[SOLVED] How hard can it be to get hold of these old Motherboards (With ISA Slot)?

[Frank Sebem]

We have a piece of expensive machinery where I work. It is a CNC machine which actually cost over £30,000 twenty years ago. It is controlled by a standard PC tower from late 90's. Of late the PC has started playing up so I decided to make a backup PC for when it dies. So, I opens up the PC case and discover that the Gigabyte Motherboard (GA-7IXE4) has ISA Slots onboard, one of which the CNC hardware card is sat in (Ferrorcontrol FBI-PC)... Feel free to surprise yourself by looking on ebay at how much the old ISA Slot Ferrorcontrol card is! So, I set about trying to get hold of an old MB/CPU/RAM bundle from the late 90's and was surprised at how rare they are. The mad/bad/sad thing is that over the years I bet I have scrapped many of these items.

 

[kanewolf]

We have a piece of expensive machinery where I work. It is a CNC machine which actually cost over £30,000 twenty years ago. It is controlled by a standard PC tower from late 90's. Of late the PC has started playing up so I decided to make a backup PC for when it dies. So, I opens up the PC case and discover that the Gigabyte Motherboard (GA-7IXE4) has ISA Slots onboard, one of which the CNC hardware card is sat in (Ferrorcontrol FBI-PC)... Feel free to surprise yourself by looking on ebay at how much the old ISA Slot Ferrorcontrol card is! So, I set about trying to get hold of an old MB/CPU/RAM bundle from the late 90's and was surprised at how rare they are. The mad/bad/sad thing is that over the years I bet I have scrapped many of these items.

That exact motherboard is available on E-bay. Yes it is stupid expensive, but this is a business expense. Get the boss to pay for it, by justifying the cost against the revenue lost if the CNC is down for a week while you mess with getting a new controller built.

 

[jay32267]

I have been in this boat for years.

I have lots of old machines like that in a plant I'm responsible for.

I pick up ISA machines off EBay.

....but in recent years they've become harder to come by.

about 10 years ago.....I bought up a bunch...like 20.....but I'm running low again.

...but that's where I get them.....EBay.

 

[Frank Sebem]

Yes. I had no choice really do I paid £55 for a motherboard/CPU/RAM bundle that is over 20 years old.

 

[kanewolf]

Yes. I had no choice really do I paid £55 for a motherboard/CPU/RAM bundle that is over 20 years old.

That is bug spit money compared the lost revenue of the CNC. Stop judging business expenses against personal values.

 

[Frank Sebem]

That is bug spit money compared the lost revenue of the CNC. Stop judging business expenses against personal values.

Yeah. You’re dead right mate. I was coming from the point of view that I have scrapped better machines in the past 20 years.