IBM PS/2

Ah, the IBM PS/2 series, their planned answer to the Macintosh. The whole series failed because of lack of support from the rest of the industry, and their failure to license them. The first PC's I worked on were these contraptions, and structurally, they were pretty sound (loved the Model 50Z; went together and came apart like a charm, hardly any cables).
But, as expensive as they were new, they aren't worth much, unless its a convertible (laptop-like). Locally, you can pick up Model 90's for $5, and those were towards the end of the run. Which model have you there?

Rob

Yes, the good ole PS/2 series. I've got a couple Model 80 towers and a 9590 tower and a few EduQuest 55s (IBM AIOs after the drop of the PS/2 nameands thus the PS/2 AIOs). The PS/2 line ran from 8086 (Model 20?) to Pentiums (Model 95). So as has been asked, which do you have? THe portable, 70P or was that 70Z? would be one of the most desirable.

There were two Model 30s, 8088 and 286, both horrible. A motherboard from the 8088 model hangs in our workshop at work; it came from a PC that had been dumped in a corner and never ever switched on. Nobody who looks at it can identify it so, in its retired existence, it has finally found a function as a conversation piece.

Note also that IBM used the PS/2 nomenclature for both ISA and MCA systems, thus muddying the market. MCA systems were better than your average PC but not in the same class as Mac II series

Phil

Yeah, those particular models were stinkers. A few years back, I came across a stack of Model 30-286's upgraded to 486SLC's (I believe it was a Kingston mod). I gutted one and moved the processor over to my old Model 50z (a priceless little unit I named "Ganymede"). It made a bit of an improvement, but the OS (OS/2 1.2, I believe...) would hang up during boot. Replaced it with DR-DOS 6, and it flew. Added more RAM (strictly parity, mind you; came with another Kingston upgrade I had) and it was a decent little GEOS machine.
Then it turned on me. I was cleaning it out, holding the upper case by the plastic front, when the snaps gave and the metal case fell, guillotine style, onto my bare right foot, just behind the toes. Broke three bones. The computer found a new home the next day.
I did like the EduQuest 45 computers; yup, had one too. But it didn't bite...

Rob

One time I dropped a 486DX2/66 and a SCSI card into one of my 55s. Add 48MB RAM and it held me over for almost two years as a dialup web machine. Well, that and my LC 580 at the time. Dual processing, just different architectures. Of course I shared a dialup PPP account to both from a IIci running NetBSD... those were the days!

I had a 57slc when I was in high school, I believe my parents still have it somewhere around their house. Man, that thing was a blast with OS/2 warp, an mca soundblaster, and the scsi cd-rom I managed to install in it. My dad used to bring home all sorts of cool stuff from work. He'd bring home RS/6000's and we'd play with them. Man, those where the days. He's an IBMer, but thanks to me, is a big fan of the mac. My little sister has a rev B iMac, and my mother, who always had trouble with computers is using a clamshell iBook SE now.

I almost feel like hunting down an old mca bus ps/2 to play with.

- iantm

Picked it up at a local thrift store for a few bucks ($5). Is pretty much a stock model, 2MB RAM, 150mb HD... but the sticker on the front of the case tells me that this machine once housed a Kingston 486SLC upgrade (it looks like the regular IBM PS/2 Model 50Z sticker, but next to it there's a "486". Also, the sticker is not dead centered). Not there now, but, incredibly, this machine, which appears to have been last fired up in 1995, booted right up. Says a lot about how IBM used to build them.
Not too bad. Don't know why I bought it, but not too bad...

I don't know why I buy some of the equipmetn that I do either. Sometime I think there is a subconcious "I can buy a computer for less that a cup of Starbucks" going on. Then there's the "but it's a classic and nobody is gonna like it as much as I do." Or even "It's got the X broken. I'll just get it home and slap the X replacement I've had in the parts box for the last 4 years and get it back in shape" reasoning...

Nice score.

I had a panasonic "luggable" that was based off the IBM PS/2 Luggable. Almost the same specs, c'ept the machine's LCD was on top of the machine. Those suckers are heavy. But i couldn't kill the thing! Panasic made their machines that were based off of the IBM series, as well and sturdy as the PS/2 Luggable that IBM Made. In fact, it had Dos 2.1 on a chip in it with a 360KB 2.5" floppy drive built into it. It resembled the Apple portable actually, but it was based off the PS 2 design.
I got the system off of a teacher's aide at my school, who, knowing that I liked older machines, gave me this machine. Sadly, i couldn't keep it and had to throw it out. It had a nice plasma screen though! It even played Sim City 1! (came on a copied disk)

Another thing, i got a Dot-Matrix POS with it too. That thing, unfortunatly, was not built to last. It died once I plugged it in when it proceeded to jam the head into the side of the case, and killed the head.

I have one in my basement from school surplus. I distinctly recall doing something to this machine on 9/11/01 right after I heard the news, so I sort of don't want to part with it (why else would I snag one of the IBMs from the "to dump" pile?) but I'd imagine maybe $5 max for this badboy? It has a matching monitor, a keyboard with a trackball built into it, and a hard drive that's got DOS 5 and WordPerfect 5.1.

We still have a couple of PS/2 Model 50's being used at work on our fire alarm system connected to an old Texas Instruments main and after 23 years we are finally upgrading to a new system but they have been very reliable. Personally I have a PS/2 Model 30, Model 70 Eduquest 35 and a Convertible always looking for more. Usually I don't spend more than thirty dollars for a collectible computer.

Just got given 2 of these machines today - an IBM PS/2 Model 30 and a Model 50 - I seem to have 11 computers now though, which I suppose might seem a bit excessive to some...

Excessive? Ha! You're just getting started. I've got more than that just sitting in my living room... Of course many of them are due to be picked up as local donations, at least 6-7 of 'em.

i was wondering if any of u know how to hack? cuz if u do i need to know the best way to hack into someones apple cuz some [deleted] i know [deleted] up my last comp and it had all my [deleted] on games music and all my documents i had sved from school so i need to do something to his comp to get revenge. sry if i sound like a [deleted] but im pissed.

Watch your language. This is a warning. --Dr. Webster

hell, I got a PS/1 ready to give away. need a new battery socket soldered in (CR2032), and it should boot right up. I broke the + terminal pin when I was working inside it.

anybody want it? How much do you think it's worth? all original manuals, 486SX @ 25mhz, 20mb ram, 170mb HD, model 2155-G54. I even have the matching PS/1 branded monitor, a Epson ActionPrinter 2000 with manual, and a whole bunch of software on 3.5" floppies. plus a box of 10 HD 5.25" BASF floppies.

drop me a PM. -digital