PC archeology: Treasure hunting inside old PCs @adriansdigitalbasement
PC archeology: Treasure hunting inside old PCs  @adriansdigitalbasement
Uploaded March 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
#IBMPC #PCclones #PCarcheology

On the bench we have three IBM PC computers: One original IBM PC 5150 and two PC clones. It's always fun to see what we will find inside these old computers, so let's open them up and see which work and what fun things might be inside.

--- Info

Machines in this video:
IBM PC 5150
Precision XT (Powered by SpeedPac 286 VICTOR)
Linde Technology PC XT Clone

Other PC Archeology videos ----
HP Vectra: youtu.be/mbL6JuUesiA
Compaq Persario 425: youtu.be/WfBRfp9IRlM
Mystery Mini Tower: youtu.be/LLgFU7S7F0Q
Leading Edge Model D: youtu.be/mqDQ7S5A0Xc
PC XT with a strange power supply: youtube.com/watch?v=LP0S9PZTb4w
Laser XT Turbo: youtube.com/watch?v=36NPrsEcNww

--- Video Links

Testing the MFM drives from this video:
youtu.be/CpQ2j2J6wL0

Fixing shorted tantalums on IBM PCs:
youtube.com/watch?v=oGJyaNMw_wM
youtube.com/watch?v=FItTR0wBywE

Adrian's Digital Basement Merch store:
my-store-c82bd2-2.creator-spring.com

Adrian's Digital Basement ][ (Second Channel)
youtube.com/channel/UCbtwi4wK1YXd9AyV_4UcE6g

Support the channel on Patreon:
patreon.com/adriansdigitalbasement

-- Tools

Deoxit D5:
amzn.to/2VvOKy1
store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1602/.f

O-Ring Pick Set: (I use these to lift chips off boards)
amzn.to/3a9x54J

Elenco Electronics LP-560 Logic Probe:
amzn.to/2VrT5lW

Hakko FR301 Desoldering Iron:
amzn.to/2ye6xC0

Rigol DS1054Z Four Channel Oscilloscope:
rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/1000z

Head Worn Magnifying Goggles / Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier:
amzn.to/3adRbuy

TL866II Plus Chip Tester and EPROM programmer: (The MiniPro)
amzn.to/2wG4tlP
aliexpress.com/item/33000308958.html

TS100 Soldering Iron:
amzn.to/2K36dJ5
ebay.com/itm/TS100-65W-MINI-Digital-OLED-Programmable-Soldering-Iron-Anti-static-Structure/113382669853

EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter:
eevblog.com/product/121gw

DSLogic Basic Logic Analyzer:
amzn.to/2RDSDQw
ebay.com/itm/USB-Logic-DSLogic-Basic-Analyzer-16Ch-100MHz-4Ch-400MHz-Xilinx-Spartan-6-FPGA/202543965672

Magnetic Screw Holder:
amzn.to/3b8LOhG
harborfreight.com/4-inch-magnetic-parts-tray-90566.html

Universal ZIP sockets: (clones, used on my ZIF-64 test machine)
ebay.com/itm/14-16-18-20-24-28-32-40-pin-IC-Test-Universal-ZIF-Socket-Fs/303206721971

RetroTink 2X Upconverter: (to hook up something like a C64 to HDMI)
retrotink.com

Plato (Clone) Side Cutters: (order five)
ebay.com/itm/1-2-5-10PCS-Micro-Scissor-125mm-PLATO-170-Electronics-Cutter-Side-Cutting-Pliers/163458746184

Heat Sinks:
aliexpress.com/item/32537183709.html

Little squeezy bottles: (available elsewhere too)
amzn.to/3b8LOOI

--- Links

My GitHub repository:
github.com/misterblack1?tab=repositories

Commodore Computer Club / Vancouver, WA – Portland, OR – PDX Commodore Users Group
commodorecomputerclub.com

--- Instructional videos

My video on damage-free chip removal:
youtube.com/watch?v=XQVjwPsVFd8

--- Music

Intro music and other tracks by:
Nathan Divino
@itsnathandivino
PC archeology: Treasure hunting inside old PCsI got stuck trying to fix this 40 year old RAM card (AST MegaPlus II)Restoring a Commodore 1702 monitor using a main board from 2023The PicoGUS: An ingenious multifunction ISA sound cardThe VIC-II Kawari is a game changer for the NTSC Commodore 64The IBM PS/1 was the followup to the disastrous PCjr and its pretty good!12V on a 5V line almost killed this Mac SE/30We ran Doom on a 40 year old printer controller (Agfa Compugraphic 9000PS)Adding a RGB input to a Sony Trinitron (KV-9PT60 / KV-9PT50)Leading Edge Model D RepairIs an IBM PC usable at the same clock speed as an Apple II?Is the Casablanca a disguised Amiga? Its complicated.
Adrians Digital Basement |

PC archeology: Treasure hunting inside old PCs

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