The Trash Picked Compaq Portable 1! - Overview, Cleaning, and Diagnosis (Part 1)
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- Опубліковано 7 чер 2024
- Huge thanks to HeroRareheart for the donation that made today's video possible!
/ herorareheart
In 1983, Compaq shocked the personal computer world with the release of their first product: The Compaq Portable. An IBM-compatible machine that you could carry around with you. It was a major success, and put Compaq on the map for years to come. Today's video documents my experience with trying to get one of these machines found in the trash working again!
Thanks to NCommander for helping out with a portion of this video:
/ ncommander
Thanks to The 8-Bit Guy for his Compaq Portable restoration series:
/ adric22
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction & Brief Retrospective
05:20 - Initial Diagnosis
09:20 - Cleaning the Exterior
14:39 - Retrobriting the Keyboard
18:08 - Cleaning the Interior
21:41 - The ATX Adapter
23:31 - Rethinking the Power Supply Diagnosis
26:25 - Testing the Power Supply
27:40 - Reassembly
28:33 - Part 1 Conclusion
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#MichaelMJD #Compaq #Portable - Наука та технологія
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.
The question I have is if Michael MJD will break the tradition of "The Compaq Portable will always explode in the UA-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?
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
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"
A new legend is rising with this, the all mighty Compaq Portable PC
*old, it's several decades old
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.
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
Legends say he’s still working on part 2
he said that he actually is, and that it definitely will be released some day
this video is such a good anti-smoking ad
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
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.
Legends still say that Michael MJD is still making the part 2.
Correct.
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
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 watching old computers being restored, and you did an excellent job cleaning this one up. Looking forward to part 2!
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!
imagine modernizing one of these!
definitely Re-Cap the whole darn thing!
Yeah, wouldn’t want capacitor goo all over the board.
Welcome back Michael, we missed man your outstanding videos. Thank you for everything that you do!
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. 😀
The dedication to restoring this thing is amazing. I would never have the patience to try something like this. Big kudos.
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.
Ok i know its 2 years ago but UA-cam decided i needed to see this and now i want to see part 2... Where did UA-cam hide it? 😂 Link me up if there's a part 2 please ❤
There is still no part 2
Excellent work! Thanks for giving this Compaq the love and care it deserves
Thanks Ian!
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 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
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.
Interesting and informative Michael, I looking forward to part 2 ;-)
I like how detailed you are in explaining what you did. Very 8-bit guy-ish. Great stuff 👍👍👍
we need part 2!
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
i didn't think watching a repair would turn into a detective style investigation 2 part movie but i'm all for it
Was part 2 ever published? This video is almost a year old.
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! : )
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.
Finding any sort of older technology is always great for a technical UA-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.
Most enjoyable. Looking forward to seeing the exciting conclusion. Cheers Michael.
I really loved that one! You've really gotten better through the years... Keep it up!
this is a very well put together video! i cant wait for part 2!
Thanks so much!
Hi! I came from the future to announce that...
we still don't have the part 2! 😀
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!
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.
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.
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.
Loved this, subscribed. Best of luck on the final fix
Im looking forward to part 2 :D i really liked this video i'll be waiting :) keep up the great work MJD!
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
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.
One of the most interesting Videos on this channel! Thumbs up!
I'm hyped!
looking forward for this series, i love the engineering part, that was some kind of detectives
This was awesome best video I've watched in a while thanks
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
I had one of these in the 90s when i was a kid. Really enjoyed the video. Thank you.
I don't know why but watching old computer get rebuild and clean is so satisfying
that computer is so old. I love it.
Wait and what HP?
Really good, dude! I want to see other stuff with this!!!!
thanks herorareheart and Michael for this super interesting content keep up the awesome work and vids!
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.
DAMN this is a great find, even with its problems. You must have great luck over there
You should send the motherboard to Adrian at Adrian's Digital Basement. That's would make a nice collab.
That would be great! Though I guess he has a lot of projects in the pipeline.
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!
The editing is very nice, subtle and not "in your face". A qualitative quality improvement.
Great Video! I‘d like to see more of these Old Computers. Old Macs would also be awesome
Thanks so much!
With pleasure!
Yesssssssss
will part 2 ever come out?
Wow this is a very deep dive into this video. Thank you for teaching some things to do to help clean the plastic on my Apple II Plus!
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.
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...
I can tell you really went the extra mile with the editing on this video. Also, it was fun to use my truly extensive UA-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
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
man im so glad i discovered this channel michael is literally a legend so much interesting stuff thank you for the amazing content over the years :)
Thank you so much for sticking around!
@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.
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
This video gave me similar vibes to watching an 8-Bit Guy video, and that's a good thing. I really enjoyed this, and I'm excited for Part 2.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Where is part 2? :(
Awesome video, Michael !
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!
POST A PART 2 MICHAEL
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.
BTW - FANTASTIC cleanup job, dude.
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 😊
still waiting on the next vid on this
michael MJD whats the link to part 2?
I’m so excited for part 2
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.
Looks like the quickest way to find the bad cap would be to use the ATX adapter and let the smoke out!
where second part
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.
I honestly cant wait for part 2!!!
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! ;)
I can’t find the second video.
it doesn't exist :(
It was soo worth the wait!
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.
When you make part 2, i will subscribe