Notebook PC for old DOS apps

I maintain several notebook PCs, one of which is dedicated to old DOS PLC software. A few of these applications won't run on newer systems (SyMAX comes to mind), so I try to keep at least one NEC 6200MX (166 MHz) in working condition.

It's getting harder to find parts, so I'm curious what PCs you guys have used successfully for this purpose.

Thanks.

Well... Read through THIS thread for one option... Seems to work for some but not for others... But it works for everything I've tried it on.

I haven't had a chance to use this yet, but from the way it sounds it might be an answer worth looking into.
http://www.freedos.org/

Free dos by itself won't help him any more than what he is using right now...

Free Dos is an operating system, that is compatible with the older type computers that he is attempting to keep maintained right now. In order to get it to run on current hardware you will need some type of "emulator" program to get it to work.

Some programs (not all, or even most) will run in windowsXP in "compatability mode". This may be something worth trying out, but I haven't heard of too many people actually getting good results out of it.

One thing other people have mentioned doing... They have picked up various pieces of older equipment on e-bay... Just for the purpose of having the spare hardware on hand if something dies.

cookie said:

I maintain several notebook PCs, one of which is dedicated to old DOS PLC software. A few of these applications won't run on newer systems (SyMAX comes to mind), so I try to keep at least one NEC 6200MX (166 MHz) in working condition.

It's getting harder to find parts, so I'm curious what PCs you guys have used successfully for this purpose.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

I have an old generic named laptop from 1993 that is a 386SX with a math coprocessor installed. The LCD screen has long been destroyed, and even sheared off. I use any CGA or VGA monitor that is still alive to connect. This laptop has travelled many miles with me and has even survived a hotel fire on a start up in Port Coquitlam , BC back in 1993.

It still runs DOS 6.1, and I use it for AB's PDS and PBASE software.

Ian

What I'm looking for are brands and models that others have found to be reliable and rugged. I'm considering picking up an old Panasonic Toughbook from eBay.

Ahhh... Well, that narrows things down a little bit. I'm still not sure it's a good idea to rely on outdated hardware that can't be replaced by up to date hardware... But to each his own.


But for what it's worth, I still have an older compaq presario laptop lying around that dual boots dos and windows 98... It's got the big 3Gb harddrive(upgradeable to 6Gb with some bios tweaks ).

Still works perfectly well after 7 years, except for the battery. I've also had to replace the power adapter twice.

tom_stalcup said:

...I'm still not sure it's a good idea to rely on outdated hardware that can't be replaced by up to date hardware...

Click to expand...

Some of my customers have old equipment (with equally old PLCs) and aren't interested in upgrading a machine/process that runs fine. Since I offer full service, I get stuck supporting the old as well as the new.

Thanks for the info. What model Presario is it?

The one I have is the presario 1625... Ummm...

HERE

I have some older dos utilites that I've never bothered finding replacements for, and I'll boot it up and play games on it sometimes. Other than that, it's just around in case I need to run some older software on it. (And I don't have time to set up a virtual pc application, or don't want to bother)

ALso, sometimes the issue is speed of the processor. I have found a couple of slowdown programs that will work. SquareD SY/Max is very particular about a fast processor.
George

if you know any linux users, you can have someone setup a dual boot system and install DOSEmu on the linux partition. it's free and it works very well.