old box with DOS 6.22

[Dark Millennium]

anyone have any suggestions on what to do with a 486 running DOS 6.22. I have one lying around somewhere and wondered what it could be used for. Also does anyone have any links as to how to get it on the network?

As you can tell my DOS skills are rusty to put it politely:rolleyes:

[NooNoo]

NT4 on it
Linux on it
3.1 and network it - thats good fun!

Or leave it with Dos and write yerself a nice menu system to run all the old games.

[Dark Millennium]

NT4??!!!!

I have that runing on a P200 with 96 MB of RAM and its extremely slooowww.

Can't imagine what it would be on a 486!!!!

me moves off to see if he can find his old Red Hat 6.2 and 7.0 cds....

[geeksRus]

go to Coyote Linux (http://www.coyotelinux.com/) and make a router that runs from a floppy.

[Outcoded]

Play Elite

[NooNoo]

Now there's a blast from the past... Had that game on BBC b... and I know that thing is still going!

[Zerotech]

You could install an earlier Linux distribution, or possibly install the Arachne browser and surf the web!

Arachne is a DOS-based browser that runs well on 486's (preferrably with an external modem).

You'll find it here: http://browser.arachne.cz/

[freddy]

the dos based browser sounds good , that link is dead , anyone got a better link?



FtF

[Zerotech]

Strange.... I just clicked on it and it worked. :confused:

[Zerotech]

Just checked the arachne link again......it still works!

Another idea for your old DOS box: SmoothWall; it's a version of Linux that runs older systems as a software/hardware firewall.

You could check out NewDeal software, they have updated versions of the old GeoWorks suite (Windows 3.x - like software that runs on DOS for SOHO productivity).

Run a DOS-based utility or Win3.x + utility with a crappy old printer and a 14.4K or 28.8K modem to make your own bizarre fax machine.

Dig up some of the old DOS-based Learning Company games (Midnight Rescue, Treasure Cove, Treasure Mountain, etc) and make an inexpensive edutainment center for the little ones.
(Keeps 'em off your good system! ;) )

As you might imagine, I've spent a fair amount of time resurrecting other people's cast-offs into usable work and home equipment. :)

Hopefully one of these suggestions will keep an old soldier from being tossed on the junk pile.

[gazzak]

I had a box the same as yours and I put Novell 4.11 on it so as to learn as much as I could about Novell systems and networks. I'm very glad I did too, as it has got me out of many customer situations where Novell is concerned.

[Dark Millennium]

Thanks guys. :)

I now have plenty of options to try. As for going online though that isn't possible at the moment for this box but oh well....

Thanks again for all the suggestions

[Gabriel]

If you have really nothing else to with it - you can put it in your room only to show http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Mouse/3370/Images/prompt.gif

:eek2:
Gabriel

[Commander Klarg]

1. Doorstop

2. Boat anchor

3. Trebuchet ammo

4. Target backstop


:D

*ducks*

[Packrat]

www.freesco.org

router/NAT/firewall.

Only needs a 486 with 8mb of ram.

[Orangeman]

Granted I don't know about the specifics of your 486, but I learned Windows 95 on a 486. I took about 15 minutes to get online but it was possible. Is this possible with your machine?

As to what to do with it, why don't you donate it to a worthy cause?

:cool: :D :D

[Dark Millennium]

I would donate it except their is noe one in the area who wants it:rolleyes:

Plus I don't even know the specs of it... I've been working a lot since my original post and haven't gotten around to it.

I only know that it does still boot up :)

Thnaks for all the suggestions and please if you think of a new one post it :)

Have a good one.

[Budd]

i've heard of people getting a dos mp3 player and running a mp3 juke box in dos. i don't know how well it works or even if it works, i've just heard of it.

[cookin chef]

Find some old abandoned dos games and play them on that.

I still like old dos games. Guess that's why I kept my 486 all these years.

[Platypus]

Yay! Commander Keen...or Cosmo was very cute.