A while ago, I posted a full restoration of a slightly older Compaq set (the Pentium II 266MHz upgraded to a PIII 550MHz). You guys really seemed to enjoy the high-quality photos and the process, so I’m back with another project! I hope you get just as much enjoyment out of this post and the new set of "glam" shots.

This one was fully disassembled, washed, and reassembled. Just good old soap and water here, no Retrobrite.

The Specs:

• CPU: Intel Pentium III @ 866MHz
• RAM: 512MB SDRAM (133MHz)
• GPU: NVIDIA Riva TNT2 Pro (16MB)
• Audio: SoundMAX Integrated Audio (it even has a built-in speaker!)
• HDD: 40GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 (7200 RPM)
• Optical: 40X CD-ROM
• Floppy: 1.44MB FDD

Peripherals:

• Monitor: Compaq S710 CRT (Still bright and sharp! Set to 80% brightness in the photos)
• Mouse: Compaq S34 PS/2 ball mouse
• Keyboard: Keytronic PS/2 keyboard (Estonian layout)

Software & Usage:

While this hardware screams "Windows 2000 Workstation," (it's even on the license sticker!) it makes for a beautiful Windows 98 gaming machine. Windows is fully updated thanks to windowsupdaterestored.com, and I've configured a Protoweb proxy so I can enjoy the early-2000s web properly.

This feels like the perfect baseline to drop in a Voodoo 2 and turn it into the ultimate late-90s gaming rig. Now, if only I could track down a matching period-correct Compaq keyboard to finish the look...

The Repair Process:

While the main task was giving it a deep clean, I did have to fix a few broken components along the way:

• The PSU Fan Fix: The single 80mm fan in the system was originally wired directly to the 5V rail. Looking closer, the fan controller components inside the PSU were fried, and a previous owner had done a lazy "fix" to bypass it. The fan was incredibly noisy, too. I managed to trace the broken components on the PSU board (A TIP115 darlington transistor), replaced them (similar TIP117), and installed a brand-new fan. Now, the fan speed is properly regulated by the system based on internal temperatures.
• Plastic Repairs: A few plastic elements were snapped, most notably on the CRT housing. I used solvent/chemical welding to fuse the pieces back together. The joints are now rock-solid—probably stronger than the rest of the housing, given how brittle the original untouched plastic has become over the years.