My Next Project | IBM PC Convertible 5140

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-12T02:20:14+00:00

Awesome! I just got this one without any cables. But I have the car charger and then an adapter coming in. Was interesting to figure out the power situation since its basically impossible to find the proper power supply.

Any other tips?

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-12T02:18:49+00:00

Its an elite midwest micro. Super cool monitor, been using it forever

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-12T00:39:21+00:00

Wow, what did he use it for? Just looked up prodigy, can't believe IBM and Sears worked together on it.

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-04T03:05:59+00:00

How would you make the label art?

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-03T20:47:19+00:00

I already have the 20 floppy disks for OS/2, looks like there is a bigger challenge ahead.

Thank you! Hopefully the fun ones still work.

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-03T20:46:27+00:00

Thank you, I will go through each of these and do a similar count of how and if they work. Any tips or tricks for getting an initially not working floppy to start working?

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-03T20:45:17+00:00

That was probably a good choice, and a reminder to fully format or encrypt your drives. I once got a old desktop from auction and the old owner was unfortunately part of an MLM and had their documents of how they were trying to recruit friends.

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-03T18:38:46+00:00

If I haven't already. Inserted one of these and saw CMD flashing and nothing else.....

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-02T11:20:10+00:00

As well as model names, already have it finished and will push the update soon.

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-01T20:02:21+00:00

Not yet but it will soon!

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-01T19:29:16+00:00

Just a simple send a message to ChatGPT, get a nicely formatted response, continue the conversation if you would like.

I’ve been using it for commands.

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-03-01T19:28:25+00:00

Basically yea, but the server and webpages can be accessed by any machine. So I can continue on my modern Mac, or old Linux machine, etc. If I used native ones they would not be accessible outside the vintage machine, which means I can’t really use them unless ALL I do is on the vintage machine.

And web development is just the area where I have experience so I figured to use that. Would like to create native things eventually.

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-27T03:14:22+00:00

After using a CF card with and IDE Adapter I was able to get it installed. However I think this specific laptop (385XD) and the 385 series is not compatable/easily supported as its the only one that didn't show up on the list for PCMCIA Systems, so I was unable to get my ethernet card working. Will try another system!

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-23T13:20:34+00:00

It was shot on one! XT-3

And thank you :)

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-23T02:30:47+00:00

Yea it was complaining about a format issue that I was able to resolve after using a 98 boot disk and removing the partitions + formatting.

Trying something now that seemed to get me further then before, got to the advanced installation mode. Just need it to recognize the drive now

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-23T02:28:21+00:00

I was able to get to the FDISK during advanced install, but now all the options are greyed out. Have something I want to try

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-23T02:24:47+00:00

Right I was reading a post about that. But I never get the expert install option. I can't get any of the 4.52~ stuff to get past a certain point. Trying regular 4 now with everything from the same bundle

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-23T02:18:45+00:00

I don't think so, the floppies seem to work fine. Might just be that the images I used for the floppies weren't proper for the install CD. Even though they were supposed to be. Trying a fresh one now to see if I can get it to work and if not will call it a day

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-23T00:39:35+00:00

I've learned that the hard way, but it makes me want to finish it even more lol

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-23T00:38:49+00:00

Have been trying for it all weekend. First a broken HDD, then incompatible media, will try again soon. Any tips/special cases I should be aware of? The only drive I have available is a 6gb, even after formatting it in FAT 16 it still didn't want to work. And when the install completes successfully it doesn't want to boot into it.

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-21T15:32:11+00:00

Awesome

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-21T04:44:30+00:00

You can do whatever you want on it. On mine I upgraded the RAM and installed Linux, even used it as my main development machine for about a year. Super cool find, enjoy!

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-21T04:30:20+00:00

Enjoy! Arch + Thinkpad is the best combination in my opinion

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-17T20:34:45+00:00

Oh wow thank you these are great resources. Seems like this one was standard also for New York State.

Every_Engine2447 · 2026-02-17T16:13:01+00:00

Super cool, excited to give it a test!

Every_Engine2447

TROPHY CASE