I keep one specifically for those old but essential programs - Needhams device burner and most specifically Protel Autotrax, which has 25 years of PCB designs and libraries - because of my fundamental distrust of mechanical hard drives, I use a CF card with an IDE converter as the HD.
I work offshore in the seismic industry.
The equipment I work with runs with DOS 5 or 6.
Years ago, the company tried to migrate the program to Windows 2000 but gave up after many problems.
So we go armed with the DOS boot disk and the program disk - 2 3.5" floppys.
Andy
@studiophone
i did laugh out loud from reading your reply. i'm in the same position, currently trying to get hold of x2 2SB817's + driver's
gaz
i did laugh out loud from reading your reply. i'm in the same position, currently trying to get hold of x2 2SB817's + driver's
gaz
My pc with W2K has a cd drive as well as a 3.5" floppy drive. My laptop has a cd drive and a peripheral 3.5" floppy.
It was convenient to transfer all the files I wanted at one time with a cd . . . until . . .
Occasionally, W7 or W10 would automatically try to re-format the "cd" when it was inserted in the laptop. WTH!!
It ruined 2 R/W cds that each had months of data on. Apparently it doesn't recognize older format versions.
Most of the time I resort to using a 3.5" disc to transfer files from the pc to my laptop -- maybe 3 to 5 files at a time. Safer that way, but a pain.
It was convenient to transfer all the files I wanted at one time with a cd . . . until . . .
Occasionally, W7 or W10 would automatically try to re-format the "cd" when it was inserted in the laptop. WTH!!
It ruined 2 R/W cds that each had months of data on. Apparently it doesn't recognize older format versions. Most of the time I resort to using a 3.5" disc to transfer files from the pc to my laptop -- maybe 3 to 5 files at a time. Safer that way, but a pain.
So many different applications or tools that only work on certain systems.
I use an older version of Mathcad, and LspCad that work on W2K, so I have a dedicated workstation for those.
But then there are Office programs (Word, Excel, etc.) and the handy little DATS measurement system that run on my laptop with W10.
Often, data files or picture files need to be transferred from one computer to the other. That can be time-consuming and tedious.
Of course, there is probably a collection of current applications and tools that can be used on a single computer. Maybe I'm resistant to change . . . but if something I have already works . . .
It always shocks me how few people (outside of the IT industry) know about and use virtual machines.
You could very easily download Oracle VirtualBox (100% free), install it on your best/newest workstation running whatever "base" or "main" OS you have, and then create multiple virtual machines and install whatever OS you want on them. You can even easily create shared folders to copy files from VM to VM or VM to host.
In your case, install VirtualBox in Windows 10 and then create a VM and install W2K and the old apps on it.
But like you say, what you have already works. VMs are just such a great option these days.
In the attached screenshot you can see my base OS is Linux, but then I have a clone of my work PC (Windows 7) running in a virtual machine because I am working from home (COVID-19) and also a virtual machine running Windows XP for the sole purpose of using SEAmpCAD.
This all runs perfectly on a modest 6 core PC with 8GB of RAM. I've scaled the screenshot because my desktop is huge.
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DOSBOX does run any dos-based os (dos5/6/win3x/calmira/nt4) on any later win or mac platform. I'm also using VMware on a macbookpro 17 to run win2000 with orcad and aimspice for simulations. They run simultanious. Sometimes I need a linux application, so vmware boots MX18 or mint alongside.
DIY needs a lot of space, it don't have.
DIY needs a lot of space, it don't have.
Ypu might be surprised how well you can draw using Msoft Excel. Very good at grouping and lining up objects of various types in a grid (just like graph paper!)
Its not necessarily about work ethic so much as it is about finding a way to enjoy passing the time working on something. Some people spend too much time imagining the future and or thinking about the past. Being able to stay mentally focused on the present can help a lot.
got robbed by some scottish scum-bag on ebay
i messaged a guy who was selling spare rotel parts, and asked him if i could have "2SB817 x2 and the drivers" he said yes and put the whole PCB for sale, i won auction. but when the pcb arrived, this scum bag had taken the original rotel transistors and replaced them with chinese fakes(didnt even bother to solder back in properly). what a scum-bag
i messaged a guy who was selling spare rotel parts, and asked him if i could have "2SB817 x2 and the drivers" he said yes and put the whole PCB for sale, i won auction. but when the pcb arrived, this scum bag had taken the original rotel transistors and replaced them with chinese fakes(didnt even bother to solder back in properly). what a scum-bag
Just curious - as there anything special about the 2SB817 that any of the myriad of better rated plastic power transistors out there (A1943, A1302 and friends) cannot do?.got robbed by some scottish scum-bag on ebay
i messaged a guy who was selling spare rotel parts, and asked him if i could have "2SB817 x2 and the drivers" he said yes and put the whole PCB for sale, i won auction. but when the pcb arrived, this scum bag had taken the original rotel transistors and replaced them with chinese fakes(didnt even bother to solder back in properly). what a scum-bag
Might try these. I believe KEC licensed the 2SB817 / 2SD1047 parts so they should, in theory, perform the same.
KTD1047 KTD1047Y Transistor NPN 12A 140V TO-3P
KTB817 KTB817Y Transistor PNP 12A 140V TO-3P
I bought a bunch of these a couple months ago for experiments because they were cheap, and they seem to be genuine.
Careful about subbing something like a 2SA1943 or MJL1302 in here- they're significantly faster than the 2SB817.
KTD1047 KTD1047Y Transistor NPN 12A 140V TO-3P
KTB817 KTB817Y Transistor PNP 12A 140V TO-3P
I bought a bunch of these a couple months ago for experiments because they were cheap, and they seem to be genuine.
Careful about subbing something like a 2SA1943 or MJL1302 in here- they're significantly faster than the 2SB817.
got robbed by some scottish scum-bag on ebay
i messaged a guy who was selling spare rotel parts, and asked him if i could have "2SB817 x2 and the drivers" he said yes and put the whole PCB for sale, i won auction. but when the pcb arrived, this scum bag had taken the original rotel transistors and replaced them with chinese fakes(didnt even bother to solder back in properly). what a scum-bag
If its Ebay or Chinese stay well clear.
With them its very much luck of the draw whether its good or bad quality.
I have bought some serious rubbish off ebay numerous times so gave up.
Its worth paying a few pennies more for something better off a reputable dealer.
Power electronics seem to be worst with small dies to keep them cheap.
Trouble once installed it takes a little spike on the power supply to push them into breakdown region.
I have one for when I need to burn an EPROM. A VERY rare event. It dual boots WinXP or MS-DOS 6.22.
Two years back I did the last Tango project I'll ever do. Those poor Chinese folks had a BAD time sorting out
Gerber 274D files. Now using KiCad and it was a bad time for me dealing with the libraries. I still am not good
with their libraries BUT the board got made and it works with no cuts/jumpers.
G²
I wrote my own pcbcad software many years ago that just did 274 d files.
I sent out some pcb files to get a pcb made.
What I got back was a pcb totally covered in copper with no gaps !
Someone had mis-typed one (or more) of the sizes into their plotting machine and it made the whole layers copper.
It gave me the kick to convert the files to include apertures in the gerber files and not in a separate file.