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Value of 486

I still want to find a Gateway 486/66 in those curved cases (have the keyboard). Some people want the computer they had in their childhood, I want the machines/platforms I never owned (hence the mac/amiga collection).

For example my 1st PC was a Packard Bell 286 purchased new , I don't miss it at all. My forst computer in general was a Timex 2068, still have it but it collects dust. The C64 was my 2nd machine and it was used, sold it to by the 286 and that I regretted (have 3 now and a C128).

I do have a fondness for 486 systems and have quite a few in my collection (mostly VLB, a few EISE models, and a couple PCI equipped ones plus misc PS/2 models and Thinkpad laptops). Seems like the local recycler has somebody else looking for 486 systems, glad I have more then I need or there would be some stiff competition.
 
Unknown_K said:
I still want to find a Gateway 486/66 in those curved cases (have the keyboard). Some people want the computer they had in their childhood, I want the machines/platforms I never owned (hence the mac/amiga collection).

For example my 1st PC was a Packard Bell 286 purchased new , I don't miss it at all. My forst computer in general was a Timex 2068, still have it but it collects dust. The C64 was my 2nd machine and it was used, sold it to by the 286 and that I regretted (have 3 now and a C128).

I do have a fondness for 486 systems and have quite a few in my collection (mostly VLB, a few EISE models, and a couple PCI equipped ones plus misc PS/2 models and Thinkpad laptops). Seems like the local recycler has somebody else looking for 486 systems, glad I have more then I need or there would be some stiff competition.
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Wish I lived in the states where can you snatch stuff from the recycling centres :(
Here they are almost guarded by armed police
 
Amigaz said:
Wish I lived in the states where can you snatch stuff from the recycling centres :(
Here they are almost guarded by armed police
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I'm lucky where I live in the country now. It depends on who's on at the dump, but they generally charge a buck or two if you want stuff. In the big cities they're probably getting strict everywhere.

In Vancouver where I used to live, you weren't supposed to take stuff from the fill or they would get very uptight and call somebody. There are still ways though. The last time I was there I wanted something and I just put it in the truck. A worker was watching and radioed the gate. When I got to the gate a supervisor was waiting for me. I lied through my teeth and told the supervisor that I brought it myself and changed my mind. We both knew I was lying, but my tone was such that he also knew that they could either leave the matter alone now, or miss very many hours of work with a possible news story on their backs. Since his main job is to get work done, he just let me go. You have to be tough in the city.

However, in the cities there are so many other possibilities. There are always computers put out with the garbage or just sitting around. It's a trade off. Here, I can get you some 18 foot 12x12 beams and free firewood. In the city I can get free computers. However, a month ago my old neighbour gave me three of his old computers and the oldest one was a 486. It was a Leading Edge Winpro. The CPU is a 486 SLC/E 33MAB.
 
I sold off one of those big Gateway 2000 AT cases last year, though I wish I had just given it to you instead. It was in perfect condition too. If I recall I got screwed on shipping bigtime and ended up taking a big hit on it.
 
No big deal, like everything else I will find one eventually. Some of the fun in this hobby is the hunt for things.
 
Unknown_K said:
Look like this:

http://www.dracowulf.com/images/about/gateway2000_486sx.jpg

They used that design for the 386, 486 and some P1 models, might be more then one size desktop. Think the reycler has the correct Gateway monitor for that unit.
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I'm looking for the exact same thing. I grew up on that, and then we threw it away before I really got interested in that sort of thing. Loved the keyboard, too. Anyone have one? I'd love to have the computer that started my interest in DOS and Windows 3.1.
 
I'm baffled that you have a P3 laptop and C64 on your "wish list" ..... I would (almost!) pay someone to come haul away all the P3 laptops and C64s around here. Seriously though, where do you live that such hardware is hard to find? Here in NJ we are drowning in that stuff.
 
I never had the Gateway, but I used to subscribe to computer magazines and lusted over the advertisements inside (still do). I realy wanted a TI professional computer after seeing one advertised (still would snag one). All my machines were custom made by me back in the 386 era to present. So technically my 486 would have been faster then the gateway, but I wanted one for the styling of the case.
 
EvanK said:
I'm baffled that you have a P3 laptop and C64 on your "wish list" ..... I would (almost!) pay someone to come haul away all the P3 laptops and C64s around here. Seriously though, where do you live that such hardware is hard to find? Here in NJ we are drowning in that stuff.
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P3 laptops are still usefull and retain some value, every time I post looking for old computers I turn up a C64 around here.
 
So technically my 486 would have been faster then the gateway
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I don't know for sure. Gateway 2000 used some pretty damn good micronics motherboards back then. The gateway 486 boards I've tested have some of the fastest memory scores I've seen on a 486VL board.
 
I used the best gaming cards at the time, promise VLB caching controllers, plenty of ram. Back then you could build a better system for less money then a stock prebuilt.
 
EvanK said:
I'm baffled that you have a P3 laptop and C64 on your "wish list" ..... I would (almost!) pay someone to come haul away all the P3 laptops and C64s around here. Seriously though, where do you live that such hardware is hard to find? Here in NJ we are drowning in that stuff.
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I believe he's in Wichita and from what he tells me, no one has anything on his wishlist that they would be selling in his area.
 
EvanK said:
I'm baffled that you have a P3 laptop and C64 on your "wish list" ..... I would (almost!) pay someone to come haul away all the P3 laptops and C64s around here. Seriously though, where do you live that such hardware is hard to find? Here in NJ we are drowning in that stuff.
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Wichita=nothing vintage, P3 laptops going to $100+ on craigslist, everything grossly overpriced. If you wanted to ship me a C64 or laptop or two, maybe we could work something out? PM me.
 
We have one of these. Let us know how much you get for it, please.

Thanks and have a great day.

Gene
 
Cheap 486 thrills

Cheap 486 thrills

After I had several BASIC computers back in the 70's & 80's, (TRS80, VIC-20, C-64), I bought an IBM PS1 Consultant with a 486 SX25 in 1993. I sold it somewhere in the mid 90's and I'd like to have one now in my collection. Trouble is I buy all my vintage computers online and with the shipping costs today a big, heavy old PC is out of the question - just not worth it. I thought about scouring the Goodwill and Thrift stores to find one but my space limitations kind of ruled out having one again. What to do??
I compromised by buying a 486 DX2 50 Toshiba laptop model T1960 CT. Now I have a 486 that operates DOS 6.2 and Win 3.11 - runs all those old games and programs that my PS1 did, has it's own monitor built right in and takes up the space of a large book on my bookshelf.

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That's my solution. I've since added a T1100 laptop to give me the fun run of an 8088 CPU and DOS 3.3 and an Apple Powerbook 1400CS. These machines give me the 'fun' of the old days software and hardware play without taking up a truckload of space. They were cheap and that works for me - your mileage may vary :)
 
Amigaz said:
Hard to believe someone is still using a 486? too slow for webrowsing for example...ok..it might be usable for old versions of MS Office and maybe someone is still running an ancient business app on it
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You can browse the modern web just fine on a 486, use Arachne on DOS (my choice) or Linux with a text-browser or Dillo if you need graphics. It's enough to get work done, but you won't be watching hulu. :)
 
Unknown_K said:
I never had the Gateway, but I used to subscribe to computer magazines and lusted over the advertisements inside (still do). I realy wanted a TI professional computer after seeing one advertised (still would snag one). All my machines were custom made by me back in the 386 era to present. So technically my 486 would have been faster then the gateway, but I wanted one for the styling of the case.
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Yeah, I also remember Gateway always buying really fancy whole-page ads in computer magazines back in the early nineties. At one time during a trade show, I asked one of the reps at the Gateway booth if I could have one of those cute cow caps with flappy ears that they were wearing, but they refused, telling me they were too popular and didn't want to give away any more of them. :D
 
Raven said:
You can browse the modern web just fine on a 486, use Arachne on DOS (my choice) or Linux with a text-browser or Dillo if you need graphics. It's enough to get work done, but you won't be watching hulu. :)
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i use IE6 on windows 98 so that i can do more with it. i can log into facebook but it is too slow to play the games. i've never had any luck setting up Arachne on my dos machines.
 
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