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Sol-20 Restoration Complete

deramp5113

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
Messages
969
Location
Dallas, TX
I know these type of posts are really just for the author's benefit, but... it feels so good when a project is completed, you just have to tell someone!

I have completed restoration of a Sol-20 I recently purchased off eBay. After working through a series of power supply, motherboard, and keyboard problems, I was finally able to get the Sol up and running at 100% functionality.

The Sol-20 did not come with any S100 boards (i.e., no additional memory, floppy disks, etc.), so using spare equipment I had on the shelf, I installed 48K of RAM, a Micropolis floppy disk controller, and two Micropolis Mod-II drives. I then created a 48K CP/M 2.2 for the Sol-20 and Micropolis drives.

Here's a picture of the completed Sol-20 project including the two Micropolis floppies running CP/M 2.2

photo.JPG

Mike
 
Awesome job, congrats! Did you happen to blog or document it anywhere? That's where these can also turn into a great amount of help for future owners or folks who dream of hopefully owning one some day. :)
 
Yes, I have recorded most of the problems and repairs I've done in a document, but it's a very "dry" document and has no pictures. I've never been good at documenting as I work. Once I'm in the middle of "doing," I just keep going! However, the information is there, and a month from now when I've forgotten what the f&*$ I did to get such-and-such working, I'll be able to read about what I did!

Cosmetically, the unit was already in very nice condition. There was a bit of corrosion in the bottom pan that I worked on, but not to the extent of the great work you've done Corey.

Mike
 
that is super interesting. i dig it.
After I complete my present initiative of projects, I'm interested in something like this.
As dry as your documentation (or picture book) may be, it will be more exciting to us than you would imagine. -- i'm bad about taking pictures as I do this stuff.
 
that is super interesting. i dig it.
After I complete my present initiative of projects, I'm interested in something like this.
As dry as your documentation (or picture book) may be, it will be more exciting to us than you would imagine. -- i'm bad about taking pictures as I do this stuff.

When you get to start your Sol-20 project post pics, and tell us what is wrong. We can help...

Cheers,
Corey
 
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