Slightly OT: Sources for slightly older PeeCee server class hardware

[Keys]

Take a drive to Minn./St Paul and shop the Goodwill ($5 to $100), UofM 
warehouse($5 to $50), and each month 3M has a auction at their warehouse and 
you can get a pallet load of boxes for $25.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael B. Brutman" <mbbrutman-cctalk at brutman.com>
To: <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 12:47 PM
Subject: Slightly OT: Sources for slightly older PeeCee server class 
hardware


> I've been using a Linux box as a firewall for the cable modem before 
> Linksys and the other networking companies came out with small router 
> boxes.  Along the years the uses for the box have grown, so I do a little 
> hacking on it, some file servering, backup/restore to the Windoze boxes, 
> etc.
>
> The original box was an old 486-66 running Redhat 6.1.  (It ran OS/2 2.1 
> originally).  I only decommissioned it last year, and it is still sitting 
> in the room waiting for it's next purpose in life.
>
> The current box is a Pentium 233, and it's been doing just fine except I 
> fear that it's starting to crap out.  It will not boot off of a floppy 
> disk no matter what I try.  I've tried 2 cables, 3 drives, and four 
> different known good boot disks.  I've stripped the system down, screwed 
> with the onboard setup, etc.  To make a long story short, after 3 hours 
> I've finally decided that the onboard FDC controller is heading south. 
> Disks are still readable, but only after you've booted from hard disk. The 
> motherboard was an ABIT IT5H - good at the time, but given ABIT's 
> reputation at the time I'm really happy that it made it this far.
>
> Since the end is near for this machine, it's time to get my data off of it 
> and find a replacement.  I'm thinking of something:
>
> - a little more robust .. ie, quality
> - needs to take a few PCI cards.  Right now I use 2 NICs, 1 SCSI, and 1 
> video card.  If some of those functions are on the motherboard that is 
> fine.
> - Can be left on continuously and ignored.
>
>
> What's a good source for stuff like this?  I'm thinking of monitoring eBay 
> for items I can do local pickup on, but I'm not sure if small businesses 
> that have this kind of hardware take the time to put it out on eBay when 
> it comes time to upgrade.  (I'm in Rochester MN, so my sources of this 
> stuff are limited.)
>
>
> Any ideas on the floppy controller?
>
>
>