About a 760ED

[MaxZero]

A loft clear-out has unearthed a Thinkpad 760ED, it used to be my fathers work computer and is fully functional despite having been lying dormant since the late 90s.

Ive been trying to find out about the machine, (first point of call was Wikipedia, but it wasn't very useful). Specifically, how the hell is the battery still capable of holding any sort of charge, anyone know what kind of battery is in it? The clock has also stayed accurate which i'm amazed at. The computer goes into hibernation 10 seconds after the power is unplugged but that might be deliberate, its running Windows 3.1 and i don't think I have access to the control panel.
I transferred some applications over to it via the floppy and it runs them fine altho without sound. Its bleeped a few times on startup though its own speakers and through external ones connected through the headphone jack. Im unsure if this is due to a limitation the company would have installed on it not. Anyone know what sort of audio the machine was capable of?

The machine was part of a former iteration (many mergers and re-structurings ago) of my fathers company and my guess is that they have installed some sort of limited interface on it as it doesn't look like most screenshots of 3.1. For one thing there is a big button in the middle of the icon-less desktop that quits windows and enters dos.

Ultimately, i'm wondering if there is any way to get the computer to show its system specs. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading

[Radioguy]

It's been ages since I've dealt with a 76x, but I loved them; especially the XD. They were solidly built and could fit in any backpack that could hold a notebook (8x11"!). The tilt-up keyboard may be the biggest thing that I regret no TP has had since.

I wish I could give you more specific info (I'm sure someone else will), but I know Windows 2000 could run on them (at least a couple models), albeit sluggishly. Linux would probably be great on one. I doubt any OEM battery would have survived to hold a sufficient charge, so aftermarket ones might be the best bet (Someone correct me if I'm wrong here).

Here's the current drivers list (Gotta appreciate Lenovo maintaining it):

http://download.lenovo.com/lenovo/conte ... /760e.html

[MaxZero]

I have since figured out how to flip the keyboard up to gawk at the internals. The HD is 1.2GB and the battery is an IBM made 10.8v 3.0AH Lithium Ion. The computer doesn't hibernate after the power is cut, rather when I don't input anything for a while. Judging by the rate of drain the keyboard display shows me, it seems to be capable of 30-40mins.

[Medessec]

760s are fantastic... a 760E was "technically" my first computer although we never got it into working order.

Unearthing one in as preserved a working condition as yours is really cool. Mine had a Pentium 133MHz, so i'm certain the 760ED, yours, has the same 133 MHz Pentium processor. The battery still holding a charge doesn't surprise me-a lot of 760s I've come across have absurdly had batteries that still work. the 760E I first got had a battery that held an hour charge, and a 760C I picked up at a recycle center had a good battery. I bought a 760EL off ebay advertised with a dead battery, but when I got it, the battery held a good charge.

As I mentioned before: yours should have a 133MHz Pentium processor, and it came standard with 16MB of RAM but it was likely upgraded at some point, although that's unlikely actually since you mentioned it's running Windows 3.1. Which is odd... 760EDs were around after Windows 95 came out, so it should have been upgraded to Windows 95. 1.2 GB sounds like an original HD, I wouldn't touch it or upgrade it.

If you wanted to keep it for novelty and maybe play with it a bit, i'd recommend fetching a Windows 98 install disk, and installing Windows 98 on the Hard Drive, unless your dad had some nostalgic or important data or programs. You can transfer that to floppies if you want, because Windows 98 makes the system so much more better to use, and it'll run it smoothly. Windows 2000 will run, but may be a hassle to install, and will not run as smooth. I would also scout ebay for an internal CD-ROM drive, you mentioned you figured out how to prop up the keyboard and peek at the hardware bays, you can simply remove the floppy drive and place a CD-ROM in, you just have to make sure the machine's not running. From there, you can boot and play CDs, and maybe install a few old games

I think 760s are incredible machines though. You've got an amazing find

[MaxZero]

The computer was found in its carry case complete with the CD drive that can be swapped, along with a whole host of other things that haven't been used. This includes some sort of IBM modem adaptor that seems to plug into the communications port on the left side, loads of replacement plastic bits and pieces, spare red keyboard nipple things, three different converters for video (i think, some of the ports i've never seen before) and some other things I don't recognise. In the other big pouch of its carry case is a little HP deskjet 300.

I think i found the ram port, is it accessible from the computer's underneath? Its like no sort of ram i've sen before with the ram that it already has containing two slots for more ram on itself. The ports are both empty so i guess it hasn't been expanded.

Im guessing that its running 3.1 because that was the OS that the rest of the company was using at the time on the rest of the machines and it probably made support easier, i cant think of any other good reason as to why it would have been downgraded. What with it referencing the company before Windows is booted, i'm curios to know just how deep their influence on the computer was. I don't seem to be able to access the control panel, so i have my doubts it would let me install a different OS. The information contained on the computer are very outdated work documents that bear no importance to anything anymore so I would quite happily wipe everything to get a fully functional OS, however would this be as straightforward as simply entering the install disk or would I need to fiddle with the firmware?

Thanks for the responses guys, i appreciate your input

[Medessec]

your OS might actually be OS/2, we'd be able to tell for sure if you posted a pic or something. A 760ED running OS/2 is actually quite desireable.

Also, a 760ED with that amount of accessories and original parts, ESPECIALLY those video converters, is VERY desireable and quite rare, and I'd actually be interested in it. lol. The RAM port on the 760s is quite funky yea, the 760 has 8MB of RAM soldered onto the motherboard, but also has a RAM "exapnder", a module with 2 RAM slots that, in itself, has 8MB RAM as well, and you can put more sticks into the slots to expand the RAM even further. It's quite cool. You've got a pretty amazing find, even the mini-printer sounds quite retro and rare.

If it is a modded version of 3.1, the exact circumstances surrounding those modifications and the OS is beyond me, and I'd think an OS wipe would be wise if you wanted to use the computer anyway, and I'm not sure your dad's company(err... the iteration of it at the time), defunct now or not, would appreciate you prodding around in an old modded version of their OS oriented for workstation use. If you have any thought to preserve it however-you could see about getting an adapter and cloning the drive to a volume on a newer computer.

If not, then yeah-just simply put in a full Win 98 install disk and follow the instructions. I highly recommend you track down a Windows 98 Second Edition CD, a full install CD, as the setup is very similar to XP and is easy to perform. It also doesn't require any floppy disks to assist in the install. 98 SE also will make life a whole lot easier when playing with the computer, as installing things like PC cards and software will be a cinch compared to the more stingy and touchy Win 95. Win 3.1 is nearly unusable, I would only install it for originality or novelty.

[MaxZero]

Its not OS/2, it has a Windows splash screen at startup. And the company have definitely forgotten about the computer. For one thing it wasn't recalled in the first place when the replacements were issued, then the IT was outsourced, then there was a big merger changing all the official names.

I've had a new idea concerning the interface. I'm probably interacting with an enterprise system (that boots on startup) for the computers at the firm to run ontop of 3.1, I assume it was probably more expensive to get it the software to work on 95 and not worth the cost. Any system setting alterations must have been done by a remote Admin (I cant find anything that would let me log in as one). Maybe they became available when the computer was connected to the company's network, i've obviously only used it 'offline'. Pressing 'exit' on the desktop takes me to MS DOS.

I will see what I can to about getting a second edition 98 disk but preservations a good idea, I don't fancy wiping this until i've gotten a backup incase its ever needed, i'll look into finding the adaptor to do that, another member PMed me with a route to the computers specifacations that i've plonked on the other end of this link..

Ultimately, I think I will sell the machine on. I like the idea of a computer I can mess about with DOS on but as I cant get this machine to make any sound while running in it, i'll look to trying something else after I've had another attempt after the re-install.

Again, thanks for the tips, very helpful indeed

[Medessec]

No problem at all. It's really cool to see people post about awesome finds like this- well, at least to me, it's quite interesting. That link you got is a pretty good reference... i'll have to start using that.

For cloning or preserving, to get the necessary hardware, I highly recommend this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-2-0-to-IDE- ... 3f0c5f9149

It is an ebay item... but I've bought 3 of those, and had no problems. It's very easy to use those, and they come in handy a whole lot, as they make backing up or transferring data between desktop and laptop internal drives super-easy. You will have to remove the actual HD out of the caddy in the 760 to plug it into the adapter. If you want to be super-thorough about it, and copy/clone the boot manager as well, you'll have to use drive backup/cloning software... i'm not sure on any software for you to look out for.

Nice Windows 98 CDs can be found on ebay as well for fairly cheap, and you can also post a "WTB" in the forum marketplace on here, to see if anyone has any they'd be willing to toss you. I unfortunately don't at the moment...

And if you do plan to sell it, be sure to let me know when you're up for it. but until then, enjoy playing with it, 760s are always a challenge, but for me at least... they're ridiculously cool to tinker with.

[Radioguy]

I just want to echo the comments on the video (& gameport/midi?) cable adapters. I remember having to wait some time before getting my hands on them. There was also the docks, external floppy, and possibly an internal LS-Superdisk or Zip drive (from Apricorn?) option. I think even the Ultrabay analog TV adapter from an earlier model might also have been compatible. Ah, they were great ThinkPad memories.

[Medessec]

Yeah-when I was working on 760s, I was having to look a whole lot for parts, or have to pay high dollar for the parts that MaxZero mentioned he has here. The video adapters I imagine will be very desireable, I think the find as a whole will be very desireable, as I imagine the 760ED he has here will be in very good condition as well.

I always remember working on my first 760, which was *technically* my first computer, and I pretty much did a good chunk of learning hardware and other tinkering... I was like, 10 at the time too. The 760 is not my absolute favorite Thinkpad, but it is the most nostalgic indeed.

[MaxZero]

Hi there.

I have some spare time this bank holiday and I thought i would give this another shot.

I have a windows 98 install disk, and I have some drivers from the support website incase they are necessary. The only thing is... I don't know what to do now.

As stated earlier, I believe this computer boots into a crippled Windows 3.1. This means I have no access to any of the admin/system preferences, I think if I was to erase the contents of the hard drive, I would first need to stop the computer from booting normally somehow.

Linked below is a video of the 760ED booting up, displaying the OS that I would like to remove. Could anyone advise how to begin reformatting the machine, or as to where any instructions would be available.

The way I see it, if it is easy to do, it cant have been particularly secure, defeating the point

http://youtu.be/O3zoEf698Pg


Edit: I've gotten into the BIOS (see image: http://oi59.tinypic.com/2emh9c0.jpg) the flapping dove mouse is excellent, looks like booting from elsewhere may not be too hard, however in the boot selection screen there isn't an option for a CD, just floppies, hard disks and an external card or something.

Any insight available?

[axur-delmeria]

I had a 760XD a long time ago (early 2000s). From what I remember, none of the 760 series were capable of booting from CDs, but you can overcome this by using a boot loader like Smart Boot Manager. I've never tried it though, since my 760XD's CD drive was rather finicky/picky with reading discs.

I was able to install Windows 95 by copying the installer (76MB) on a Zip disk, then booting from floppy disk, then loading the Zip driver. (!!)

Depending on the OS you want to install, you may be able to connect the HDD to another machine (via USB to IDE adapter, though you need to remove the HDD from the caddy), formatting the HDD as a bootable disk, then copying the installation files. This will work for Windows versions before Win 2000.

[cadillacmike68]

You don't need to boot from the CD to install Win98 SE. Just make a DOS 6.x boot floppy, and ensure the Thinkpad CDROM drivers are loaded. To do this you would need to have the floppy drive and CD both connected. Do you have a FDD connector cable for the parallel port?

OR, boot the HDD, exit to DOS, and run the w98 setup on the CD.

My old 760 has a HDD with OS/2 on it and another with W95 on it, but I haven't booted them in years. I think I have an old DOS boot floppy with the thinkpad CD drivers on it in my stack of old 700 and 300 series diskettes.