An occasional series of musing and activities by Terry Stewart as he pursues his vintage computer hobby http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/index.htm 23rd August, 2008. When the jewel in the crown of your computing collection breaks down, you just have to fix it! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-8-23-repairing an IBM monitor.htm 23rd August, 2008. 2MB with OS 7.1 just won't cut the mustard. Time to upgrade! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-8-23-upgrading ram in mac se-30.htm 24th August, 2008. This second Colour Genie came with some interesting extras http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-8-24-a new colour genie.htm 29th August, 2008. Capturing colour genie programs on the hard drive for preservation http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-8-29-capturing colour genie programs from tape.htm 4th September, 2008. Landfill fodder or historical collectables just in need of a little TLC? Check out the latest haul. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-9-04-a-load-of-old-apples.htm 4th September, 2008. A nasty surprise can await those who store computers with batteries fitted. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-9-04-a-load-of-old-apples.htm 19th September, 2008. Back from the dead. The first restoration job from a shipload of apple gear. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-9-21-Restoring and repairing 4 apple IIs.htm 20th September, 2008. Now the computers had been done, it was time to work my way through the rest of the delivered material... http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-9-21-working through the rest of the apple haul.htm 26th September, 2008. It was time to assemble that CP/M machine I've always wanted. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-9-25-Equiping%20an%20Apple%20clone%20with%20CPM.htm 7th October, 2008. Finally, I've reclaimed my destroyed collection back onto real disks thanks to the SVD. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-10-05-transferring-disk-images-to-real-disks-for-the-system-80.htm 18th October, 2008. I've written up this repair episode before I forget it. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-10-18-Restoring-a-Commodore-Executive-SX-64.htm 19th October, 2008. Some repairs are easy and with some models, should be expected. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-10-18-replacing-a-sinclair-ql-membrane-keyboard.htm 26th October, 2008. One more Apple computer emerges from the Apple donation of a few months ago. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-10-26-repairing-and-restoring-an-appleIIplus.htm 27th October, 2008. The last donated Apple is processed. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-10-27-repairing-an-appleIIe-platinum.htm 6th December, 2008. A retrospective entry detailing a couple of repairs to an Osborne 1a. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-12-6-osborne-repair-1.htm 30th December, 2008. A retrospective entry detailing a recipe to remove the yellow from old computer cases. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2008-12-30-de-yellowing-old-cases.htm 1st January, 2009. More computer cases get the de-yellowing treatment - with mixed results this time. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-01-01-de-yellowing-old-cases-2.htm 18th January, 2009. A tempramental drive gets repaired with a little help from my friends. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-01-18-kaypro-drive-repair.htm 27th January, 2009. A classic PET 3032 lives again! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-01-27-repairing a commodore pet.htm 5th February, 2009. The Atari 130XE restoration project is completed. The keys take a bath! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-01-14-atari130xl-keyde-yellowing.htm 5th February, 2009. An Apple IIe platinum gets a makeover! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-02-05-deyellowing-an-appleIIe-platinum.htm 6th February, 2009. My original PET CPU board had a fauty ROM or two. But which one(s)? http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-02-6-diagnosing faulty pet roms.htm 12th February, 2009. Got an old micro that is cheese yellow? Now you CAN do something about it http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-02-12-de-yellowing%20recipe.htm 14th February, 2009. You buy something, it works, and then it stops working. Don't you hate that?! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-02-14-blowing%20up%20and%20then%20fixing%20a%20c-64.htm 20th February, 2009. Like bringing a patient out of a coma, this Vic-20 was slowly returned to full health! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-02-20-bringing-a-vic-20-back-from-the-dead.htm 20th February, 2009. The Pet was fixed but where was the software? Here's how I acquired some. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-02-20-getting-programs-for-a-pet.htm 21st February, 2009. From the belive-it-or-not section. I witnessed this with my own eyes! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-02-21-retrieving-data-using-soap-and-water.htm 18th March, 2009. Why do computers that were working perfectly when you put them away, not work when you get them out again? At least this was a straightforward repair! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-03-18-ibm-pc-ram-repair.htm 22nd March, 2009. Allowing your paste to dry out in the hot sun should be avoided when de-yellowing old computer cases http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-03-22-deyellowing-paste-trial-on-c64.htm 23rd March, 2009. A repair where I actually diagnosed the problem from first principles. By George I think I'm starting to get it! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-03-23-teac-apple-disk-drive-repairs.htm 26th March, 2009. I'm on a roll! No amount of chip-swapping would have uncovered this one! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-03-29-re-repairing-an-apple-II-plus-clone.htm 28th March, 2009. The final two Apple drives repaired! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-03-25-other-apple-disk-drive-repairs.htm 4th April, 2009. How a grumpy Osborne 1 was finally pacified! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-04-03-osborne-drive-fix.htm 13th April, 2009. See how the humble dishwasher can resurrect your favourite micros! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-04-13-mac-classic-2-dishwasher-fix.htm 23rd April, 2009. Why write about a failed attempt to repair a Mac SE? http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-04-23-Mac-SE-resurrection-bridge-too-far.htm 26th April, 2009. Surely my Challenger should have more than 2.3k of memory? Where is it? http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-04-26-Ohio-Scientific-Challenger-1P-The-Mystery-of-the-Missing-Memory.htm 02 May, 2009. Every good computer deserves a feed of programs now and again! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-04-26-Ohio-Scientific-Challenger-1P-some-software.htm 30 May, 2009. Given the cost, buying a home computer in the early 1980s was no trivial matter! Check out some figures. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-05-30-cost-of-home-micros-in-early-80s.htm 6th June, 2009. Sometimes computer fixes are easier than you think. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-06-06-easy-fix-coco-keyboard.htm 18th July, 2009. This classic vintage peripheral now lives forever in emulation. Here's my small part in the process. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-07-18-helping-with-stringy-floppy-emulation.htm 29th July, 2009. The Colour Genie lives in Windows! Read how this collaborative project came together. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-07-27-beta-testing-a-new-colour-genie-emulator.htm 11th August, 2009. Once again the Net, and bit of fiddling with audio, stocks a classic model with software examples. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-07-27-beta-testing-a-new-colour-genie-emulator.htm 20th August, 2009. Experiences in getting this classic beast up and running. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-08-17-reviving an-IBM-AT--diagnosing a PSU non-start.html 30th August, 2009. Just when you start to relax, you find these things can reach back from the past to bite you. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-08-30-vintage-viruses.htm 2nd September, 2009. Amiga external drive not activating? Could be something real simple! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-09-02-amiga-external-drive-fix.htm 19th September, 2009. Sometimes this hobby takes a lot of time and money, far in excess of what a sane person would spend. This was one of those times! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-09-19-ps-2-30-286-adventure.htm 29th September, 2009. Isn't one PS/2 model enough? No, not when you can get your hands on a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) model! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-09-27-restoring-a-ps2-70.htm 3rd October, 2009. It may have been released sixteen years ago, but it's never too late to check out OS/2 2.1! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-10-3-first-impressions-of-OS2.htm 10th October, 2009. What do you do when your flat vintage CMOS battery is entomed inside a chip? Try this! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-10-10-renovating-a-dallas-battery-chip.htm 5th November, 2009. My new rest home resident and how it stacks up with another in the same stable! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-11-4-nec8201a-vrs-model-100.htm 14th November, 2009. The tactile sense of a machine comes from the keyboard. Time to stop thumping my PET one! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-11-15-replacing-pet-keyboard.htm 6th December, 2009. I had to take apart this tightly-packed vintage machine. Here is an illustrated guide of what to do! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-12-05-opening up a compaq slt-286.htm 6th December, 2009. Modifying the Dallas battery/RTC in situ is no easy task. But it worked! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-12-05-repairing-a-dallas-chip-in-a-compaq-slt-286.htm 13th December, 2009. A old disk drive manual uploaded to the archives! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-12-12-micro-peripherals-model-51-51-disk-drive.htm 1st January, 2010. Got an Atari 8-bit? Want to use your PC to get all those goodies off the web, and/or store your disk copies in one place? Here's how! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2009-12-31-maintaining-atari-software-archives.htm 15th January, 2010. Smoke pouring out the back of an old computer is always alarming! It can be a relatively easy fix though. http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-01-15-fixing-blown-caps-on-kaypro.htm 2nd February, 2010. Here's an illustrated user's guide for your beloved Kaypro II. Go on, you know you want to take a peek! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-01-26-kaypro-II-users-manual.htm 10th February, 2010. Want to get some old iron? Check out Tezza's purchasing tips!! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-02-09-tips-on-buying-a-vintage-computer.htm 18th February, 2010. My buddy Philip Avery had a keyboard problem. Fixing was going to take a while so he improvised! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-02-18-kaypro-m100-keyboard.htm 18th February, 2010. Philip Avery needed to get software for his Kaypro from the Internet. Here's how he got his Windows 98 machine to do it! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-02-18-writing-cpm-from-1.2mb-disks.htm 23rd February, 2010. Why do my toys always break? It had to go to Canada for a fix but it's back with me now...with extras! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-02-22-fixing-a-nec8201a.htm 23rd February, 2010. Fixing computers is frustrating enough, without errors in the circuit diagrams too! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-02-22-errors-in-8201a-service-manual.htm 25th February, 2010. A couple of months ago my Kaypro II keyboard refused to work. Here's what happened...! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-01-26-keyboard-problem-on-kaypro.htm 4th March, 2010. Ordering the part you REALLY want can save a diagnostic wild goose chase...! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-03-04-diagnosing-apple-ii-platinum-screen-sway.htm 6th March, 2010. Techniques for helping keep vintage gear alive may not always work as they ought to...! http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-03-06-problems-with-replacement-appleII-eproms.htm