DefineDecision
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2017
- Messages
- 3
I've recently found a Compaq Portable with 640 KB RAM, and no expansions installed other than the default CGA and LPT. However, the original owner wouldn't let me have any of the floppies, so i'm unfortunately stuck there. As all my old x86 stuff is from the 90s, I have no 5.25" drives or media, and have no ROM BASIC to fall back upon.
So, now I'm considering my options here, preferably picking the cheapest and quickest option.
* Get a 5.25" drive and disks to hook up to newer (but not modern) PC for bootstrap - I'll probably need to do this regardless - from there I can work on stuff like LapLink. Unfortunately, eBay prices for drives, cables, and disks are silly.
* Get a bridge system with 5.25 drives as well as newer interfaces. More money and more space.
* Get an XTIDE and bootstrap from a CF card - I have a 32 MB CF card already, so I wont need to bump up to DOS 4 or whatever. My two options are get a preassembled XTIDE (and not an Optima, considering what I heard about it) card, or the kit and soldering equipment and learning to solder. (Which I /should/ have done anyways.) It is quite pricey though.
So, now I'm considering my options here, preferably picking the cheapest and quickest option.
* Get a 5.25" drive and disks to hook up to newer (but not modern) PC for bootstrap - I'll probably need to do this regardless - from there I can work on stuff like LapLink. Unfortunately, eBay prices for drives, cables, and disks are silly.
* Get a bridge system with 5.25 drives as well as newer interfaces. More money and more space.
* Get an XTIDE and bootstrap from a CF card - I have a 32 MB CF card already, so I wont need to bump up to DOS 4 or whatever. My two options are get a preassembled XTIDE (and not an Optima, considering what I heard about it) card, or the kit and soldering equipment and learning to solder. (Which I /should/ have done anyways.) It is quite pricey though.