Retro Computing Archives

1541 vs 1541C

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing March 30, 2017October 22, 20221541, 1571, amiga, commodore, IBM

The dark beige/tan Commodore 1541 disk drive is rather well known. The lighter beige, almost white 1541c is more of a curiosity. The drives are closely related, but the difference is more than just the color. Let’s take a look at the 1541 vs 1541c.

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He has written professionally about computers since 1991, so he was writing about retro computers when they were still new. He has been working in IT professionally since 1994 and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He holds Security+ and CISSP certifications. Today he blogs five times a week, mostly about retro computers and retro gaming covering the time period from 1975 to 2000.

dfarq.homeip.net

Why Jack Tramiel left Commodore

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing March 17, 2017April 4, 2026

Retro computing fans, especially Commodore and Atari enthusiasts, all know the story. Jack Tramiel left Commodore, the company he founded, in early 1984 at the height of its success. Then, within a few months, he gained control of Commodore rival Atari.

But why?

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Commodore 64 vs Amiga

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing March 3, 2017September 6, 20181980s, 1990s, 6502, amiga, amiga os, atari, atari st, commodore, commodore 64, compaq, hp, intel, kmart, motorola, Packard Bell, Personal Computer, unix, XT

Looking at the Commodore 64 vs Amiga seems a little odd, at least to me. After all, the machines were never intended to be rivals. The Amiga was supposed to succeed the 64. Commodore bought Amiga because they couldn’t make a 64 successor on their own, so they intended for the Amiga to replace it. It didn’t fully succeed, and maybe that’s why the comparison is still interesting.

Looking back, the machines may seem similar today. But in 1985 they sure didn’t.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Commodore 1541 vs clones

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing February 3, 2017November 15, 20241541, capacitors, commodore, MOS, power brick

The battle of the Commodore 1541 vs clones existed because Commodore’s early track record was rather imperfect.

Commodore’s 1541 floppy disk drive was the first consumer disk drive that cost less than $300, so it has an important place in computing history.

What some people forget is that while it broke new ground, its early owners loved to hate it. It was slow, it was loud, and ran hot. Early units were unreliable too. And to add insult to injury, in 1982 and 1983, Commodore couldn’t build them fast enough to keep up with demand. Even though it had problems, people were eager to buy it. (Disk drives for other computers tended to be problematic too, in this young industry.)

The 1541’s problems led to a number of clones that tried to be a little bit better.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Meaning of the word commodore

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing January 24, 2017April 9, 20171980s, 1990s, commodore, jack tramiel

Commodore was a high-flying 1980s computer company that imploded in the early 1990s. But the name is a bit curious. What is the meaning of the word commodore?

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Whatever happened to Dr. Thomas Pabst?

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing January 16, 2017October 11, 2025

In 1996, Dr. Thomas Pabst, a German MD then living in England, created a web page where he talked about motherboards, video cards, and a then little-known phenomenon called overclocking. Dubbed Tom’s Hardware Guide, Dr. Pabst’s hobby site spawned a long list of imitators, creating a new industry: PC hardware enthusiast sites.

In 2006 he sold the site and walked away.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

History of overclocking

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing January 11, 2017April 15, 20261980s, 1990s, 6502, amd, amiga, asus, Chuck Peddle, DIY, IBM, intel, motorola, overclocking, pentium ii

Overclocking didn’t start in the 90s, and it wasn’t limited to PCs either. Here’s a history of overclocking from a guy who did it some, and talked to guys who did it a lot in the 80s.

I don’t recommend overclocking, and today Microsoft can prove it’s a bad idea. But overclocking has a long and colorful history. It’s less common than it used to be, perhaps. But it’s not completely extinct.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

LOAD “$”,8,1 – what it means

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing December 19, 2016August 2, 2023

I’ve been seeing some references to LOAD “$”,8,1 lately. I think this is due to Commodore 64s making appearances in pop culture. If you’re wondering what this curious command means, I’ll explain it.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

An LCD monitor for retro computing

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing October 19, 2016July 27, 2022amiga, commodore, commodore 64, dell, RCA, VGA, video connector

Purists prefer CRT monitors for a more authentic experience, but if you don’t mind an LCD, here’s a good LCD monitor for retro computing. Look for a Dell 2001fp manufactured in June 2005 or before. For bonus points, try to find one with a soundbar.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Commodore 64 commands

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing October 4, 2016July 11, 2018cmd, commodore, commodore 64, unix

People frequently ask me for a list of common or useful Commodore 64 commands, including disk drive commands. Since the C-64’s built in operating system is more of a combination command line/Basic interpreter, it takes some getting used to if you didn’t grow up with it.

These commands assume a stock, unmodified C-64, freshly powered on. Many fast-load cartridges, ROM replacements, or so-called DOS wedge programs include shortcuts for these commands. But these commands work on any C-64 with a disk drive, modified or stock.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net