PB540c parts unit...

[wally]

So Saturday I buy a PowerBook 540c with a battered keyboard and broken hinge for $5, hoping it has a good display that I can use to replace another that is failing. I get it home and find the hard drive has been pulled, so I install another and bring up 7.6.1. The display is bright and clear, and even better there is 36MB of RAM. So rather than strip it I build it up with replacement parts from the unit that had the bad LCD display. Today I loaded IE 4.01 and the Global Village version 2.5 software for the internal modem, and got a 14.4 Kbaud dialup connection to post this from the repaired parts unit.

 

[WorkgroupServer]

Just curious because you are from sunnyvale... Did you buy this from Weirdstuff Warehouse? I think I saw one last time I went!

 

[tomlee59]

That's a great find, Wally! Finding enough ram to fill all 36MB is usually very expensive, so you lucked out big time.

Must be something in the air -- last night, I (re)watched The Net; it was fun seeing the 540c play so prominent a role in a film.

 

[wally]

Yes, indeed, quite possibly the very same one you saw! I bought it from WeirdStuff right after I finished shopping at the nearby Computer Recycling Center. [8D]

 

[funkytoad]

Thats great!

 

[WorkgroupServer]

Yes, indeed, quite possibly the very same one you saw! I bought it from WeirdStuff right after I finished shopping at the nearby Computer Recycling Center. [8D]

Well what do you know

Buy anything good at the computer recyclers?

I got a HP jetdirect card, a 24 port 10/100 netgear hub, and 4x KVM cables last time I went

 

[wally]

...Buy anything good at the computer recyclers? ...

I got an IBM WorkPad c3 for $4. It's the IBM version of the Palm Pilot V series, I think. It has just 2MB, grayscale display and internal rechargeable battery, I charged it up and it seems to work fine. Had to use Goo Gone to remove adhesive residue that covered the entire backside, but it cleaned up really well. Works in the same hotsync cradle as my Palm Vx (also bought from the CRC), and looks even sharper in IBM blue and black than the metallic gray of the Vx. Hmmm, complete battery operated computers under $5 with built in serial port, free development system that runs on a Mac, free applications, fully backed up to Macs, what's not to like?