Replacement Dos Laptop: Where To Get?

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by HarryPotter, Jan 22, 2023.

  1. HarryPotter

    HarryPotter MajorGeek

    Hi! I used to have a DOS laptop at my mother's house. It had a lot of issues, but I was able to get it to work. Its main issue was that it didn't have a hard drive. :) I created a network with a Win98SE minitower and was using two ZIP100 disks and two large RAM drives as simulated hard drives. However, recently, it went missing. :( I looked on eBay and found one, but it was sold. :( I was unable to find another one I liked that was guaranteed to work. Where else can I get one? I live in the U.S.
     
  2. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    "Guaranteed to work"? You're not going to find one. They have not been made in decades so now doubt, anything you find will likely be used - or stuck in drawer for 20 years. And if you do find one "new" still in an unopened box, it probably belongs in a museum.

    Windows 98SE supported USB. So you might be able to attach a USB hub to the computer, then use an old ATA(EIDE/PATA) drive to it.

    That said, I sure would not put much money into this since the rest of the hardware is ancient too - and may not last past tomorrow. I have to say, kudos to the power supply maker!
     
  3. HarryPotter

    HarryPotter MajorGeek

    I don't mind used. In fact, I know I can only get it used. I think I have a hard drive for it somewhere at my mother's house. If I can find both the laptop and its replacement hard drive, how hard would it be to install the drive? I am familiar with DOS's FDISK and FORMAT but not the hardware.
     
  4. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Typically, 4 screws, a power cable and a data cable and the drive is physically installed. Installing Win98SE on it may be a problem - if you don't have the disks, or they have become corrupted with age. IIRC, Win98SE came on a bunch of floppy disks.
     
  5. foogoo

    foogoo Major "foogoo" Geek

    Harry message me, I might have an old IDE laptop drive.
     
  6. HarryPotter

    HarryPotter MajorGeek

    Digerati, thank you, but I'm not installing Win98SE on the DOS laptop: it only has 28MB of RAM and a 486DX4/75MHz processor. foogoo: I think I have a hard drive for the laptop already, but both the laptop and the hard drive are missing. :(
     
  7. Anon-e88bcb5f0b

    Anon-e88bcb5f0b Anonymized

    Tangent... I still remember reading PC Mag about the 486DX being so much more powerful (vs the still pretty mainstream 386) that it will be around for 'years to come'. How time flies!
     
  8. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Well, we won't hold your obvious youth and inexperience against you! ;)
     
    the mekanic, Eldon and Zebra Last like this.
  9. the mekanic

    the mekanic Major Mekanical Geek

    I actually have many of the old OS images. Like W98SE in an .iso format. I can upload it to Google Drive for you.
     
  10. foogoo

    foogoo Major "foogoo" Geek

    I have some old laptops too, message me.
     
  11. HarryPotter

    HarryPotter MajorGeek

  12. HarryPotter

    HarryPotter MajorGeek

    Uhh...sorry for the stupid question, but how do I message somebody on this forum?
     
    the mekanic likes this.
  13. plodr

    plodr Major Geek Super Extraordinaire

    Top right, aside of your username, click Inbox.
    MG_PM.jpg
    You will get a popup with the title Conversations.
    At the bottom right of that box, click on
    Start a new conversation.
     
  14. HarryPotter

    HarryPotter MajorGeek

    Thank you. :)
     
  15. HarryPotter

    HarryPotter MajorGeek

    Uhh...foogoo, you didn't respond. :(
     
  16. HarryPotter

    HarryPotter MajorGeek

    Foogoo has a laptop for me, and I am working on getting it for my mother's house, but I also want a DOS computer. Other than eBay, where can I get a DOS laptop with a 486DX4 microprocessor, at least 8MB RAM, at least 350MB hard drive and, if possible a sound card? I live in the U.S.
     
  17. HarryPotter

    HarryPotter MajorGeek

    I just found a decent DOS laptop on eBay. :) It has no sound card and only an external floppy drive but is still pretty good.
     

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