MacDat Vintage Laptop Documentation Project - Main Thread

[3lectr1c]

This is a main general thread for discussion and updates regarding my vintage laptop documentation project on my website, MacDat. The main goal of this project is to document and preserve specifications, images, repair info, drivers, and other information on (eventually) every laptop released during the late 1980s through to the early-mid 2000s. That is obviously a massive undertaking, and one that I expect to take many years, if I get there at all. I have a current specific focus on the more obscure brands where info is most lacking, however, the project goals also include the main brands.

--> PROJECT LINK <--

I have previously started threads related to info preservation on specific brands, but it's occurred to me that starting a new thread for each brand would get out of hand pretty quickly, so I'm now starting a general one to use through the future. Previous specific threads will still be used to post updates, but this will be the main one for any new brands and collective info going forward.

Below is a list of each brand currently covered on the site, and the status for each section. I'll post updates on this list in a new reply after each relevant site update.

Apple
Over halfway done with documentation, but there's still work left to go. PowerBooks up to the 5300 are documented, and some after that. Need to finish that soon. iBook section is lacking and needs updates badly.

AST
Very unfinished, but I've just started focusing on this brand this month. Will be a main focus going forward.

CTX
It's one of the most complete sections currently though, but I need more info on early models.

Dell
It's a large brand so it's a lot of work to document this one. I currently have pages on many of the Latitude C-Series laptops.

First International Computer (FIC)
This section is new with today's site update. It's currently a model list up to around 2001, next steps are getting specsheets up as I do have them.

Green Laptops (Alpha-Top & ECS)
Basic info up on most laptops but I need to get main pages made for them still. I have links up to archived specsheets for many but need to translate that directly on-site.

IBM
Incredibly incomplete and needs updates. Will be one of the main focuses coming up.

Jetta International
I'm missing a lot of info for this brand but I do have access to archived specsheets for most models. Have been working on getting those up on the site, many models are done but there are still many left.

Nan Tan Computer Co.
There's a lack of info here that's the main barrier to getting more done. Currently has a model list up and basic info on many models. I do have enough info on certain models to make dedicated pages though, and that's something that's on the to-do list.

NEC
New with today's update. Has info on the first gen Versa laptops collected by @creepingnet. I need to research their later models.

WinBook
Probably the most info-rich section on the site. I still don't have pages up on every model, but I'm almost there, and most pages especially on their earlier laptops are very info-rich.

That's the current status. I have several other brands on the shortlist to be added to the site as well, with the next up probably being Micron/MicronPC/MPC.

If you would like to help out with the project, I'm in need of speclists for many laptops, as well as images of them. If you have any vintage laptops and you want to help, shoot me a reply with the model you have and I'll let you know what I need.
For image contribution specifically, see this thread: https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?t...-a-large-scale-documentation-project.1245761/

I know a lot of this is repeated info for those who have seen my other threads, but the point here is to centralize this on one place so I don't end up spamming the forum again each time I add a new brand to the site

 

[Chuck(G)]

The grandaddy of modern laptops: The Data General One, 1984

Data General/One - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[3lectr1c]

Sure is. Right up there with the early stuff from GRID.

 

[3lectr1c]

Site update out today adds or improves existing pages for the following laptops:

Apple iBook Clamshell
Apple iBook G3 "Snow"
Apple iBook G4
Apple PowerBook 5300cs, 5300c, and 5300ce
Apple PowerBook 1400 Series
IBM ThinkPad 300
IBM ThinkPad 310 Series
IBM ThinkPad 320
IBM ThinkPad 330C/330CS
IBM ThinkPad 350/350C/PS Note 425
AST Ascentia P Series
WinBook T200
WinBook TL30
WinBook TL35

As well as that, a new currently fairly empty section has been created for laptops made by Micron/MicronPC/MPC

More to come soon.

 

[3lectr1c]

Site update out today adds pages for the following laptops:

Alpha-Top Green751
Alpha-Top Green755
Alpha-Top Green753+
Alpha-Top Green735
AST Bravo NB/Ascentia 700N Series/Advantage! Explorer 486SX/33 (all the same laptop)
AST Advantage! Explorer DX4-100
AST Advantage! NB 486SX/33
FIC 5200
FIC 5500
FIC 6000
FIC 7200
FIC A360

In addition, the NEC page now has a full model list for their laptops starting at the original Versas through to the early 2000s. Other misc. info has been added/updated as well.

Enjoy.

 

[3lectr1c]

Site update out today adds pages for the following laptops:

- Alpha-Top Green740
- AST Ascentia 900N
- AST Ascentia 910N
- AST Ascentia 800N
- AST Ascentia 810N
- AST Ascentia M Series
- AST PowerExec
- AST Premium Exec 386SX/Advantage! NB SX20/SX25/SX25 Color
- Dell Latitude LM
- Dell Latitude D830
- FIC 7100
- WinBook V100/V200 Series
- List of 486-based laptops with sound cards
- List of laptop vendor's websites

In addition, the following pages have been updated:

- CTX EzBook DRIVERS have been found and archived!! This along with additional specs and images have been added to the CTX pages.
- Dell homepage reorganized, model list expanded to include Latitude D Series and Inspirons
- Images added to the Micron homepage, will start adding dedicated laptop pages soon.
- Nan Tan home updated with more info on what was previously called the FMA9600 (now Kapok K9800)
- Jetta Jetbook 7050 page completely rewritten with new info and images sent in my a site viewer
- Alpha-Top Green751 drivers added
- Additional Alpha-Top Green753 drivers added

More to come soon!

 

[3lectr1c]

Last night, I pushed an update live that adds a motherload of new Dell pages, along with Micron and some other stuff. Here's the list of new pages:

- Dell Latitude D820
- Dell Latitude LS
- Dell Latitude D810
- Dell Latitude D631
- Dell Latitude D800
- Dell Inspiron 1000
- Dell Inspiron 6000
- Dell Inspiron 300m
- Dell Latitude D620
- Dell Latitude D610
- Dell Latitude D600
- Dell Latitude C840
- Dell Latitude D531
- Dell Latitude D530
- Dell Latitude D520
- Dell Latitude CPx
- Dell Latitude XPi CD
- Dell Latitude XP
- Dell Latitude LX
- Dell Latitude CP
- Dell Latitude 4xxM/4xxMC
- Dell Latitude 4xx/4xxC
- Dell 212N
- Dell Latitude C800
- Dell Latitude CPt
- Micron Millennia TransPort
- Micron TransPort XPE
- Micron TransPort VLX
- Micron TransPort Trek
- Micron TransPort XKE
- Micron TransPort NX
- Micron TransPort Trek 2
- Alpha-Top Green756
- Toshiba Satellite 430CDS/CDT

And also,
- AST Ascentia 950N pages updated with new photos, information, drivers, more.
- List of laptop ODMs created
- Other minor things

This is one of the biggest site updates ever in terms of new pages, and I still have much more to come.
I hope you all find this useful

 

[3lectr1c]

Another site update was released last night. Here's a list of new laptops documented.

- NEC Versa LX
- NEC Ready 440T
- IBM ThinkPad T30
- IBM ThinkPad 390 Series
- IBM ThinkPad 700/700C
- IBM ThinkPad 750 Series
- Nan Tan FMA9200
- Apple PowerBook G3 Kanga
- Apple PowerBook G3 Wallstreet/PDQ
- WinBook V300
- WinBook V400
- WinBook W100
- WinBook W200
- WinBook W300
- WinBook W500
- WinBook X500
- WinBook X600
- Toshiba T4900CT
- Toshiba T4850CT
- Toshiba T4800CT
- Toshiba Satellite Pro 400CDS/400CDT
- Compaq LTE 5000
- Compaq LTE 4/75 Series
- FIC 6100
- Veridata CyberNote 953

Many existing pages were also updated. See full changelog here: https://www.macdat.net/extras/revhistory.html

 

[3lectr1c]

The next brand I'm expanding into documenting is HyperData/Sunrex/SunRace/InnovACE, aka the makers of that one really weird laptop with a number pad on the right palmrest. They were actually around for way longer than you'd think - through to the Core 2 Duo era, but the last laptop they sold that was made in-house was released in 1996. Starting around 1995, they transitioned into a reseller, selling stuff from Alpha-Top, MiTAC, Compal, Chicony, ECS, and others. There's basically no info on them left on the web, but their website was rather well preserved, so I'm pulling it all back out. Expect a homepage with a model list complete up to the turn of the century with the next update.

Looking into them has also uncovered some info on other laptops I was looking into. So far, I've found a specsheet for the Alpha-Top Green799, and FINALLY a better photo of the really wonky 16" ECS Green732.


Here's the Hyperbook 600Plus, one of several laptops Sunrex sold with this weird design.

Not sure exactly when the next update will be ready, so for now, here's a data-dump of Hyperdata models with their ODM counterparts. They were nice enough to list out the ODM model numbers right on their site!

hyperdata known models:
up to around late 1999


From hyperdatadirect.com:
Model breakdown:
MediaGo 800 - main model as referred to by the website.
JC77 - Hyperdata calls this "Model # on Parts List" - probably used as an internal identifier?
G753+ - The ODM model number, aka the actual laptop this is that Hyperdata rebadged. In this case an Alpha-Top GREEN753+.
--------------------------
MediaGo 780/790 (KE77T) (5033) - likely mitac
MediaGo 780/790 (KE77M) (6133M) - likely mitac
MediaGo 780/790 (KE77C) (6133) - likely mitac
MediaGo 785 (LR 73) (MP983) - Chicony MP983
MediaGo 796 (KE77N) (6133) - likely mitac
MediaGo 800 (JC77) (G753+) - AlphaTop GREEN753+
MediaGo 850 (LP78) (MP975A) - Chicony MP975A
MediaGo 870 (JH78) (G735) - AlphaTop GREEN735
MediaGo 900 (KV69) (5027) - likely mitac
MediaGo 920 (LS59) (MP978) - Chicony MP978
MediaGo 930 (DL79) (ERA-1000) - Dual ERA-1000
MediaGo 935 (LH79) (MP993) - Chicony MP933
MediaGo 940 (KF79C) (6120) - likely mitac
MediaGo 859 (JF79) (G759) - AlphaTop GREEN759
MediaGo 950 AGP (JK79) (Green 770) - AlphaTop GREEN770
MediaGo 960 (LG70) (MP989) - Chicony MP989
MediaGo 980 (CP70) (TS30I) - Compal TS30I
MediaGo 2000 (JM79) (Green795) - AlphaTop GREEN795
MediaGo 2010 (EN74) (HB900) - Unknown
MediaGo 2100 (KF79N) (6120) - likely mitac
MediaGo 2200 (KF79P) (6020) - likely mitac
MediaGo 2210 (KF59) (7020) - likely mitac
MediaGo 2300 (CQ70) (TS30W) - Compal TS30W
Ultra Slim 2000 (TH77) (P90) - Unknown
Hyperbook 700 (HB750) - In-house
--- Models past here: 2rd parenthesis no longer indicates ODM model ---
HB735 (MM77) (HB8603) - AlphaTop GREEN735
HB735 (MM77 DVD) (HB8603) - AlphaTop GREEN735
Green 740 - AlphaTop GREEN740
Green 751 - AlphaTop GREEN751
Green 753 - AlphaTop GREEN753
Green 755 - AlphaTop GREEN755

From sunrex.com.tw:
These are all in-house.
------------------------
Hyperbook 750Plus
Hyperbook 735
Hyperbook 750
Hyperbook 770
Hyperbook 600Plus
Hyperbook 300Plus
Hyperbook 370 (486)
HB600 Series
HB500 Series
HB300 Series
HB3000 Series
HB2200SX
HB2000

 

[3lectr1c]

New site update out today. This is probably one of the largest updates to the site I've ever done, number of new pages wise.
The HyperData section is now live, and I've also added a section for MaxTech, who distributed Alpha-Top laptops.

Here's the list of new pages:
- Dell Latitude C510
- Dell Latitude C540
- Dell Latitude D510
- Dell Latitude D505
- Dell Latitude D500
- Dell Inspiron 5160
- Dell Inspiron 2500
- Dell Inspiron 9100
- Dell Inspiron 7500
- Dell Inspiron 1100
- Dell Inspiron 5150
- Dell Inspiron 500m
- Dell 316LT
- Dell 320LT
- Dell 320N/320N+
- Dell Inspiron 510m
- Dell Inspiron 600m
- Dell SmartStep 200N/250N
- Dell SmartStep 100N
- Dell Inspiron 630m
- Dell Inspiron 640m
- Dell Latitude D430
- Dell Latitude D420
- Dell Latitude D410
- Dell Latitude 131L
- Dell Latitude 120L
- Dell Latitude 110L
- Dell Latitude 100L
- Dell Latitude V700
- Dell Latitude V710
- Dell Latitude V740
- Toshiba Satellite Pro 410CS/CDT
- Toshiba T4700CS/CT
- Toshiba T5100
- Toshiba T1000
- Toshiba T4600/T4600C
- Toshiba Satellite 4100XDVD
- Alpha-Top Green759
- IBM ThinkPad 500
- IBM PS/2 CL57 SX
- Jetta Jetbook CD5
- Jetta Jetbook E1/E2 Pages updated heavily
- Sunrex/HyperData Hyperbook 300Plus
- Sunrex/HyperData Hyperbook 600Plus
- Sunrex/HyperData Hyperbook 770
- Sunrex/HyperData Hyperbook 700/750
- Nan Tan FMA3600
- Northgate ZXPortable (in Other Laptops section)
- MicronPC TransPort ZX
- Micron Trek 2 pages updated heavily

That's actually exactly 50. I didn't do that on purpose, just a coincidence.

As you can tell, I'm heavily focused on Dell at the moment. I'd like to get them out of the way early here since they're such a large brand. I'm trying hard to keep finishing existing sections instead of starting new ones.

 

[3lectr1c]

I'm now working on documenting Chicony laptops. They're an ODM, so their stuff was sold by dozens of brands. @DeltaDon's old site has a metric boatload of information on them, so they're going to be documented well. It's just going to take a long time to translate everything over. So far I've made the full model list and done pages on the ARa/MP968.
Alongside orphanlaptops, Chicony's site over the years also got archived fairly well, so I have specs for all models ARa and onward, and I should have drivers all the way back to the NB5620 which is a 386SX from 1991. I thought that the list here WAS their full model list up through 1995 or so until I checked their FCC info which caused the number of known models to nearly double. 15 unknowns in total where we only have the FCC ID, presumed model number, and CPU.
They also had a computer called the "NB9800" listed with this photo:

That's just a Nan Tan FMA8200. I have no clue why they had this thing listed, but a NB9800 appears in their FCC records in late 1993, a few months after the FMA8200 was registered by Nan Tan. Perhaps Chicony and Nan Tan collaborated to design this laptop? The two companies were part of a business alliance at some point during at least the early 2000s (another thing I discovered in my research), so they DID work together at some point.

The company made some awesome stuff, that's for sure. The ARa/MP968 could be considered Chicony's competitor the Alpha-Top Green755. The NB5 hits that "perfect DOS gaming laptop spec" (at least in some configurations), as it could come with a DX4-100, TFT Color 640x480, and an ESS 488 sound card. And then of course there's the MP978, MP979, and MP989 desktop replacements which have been talked about before here.

More to come.

 

[DeltaDon]

3lectric, that ties in with what I was told in an offhand conversation once that Chicony dropped out of the laptop business to concentrate on making keyboards and "Clevo" was going to make the laptops. It was never stated the exact connection between the two companies. Didn't matter much to me at the time and so I never followed up pushing for details.

The last Chicony laptop model number was the MP999 and I don't believe many were ever produced and I don't think any ever were sold in the USA. I think a few in Germany. The last big seller in the USA for Chicony was the MP989 (AKA Micron Transport NX) which I believe differed only from the MP999 in that the motherboard was PII and not PIII. The other late model Chicony's are all quite rare - MP982, MP993 and MP995 didn't seem to be sold in any numbers. I own a MP995 and a MP993. A friend of mine once owned a MP982, but he's passed and I have no idea where that one ended up. If you can come up with a dead MP993 or MP995 then I have a stack of NOS motherboards for both. NOS plastics are nonexistant for these models.

 

[3lectr1c]

I'm sorry to hear about your friend's passing.

3lectric, that ties in with what I was told in an offhand conversation once that Chicony dropped out of the laptop business to concentrate on making keyboards and "Clevo" was going to make the laptops. It was never stated the exact connection between the two companies. Didn't matter much to me at the time and so I never followed up pushing for details.

You heard this from Chicony, even offhand? We'll probably never know the exact details, but it is interesting.

The MP999 is a mystery. I'm doubtful that it ever released. Your site said Maxdata might have sold it as the Avon Pro or similar, so I went and dug through their site on the wayback machine. It was one of those cases where the pages itself were saved, but whatever method Maxdata used to write links really disagreed with the wayback machine and they didn't work. So I had to dig through it using the URL list feature: http://web.archive.org/web/*/maxdata.com*
I did eventually find the model list from the right time (1999/2000), but no model called the Avon or Avon Pro was mentioned. I also couldn't find anything Pentium III that looked like a match.
The only references I can find outside of your site for an MP999 are some sites selling RAM, and who knows where they got it from. Maybe it existed, maybe it didn't. It's at the end of my model list as an unknown until (or if) I get more info. I couldn't find any reference to it from Chicony directly.

The later model Chicony systems do seem to be quite rare, even the TransPort NX. The ones I'd be most on the lookout for to add to my collection are the MP989, MP996 (Pentium II version of the MP993 which is a Celeron), maybe the MP995 since it technically seems like the last one they made, at least that we can confirm exists, the NB5 and NB7, maybe an MP987.

For now I'm just going to stay on the lookout for any of those FCC-only unknowns. I know I've seen some early 90s Chicony stuff show up on eBay before under a number of obscure brands, as I remember seeing that E8H FCC code a number of times. Of course, I don't remember any specific ones and they might have been the ones Chicony had on their site anyway. Hard to know.

 

[3lectr1c]

The Chicony/Clevo connection comes from this business group that also involved a few other companies.
See:

Untitled Document

 

[DeltaDon]

Interesting how they fit together.

If you ever want any of these Chicony Models I have several of each of the following: MP968/ARA, MP975, MP978, MP979, MP983, MP989 plus the MP989/Micron NX (has a different motherboard - has a connector for keyboard pointer mouse). I also have one MP995 and one or two MP993's.

For the MP978/979/989 model series I have DVD player modules, LS120 modules and I believe ZIP drive modules along with many other replacement parts. I also have many NOS batteries for these laptops. (unknown condition from storage)

The MP983 is also one that I modified somewhat. I have installed the AMD K6-2+ (and 3+) CPU's into a few (and sold many kits) that had a special BIOS to unlock the extra speed stepping features of the "+" mobile CPU's. I believe I may still have the one that I experimented on to boost the FSB to 72MHz from 66 MHz. Not sure if I finished getting that one working. Again many spare parts.

AMS Tech had special plastics on their MP975 TravelPro (1900's) and MP983 TravelPro (2000 & 2500's) models. An oval trackpad hole cutout vs. rectangle on the generic versions. Same trackpad, just had the corners covered by plastic. Same otherwise with generic versions. Note: Other laptops from different ODM's were also sold under the AMS Tech TravelPro lineup later on.

 

[3lectr1c]

If you ever want any of these Chicony Models I have several of each of the following: MP968/ARA, MP975, MP978, MP979, MP983, MP989 plus the MP989/Micron NX (has a different motherboard - has a connector for keyboard pointer mouse). I also have one MP995 and one or two MP993's.

At some point I'd definitely buy an MP989 with a DVD, LS120 and ZIP module. NOS batteries I'd guess would probably be fried from sitting that long but who knows. That largely depends on what chemistry they are. If they're Lithium Ion then they'll definitely be cooked - either fully dead or will have lost capacity or will rapidly degrade. If they're NiMH then there's a likely chance they'll be fine.
I might also be interested in the MP995, and maybe an ARa/MP968. Of the laptops that used the MP983 design, I'd be most interested in the Pentium II MP987 but I think you said you never had any of those. I'd probably buy a K6+ modded MP983 though.
Do you have any Alpha-Top Green770s? I'm interested in one of those if you do.
Right now I'm saving for the June VCF swap meet so I'm not spending any money on laptops until after then. One exception would be the WinBook J4/G732 fan if you can find one.

 

[3lectr1c]

New site update out today. Three new brands are now documented: Chicony, Ergo/Brick, and Samsung. ALL Samsung models from 1990-1997 are documented. This will be all for now as I don't have information on models past this point when they left the US market. Chicony has a full model list and 6 laptops are documented with pages. For now, only the pages on the ARa/MP968 can be considered complete as that's the only model I've put CPU jumpers, Drivers, and BIOS updates up for so far. The other 5 just have specifications for now and will be updated in the future with the rest. Ergo/Brick is an OEM that sold laptops from various brands. It for now only has a model list up through 1998, and most of their models will just link to the pages for the generic/ODM version. Models I don't know the specific ODM model for will have dedicated pages eventually.

Here's the full list of laptops that are now documented with this update:
- Samsung NoteMaster 386S/16 and 386S/20
- Samsung NoteMaster 386S/25
- Samsung NoteMaster 486SLC
- Samsung NoteMaster 486P
- Samsung SENSLite 200
- Samsung SENS 700
- Samsung SENS 800
- Samsung SENS 810
- Samsung SENS Pro 500 Series
- Samsung SENS Pro 520 Series
- IBM ThinkPad 560 Series
- IBM ThinkPad 380 Series
- IBM ThinkPad 755 Series
- IBM ThinkPad 760 Series
- IBM ThinkPad 770 Series
- IBM ThinkPad A20m/A20p
- IBM ThinkPad 600 Series
- Chicony ARa/MP968
- Chicony MP975
- Chicony MP978
- Chicony MP979
- Chicony MP983
- Chicony MP996
- NEC Versa 6200 Series
- NEC Versa 6060
- NEC Versa 6000
- Dell Inspiron 700m
- Dell Inspiron 710m
- Dell Inspiron 1150
- Dell Inspiron 1200
- Dell Inspiron 1300/B120/B130
- Dell Inspiron 1501
- Dell Inspiron 9200
- Dell Inspiron 5000/5000e
- Dell Inspiron 1520
- Dell Inspiron 1521
- Dell Inspiron 1525
- Dell Inspiron 2000
- Dell XPS M1730
- Dell Inspiron 2600
- Dell Inspiron 2200
- Dell Inspiron 3800
- Dell Inspiron 5100
- Dell XPS M2010
- Dell Inspiron 1420
- Dell Inspiron 1526
- Dell Inspiron 1720
- Dell Inspiron 1721
- Dell Inspiron 2100

In addition, the following existing pages have been updated/rewritten:

- WinBook XP pages updated with more info, tabled specs, other changes
- Jetta Jetbook E1/E2 Series pages updated with more info and photos
- HyperData model list expanded through 2003
- New images dug out on 2000s WinBook models, info updated on several (the 330/331 mystery has been solved!)
- Several Apple PowerBook pages updated with info about what GPUs they used

More to come. As you may be able to tell by the amount of consistent new content, I'm still very motivated!