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Game box repair

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing, Toy trains May 10, 2021March 26, 2024

Vintage computer games and vintage toys display better in their original boxes. But frequently those boxes are in less than ideal condition, especially if you got it at a good price. A pristine box can be worth more than the contents. I recently lucked into a couple of vintage Commodore game cartridge boxes. Their best days were behind them, but I was able to make them presentable again. Here’s my approach to game box repair.

I fixed up quite a few battered books in my day to make them more suitable for resale. The tricks I learned fixing books helped me with fixing game boxes and toy boxes as well.

Error 0x8007025d installing Windows 10

Dave Farquhar Windows May 6, 2021June 7, 2022

I was installing Windows 10 on an HP Z210 workstation and kept getting error 0x8007025. There’s not a lot of information about that error, so here’s how I fixed it.

Marx presidential figures

Dave Farquhar Model Building May 5, 2021May 8, 2021

In the 1960s, the once-great Louis Marx toy company produced a line of plastic figurines of U.S. presidents. These Marx presidential figures garnered a bit of a cult following, and they retain one today.

Is collecting retro games worth it?

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing May 4, 2021March 26, 2024

I saw an interesting perspective this week on the hobby of collecting retro games, from another retro enthusiast. Prices on retro games, he observes, are increasing. That’s making him ask a tough question: Is collecting retro games worth it?

Any hobby seems like a waste of time to the right (or wrong) person. If a hobby, such as collecting retro games, helps you to unwind and get focused, and you can get some of your money back out of it as you lose interest or approach end of life, then I have to argue that hobby is worth it.

Super glue vs epoxy

Dave Farquhar DIY May 3, 2021March 27, 2021

Super glue and epoxy are two specialty glues that certainly have their uses. But each of them have some pros and cons that will affect your opinion of them. Is epoxy stronger than super glue? Let’s take a look at super glue vs epoxy and when to use each, so you can get the best results possible from each.

Compaq Presario 425 and 433

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing April 29, 2021March 3, 2025

The Compaq Presario 425 and 433 are popular machines with retro enthusiasts. They are Compaq 486s from 1993, and they look like exactly what they are. They’re well built, have recognizable branding, and don’t take up a lot of space. In some ways they’re the ideal 486 today. Let’s look at why they weren’t necessarily the ideal 486 for 1993, but they, along with the rest of the Presario line, helped transform Compaq anyway.

What size nut driver for computers?

Dave Farquhar Hardware, Retro Computing April 28, 2021June 13, 2022

Many modern computers don’t require any tools to work on. But that’s not always the case, especially with vintage computers, or less-expensive DIY cases. A nut driver, also known as a hex driver or hex nut driver, makes things easier. So what is the right size nut driver for computers? Or do you need more than one?

Cyrix processor chips: In memoriam

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing April 28, 2021April 15, 2026

Cyrix was a scrappy, up and coming CPU manufacturer in the 1990s. They never had Intel’s name recognition, but for a few years they made life more difficult for its larger rivals, Intel and AMD. For a while, Cyrix processor chips were a popular choice for value-conscious PC buyers.

Cyrix contributed a lot of confusing alphabet soup to the 1990s CPU market, and their chips usually weren’t the highest-performing chips available. But they usually did provide good value for the money, even though Cyrix never was a premium brand.

Is Bittorrent safe? A security pro’s take

Dave Farquhar security April 27, 2021June 20, 2021

While the legality of Bittorrent, or at least what people typically use Bittorrent for, is questionable, there’s another question. Is Bittorrent safe? Let’s dig into that question, with something more than unsubstantiated claims.

CIA triad of security

Dave Farquhar security April 26, 2021June 20, 2021

The CIA triad of security has become controversial. I think this is due to a lack of understanding of what it means. The CIA triad remains a good fundamental model of why security exists and what it protects. Here’s what the CIA triad is all about, and what’s wrong with the trendy model some say should replace it.

The CIA triad refers to three things: the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computer systems and data. Although it is an old model, it is also enduring.