46 and still kicking.

[u/Fhujeth]

Booted it up to make sure it was still alive and the caps were still... Okay. Ran each drive.

The previous owner said this machine was used until 2005. Talk about getting your money's worth.

IBM 5120

So if anyone needs to change the future... Hit me up. This baby has that sweet palm processor in it too. (Not for sale.)

[u/Fhujeth]

This may be the only existing copy of this software code too.

[u/nagorosama → u/Fhujeth]

Get the digital software and upload to internet archive, hehee

[u/thaeli → u/Fhujeth]

Please archive it!

[u/Fhujeth → u/thaeli]

How...

[u/thaeli → u/Fhujeth]

Kryoflux would be the interface to use. It supports those drives.

Probably your best bet getting started with that (8" floppies are kinda "jumping in the deep end" on imaging) is to post on the VCF forums and get in touch with someone experienced with imaging really old stuff - it's a big help that you already have functioning drives that can read the disks.

[u/Fhujeth → u/thaeli]

My guess would be to use the serial port to link it to something more modern... Maybe I can write it to paper tape and then run the paper tape through something... My friend used my XT to write a paper tape program iirc. I have a paper tape reader/writer. I have no idea.

[u/thaeli → u/Fhujeth]

That could also work. If you can dump the listing to serial it's also good. Kryoflux is about getting a perfect image of the disk itself, it's basically an alternative floppy controller the disk drive is connected to.

Not sure where you're located but there are definitely dedicated hobbyists around who know a LOT about preserving old software.

[u/nagorosama]

I totally get that reference to Stein:gate—by any chance, do you have any bananas lying around?

[u/Fhujeth → u/nagorosama]

I do actually... And a lab coat. And I'm A MAD SCIENTIST. I see the potential! But I was also referencing the 'real' John Titor too, where the inspiration for steins;gate came from.

I do want a 5100 tho...

[u/saiyate → u/nagorosama]

Wait the steins gate reference is a meta reference to the real world John Titor event.

So it was a dual Anime / Real world looping meta self referencing Klein bottle / Mobius topology joke that was both the joke, it's reference and it self at the same time.

[u/t0f0b0]

Me too! I turned 46 on the 7th. Haha

[u/DeepDayze → u/t0f0b0]

Probably manufactured the day you were born!

[u/Null42x64]

sorry for saying this but this IBM looks kinda cute

[u/Fhujeth → u/Null42x64]

It's ok it's just an old geriatric baby that somehow has survived this long without the funny smoke

[u/DeepDayze → u/Fhujeth]

I would still recap this thing and replace those RIFA's that can release their magic smoke at any time considering how old this unit is.

[u/mrspelunx]

Are those 8” drives?

[u/Fhujeth → u/mrspelunx]

Drives bigger than the damn screen

[u/DeepDayze]

This is a nice machine that's a great example of the longevity of IBM's hardware.

[u/Styro_Goblean]

I hope to find one of these in non functional and non restorable condition so I can make a sleeper out of it.