else Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Okay, this isn't an ST/TT question but it seems like the most relevant group.... I have an Atari ABC laptop that I purchased off eBay a while ago. I'd like to get it going. It powers on okay, but the hard drive appears to be empty (it sounds like it is working okay, but I can't say for sure). So my question is what can I realistically do with this thing.... What OS can I hope to run on it -- Windows 95? Windows 98? Can an external CDROM drive be connected to it? If so, what type/kind should I look for? And if so, what version of Windows will I need to use a CDROM? Is there any hope of getting it on the net? I don't see any PCMCIA slots, an ethernet port, or a modem port on it.... I'm primarily a Mac user (though I do use a windows machine for work), so any help at all is appreciated.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Thompson Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 No specs? I thought they were 386 machines but I could be wrong as in it's possible they are faster? I would say Windows 3.1 / DOS combo.... have no idea about CD-ROM usage but I don't see why it wouldn't have a port to accept an older style external CD-ROM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 With a 386SX you may be better off setting up Linux on it as you'll get far better performance from it. Win 3.1/DOS 7 is going to be the other route.... or Win95 (though Win95 is gonna be rough on a 4MB system) It really all boils down to what you want to do with it. Curt Okay, this isn't an ST/TT question but it seems like the most relevant group.... I have an Atari ABC laptop that I purchased off eBay a while ago. I'd like to get it going. It powers on okay, but the hard drive appears to be empty (it sounds like it is working okay, but I can't say for sure). So my question is what can I realistically do with this thing.... What OS can I hope to run on it -- Windows 95? Windows 98? Can an external CDROM drive be connected to it? If so, what type/kind should I look for? And if so, what version of Windows will I need to use a CDROM? Is there any hope of getting it on the net? I don't see any PCMCIA slots, an ethernet port, or a modem port on it.... I'm primarily a Mac user (though I do use a windows machine for work), so any help at all is appreciated.... 951184[/snapback] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted October 20, 2005 Author Share Posted October 20, 2005 (edited) Not trying to do anything fancy with it, really. Just thought it would be neat to get it to do *something*. It sounds like it's more of a conversation piece though at this point so maybe it's not even worth my time trying. It does seem odd to me that a laptop wouldn't have a modem, or at least an expansion slot for a modem. I guess that was the state of the world back then. It just seems like a very "closed" system when I look for expansion slots.... Edited October 20, 2005 by else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ijor Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Ouch, a 386SX laptop! Would be difficult to do much with it. If it was it a desktop, you could at least use it for DOS gaming (yes, vintage computing is about PC and DOS as well). It does seem odd to me that a laptop wouldn't have a modem, or at least an expansion slot for a modem. It took quite some time until notebooks included an integrated modem. Modems at that time were too big and required too much power. I don't think you will be able to connect a CD-ROM unless it has an external SCSI port. Software side that shouldn't be much of a problem. DOS 5 (and possibly earlier versions as well, don't remember for sure) included support for CD-ROM. Win 3 is DOS based, so it supports CD-ROM as well. I agree that Win 3.1 and DOS, probably DOS 5, might be your best bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted October 20, 2005 Author Share Posted October 20, 2005 (edited) Thanks for the info. There is unfortunatley no SCSI port on it either.... I guess even if it did have a modem I still wouldn't have much use for it. I use broadband for everything these days anyhow! Edited October 20, 2005 by else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 My best recommendation would be to install OpenDOS with memory manager and himem installed and install GEM 3.1 onto it so it has a look & feel of an Atari ST. You could also get some of the lower end ST emulators to work on it or you could always run a DOS version of Atari 800 emulation or Atari 2600 emulation on it, make it fitting for an Atari product (actually the laptop is a rebadged Sotec laptop Curt Not trying to do anything fancy with it, really. Just thought it would be neat to get it to do *something*. It sounds like it's more of a conversation piece though at this point so maybe it's not even worth my time trying. It does seem odd to me that a laptop wouldn't have a modem, or at least an expansion slot for a modem. I guess that was the state of the world back then. It just seems like a very "closed" system when I look for expansion slots.... 951455[/snapback] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ijor Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 I was checking the web page for this product at Curt's web page. Looks nice! It does have a modem expansion slot. Of course, finding one of those probably won't be easy (at least I guess so, Curt?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jens Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 (edited) I think it might be possible to get this piece of hardware into your LAN and to use it on broadband. There are pocket LAN adapters e.g. the Genius. I think there are drivers for different systems for those adapters that are connected to the printer port. Only problem might be that the printer port isn't full featured as on STs - I don't know if it is unfortunatly. Edited October 20, 2005 by jens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted October 20, 2005 Author Share Posted October 20, 2005 My best recommendation would be to install OpenDOS with memory manager and himem installed and install GEM 3.1 onto it so it has a look & feel of an Atari ST. You could also get some of the lower end ST emulators to work on it or you could always run a DOS version of Atari 800 emulation or Atari 2600 emulation on it, make it fitting for an Atari product (actually the laptop is a rebadged Sotec laptop Curt Not trying to do anything fancy with it, really. Just thought it would be neat to get it to do *something*. It sounds like it's more of a conversation piece though at this point so maybe it's not even worth my time trying. It does seem odd to me that a laptop wouldn't have a modem, or at least an expansion slot for a modem. I guess that was the state of the world back then. It just seems like a very "closed" system when I look for expansion slots.... 951455[/snapback] 951490[/snapback] Thanks for the advice Curt. Haven't heard of OpenDOS before. Does anyone have a link to it? I tried searching for it, but I end up at the SCO website and can't find it there.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 I second Curt's words. Using M$ stuff on an Atari computer, even if it is an Intel based one, sounds just evil... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted October 20, 2005 Author Share Posted October 20, 2005 My best recommendation would be to install OpenDOS with memory manager and himem installed and install GEM 3.1 onto it so it has a look & feel of an Atari ST. You could also get some of the lower end ST emulators to work on it or you could always run a DOS version of Atari 800 emulation or Atari 2600 emulation on it, make it fitting for an Atari product (actually the laptop is a rebadged Sotec laptop Curt Not trying to do anything fancy with it, really. Just thought it would be neat to get it to do *something*. It sounds like it's more of a conversation piece though at this point so maybe it's not even worth my time trying. It does seem odd to me that a laptop wouldn't have a modem, or at least an expansion slot for a modem. I guess that was the state of the world back then. It just seems like a very "closed" system when I look for expansion slots.... 951455[/snapback] 951490[/snapback] Thanks for the advice Curt. Haven't heard of OpenDOS before. Does anyone have a link to it? I tried searching for it, but I end up at the SCO website and can't find it there.... 951556[/snapback] Okay, I think if have found a site for DR-DOS (which seems to be the same thing as OpenDOS). I'll give it a try later tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwiliteZoner Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 My best recommendation would be to install OpenDOS with memory manager and himem installed and install GEM 3.1 onto it so it has a look & feel of an Atari ST. You could also get some of the lower end ST emulators to work on it or you could always run a DOS version of Atari 800 emulation or Atari 2600 emulation on it, make it fitting for an Atari product (actually the laptop is a rebadged Sotec laptop Curt Not trying to do anything fancy with it, really. Just thought it would be neat to get it to do *something*. It sounds like it's more of a conversation piece though at this point so maybe it's not even worth my time trying. It does seem odd to me that a laptop wouldn't have a modem, or at least an expansion slot for a modem. I guess that was the state of the world back then. It just seems like a very "closed" system when I look for expansion slots.... 951455[/snapback] 951490[/snapback] Thanks for the advice Curt. Haven't heard of OpenDOS before. Does anyone have a link to it? I tried searching for it, but I end up at the SCO website and can't find it there.... 951556[/snapback] Okay, I think if have found a site for DR-DOS (which seems to be the same thing as OpenDOS). I'll give it a try later tonight. 951567[/snapback] If you are gonna go the Linux route, you can forget about having a GUI on a 386 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Thompson Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 GEM would be nice to have running on it! Get a whole bunch of old-school disk based games to play on it.... use it as a flash(er) for a Jaguar Flash Cart... hmm... Run a BBS? heheh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted October 21, 2005 Author Share Posted October 21, 2005 Well, I got DR-DOS installed on it last night and I got GEM and all the GEM Apps installed on it this morning. Pretty slick! The screen certainly is slow on it though -- your mouse basically disappears for a bit whenever you move it. Too bad the screen isn't color, but I know that's asking for too much.... I'm really not sure how useful GEM is anymore in 2005 (given the fact that I also have a pretty modern laptop), but it's nice to see this old Atari doing something! Thanks for all the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ijor Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Get a whole bunch of old-school disk based games to play on it.... That was my first thought as well. But that laptop probably doesn't have any sound (besides the PC speaker), does it? Some old DOS games make wonders with the PC speaker though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Also, note that DR-DOS is Digital Research DOS. Does this sound a bell? It was the first DOS to break the mess M$ was already doing with memory limitations. IIRC, MSDOS was stuck at 512 while DRDOS jumped to 640KB usage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Thompson Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 Get a whole bunch of old-school disk based games to play on it.... That was my first thought as well. But that laptop probably doesn't have any sound (besides the PC speaker), does it? Some old DOS games make wonders with the PC speaker though. 952032[/snapback] Well even then you can play some nice monochromatic games on it. I did so with my IBM 8088 back in the day with my oh'so'lovely green screen PC Bert was one of them, I"m sure (Q*Bert) cool for the time... and some pinball games. You should check out www.the-underdogs.net (at least I think that's the link.. I"m at work so I'm not sure) so www.theunderdogs.net or www.the-underdogs.net and you can download a smackload of free games from "Way back when.." What, no pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.