherboard. It's really interesting to learn something from your videos (and others as well) that I finally have an answer to in my troubleshooting. It's been 3 years since I left the computer unfixed and this video gives me motivation to get it running again hopefully! It's one of the reasons why I keep enjoying watching your videos and so 8-Bit Guy and NCommander as well.
If anyone is interested in learning more about Compaq's history, I'd highly recommend the documentary "Silicon Cowboys". I did a brief retrospective at the beginning of this video, but there's a lot more to the story and its worth a watch. Huge thanks again to HeroRareheart for the donation and to NCommander for helping out with the video!
please heart my comment
Nice prolly see it, See ya on part 2 hopefully it powers on next time especially since you know where the problem is
hi
also ok i will
You made my day with that ,, it’s one more thing” with steve jobs
as a certified Compaq repair tech from the 1990's you did good with your limited resources..
the wire on the back is from Compaq do not mess with it..
your cap idea is possible another thing you can do is ground yourself (i.e. ground strap or touch metal chassis while working) carefully remove all socketed IC chips then plug only the motherboard into the PSU and power on and see if you get a steady LED...
i would suggest giving a try to fix the motherboard..could be a good learning experience and worse case you will need to source a new board...
GREAT VIDEO
cant wait till part 2!!
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You were still working on these things in the 90s? That must’ve been equal parts maddening and fun, like when my dad would beat his old Kaypro with a rubber mallet to try and extract an old document.
As the old saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
It’s unbelievable what some people throw away, regardless of this machine's issues.
I mean, many average Joes believe that old computers are worthless junk.
Remembering the Apple 1 that was thrown out
@@thepirategamerboy12 yep the worst thing is when my dad gets rid of a pc he destroys it with a hammer because he doesn’t want anyone getting the data because he doesn’t understand how to remove data so I lost all of my childhood pc and laptops
@@samuel-wankenobi Oh that's brutal. Occasionally people toss PC's and they do things like pry the chipset from the MOBO or cut every wire with scissors in the PC, shit's infuriating.
I found 6 laptops and I built my own pc from junkparts 4 free
The question I have is if Michael MJD will break the tradition of "The Compaq Portable will always explode in the TH-camr's face", cause trust me, that's an experience you don't forget.
I love the smell of thermally oxidized tantalums in the morning!
But if he does break it, would reality remain intact?
@@philtkaswahl2124 The Compaq Portable will both be and not be fixed at the same time until we collapse the waveform.
I imagine that'll happen in the next part, whether or not he tries to avoid it happening.
Trust NC to make things memorable... missed that, and can't find the vid on your channel?
A new legend is rising with this, the all mighty Compaq Portable PC
*old, it's several decades old
It was truly a beautiful design inside the computer. Compaq really did make the machine easy to repair and maintenance. Maybe that was another favourable argument to buy this machine.
If you ask anyone who actually worked on those they can easily tell you the complete opposite, these are HELL to work on
YES IT IS HERE, I'VE WAITED SO LONG!!!
Edit: I hope the amount you paid for the shipping was worth it because this was not cheap to ship lol.
Some of that plastic damage was already there, some of it was me and my grandfather attempting to take it apart to see if his previous training in electrical circuitry could help in repairing it, and some of it was already there when I found it.
I'm too embarrassed to tell you which is which.
@@HeroRareheart Thank you for this!
@@x_voxelle_x No problem, Beats leaving it around my room rotting away!
L0L ur proFile Pic is an Arss Lmao😂
@@thenewbillymsaterbate3124 why a 0 in "LOL"
Legends say he’s still working on part 2
he said that he actually is, and that it definitely will be released some day
Wait...I small company in Texas?! Dont tell me Cardiff Electronics in the show Halt and Catch Fire was based on Compaq. Mind blown!
It is! At the very least, loosely based on. Such a good show by the way!
I love that show!
They _mention_ Compaq in the first season as one of their competitors as they develop the Giant, and I think that's one of the reasons why MacMillan tried so hard to push the laptop form factor; to get an edge over them.
That is some solid work, Michael, and the best part is showing (and thus crediting) the stepping stones of prior efforts. Outstanding.
I appreciate it, thanks so much!
you forgot to add you@@MichaelMJD
I have huge respect for people like you going through the painfully annoying process of restoring such old machines.
It looks almost like new now.
It's a zen thing.
It's not so annoying when you're doing it. It turns out fun mostly
this video is such a good anti-smoking ad
The things one could in the trash over there are impressive. Here, the dumpsters would only be filled with dead Core 2 era machines, and those that still run would be marked as "classics" and "collector's edition" and sold at jacked up prices even though they're really just generic, mass-produced, e-machines quality products already on their last legs
Looking forward for part 2 (and part 3, hopefully)
Wait, are there people still paying anything for a Core 2 machine? I mean, more than 10-20 bucks? I have quite a few such machines.
I can't imagine _any_ computer made in the last couple decades _ever_ being considered a collector's item, let alone already. But then, I guess that's what everyone in the '80s and '90s thought too...
One day, I was in a vacation in Faro, and I found a iMac in the garbage. I don't know if it was just the box or the computer was inside, but by the box I guess it was an Leopard iMac.
Amazing job. My first computer was an IBM "breadbox" and looked very similar to this one. The amount of work you are putting into this is truly astounding.
I love how you thoroughly explain yourself and the process as well as explaining the history of this tech and the impact it had, explaining how you did everything is so intriguing on many levels, can't wait for part two would love to see this thing boot up again
I have a Compaq Portable for a few years now, but I've never tested it due to lack of time and because I was afraid of frying some capacitors. Your video is being very helpful.
Dude, great job with the diagnosis! You may not have an electrical engineering background but you have some legit repair tech thinking for sure. Loved this vid!
Finding any sort of older technology is always great for a technical TH-cam channel, As it's always interesting to see how times change. To think you have a lot more powerful thing in your pocket now then that computer.
My 1st computer(I don't count the C-64 which was only used for games in my household) was a Compaq portable 1 with dual floppies and no hard drive found in a thrift store in 1995 for 5 bucks. I had a Compaq 2 with a 286 and finally a Compaq portable 486. All thrift store finds. I used to call them my hernia boxes because the weight was so prohibitive to being lugged about. Your vid brings back MANY memories
I love watching old computers being restored, and you did an excellent job cleaning this one up. Looking forward to part 2!
I rescued on of these from a skip(Dumpster) about 20 years ago, cleaned it up, and took it to an amateur radio rally with my then boss put it on sale for £25. Neighbouring stall (who were friends of my boss laughed and said I would never sell it and should just dump it) I did sell it for the asking price! It was a 386sx25 with (iirc) 1 5.25 floppy drive and a 10MB Hard disk.I was happy it ws going to a new home to be used for packet radio or sstv, cant remember exactly.
Michael, well done with your help on this gem find , you're doing well so far ,patience , it's only a matter of time till the beast comes alive and rewards you back . Take care. 😀
Watch out for that switch assembly! They contain big old filter caps and they can POP being that old. Very messy and stinky.
Board probably has a shorted tantalum cap somewhere. Just replace them all wholesale if you can. It would be good soldering practice.
MJD: Between you & RandomGamingInHD, I find myself enjoying videos about deep cleaning old tech. I dunno what it is, tbh. Lol. It brings respect to the restorer when you show the efforts involved. Can't wait for part 2. Cheers!🍻
I recommend RMC - The Cave, if you enjoy "trash to treasure" type content, and I mean down to re-capping the PCBs! I get more excited for these guys than anyone else I follow these days.
Theres the 8 bit guy too, really cool channel
Adrian's Digital Basement is a good one
The dedication to restoring this thing is amazing. I would never have the patience to try something like this. Big kudos.
I’d also look for breaks in the circuits on the mobo as well. Looks good so far. What a change in looks. Great job.
His problem is a short making the power supply crowbar a shutdown not open circuit.
Worth mentioning about that bodge wire at the end is that's a common thing to find. Sometimes the manufacturer finds an issue with a board layout but determines a patch wire is more cost effective to install than to remap the whole board for production. Given how tidy the wire placement is, I'd almost put money on that being from the factory.
Given the state of the motherboard, it's at least a reasonable time to get the supplies for soldering in the process of getting it running. If you end up getting it running, so much the better, but if it still doesn't work then sourcing a replacement board isn't bad, either, since that allows more part swapping in the future.
i didn't think watching a repair would turn into a detective style investigation 2 part movie but i'm all for it
Excellent work! Thanks for giving this Compaq the love and care it deserves
Thanks Ian!
Just saw this channel and I can already tell you're a legend.
Archaic tech should be charished and preserved in working condition if at all possible.
Definitely checking out more of your stuff.
Thanks so much! : )
I replaced the power supply with a standard AT PSU. I needed to use it on 240v and the original was 120v only. The replacement fits well in the space.
Legends still say that Michael MJD is still making the part 2.
Correct.
I always say repair. it will be a great learning experience. don't be afraid to try. it's already broke so all that can happen is either you fix it or it stays broken.
Welcome back Michael, we missed man your outstanding videos. Thank you for everything that you do!
I don't know why but watching old computer get rebuild and clean is so satisfying
Very happy about this video and it's attracting me closer to your channel. I really hope you get it this PC working, and can't wait to see you trying to install all kinds of operating systems on it in the future.
You got yourself a new subscriber. I have been enjoying your past videos and really looking forward to part 2 of this.
That was what my dad got for his first PC in 1984.
It's nice that you were able to get that computer so clean. I shudder to think what the lungs of the previous owner of that computer looked like!
Interesting and informative Michael, I looking forward to part 2 ;-)
Wow, I worked for Atlantic Computers in the 80s in the 90s. I replaced many of the power supplies in those machines with PC power and cooling power supplies. Those units used to blow a power supply if you turn them off and on too quickly. Now, whether or not I was the same Atlantic Computers, I don't know. I remember those Kalok hard drives, and what was referred to was the Ping of death with the actuator Motors.
Great vid. Like the "bigger project" setup. At one point I thought I was looking at a Quick 'n Bright commercial 😂 Hope you get the motherboard fixed soon! Checking for any shortend caps shouldn't take too much time.
I have one of these! Got it for $20 at a neighbor's garage sale 15 years ago. The neighbor was a retired psychologist and didn't wipe the HDD before selling it to me, I spent many hours browsing old patient records from the 80s. I sadly lost all the DOS and program disks in a move a while back so I haven't used it in a long time, but it's a truly excellent system. I need to go on ebay and see if I can find some replacement disks.
Hi! I came from the future to announce that...
we still don't have the part 2! 😀
I'm glad you took the time to research and present the history of this machine. It's been done in the past, but sometimes a slightly deeper analysis of the machine itself is missing from the history lesson!
I would be willing to bet a dollar it works, snip C83 off the motherboard and try powering the machine up.
that computer is so old. I love it.
Wait and what HP?
For anybody who doesn't know, retro bright is a chemical compound that removes the top layer of the yellowed plastic, to reveal the non-yellowed layer beneath.
Magic erasers are made from a very hard material called melamine, but in a foam state. So basically magic erasers are a very fine sandpaper. So using them to unyellow plastic would also remove the top layer of the plastic.
Both retro bright and magic erasers thin out the plastic and can only make them more fragile. If you care about the longevity of your yellowed devices, don't use either.
Do what you will with this information. Personally, I hate ugly yellowed plastics, but I hate dealing with broken or fragile plastics more.
Ok i know its 2 years ago but TH-cam decided i needed to see this and now i want to see part 2... Where did TH-cam hide it? 😂 Link me up if there's a part 2 please ❤
There is still no part 2
This was an excellent video, and I suspect it will be very handy for me in the future. Thank you for the meticulous detail in showing your disassembly process.
Was part 2 ever published? This video is almost a year old.
I like how detailed you are in explaining what you did. Very 8-bit guy-ish. Great stuff 👍👍👍
Great video, hopefully you can fix this in part 2. Although I must say, if it was me I would be tempted to blow up the capacitor...
My high school computer room was filled with these when I was in Grade 9 (around 1993). Then the next year they were replaced with PCs with Windows 3.11 on them.
These Compaqs had no hard drive so you needed a boot disk, a disk for every program you have and disks to save the work.
Wow, certain places in the US must be amazing for retro tech enthusiasts. Here in Australia, you would NEVER see anything like this at a 'thrift shop' or garage sale, let alone thrown in a damn garbage bin.
I’m in Melbourne and somehow, at different times, I found a Compaq Portable II and a Compaq Portable III on the street during hard rubbish collection. That was probably 15 years ago when they weren’t so valuable.
As far as retrobrighting goes - my best method so far has been a clear plastic box (covered with clingfilm), that 40 volume cream you mentioned, and a 60 watt halogen light. I don't wrap the thing I want to retrobright in clingfilm. I just smother it with the hydrogen peroxide cream, put it in a clear plastic box, cover the box with clingfilm and put the 60 watt bulb over the box to provide heat, or something. I've had no streaks on the plastic doing it this way and it really works, too 😊
Great Video! I‘d like to see more of these Old Computers. Old Macs would also be awesome
Thanks so much!
With pleasure!
Yesssssssss
I had one of these growing up, and my parents threw it in the trash after I moved out. I hope someone found it like you did this one.
this is a very well put together video! i cant wait for part 2!
Thanks so much!
@@MichaelMJD what happened with your Compaq Portable?
Nice cleaning job! I have one of these lug-tops in my attic. My wife's father worked for IBM and then Compaq in the 80's and 90's which is where he acquired it from. It still powers on (last time I checked about a year ago) and boots into BASIC. I haven't done anything more with it in the 8 years I've been married to her and have had it around the house. I sure as hell know I'm not getting rid of it!
i saw that exact compaq portable model sitting in a bestbuy returns area yesterday, i have no idea why but it was there
You should've reached in there and took it lol
You missed a rare opportunity. You were the chosen one, but you rejected it.
idiot why didnt you take it
@@FrontierGD it was behind the counter smh
@@whalemingo5601 it was behind the counter, i dont work there
A few weeks ago was bulk pickup day, and someone had an Amiga 1000 (1985) with the keyboard sitting out... took it, gave it a day to air out, hooked it up and it works... it's crazy people just throw out vintage PCs like that. Glad I got to save it from going to the dump, along with a couple of CRT TVs and HDTVs. More that I wish I could've saved too but didn't have the means to take unfortunately
Two years has pased, RIP
Yeah, MJD is busy and this is a really tough and daunting project. I'm sure with time it'll FINALLY get made though.
The editing is very nice, subtle and not "in your face". A qualitative quality improvement.
29:07 That "bodge wire" doesn't necessarily mean it has been repaired after the fact. I believe that in some cases depending on the severity of a bug/issue it was just cheaper to do the fix on the assembly line instead of getting an entirely new PCB revision made.
The other day, I found an HP Slimline PC in the trash. I took it home, plugged it in, hooked up the monitor and keyboards and everything and then it booted right into Windows 7. So I kept it. It obviously isn't as vintage as this Compaq, the one that I found is from 2010 to 2011, but it still works fine nonetheless.
DAMN this is a great find, even with its problems. You must have great luck over there
Please make a part 2, i would really like to see this machine up and running
@Michael MJD: You should try powering up the system with the motherboard reinstalled and the power disconnected from the same floppy drive you had disconnected during your power supply test. I have a suspicion that that floppy drive could be shorted and causing your problem. I have had this exact problem on one my vintage systems that turned out to be a shorted 3.5" floppy drive.
My father had this when I was a kid I remember learning how to type on the compaq portable 1. Not sure what ever happened to it but looking at the prices now I wish I could still have it!!
That sounds like a great experience TBH.
Hope you figure out what's going on with this machine. Consider a collab with LRG, Ncommander, the 8bit guy and Enderman.
Wish I still had my 1st computer around so I could do something like this for fun.
Most enjoyable. Looking forward to seeing the exciting conclusion. Cheers Michael.
Really good, dude! I want to see other stuff with this!!!!
Crazy how expensive these vintage computers have become since the rise of YT channels focusing on retro PCs like LGR and 8-Bit Guy. The same inflation phenomen is happening with audio and video equipment thanks to Techmoan.
Also, kudos for the woman who found this PC and donated it to Michael, she's the MVP, this beauty is in good hands. And good job restoring this jewel!
It not entirely their fault, even if they are "contributing" to the problem. It's the common issue of the "bathtub curve" of item/component value vs supply. Very valuable at first when new and useful, value declines (sometimes fast) to low prices as the tech becomes less useful (or breaking, throwing away, selling), and those actions severely reduce supply right as collectors, repairers, etc want to acquire parts for restoration or some sort of need for a business running vintage hardware.
It happens in almost every sector of production of mass market goods. Cars, furniture, tech, clothes, etc.
There are people that have made livings off of exploiting the curve by buying 5-10 years into a product life cycles, carefully storing it (and possibly buying up available goods as they come to market again) and then selling it off 20-40 years later. Obviously this requires space, dedication, and market knowledge, but at it's core is a very simple principle.
You could actually just try to use the adaptor and the shorted cap will blow up so you know wich one it is. But its kinda risky cause idk how strong the traces are
I blew a trace out on my VDU. 8-bit guy blew a hole through his motherboard.I actually did check the caps on the VDU before I powered it on, which is why I got surprised when it exploded in my face; it wasn't a dead short. But yeah, that's the surefire way to find it :)
@@NCommander What happens if you power it on with very low voltage, and ramp up slowly?
@@Reziac It explodes in slow motion :)
@@NCommander Well then, no need for the high-speed camera! ;)
This is the first time I am waiting so eagerly for a part 2 of something after the Avengers infinity wars saga, this video is just amazing
29:08 - in fact, the patch wire could be installed on factory -- sometimes manufacturers used to add modifications into circuit and use patch wires to reuse old PCBs
Yep, were very common up through the early Pentiums.
@@Reziac even today rev1 boards have it semi-often!
@@kaitlyn__L Haven't seen a patch wire since probably the Slot 1 era... but manufacturing has improved a lot, too.
looking forward for this series, i love the engineering part, that was some kind of detectives
Ah yes, Tantalum capacitors, breaking vintage computers since the 80s. Adrian from Adrian's Digital Basement has made a couple of videos diagnosing and replacing capacitors on vintage computers, you might want to get in touch with him, Shelby from Tech Tangents or really any other retro tech repair TH-camr to get the motherboard sorted out, It's definitively cheaper (and easier) than finding a working one on eBay.
Attempt to repair, by far. Picking up the knowledge of soldering and basic electronics will probably be fun and valuable. Pus, I think it would generally be the cooler option!
2 years, and 15 days later, no part 2.
Add an aditonal 6 months onto that timer.
@@HeroRareheartanother 6 months and it will have been 3 years. The question is if it will release before GTA 6
I had one of these when I was a kid. Played chess on it all the time. Would bring it back and forth to school
props to HeroRareheart :3
my choices were sended it to this guy or let it rot in my house because I do not remotely have the skills necessary to fix something like this. I figured it had a better home in Michael's collection.
First trash-picked PC I ever found was an IBM 5150 in mint condition with the keyboard, screen, and everything. The only issue was that it smelled like cat piss. Still worth it
This was awesome best video I've watched in a while thanks
I used to have one of these that I put an original 10MB full height IBM drive in it from a 5160. The power supply would tend to overhead and shutdown. So I mounted a large fan to the PSU to keep it running. I later swapped to a hard card and didn't need the fan.
Looks like the quickest way to find the bad cap would be to use the ATX adapter and let the smoke out!
What a coincidence! In the last video I was watching you had commented, (it was not made by you) and now in my next up list I find the 8 bit guys restoration of the compas portable 1!
5$ Windows 98 PC: Finally! A worthy opponent! Our battle will be legendary!
The 98 PC will destroy the compaq
well he did reimburse me for the shipping, so technically this wasn't cheap lol.
1$ Windows 1.2 PC: time to battle bois
Highly recommend looking for any tantalum capacitors that may have shorted. It's a common failure mode for older
Part 2 when?
This was the first computer we had in our house in 1994. i think it was a hand me down from my uncle. I remember my dad had a morse code practice program on it that i would play around with. kicking myself near 30 years later that I didn't continue learning morse code as a kid.
I know you're referring to it as magic eraser, but you can order melamine foam sponges for super cheap and it's the same thing.
As a seasoned computer tech, I agree with Mickey Mouse Park's suggestion. Trying to source a newish Mobo for that machine may prove to be hard and pricey. I am patiently awaiting part 2.
I can tell you really went the extra mile with the editing on this video. Also, it was fun to use my truly extensive TH-cam watch history to guess the failure points in what needed fixed. Never seen a Compaq Portable in person, but hell if I don't know what makes them tick haha
I really loved that one! You've really gotten better through the years... Keep it up!
When you make part 2, i will subscribe
While I never had one of these Compaq 'Luggables', I did have two of the IBM models complete with all of the books, binders, and software. One even had the canvas should bag.. Unfortunately most of my old computer collection was lost during a move so I no longer have them.
Too bad you don't live nearby as I would be glad to help work on the motherboard. I've recapped more than a few of them, graphics cards, amplifiers, radios, etc.
Bruh I wish someone would throw away a Compaq Portable near me XD. I've always wanted to build a mobile workstation inside on of these things.
Rocking up to work with a Compaq Portable is the ultimate flex on your coworkers.
@@insert_username_here at the time I found it I was trying out college and I thought it would be hilarious to just bring it in and take notes on one day if it worked.
Im looking forward to part 2 :D i really liked this video i'll be waiting :) keep up the great work MJD!
michael MJD whats the link to part 2?
I have to admit, even though I do not have a Compaq Portable, I actually still own a broken Pentium MMX 200MHz machine that suffered from the same "turned on for a few seconds" issue. The AT PSU wouldnt work if the faulty motherboard is plugged in. Eventually I tried using some sort of ATX-AT PSU (I've been advised those aren't recommended later on due to lack of negative 12v voltage) adapter and if blew one of the tantalum (nicknamed tantrum) capacitors on the motherboard.
It's really interesting to learn something from your videos (and others as well) that I finally have an answer to in my troubleshooting. It's been 3 years since I left the computer unfixed and this video gives me motivation to get it running again hopefully! It's one of the reasons why I keep enjoying watching your videos and so 8-Bit Guy and NCommander as well.
Part 2 ?