Retrochallenge 2024

[JKnightandKARR]

Was going todo programming this year, but after my initial registration came with issues, and something has happened to my Green 753 IDE DOM, going todo more repairs, and modifications this year.
-Fix the Green 753 drive
-Game pad with control issues
-Make battery pack / repair existing ones for the Green 753
-Create battery pack for rear of Z-Star
-Still wanna put IDE DOM in Z Star

[JKnightandKARR]

Adding redoing odd battery to list since i have spot welder now!  My keyboard sticks up a bit due to exhisting battery build.

[JKnightandKARR]

Ok, finally time to play around.  Couple of updates.

-1st and foremost, whatever happened to my Green 753, apparently was something with the BIOS, cause put the IDE DOM onto my desktop via 44pin to USB adapter, and no issues, saw files, scanned fine, so thought something happened with the system itself, but quick play on BIOS and it is working once again!

-I pulled the oddball battery using the 4 small cells, out of the Z-Star EX, and pulled it apart, cut all of the old tabs off, and attached new strips on that are bigger, and re-wrapped it, and now it sits in its home again.  A little tight, but fits.

-Thanks to Granz, sending me 4DOS, I can adjust my screen colors and have it the way I want.  For my Z-Star EX, I have made the screen Black with Green text, and struggled to start making a text based menu from Windows 3.11, filling text, trying to make a RobCo computer systemish from the Fallout universe, Vault 89 with me as the Overseer.

-Also for some reason, I have to use 2 different optical mice, my Acer brand one, is liked by the Z-Star, while the Green 753 only wants the old Logitech one. I outta see about a 2nd USB to PS/2 adapter.

-Sadly, just went to shut the Green 753 lid, and one side just snapped in half.... ssssooooo gotta figure that out...

[JKnightandKARR]

Update: No plastic repair parts available for the Green 753's hinge, so gotta fix exhisting.  Thinking stiff metal n Gorilla Glue/Epoxy or was suggested I try Fiberglass n Resin. So gotta think what works best.

[JKnightandKARR]

Well, tore into the G753 screen, and I HOPE I can fix this, I got some ideas, including using both super glue for initial repairs, and epoxy to try and make stronger, and use metal or fiberglass for the hinge area...  Now......  As for that sides, screw pass through.... that's going to be a total remake!

[Chris Savage]

I've spent the last 2+ years repairing old / obsolete industrial control systems. Most of the things I work on are 20 / 30 / 40 years old! It is common for the plastic enclosures to be broken as the old plastic is brittle. Many have plastic tabs that snap in to hold the enclosure together. The moment you press that tab to release it, it snaps right off! It is a sad fact when working on old plastic. Most of it becomes brittle and very easy to snap. That's not even to mention no schematics and parts that are no longer manufactured and unavailable. Those have to be salvaged from dead units, if available. One of the realities of obsolete, old-school technology.

[JKnightandKARR]

You are correct. In my case.... I closed the lid....