https://bitsavers.computerhistory.org/pdf/dolch/pac/PAC60_61_Brochure.pdf

So I'm fairly st0ked... picked up a Dolch PAC 60; these were power portable machines used as network analyzer's... sniffers - and they come with some stock hardware that makes them nice for a retro machine; ethernet, etc.

There were many PAC machines, from 386s to Pentium-IIIs, but the PAC 60 is the most desirable - but not for why WE would care... it uses Cherry-MX keys, so the keyboard pirates like to buy the machines and throw away the computer part and just keep the beautiful keyboard - this one is gonna LIVE ON!

I'm missing the 5-Pin-DIN male to 5-Pin-MiniDIN PS/2 male cable... it'll arrive (in two parts) next Tuesday - but the system seems strong as all get out; bright TFT display, fan blowing up a storm and everything looks OK so far - I think this will make a great retro 486 system.

Anyone know about the PAC line? I'd sure like one of the PAC 65s with its m0re powerful P-III CPU; but am gonna do my best to save this 486DX... add Sounblaster, new HDD solution and get her on the network.

Videos will come, and PSU / internal repairs will follow.



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--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

On 23 Mar 2023, paulie420 said the following...

So I'm fairly st0ked... picked up a Dolch PAC 60; these were power portable machines used as network analyzer's... sniffers - and they come with some stock hardware that makes them nice for a retro machine; ethernet, etc.

There were many PAC machines, from 386s to Pentium-IIIs, but the PAC 60
is the most desirable - but not for why WE would care... it uses
Cherry-MX keys, so the keyboard pirates like to buy the machines and
throw away the computer part and just keep the beautiful keyboard - this one is gonna LIVE ON!

I'm missing the 5-Pin-DIN male to 5-Pin-MiniDIN PS/2 male cable... it'll arrive (in two parts) next Tuesday - but the system seems strong as all get out; bright TFT display, fan blowing up a storm and everything looks OK so far - I think this will make a great retro 486 system.

Anyone know about the PAC line? I'd sure like one of the PAC 65s with
its m0re powerful P-III CPU; but am gonna do my best to save this
486DX... add Sounblaster, new HDD solution and get her on the network.

Videos will come, and PSU / internal repairs will follow.

pAULIE42o
.........

I want pictures of the actual system you have. Out side, inside, before upgrades and cleaning and after upgrades cleaning.

|23|04Dr|16|12Claw
|16|14Sysop |12Noverdu |14BBS |20|15Radio|10@|14HTTP://Noverdu.com:88
|16|10 Standard ports for SSH/Telnet |04 WEB|14@|12HTTP://noverdu.com:808 |20|15Global Chat, Global Messaging and Games! |16|10Ditch the Unsocial Media

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Noverdu BBS (21:1/210)

I want pictures of the actual system you have. Out side, inside, before upgrades and cleaning and after upgrades cleaning.

Will doso; both video and photo formats. I think I'm gonna start digging in today, theres a BIT I can do without being able to boot. (I have NO IBM AT style keyboard ATM.) But will share the above.

Curiousmarc did a ***WONDERFUL*** series on the PAC 65, both in video and blog form;

https://www.curiousmarc.com/computing/dolchpac-65-luggable-pc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gETTwDHAl_w&list=PL-_93BVApb586tj99jfuKHtStfLh Iy88B

But yes... I hope to bring some [updated] content on the PAC 60.



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--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

paulie420 wrote to All <=-

https://bitsavers.computerhistory.org/pdf/dolch/pac/PAC60_61_Brochure.pd
f

So I'm fairly st0ked... picked up a Dolch PAC 60; these were power portable machines used as network analyzer's... sniffers - and they
come with some stock hardware that makes them nice for a retro machine; ethernet, etc.

Congratulations! Great find.

There were many PAC machines, from 386s to Pentium-IIIs, but the PAC 60
is the most desirable - but not for why WE would care... it uses
Cherry-MX keys

Oh, that is cool. I had a Compaq Portable II for a while, but Compaq
had gooey rubber keys to contrast with the clicky IBM keyboards of the
time. At least it was quiet.

Anyone know about the PAC line? I'd sure like one of the PAC 65s with
its m0re powerful P-III CPU; but am gonna do my best to save this
486DX... add Sounblaster, new HDD solution and get her on the network.

The only ones I remember were the older clamshell models. Great
industrial design, similar to the GRID laptops. I didn't know they kept
making portables into the Pentium/II era.

You'll need to scope out the tables at the coffee shop with a power
outlet nearby.



... It's a bold strategy, Cotton, let's see if it plays out for 'em...
--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
* Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)

Oh, that is cool. I had a Compaq Portable II for a while, but Compaq
had gooey rubber keys to contrast with the clicky IBM keyboards of the
time. At least it was quiet.

One of the best parts about the PAC 60 is the chery-MX keyboard - I think a lot of these machines get tossed by people just wanting the darned keyboards...

I was able to disassemble the machine today and its impressive - I think ANY Dolch would make a great retro machine b/c of the build quality... I'll continue to document the process and keep my eye out for later models.

Cheers.



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--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

I have a few of them. Where are you located? Might be able to send you one.

|23|04Dr|16|12Claw
|16|14Sysop |12Noverdu |14BBS |20|15Radio|10@|14HTTP://Noverdu.com:88
|16|10 Standard ports for SSH/Telnet |04 WEB|14@|12HTTP://noverdu.com:808 |20|15Global Chat, Global Messaging and Games! |16|10Ditch the Unsocial Media

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Noverdu BBS (21:1/210)

I have a few of them. Where are you located? Might be able to send you one.

What, AT keyboard/cables? I've already ordered what I [think I] need, but if thats what you meant I'll keep you in mind if they don't work out!!

Did you get some photos I ULed to Noverdu??? M0re to come...



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--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

On 27 Mar 2023, paulie420 said the following...

What, AT keyboard/cables? I've already ordered what I [think I] need,
but if thats what you meant I'll keep you in mind if they don't work
out!!
Did you get some photos I ULed to Noverdu??? M0re to come...

pAULIE42o
.........

I went looking for them and wasn't able to see what it. Did you put them in the uploads?

Also I just have AT keyboards sitting around. Kept them because I like Amiga and there are a few old Amiga projects that need that kind of keyboard. So if you decided you want one let me know.

|23|04Dr|16|12Claw
|16|14Sysop |12Noverdu |14BBS |20|15Radio|10@|14HTTP://Noverdu.com:88
|16|10 Standard ports for SSH/Telnet |04 WEB|14@|12HTTP://noverdu.com:808 |20|15Global Chat, Global Messaging and Games! |16|10Ditch the Unsocial Media

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Noverdu BBS (21:1/210)

I went looking for them and wasn't able to see what it. Did you put
them in the uploads?

Yea; I thought I uploaded wherever it let me. Weird - it was one .ZIP and was some 150mb or so...

Also I just have AT keyboards sitting around. Kept them because I like Amiga and there are a few old Amiga projects that need that kind of keyboard. So if you decided you want one let me know.

Ahhh - well, I might tap you regardless, then... while this is an all-in-one system, if I'd of had any AT-style keyboard I could have been playing w/ it the whole time... I'm at my girls house tonight, but the cable should be sitting there when I get in tomorrow... m0re Dolch details forthcoming. :P



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--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

Whoot! Can't want to see what you do. Make a YouTube video when your done

|23|04Dr|16|12Claw
|16|14Sysop |12Noverdu |14BBS |20|15Radio|10@|14HTTP://Noverdu.com:88
|16|10 Standard ports for SSH/Telnet |04 WEB|14@|12HTTP://noverdu.com:808 |20|15Global Chat, Global Messaging and Games! |16|10Ditch the Unsocial Media

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Noverdu BBS (21:1/210)

Whoot! Can't want to see what you do. Make a YouTube video when your done

Oh, I will. I just got it booting today - the AT to PS/2 cables came in the Amazon mail... and its awesome!!! Boots into 'Sniffer Network Analyzer' software and there other 'Remote2' software thats almost like a mini-bbs allowing remote DOS machines to dial into the system and run the sniffer software from home/remote.

Since I can boot in I was able to see all the stock software and goto archive.org and find documentation for it all. :P Super awesome. I have some more hardware on order;

IDE to SATA card
CF to IDE adapter (CF HDD)
IDE USB card

... its gonna be hard to NOT use the Dolch for another week before I get the IDE2SATA - I wanna clone the HDD first so I don't lose any of the stock software.

After that, I'm gonna use CF cards or a partitioned CF card to create a multi-boot system; the stock Sniffer setup, a Windows setup, a DOS retro gaming setup and a Linux setup... hoping I can create all of those on one CF card w/ GRUB to select the different OSes - but if I have to use 4 CF cards I'll install the CF 2 IDE in a slot so you can just insert each CF card on the side of the computer.

I have a lot more pictures now and since you asked will UL on Noverdu... :P



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--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

On 29 Mar 2023, paulie420 said the following...

I have a lot more pictures now and since you asked will UL on Noverdu... :P

pAULIE42o

Whoot! Going to look at these now!

Keep 'em coming. Hopeing to get a little time tonight to chat. Do you come to the friday night thing even though ML doesn't run it any more?

|23|04Dr|16|12Claw
|16|14Sysop |12Noverdu |14BBS |20|15Radio|10@|14HTTP://Noverdu.com:88
|16|10 Standard ports for SSH/Telnet |04 WEB|14@|12HTTP://noverdu.com:808 |20|15Global Chat, Global Messaging and Games! |16|10Ditch the Unsocial Media

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Noverdu BBS (21:1/210)

Whoot! Going to look at these now!

Keep 'em coming. Hopeing to get a little time tonight to chat. Do you come to the friday night thing even though ML doesn't run it any more?

I'll try to make it tonight - I work today, but since its later in the eve I'll prolly slide in at some point.



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--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

On 31 Mar 2023, paulie420 said the following...

I'll try to make it tonight - I work today, but since its later in the
eve I'll prolly slide in at some point.

pAULIE42o
.........

The wife needed wife time so I didn't get to do anything Friday. I even have updates I need to work in to the BBS and haven't had time for that. :( I'm hoping I'll be freed up soon. Maybe this week some time.

|23|04Dr|16|12Claw
|16|14Sysop |12Noverdu |14BBS |20|15Radio|10@|14HTTP://Noverdu.com:88
|16|10 Standard ports for SSH/Telnet |04 WEB|14@|12HTTP://noverdu.com:808 |20|15Global Chat, Global Messaging and Games! |16|10Ditch the Unsocial Media

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Noverdu BBS (21:1/210)

The wife needed wife time so I didn't get to do anything Friday. I even have updates I need to work in to the BBS and haven't had time for that. :( I'm hoping I'll be freed up soon. Maybe this week some time.

No worries, will be working on videos shortly. A quickee, a using all stock Sniffer/PAC 60 software and a deep dive modification videos coming up...

I was having a hard time today, tho - connecting the PAC 60's internal video card to an external device; a video capture card... dunno if the VGA to HDMI to video capture card is the issue, the actual video card or... user error; but getting there. :P (I'd rather have clean video than record a CRT w/ scanlines etc.)



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--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)