The heater on the HDD is there because mechanical drives perform badly in arctic conditions. The lubricants inside will freeze if they aren't warmed up and sudden changes in environmental temperature can potentially cause the disk to warp.
This is hands down the coolest looking laptop I have ever seen. Holy crap, even that big case it comes in (pressure stabilizing hole wow), everything about it looks crazily overbuilt and massive. Now I want one if these machines.
7:45 that is an IBM 6GB, 4200 rpm, 512KB cache, 2.5" HDD but military grade, for us muggles it was knows as a IBM Travelstar 12GN 16:40 2 x Hyundai GM71C17403CJ6 32MB EDO SIMM, double sided modules, 60ns
I worked on some old decommissioned Canadian military equipment I found just setting in the rain with a old oil tarp covering it at a salvage yard. I was able to pull out some parts that appeared to be dry and in good condition. Just like this unit, it was over engineered with hundreds of screws holding it together. It was not anywhere as interesting has this “ portable “ computer. I’m very impressed with your work in taking it apart. You are a very lucky bench tech and I hope someone will get back to you with answers to your questions.
@@rodrigo-mota No, thats to keep the hardrive at a constant temperature while in extreme low temps, because temps affect the size of things which is not a good thing in terms of a hard drive
@@rodrigo-mota no it just makes the headers scratch up the drive while the drive spins at high RPMs som contain a version of termite called something else but it would be labeled with warnings.
Before you remove the battery, check if it will work without it. Some old laptops won't power on without a working battery. The AC adapter is only used to charge the battery, not to actually power the laptop.
I have a feeling I wouldn’t get past through airport security with this. Actually I have a feeling that I’d end up surrounded by a counter terrorist team. It looks like a weapon.
Outdated when the government bought these, DRS charged at least five thousand dollars a piece for these over engineered, hot running laptops. Most just collected dust in a supply room until turn in.
A similarly equipped civilian laptop would've cost $3,500 at the time. And it wouldn't have a desktop processor shoehorned into it. Also, no super-fancy flight case. LOL.
Ahh, reminds me of my MILSPEC desktops I acquired and took apart. The decommissioned units had Pentium ones and were shielded from EMPs with lots of screws.
Hey! I have exactly the same laptop, but just with cables. No hour counter. No printer, no case. Also, the internal hard drive is different. It did power up, but complained about the CMOS RAM. Replaced the battery (not original, did a hack), but I can't get it to boot from the HD. :-( Zillion screws to get inside. What a nightmare! Same keyboard-layout. Got mine for 50 €
I had one of these in my HEMTT wrecker when we invaded Iraq. It was connected to a satellite and showed where everyone was at. Could also sent instant messages on It to other ones on the battlefield.
@@shadymaint1FBCB2 systems in vehicles generally have a separate computer, screen, and keyboard. They also have either a PLGR or, more recently, a DAGR for GPS positioning. You should do a google image search for FBCB2, and check out the map screen to see if that reminds you of anything.
That's a beast of a system. Pretty much designed to take some serious handling in the field. I'd have never attempted to dismantle this type of system but I'm glad you did, to get to see the various components.
That's the most military looking laptop I've ever seen (not that I've seen many laptops of this kind tho). It looks like a military thing both outside and inside.
Troppo bello. Non avevo mai visto un computer militare. I like the fact that the modem connectors is allowing to install just two plain wires. The connectors in general are very nice. My father bought that printer around 1994/95, I remember it. Whoa!
I'd do one hell of a build in it. i'd put an ATX UPS power supply and a mini ATX Motherboard with a graphics card on a riser. The HDD caddy fits 2 SATA SSD's plus the NVME SSD on the Motherboard itself. the only real challenge would be to interface with the keyboard and monitor, as they may not use standard protocols.
This was interesting, i hawe newer seen the whole setup before, just parts of it, but i remember my brother tould med about somthing similar when he was on the camp with the radio OPs in the 90s.
This would be an awsome with current technology. Examples; SSD's, WiFi antennas, GPS antennas, external memory banks, better batteries, optional touchscreen, faster micro board, ectsetura. Cool man.
You could put your mains battery externally on a socket so it doesn't leak you can change it whenever you need to two and put a panel mounted fuse holder on the power supply for easy change for the views
congratulations!!!! good job of your 20 years of collecting its needed a lot space a proper area to keep all that hardware. i tried 20 or 25 years ago to collect old hardware but unfortunatelly i lost many things due to wheather conditions regards!!!
Ahoj ty vole! The main batteries are NiCD, and those are very common. The ones in that pack are probably "D" type batteries. It might be possible to build a new pack! Cheers!
Maybe try and fix the HDD cable as well. Would love to see if this weird heater actually makes any difference to a normal HDD. I know that there are MAMR HDDs which use microwaves to heat up their magnetic discs, but this little thing in the video seems unique :)
For me the cable seems OK since no damage to copper traces noticeable. Also heater is common feature on older rugged laptops. Helps to heat ball bearing lubricant.
That looks like the ones we had in 1987. We used the laptop to talk to satillites. Change the main battery and the fuse. The disk drive should work after repairs.
7:33 It's an IBM DARA-212000, probably 12.07GB. computeuk.co.uk/shop/IBM-12GB-DARA212000 I know it is an IBM because the hole has a round label indicating that the hole should not be covered. I have seen many old IBM 2.5 HDD. Although in reality these HDD are manufactured by Hitachi.
If this is a peltier element, then maybe it can work as a cooler too (reverse polarity) for the very hot climates, such as those desert operations where all those dust/sand filters also make sense.
this thing looks badass it looks like the terminal connection to the satellites PC from a movie to change the weather in the battlefield but capacitors in this age might be completely leak by now
used to have HP Deskjet 400....black was as crisp as laser printed and could be darker than laser printed even with least ink configuration setting(unless you go draft). and those cartridges are unicorns now
I'd like to see this running, and if you can get ink for that HP printer, maybe a test of that too. I'm predicting it runs either Windows NT 4 Workstation, 98 SE, or 2000 Pro, that might automatically load into some custom software.
Mine is missing the power cable for 220 volt :( But I have the original ethernet spool with a very long cable. The laptops are used by the belgium army. I think they used it as a pillbox :D
A really great channel;) please record something in Czech, preferably with English subtitles. I am from Poland and I wonder how much I would understand.
@@RETROHardware military stuff: glued with 5minute craft silicone xd. Dude, when I saw the 100k special, I wanted to see a Review of that green thing, great video
Replace the RTC/CMOS battery, Relocate fuse as you said. Remove main battery and maybe replace it with a modern lithium-ion battery cells with proper charge controller. For the Hard Drive I would replace it with a SSD either with CompactFlash or SATA to IDE conversion.
What an interesting piece of hardware.😉 Way overbuilt, as is the case with most military stuff. It took me a while to realize the mainboard is actually in the base. (I was looking at that DB9 connector on the bottom of the keyboard and wondering how they got power/video/etc. through that, when all it was, is an interface cable for the keyboard itself! There's enough room in the keyboard enclosure for a couple of modern laptop mobo's. 🤣👍 It will be interesting to see if you can get it up and running...
Wow, armored laptop made to drive over enemy tanks and... a plastic desktop HP printer :D Had one with the same cartridge storage box 2:37 (except I think it was used to switch between K and photo cartridge, here it says K and CMY), only in 90's beige and all I can say: poor soldiers!
Do I need to ask how you got your hands on a military HDD? I mean, the rest of the hardware is not that hard to fine (harder than your old dell optiplex or some shit) but possible to find, but governments or businesses almost never let a HDD or SSD leave intact.
Rijkswaterstaat is definitely Dutch but not military, they are responsible for roads and waterways. I also noticed the text "Made in Belgium" on one of the parts. So they added components from Holland and Belgium to this military laptop.
Any idea for the specific purpose of those pressure alignment valves? Is it simply because the case itself is so air/water tight that a pressure difference may build up due to temperature or environmental changes while the box is kept cealed?
Replace battery, possibly even it’s charging and delivery system, you could upgrade it to LI. Same if it has a cmos battery. Possibly upgrade the HD to something like an ide to compactfash adapter if possible
yeah, can you play Crysis on it? DRS Technologies got bought by Leonardo a few years ago but they still sell military portable computers like this one besides a ton of other stuff. nice
The heater on the HDD is there because mechanical drives perform badly in arctic conditions. The lubricants inside will freeze if they aren't warmed up and sudden changes in environmental temperature can potentially cause the disk to warp.
Bad sectors. Gotta catch 'em all.
I think LGR and the 8-bit guy would love to see this in person
And PhilComputerLabs
Linus would do something crazy with it
Lloyd Share Linus would probably drop it ten times in a row 😂
@@lloydtshare meh. linus is too greedy and rich for retro hardware.
Who wouldn't?
This is hands down the coolest looking laptop I have ever seen. Holy crap, even that big case it comes in (pressure stabilizing hole wow), everything about it looks crazily overbuilt and massive. Now I want one if these machines.
Heavy is good, heavy is reliable. If it doesn't work, you can always hit 'em with it.
Just add 10Kg of lead to a normal laptop=millitary rugged.
7:45 that is an IBM 6GB, 4200 rpm, 512KB cache, 2.5" HDD but military grade, for us muggles it was knows as a IBM Travelstar 12GN
16:40 2 x Hyundai GM71C17403CJ6 32MB EDO SIMM, double sided modules, 60ns
I worked on some old decommissioned Canadian military equipment I found just setting in the rain with a old oil tarp covering it at a salvage yard. I was able to pull out some parts that appeared to be dry and in good condition. Just like this unit, it was over engineered with hundreds of screws holding it together.
It was not anywhere as interesting has this “ portable “ computer. I’m very impressed with your work in taking it apart. You are a very lucky bench tech and I hope someone will get back to you with answers to your questions.
the main thing is that there is no self-destruction system.😅
7:31 this heating pad on top of the hard drive tells it HAS a self destruction system, may it burns the HD.
@@rodrigo-mota No, thats to keep the hardrive at a constant temperature while in extreme low temps, because temps affect the size of things which is not a good thing in terms of a hard drive
Those internal batteries do that job. It just takes decades.
Yes their is, its on the Hard drive
@@rodrigo-mota no it just makes the headers scratch up the drive while the drive spins at high RPMs som contain a version of termite called something else but it would be labeled with warnings.
military class acer pentium 1 mobo, now that's interesting. military rugged case? you should definately play Wolfenstein3D on it
And Doom and Half-Life and Quake...
@@J4ckCr0w half life dont work in this hardware
@@Mad_Max92 It does, CS too.
Wow....i've never seen one of these before, or even heard of them until now. Thank you for showing us this magnificent machine.
TALP= Target Acquisition and Launch Processor------interesting, since those were said to be classified or non existent
and its got a BAMS to
what time code?
Before you remove the battery, check if it will work without it. Some old laptops won't power on without a working battery. The AC adapter is only used to charge the battery, not to actually power the laptop.
You can run this machine with 110/240V or 24V in truck or hole battery.
I have a feeling I wouldn’t get past through airport security with this. Actually I have a feeling that I’d end up surrounded by a counter terrorist team. It looks like a weapon.
This is a rare recommendations that I am willing and glad to sub's.
Gov Laptop "See user manual", Manual "Nothing to see here".
Gov manual "see Gov website"
What to expect from a user manual that self-destructs in 5 seconds?
Manual: "It's on need to know basis - and YOU don't need to know!"
Believe me, there are manuals, and they usually all come with yellow paper covers.
Photo gallery for this video: facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=retrohw&set=a.725866694491292
Will there be a followup video?
You got the laptop...now launch the nuke just like in the movies..!!!
Yes, will be other video with good/bad result soon. I‘am working on this project.
this is a great channel for laptops/electronics repair:
th-cam.com/channels/ooKQlg-HZ0PFAPc4Ymg3RA.html
probably you know about it.
Glad I got to see such a masterpiece of technology. Whatever you do with it, I only ask that you treat it well
Outdated when the government bought these, DRS charged at least five thousand dollars a piece for these over engineered, hot running laptops. Most just collected dust in a supply room until turn in.
A similarly equipped civilian laptop would've cost $3,500 at the time. And it wouldn't have a desktop processor shoehorned into it. Also, no super-fancy flight case. LOL.
Ahh, reminds me of my MILSPEC desktops I acquired and took apart. The decommissioned units had Pentium ones and were shielded from EMPs with lots of screws.
I'd love to have something that looks this cool with a modern desktop and panel inside it.
Hey! I have exactly the same laptop, but just with cables. No hour counter. No printer, no case. Also, the internal hard drive is different. It did power up, but complained about the CMOS RAM. Replaced the battery (not original, did a hack), but I can't get it to boot from the HD. :-(
Zillion screws to get inside. What a nightmare! Same keyboard-layout. Got mine for 50 €
I had one of these in my HEMTT wrecker when we invaded Iraq. It was connected to a satellite and showed where everyone was at. Could also sent instant messages on It to other ones on the battlefield.
What operation system was used?
@@RETROHardware don't know. It booted up to whatever program they were using. Most stuff was XP back then.
@@shadymaint1 The system that you are describing sounds more like FBCB2.
@@JonnyBoyUltra161 could be. It was back in 03. Do not remember what model or anything.
@@shadymaint1FBCB2 systems in vehicles generally have a separate computer, screen, and keyboard. They also have either a PLGR or, more recently, a DAGR for GPS positioning. You should do a google image search for FBCB2, and check out the map screen to see if that reminds you of anything.
That's a beast of a system. Pretty much designed to take some serious handling in the field. I'd have never attempted to dismantle this type of system but I'm glad you did, to get to see the various components.
Its assembled in november 1999 and still it has no dust inside and that's the military discipline
Amazing video! This just came up in my recommended videos, new subscriber! I look forward to the next instalment in this series!
That's the most military looking laptop I've ever seen (not that I've seen many laptops of this kind tho). It looks like a military thing both outside and inside.
Troppo bello. Non avevo mai visto un computer militare.
I like the fact that the modem connectors is allowing to install just two plain wires. The connectors in general are very nice.
My father bought that printer around 1994/95, I remember it.
Whoa!
its literally a workstation in a travel bag. this is awesome
There should also be a red button in the set.🤔
I'd do one hell of a build in it. i'd put an ATX UPS power supply and a mini ATX Motherboard with a graphics card on a riser. The HDD caddy fits 2 SATA SSD's plus the NVME SSD on the Motherboard itself. the only real challenge would be to interface with the keyboard and monitor, as they may not use standard protocols.
nádhernej stroj i ta bedna je dokonalá :-) máš krásnej koniček ale určitě náročnej na místo i prostředky.
Command and Conquer + This SOLID Computer = Epic Win!
What a beautiful bit of kit!
Super intresting video,thank you) fuse place is epic..
By the way in left side (6:21) of laptop input air and filter for input..not output
Yeah maybe you right, I‘am not sure which way fan works.
Really nice project ! Would love to see this working !
It works fine.
You can see it at my channel
This was interesting, i hawe newer seen the whole setup before, just parts of it, but i remember my brother tould med about somthing similar when he was on the camp with the radio OPs in the 90s.
Wish I could find one of those. Be cool to make a retro build pc with all modern parts
Me too, I would kill to find one dead and make the most badass sleeper machine
This would be an awsome with current technology. Examples; SSD's, WiFi antennas, GPS antennas, external memory banks, better batteries, optional touchscreen, faster micro board, ectsetura. Cool man.
You could put your mains battery externally on a socket so it doesn't leak you can change it whenever you need to two and put a panel mounted fuse holder on the power supply for easy change for the views
congratulations!!!! good job of your 20 years of collecting its needed a lot space a proper area to keep all that hardware. i tried 20 or 25 years ago to collect old hardware but unfortunatelly i lost many things due to wheather conditions regards!!!
That's one cool machine:) hope you will get it back to life
id definetly go with your idea of removign the battery. maybe also if it is at all possible replace the PCMCIA card with someting a little faster
I want to move battery outside this thing. I will extend wiring for future connect same or different one.
Todays technology- this entire thing fits on the surface of a dime.
Ahoj ty vole! The main batteries are NiCD, and those are very common. The ones in that pack are probably "D" type batteries. It might be possible to build a new pack!
Cheers!
:-) Jo, da se postavit znova. To neni ted aktualni dokud to nebude funkcni. A ani potom, protoze s tim uz venku behat asi nebudu.
@@RETROHardware Moje cestina je v perdeli ale rozumim, mas pravdu. A tak ta macina bude lehsi!
Cheers!
Maybe try and fix the HDD cable as well. Would love to see if this weird heater actually makes any difference to a normal HDD. I know that there are MAMR HDDs which use microwaves to heat up their magnetic discs, but this little thing in the video seems unique :)
For me the cable seems OK since no damage to copper traces noticeable. Also heater is common feature on older rugged laptops. Helps to heat ball bearing lubricant.
Panasonic: we've invented the worlds toughest laptop
the makers of this: hold my beer
RC NINJA hahahahaha
This Laptop is the DRS LXI TM219 which was manufactured by DRS Technologies
@@thehelloworldkitten2249 They also made the computers for the FBCB2 system.
That looks like the ones we had in 1987. We used the laptop to talk to satillites. Change the main battery and the fuse. The disk drive should work after repairs.
Thank you, RETRO Hardware, much appreciated tough book tear down.
This would be my kinda hardware. ESD EMP shielding yes please!. Hardened laptop check.
Looks like it's wired for ship's power.
7:33 It's an IBM DARA-212000, probably 12.07GB.
computeuk.co.uk/shop/IBM-12GB-DARA212000
I know it is an IBM because the hole has a round label indicating that the hole should not be covered. I have seen many old IBM 2.5 HDD.
Although in reality these HDD are manufactured by Hitachi.
this is amazing I never saw one of those inside it looks spectacular I hope you can recover several components caught my attention
Beautiful looking model. I wish I had one.
This thing is more rugged than the Panasonic toughbook
Dunno if described later, but the heator on the HDD is for using the device in colder temperatures (eg
If this is a peltier element, then maybe it can work as a cooler too (reverse polarity) for the very hot climates, such as those desert operations where all those dust/sand filters also make sense.
this thing looks badass it looks like the terminal connection to the satellites PC from a movie to change the weather in the battlefield but capacitors in this age might be completely leak by now
used to have HP Deskjet 400....black was as crisp as laser printed and could be darker than laser printed even with least ink configuration setting(unless you go draft). and those cartridges are unicorns now
I thought this thing has a big red button which says "launch missile"
To my understanding some do. But that's only a mobile operations launch computer.
8-))))))))
That's an optional upgrade.
Those are only included in Trump's and Kim Jong-un's personal military laptops, Abdullahi. ;-)
Вау офигеный аппарат прям скайнет в гробике...🤗
This is rad. Thanks for sharing.
Looks Sooo Cool ! WOW !
Its Called Targeting Computer, right?
😎 nice👏 thanks for the video
Amazing video!
This laptop in your hand reminds me of someone.
The hero of ""God must be crazy"" movie with a bottle scene.🤣😂🤣😂
I'd like to see this running, and if you can get ink for that HP printer, maybe a test of that too. I'm predicting it runs either Windows NT 4 Workstation, 98 SE, or 2000 Pro, that might automatically load into some custom software.
Made in 1999 so no Win2000. I guess Win98 since it was most popular OS back then.
Mine is missing the power cable for 220 volt :( But I have the original ethernet spool with a very long cable. The laptops are used by the belgium army. I think they used it as a pillbox :D
I want one of these so bad now
A really great channel;) please record something in Czech, preferably with English subtitles. I am from Poland and I wonder how much I would understand.
All done in a Panasonic Toughbook today!
Excited for next episode
OMG that thing is SO cool!
Corrosion on jumper pins 15:46 15:51 ? Or is it just a strange type of glue?
Yep everything was glued with some silicon or something like this.
@@RETROHardware military stuff: glued with 5minute craft silicone xd.
Dude, when I saw the 100k special, I wanted to see a Review of that green thing, great video
"Мама купила, а ты ломаешь" ланн шучу, сборка просто заглядение как красиво.
I'd love to see it on lgr 😂
Replace the RTC/CMOS battery, Relocate fuse as you said. Remove main battery and maybe replace it with a modern lithium-ion battery cells with proper charge controller. For the Hard Drive I would replace it with a SSD either with CompactFlash or SATA to IDE conversion.
HDD is next round is this machine will post. Interface is classic 44pin IDE so how you said - lot of ways what to do around.
Cool dutch laptop (modem says "ministerie van verkeer en waterstaat" witch translates to "ministry of transportation")
My first HDD experience was a 19" rack-mounted, 14" disc, 20MB capacity, built by Shugart.
What an interesting piece of hardware.😉 Way overbuilt, as is the case with most military stuff. It took me a while to realize the mainboard is actually in the base. (I was looking at that DB9 connector on the bottom of the keyboard and wondering how they got power/video/etc. through that, when all it was, is an interface cable for the keyboard itself! There's enough room in the keyboard enclosure for a couple of modern laptop mobo's. 🤣👍 It will be interesting to see if you can get it up and running...
I was kind of expecting a cloud of some poisonous gas escaping when you opened the pressure balancing knob :P¨.
0:35 nice hiss!
Boris Li I see someone else watches Steve1989
@@kathrynradonich3982 yeah lol
Wow, armored laptop made to drive over enemy tanks and... a plastic desktop HP printer :D Had one with the same cartridge storage box 2:37 (except I think it was used to switch between K and photo cartridge, here it says K and CMY), only in 90's beige and all I can say: poor soldiers!
The modem connection is neat... Like, what's more standard than a phone jack? How about spring loaded speaker terminals?
well you can run "ethernet" point to point with field phone cable that way
Do I need to ask how you got your hands on a military HDD? I mean, the rest of the hardware is not that hard to fine (harder than your old dell optiplex or some shit) but possible to find, but governments or businesses almost never let a HDD or SSD leave intact.
If I Had This I WOuld Retrofit my gaming pc into this somehow and drive with this :) It Wopuld Be SICK !!!!
Very interesting. Thank you.
Very cool, on the modem it says rijks water staat. This is a Dutch governmental organization that if iam not wrong makes dicisions on roads and stuff
Rijkswaterstaat is definitely Dutch but not military, they are responsible for roads and waterways. I also noticed the text "Made in Belgium" on one of the parts. So they added components from Holland and Belgium to this military laptop.
@@Martin_Skywatcher that's pretty cool!
And now, the assembling!
looks like the Bishop's from Aliens 1986. Cool stuff.
Now I’m a little more grateful for my getac on the flightline
woooooow .... wonderful ... now, as everyone knows, rgb are needed to increase fps: D congratulations on your fantastic collection
Hello Mr. Czech greetings from Poland o7.
But the question is: Will it run Crysis?
It will even cause one!
The irony is that it probably will struggle playing half life 1 but it looks like you can order a nuclear strike with it.
@@shaider1982pretty sure you can since it's a talp
"UAV online!"
if you run out of ammo, you have a laptop! хD
диковинная вещь, круто!
I love this TANK, oh I mean Laptop :D
Credit card ethernet + Modem. Like satellite phones it can access internet from anywhere in the world.
Any idea for the specific purpose of those pressure alignment valves? Is it simply because the case itself is so air/water tight that a pressure difference may build up due to temperature or environmental changes while the box is kept cealed?
Replace battery, possibly even it’s charging and delivery system, you could upgrade it to LI. Same if it has a cmos battery. Possibly upgrade the HD to something like an ide to compactfash adapter if possible
ABL => Armée Belge / Belgisch Leger (?), that explains the Azerty keyboard...they didn't have these when I did service in the army....
yeah, can you play Crysis on it?
DRS Technologies got bought by Leonardo a few years ago but they still sell military portable computers like this one besides a ton of other stuff. nice
Did it had the game Stratego, civilization or RIsk on it?:P
Edit: Oh, you got a Dutch one?
7:07 I think the drive he removed was a SCSI hard drive just by looking at the port.