Welcome to ComputerHobbyShop.com
 

For Computer Enthusiasts who love to use a computer for anything they can!
Click here for a ChatGPT 4 Summary of this Website.

  Home  About  Expert Help  Guarantee  Giveaways  Non-Profit  Legal Notice 

Mission: Build, Upgrade, Repair/Restore/Save & Recycle Computers!

Here I will Build, Upgrade, Repair computers and I even make videos of some projects.

My Goal: Richard's ComputerHobbyShop Makes Computers Fun and Affordable.



ComputerHobbyShop is a place for Serious Modern Computer Users and even
Vintage Computer Enthusiasts and Retro Tech Hobbyists who also enjoy technology as a hobby.

Motto: For Computer Enthusiasts Who Love To Use A Computer For Anything They Can.

Because
I'm a computer enthusiasts, I too enjoy using a computer for anything I can.

See my latest fun computer upgrade project


A Retired IT Professional Owns ComputerHobbyShop

I'm Richard, an IT Trainer and Tech Author of money saving websites for computer users.

Richard A. McFarland

I'm a professional, but now I'm retired and don't have to work for big business anymore,
I consider it my retirement hobby to do all I can to help you enjoy computers like I do.

I made ComputerHobbyShop for like me and tech users like you.

With as many computers as I can, I'll help you save and I'll give away as many I can too.

The only cost for winners is the smallest possible shipping fee and
you are protected as I'll never ask for your personal info.

Donations

Even after I sell some tech to help cover costs, this site is funded primarily through donations.
If you enjoy it please help with a small donation. Thanks!


See the ComputerHobbyShop Safety Video where it says I only use a Secure Pay Pal Link.

You heard right, my followers can win free tech prizes.

See how easy it is to find more free tech giveaways and follow this site!


Save Over 80% Off Now on our Special Christmas LCD Monitor Sale!

ComputerHobbyShop Special Christmas LCD Monitor Sale



Sorry, both these SOLD VERY FAST... Two iPhone 8s in the Original Apple Retail Box on eBay


or buy it local from Facebook Messages at this link.


Completed Top Project: A+ Upgraded 2016 Apple Mac Pro

A+ Renewed Apple Mac Pro 12 Core, 3.5 GHz Turbo,
Fast 4th Gen Sabrent Rocket 2 TB NVMe PCIe SSD, + 64GB RAM

Save on Intel Core i7 Gaming PC from ComputerHobbyShop

Apple Factory Manufactured as a CTO, (Custom-built To Order, in Nov 2016)


Past Project: A Gaming & Video Creation 3 TB SSD Storage Extreme PC

Wow, my $1,375.00 PC sold for only $258.93 on eBay after 40 bids...
A Custom-Built Intel Core i7 8th gen PC, a 12 Thread 6 Core, Gaming & Video
with 3 Fast SSDs, plus a Wireless RGB keyboard and mouse, and the buyer could easily
add an Allstate 1 Year Warranty on top of the eBay Buyer Protection Guarantee.

Save on Intel Core i7 Gaming PC from ComputerHobbyShop



Past Project: PowerBook G4 Collector's Mac Laptop

OS X 10.4.11 and OS 9.2 with 2GB RAM upgrade finished and restored!

See how it sold with lots of inculded retro games here.

ComputerHobbyShop Posts a PowerBook G4 Collector's Mac Laptop


Project "4K Apple iMac Update"

Other than updating this to the most current Mac OS Sonoma, and a previous
custom order doubling the RAM, here is one iMac 4K that I did not have to restore!

See this Apple iMac 4K with Upgraded RAM and 1TB SSD here
and save over $1,000 compared to a new 2020 5K iMac from a large dealer.
ComputerHobbyShop Posts A Modern 4K iMac


Project: "Restored Apple Mac mini"

This picture shows one of three* Apple Mac minis that I bought from SDSU Surplus.



In this project each upgraded Apple Mac mini has the Certified SDSU intial numbers,
clearly on the top and all have MS Office for Macintosh + common Apple software.
Each mini has a fresh macOS and I'm giving away one of these cool Apple Mac minis.
The exact mini won will be fully restored with everything that's in it working.

Each SDSU Surplus Mac mini is the last model of an Apple Mac mini with a built-in DVD
Drive. Each mini will come with an A/C power cord & upgraded memory to 16GB RAM.
I also upgraded the old style slow mechanical hard drive to a lightning fast 1TB SSD.

*One will be given away at random to a winner who has shown real interest by
subscribing or donating on my site, or becaming a new Patreon Member.

If you are curious how easy it is to win something here, click this link.


Working Apple MacBook Pro Being Upgraded for a Mac Collector.

Pre-posting a product before it is even finished may seem crazy to you, but it is
my most effective way to judge interest in advance as it had 200+ views
before an interested collector made an offer and agreed that it...

...Will Not Ship Until All Parts Came
And All Repairs & Upgrades Were Done




Overall it is very clean with case having few small dents and/or scratches.
You'll love owning this cool Retro Collector's Mac.

Click to see my MacBook Pro detailed post here on Computer Hobby Shop.


Project "Apple iMac 5K"

Like before, without donations, I sold this just to pay non-profit expenses,
and was posted by ComputerPro2000 to cover hosting and website costs.



A video showcasing the iMac and model mentioned above
.




Here is the ComputerHobbyShop feedback from previous eBay Auctions.

The top feedback was for my restored G4 Cube.




In this video Steve Jobs says it's important to ask for help.


I'm telling visitors, "All persons who donate anything or join me
here will be automatically entered into my next cool giveaway!
"

I made this site for my Vintage & Retro Friends and Followers,
so any winner who did not join, will have to pay shiping costs!
(Maybe joining isn't such a bad idea after all).

When only a few subscribe to enter giveaways, or join me on Patreon
I'll again sell some items to cover costs for giveaways, so if you are in
the few who clicked my links, odds to win can be very low as you'll see next.


As fun as my door prizes tend to be, imagine this... If only 5 people join my
Patreon Membership by my next computer Giveaway, the odds of winning
are 1 in 5. If only 6 people have donated by my PayPal link those 6 are
added to the 5 and the odds are 1 in 11. If you donate any retro computer
or even just a part, then I add you to the list and the odds are 1 in 12.

Someone who donated a PC part already won 1 door prize drawing!

Where else could you get that kind of odds? Not in other sweepstakes
I know of. So people can call me crazy, but as Steve says in the video,
"I just ask, ... most people never ask and that's what separates sometimes the
people who do things from the people who just dream about them."

When someone wins, an email will be sent to them.

I never ask for your personal information and only post secure links,
So if you received a Winner email, be sure it is a secure link.

See my secure shipping payment link in the original post.


Note: I've made this safe for you and I cannot be held responsible
for anyone falling for someone pretending to be me
. Legal Notice



Did you know Gold Planet Saving Members save shipping costs?

Computer Hobby Shop Patreon Membership Levels.jpg


A great way to help save vintage tech is to mail your retro computers to my non-profit. Join the mission & your name can be a Film Star Credit in a future posted video! Ready to join the fun?

Simply mail your vintage computer items to
:

Attn: ComputerHobbyShop
C/O Richard A. McFarland
P.O.  Box 383
Saint Anthony, Idaho 83445


(OK, I get it, .

Don't want to donate?
Ask me to help save tech you already have or read more tech posts.


Network Security for Classic Computing.

A larger issue is not 'net security', but it is 'getting classic Macs online at all'.

I have seen some posts where people seem concerned and will not put an old Mac on the Internet at all. Most Apple Macintosh Enthusiasts agree, the website called "Macintosh Garden" is...

ComputerHobbyShop visits the Macintosh Garden
... a "must-go-to-place" for classic Mac computers we try to save & restore.

That is, of course, if we've managed to even make old Macs go online at all.

ComputerHobbyShop Modern Network failure with PB 1400c

But even if we could make them work, few bad actors care to hack old Macs simply because they are so old. Still, many hobbyists may worry about a possible home network attack, so I suggest a simple solution. Use a second device as a firewall between your primary home router and a classic Mac or whatever rare vintage device you are using. An inexpensive Netgear GS305 Switch will make it much less likely any intruder can compromise your network data security, because the switch acts as a physical firewall.

ComputerHobbyShop Modern Network failure with PB 1400c

A WNR2000 will offer needed early WiFi protocols like 801.11g and even older 802.11b, as well as supporting somewhat newer 802.11n standards you might decide to use later on.

ComputerHobbyShop Vintage Restoration using a Simple Netgear WiFi Router

The WNR2000 is old enough to talk to early PCMCIA WiFi cards in a Mac, (like in my Powerbook 1400c), or even early Airport Cards a Mac might need.

ComputerHobbyShop visits the Macintosh Garden

Stilll, there maybe many users rightly concerned that older WEP, WPA, and WPA2 protocols are known to be easily compromised, but if you have the Netgear GS305 in the line between your primary Gateway and your classic Mac, any chances of a serious attack are nill to zero, even if WEP is easily decoded by an attacker.

ComputerHobbyShop Simple Vintage Usable Network for Safe Connections on the Internet

So the real issue in getting our oldest computers like classic Macs online is not net security as much as it is changing protocols the Mac actually works with.

See  Changing the WiFi security protocol


Fun Tech Projects!

ComputerHobbyShop has a brand new recreated SE/30 Logic Board.
New Recreated SE/30 Logic Board to be made for Computer Hobby Shop, details at https://www.computerhobbyshop.com/

Update: The boards are now here and more details + a rebuild video link is posted below.

My Top Outsourced Project, SE/30 Reloaded!

Now that I'm retired, I have fun restoring vintage computers and posting YouTube Videos. Since I'm still sort of new there I like to also watch other creators already on YouTube. When fellow Computer Hobbyists ask, "Who do you follow", I say, @CayMacVintage who does nice vintage restoration work and @JDW-

Both make some of the best vintage and retro restoration videos for hobbyist like me. I am not related to those content creators, but I do recommend the in-depth videos and I use the services they provide because my eye sight is less than needed and they can help with tiny solder work I cannot see anymore to do myself.

I invite everyone to CayMac Vintage to see Will Jacobs page at

ko-fi.com/caymacvintage
See CayMac Vintage at ko-fi.com/caymacvintage


Click the picture below to see videos from the @CayMacVintage YouTube Channel.
CayMac Vintage, 
1st of a 3 Part Video on Vintage Macintosh SE/30 Repair



Past Project Review, Apple Hard Disk 20 (HD20 Recap)

Click the picture below to see this video from the @JDW- YouTube Channel.
See other creators like @JDW- on YouTube


Project "Powerbook 1400c Memory Upgrade

Below is the link to the test results.



See computerhobbyshop.com/1400c_Modded_RAM_Tests.html


Project "Restored Apple G4 Cube"

See My G4 Cube Video Here or Posted on YouTube


Click below to see the saved original eBay post.



You'll find more retro posts in my RANDOM ACCESS FILE:

My Retro Time Machine takes you back to cool things ... there and back again ...



Just like the Good Ol' Days, enjoy fun and exciting tech projects!

A True Story: 1983 at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
I was a Fire Inspector there, where a WIMS Team was based.

WIMS Team Notes

As I have no pics of the classified Wang Information Management System,
or WIMS, (see this unclassified off brand terminal shown below).

Old Terminal Style Computer System

Tinker ran a multimillion-dollar test to decide how the US Military would use Wang computers, as distributed at many offices on Tinker Air Force Base. The original Wang Company Programmer came over from Japan to program the test systems on the base. He brought his 17-year-old teenage son, who spent his time on 32 green screen games that he put on the system. That was how they used to test computer responsiveness. It was rumored after he left the base that the games were all still there. We accidentally discovered them and how to play.

Old Terminal Computer Games

One day, while entering in Inspection Reports a friend was frustrated and hit the keys "ZZZ". After I saw him get into it, I thought if he could find this with just "ZZZ", I decided to try "YYY". Sure enough, up came "32 Big Beautiful Games". While he played Hang Man, I played Star-Trek!

Luckily, my friend and I did not get demoted for hacking, but the Wing commander called up our office. He said to the Master Sergeant in charge, "Several Generals and a couple of Full Bird Colonels who flew in to oversee the systems tests just remotely watched terminals playing HangMan and StarTrek on our newest multi-million dollar U.S. Air Force test system!"

Coincidentally, this happened before the movie, "War Games", 1st seen, June 3rd, 1983. It was not an outside attack but occurred in a U.S. Air Base where amazingly, 2 Airmen almost started a war!

War Games, the Movie
Credits for pic idea goes to "thedrive"


START OF NEW QUOTED POST by my little sister, (Patty on Facebook)

"AUGUST 12, 1981 | IBM LAUNCHES THE FIRST PC On this day, the first Personal Computer was released by IBM. Also known as the IBM Model 5150, the first PC was a revolutionary microcomputer that used an Intel 8088 processor, Microsoft MS-DOS operating system, and an open architecture allowing 3rd-party peripherals and software.

1981 IBM PC

Nerdy Fact: The first IBM PC had a distinctive sound when it was turned on, which was generated by the speaker on the motherboard. The sound was composed of three tones: a low-pitched tone of 440 Hz for 300 milliseconds, followed by a silence of 100 milliseconds, followed by a high-pitched tone of 880 Hz for 300 milliseconds. This sound sequence was designed to indicate that the power supply and the speaker were working properly. However, some users found the sound annoying or [even] alarming, and some even tried to disable it by cutting wires or covering it with tape"
END QUOTE

Thanks little sis, but don't forget to see this pic  'Apple from 1979 used in 1981'...
IBM PC Manual was written on an Apple II
I'm not sure, but he looks like Paul Shindler from Computer Chronicles

START OF NEW POST | ONE-OF-A-KIND MAC PRO


A One-of-a-Kind Mac Pro
Credits for pic goes to "wccftech"

TECH PRESERVATION POST | SE/30 REPAIR GUIDE PDF

Thanks to Mac fans in Japan who made a helpful SE/30 repair guide long ago.
See how I saved the helpful retro post from the defunct Japanese Website!

SE/30 Repair Guide Safety Posted by Computer Hobby Shop.com
SE/30 Repair guide. (Saved from defunct Japanese Website)
!


Side Notes:

I found a modern use for older Apple Cinema Displays, (especially the 30" model & version similar to the picture below). These use Dual Link DVI, and the Apple Dual-DVI Video Card will drive these monitors in machines the way Apple intended. But did you know you can get the display to work with many modern Computers? This includes PCs when you use an Active Adapter like the Club 3D CAC-1510 USB Type C to DVI-D DUAL LINK Active Adapter. It has to be an Active Adapter like a Club 3D for the DVI-D DUAL LINK video signal.

See a Cinema Display & Recomended Club 3D Active Adapter.

Note: I have the Club 3D and have connected the Apple Cinema Display via USB C to send the correct signals even from my Samsung Galaxy Book2 (with SnapDragon 8x CPU and Windows 10). A pretty cool use for an older Apple product and of course it works with newer MacBooks too.

Post of a History fact: The Weber State University original Macintosh Lab lasted a decade and a half and when the lab was finally retired, the systems all went into a dumpster. The surplus manager was retiring about that time, so he let a few of us Mac collectors reach into the dumpster and take out as much RAM as we could hold in our hands, all for just $1 per handful per dive.

Some of those sticks of RAM live today, and for a long time now I've done many upgrades to old Macs and still today have some of those rare sticks left over. Try not to laugh, but in memory of that day, I offer a graphical eulogy.

Old Terminal Style Computer System

On a more serious note: Before I retired from professional a I.T. services career, I taught Apple Macintosh Seminars in over 70 US Cities, where I used my Bondi Blue iMac G3 to make my Seminar Presentations, but my 100+ Apple Specs History Collection was on my old SCSI drive. I had to upgrade my iMac with an SCSI add-in that I put in the secret mezzanine slot, (this mezzaniene slot was a Molex 52760-1609 connector hidden inside on the motherboard).

Here is just one example of what that strange slot was for. I purchased an SCSI card from a company in Germany called Formac. They called the card, "Formac iProRAID Ultra Wide SCSI" It cost me almost $200 USD plus shipping costs. I had a lot of backup files and old software, so it was very useful to get all my 68030 stuff into the G3 from my older Mac SCSI drives!

Click for a pop-up showing where the Formac Card was installed.


Understanding URL Parameters and Safety Tips

I recently went to a website and noticed something strange in the URL.
After the main dot com name, there was a "?" just after the forward slash "/" in the URL.
Know as "parameters" after the main dot com name, here are examples of them being used:

https://www.[could be any site].com/could be any directory/?viewas=&should_open_composer=false
&show_switched_toast=false&show_invite_to_follow=false&show_switched_tooltip=false
&show_podcast_settings=false&show_community_review_changes=false
&show_community_rollback=false&show_follower_visibility_disclosure=false
&bypass_exit_warning=true

Explanations:

There are parts of the URL that can come after the "?" called query parameters.
Parameters help customize the user experience based on specific needs or preferences.
To control behavior & webpage display, the parameters pass specific information to the server.

Each parameter is a key-value pair, separated by an equals sign (=),
and multiple parameters are separated by an ampersand (&).
See the list of common uses for parameters mentioned:

  • viewas: This might control how the content is displayed, such as viewing as a guest or a registered user.
  • should_open_composer: This could determine if a text editor or composer will be opened automatically.
  • show_switched_toast: Controls if a notification (toast) is shown, switching between views or modes.
  • show_invite_to_follow: This determines whether an invitation to follow a user or page is displayed.
  • show_switched_tooltip: Controls if tooltips are shown when switching between different elements.
  • show_podcast_settings: Can be used to determine whether podcast settings are displayed.
  • show_community_review_changes: Control whether changes in community reviews are shown.
  • show_community_rollback: Could determine if rollback options for community changes are displayed.
  • show_follower_visibility_disclosure: Can control whether follower visibility settings are disclosed.
  • bypass_exit_warning: This could allow bypassing any exit warnings when leaving the page.

Risks:

Query parameters can potentially be used maliciously if someone crafts a URL with harmful intent.
Code may be used maliciously, as when someone sends you a link to do something it normally could not.

Here are a few ways this could happen:
  • Phishing: A URL might include parameters that make a fake website
    look more legitimate, tricking users into entering sensitive information.

  • Data Manipulation: Parameters could be used to alter data on the
    server in unintended ways, potentially causing harm or unauthorized access.

  • Session Hijacking: Parameters can be used to steal session tokens, allows attackers to impersonate users.

  • Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Malicious scripts can be injected into URLs, which then execute when the URL is accessed, potentially compromising user data.
While parameters are often used for tracking and custom server features, and many specific
parameters themselves are not inherently malicious, they could potentially be part of a malicious URL
(especially if they are then combined with other harmful elements). See safety tips listed below.

Important Tips for URL Safety

If someone sends you a link with many unknown parameters,
the link could redirects to a phishing site or include malicious scripts,
and it could pose any number of other risks. So, it's always important to:

A specific example to look out for is someone asking you to be friends on Facebook.
An official-looking link leads you to their page with many strange parameters activated in the URL.
So it's always a good idea to be cautious with URLs, especially when coming from unknown sources.

If a URL looks suspicious or contains unfamiliar parameters, it's best to avoid clicking on it and...
  • Verify the Source: Ensure the link is from a trusted source.
  • Check the URL: Look for any unusual or suspicious parts of the URL.
  • Use Security Tools: Utilize URL checkers or security software to scan the link.
  • What I Use: Malwarebytes Premium Non-sponsored, automatically check links before allowing URLs.
URL Safety Tools

Tools to Check URLs for Malicious Intent

  • VirusTotal: Analyzes URLs + file viruses, worms, trojans, and other kinds of malicious content.

  • Norton Safe Web: Provides safety ratings for websites based on their security and potential threats.

  • Sucuri SiteCheck: Scans websites for malware, viruses, blacklisting status, and other security issues.

  • Malwarebytes Premium checks links before access based on URL history, security, and potential threats.

  • Google Transparency Report: Checks URLs with Google's Safe Browsing data to check if safe to visit.

  • Cloudflare Radar URL Scanner: Provides detail report on security, performance, and technology of URL.

References:

  • networkencyclopedia.com
  • en.wikipedia.org
  • pcmag.com
  • hostinger.com
  • example.com
It's understandable to be cautious about URLs with many parameters,
especially when they come from social media platforms like Facebook.
Again, if you ever feel uncertain about a link, it's best to err on the
side of caution and avoid clicking on it. Signed RAM, Happy Clicking!


It's not all tech work and no play here...
See what was posted the end of October for Halloween!

A YouTube video I made Halloween night is now posted for a fun diversion!
Full Version of A Halloween Video for Retro Gamer Fun on Macintosh


See a another fun video and also posted on YouTube is my 2024 Marchintosh Project.
(Please forgive or ignore the YouTube ads, sadly, I don't get a dime for those ads).


Have a fun project for ComputerHobbyShop, contact me.

I may choose to use your ideas and/or donations in a future post and,
unless you choose to be anonymous, I'll post your name in the credits.

Of course, I don't like SPAM anymore than you do, so please

You may email an idea or question or to not miss any new post and
be listed with the first to know about new Giveaways, just subscribe or .

Click here to see a modern game computer, custom made by

RAM, (not the chips, but the Pro IT Trainer Guy).

See the history of 'RAM' on LinkedIn


Attention New Visitors!

A 4 decade Certified IT Trainer helps you save $$$ getting a computer!

My subscribers are interested in my Fun Money Saving Computer Projects!
Subscribers who become my Patreon Members enjoy my cool non-profit computer hobby projects.

Like this one that sold for just 1/6th the normal cost!

Plus, my goal for vintage and retro-style computers is to restore and upgrade as many as I can.
Not only does saving vintage computers reduce pollution, it means
more vintage and retro-style computer projects are being posted.


Now is the best time to sign up while patreon members are few and opportunities are highest. To get early access to computers I give away, and be part of the excitement, go to my Patreon page!

What Happens When You Subscribe or Signup at Patreon?

You will help save computers from landfills and become a part of my cool
project of collecting and restoring vintage computers to give them away!

I give all subscribers "early access" to my Fun Computer Videos and my newest Posts, and help you find my upgraded systems and retro giveaways.

My site can be your contact for my exclusive deals and Giveaways, but if anyone doubts my sincerity, please read my Facebook response.


See what I restored and sent to the lucky winner in Japan by Christmastime!

For this Collectible and Retro Style Computer, the lucky winner paid shipping,
but my "Gold Planet Saving Patreon Members" pay no shipping in the lower.

So you won't miss my money saving posts, here is how I can help you get
great tech deals while doing your part to save our planet from toxic e-waste!

I collect and restore vintage computers and I make videos about them, as too many owners do not know how to keep vintage computers working or they simply just throw out all old technology. But I would rather restore and give away collectible computers than see unique vintage and retro items end up in a landfill.

It's OK if you are not a geek and don't understand computers yet.

I can show you how computers do compute with RAM .


My baby boomer generation was the first to grow up in a technology-dominated world, and us boomers have seen it all happen, from LPs to DVDs and from Happy Days to BluRays.

It's a matter of history in the 70s & 80s, geeks like me gathered in User's Groups to have fun helping each other out with tech projects!

Post from the Computer Hobby Shop

Your subscription on this website or your membership on Patreon can help!

Members get ahead of the game - they don't miss exclusive tech giveaways.

All membership levels get "early access" to my Fun Computer Videos and new
Tech Posts, so members can find out early how I manage hardware projects.

Members save on sponsored giveaways + chances to win upgraded tech. With
early access, a member saved over $2,400 on my gaming computer!

You'll also see fun Computer Videos and enjoy your enthusiast hobby!

Don't miss your chance to save big & win great tech gear - sign up now!


Save $,$$$ because ComputerHobbyShop is non-profit!

I'm on a Mission to Build, Upgrade, Repair, Restore, Save, & Recycle Computers.
Watch me post stories here and on YouTube for free because...

Non Profit Website for Computer Hobby Shop, details at https://www.computerhobbyshop.com/

I enjoy finding and restoring older Vintage tech and computers too, for example,
I just saved a rare Mac from the landfill
. I wonder who will get this one?
Bought to Make Ready for a Lucky New Owner by ComputerHobbyShop.com
Short Video by @ComputerHobbyShop (Newer 2024 Version on YouTube).

(The 2023 original long version plus more fun videos are also on Patreon).

There is a lot more fun coming, so subscribe to not miss a future post, new video or a giveaway!

Ready for more?

Be sure to sign up & subscribe to be an early notified member.

Vintage Computer Retro Fun Giveaways!

Happy new owner gets a free giveaway of a Commodore 128K
with Floppy Drive & Printer all in the original boxes!  (That's cool, now ).
Donated to Lucky New Owner by ComputerHobbyShop.com
The lucky new owner in this giveaway took ownership of a classic Commodore system and did not even have to pay for shipping, (like my Gold Planet Saving Patreon Members).

Wait! Did you actually give a vintage Commodore 128 System away?

Yes and here is why I'll do it again.

I don't like that many old computers end up in landfills because owners do not know how to keep them working or they consider them obsolete.

Rather than see them go to a landfill and pollute the earth,
I choose to repair and restore vintage or retro style computers!

I also let my upgraded computers sell on eBay for very little to keep costs low!

It's my way of advertising for new members to join my Patreon Channel too.

The Real Computer Hobby Shop Patreon Member Page for ComputerhobbyShop.com
.



But don't forget My Mission - Saving Collectible Computers.
You too can help prevent them from ending up in landfills
!

Each tech sent in, no matter what it is, gives 1 raffle ticket entry for prizes.
I make sure that items are restored and go to a good home and not a landfill.

Of course I understand if you don't want to part with anything.
If you just want it fixed, email me to ask.

So if you do want to donate retro tech, unlike some websites,
I turn nothing legal away, then the magic happens!

When you send something in, it is a great way to help save vintage retro-tech and your name will be entered into my next free random tech giveaway.

Be sure to contact me 1st then simply mail your vintage computer items to
:

Attn: ComputerHobbyShop
C/O Richard A. McFarland
P.O.Box 383
Saint Anthony, Idaho 83445

ComputerHobbyShop Makes Saving Vintage Tech Fun and Affordable.


Follow To Win

Care to follow ComputerHobbyShop and be listed in new sponsored giveaways?
Each donation, no matter how small or large, is like one raffle ticket for tech.
Donate as little or as much as you want via Secure PayPal by clicking on Spock!

Donate to Computer Hobby Shop

When you become a follower here or a supporting member at Patreon, you're
1st to know about Giveaways, Patreon Members get other Special Bonuses!



See this on Facebook too, so click anywhere below to subscribe.




Here is a stranger thing!
I ordered parts from Amazon and look what happened...

Non Profit Website for Computer Hobby Shop, details at computerhobbyshop.com

Non Profit Website for Computer Hobby Shop, details at computerhobbyshop.com



More Videos!

ComputerHobbyShop has posted a video with a playlist.

1st YouTube Video Posted by Computer Hobby Shop
YouTuber dismisses vintage Apple 1 motherboard as
"not going to be worth anything to anyone"



A Forgotten Windows Mac Emulator Helps My LC II Live Again!


Anyone remember HyperCard? I have future videos coming on my Card Stacks.
McFarland Made HyperStacks Posted by Computer Hobby Shop

I made more educational software for elementary schools. See my
software creation video posted on @ComputerHobbyShop YouTube.

If you are an Indie Youtube Creator and are interested in a collaboration video, any retro computer video creator can
email me by this link.


Did you see what I posted for

MARCHintosh 2024?
Click to view MARCHintosh 2024
.


Crazy News!

Are People Really Making Millions with Virtual Real Estate & NFTs?
4th YouTube Video Posted by Computer Hobby Shop


Coming Soon

!Future post, a Vintage Quadra 700 restored, upgraded with modified StartUp.
Quadra 700 Collected by Computer Hobby Shop


Reviews and News

An AMD Ryzen Review and recommended X570 ASROCK Motherboard.

Counting cores and straining to max CPU speeds is the familiar task for anyone needing more power at less cost. The good news is, the AMD Ryzen can check off all the boxes for the serious power user while staying far away from the higher cost of a Threadripper Workstation. You can save with compatible motherboards & the latest BIOS.

What modern CPU do I recommend? I give a 5 Star to the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X.

June 23rd, 2020 Post, Computer Hobby Shop

It is simply the best CPU this side of an expensive workstation. You'll get the most bang for your buck while still seeing shorter compile times and faster project completions, especially when matched with an X570 ASROCK Steel Legend. A 2700 with a B450M motherboard from htcgo worked great and a 3800X and X570 Motherboard gave us an added speed bump. See the video clip by the indie youtube creator, F7GOS who used a 3700X when he upgraded from an ASROCK X370 to X570 Motherboard.

(Video sourced in sections from, F7GOS on YouTube)

If this review sounds like a commercial for AMD, they do deserve all this praise. All my
tests made me happy to endorse the Ryzen 3800X. AMD has a real winning CPU here.



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A+ Upgraded Gaming PC Warrantied by Dell

The winner saved over $2,400 because he knew early!
What, you didn't know about this? Sorry, but the best way to not miss out
is to subscribe to get notified early about new upgraded PC posts!

My Intel Core i7, 12M Cache, up to 4.00 GHz CPU Gaming PC,
actually has an upgraded AMD 8GB Discrete Graphics Video Card.
The image below is a summary, click it to load the very long full image.


Finished reading? Click here to see how it sold on eBay.


Sorry you missed my very nice,
Blue 7th Gen 32GB Apple iPod touch! Below are the technical specs from Apple.com.


Previous post, a Refurbished Super Fast MacBook Pro!

An Apple Intel Core i5 with Storage updated
to a brand new 2021 SSD
.



I spent the money shown above
to make a better MacBook Pro for you.



Here's your chance to help the planet by
buying a Green Earth & Eco-Friendly
Laptop



Installing and updating Catalina went
fast with the upgraded 16GB RAM.



Ports shown left to right are, 1 Magesafe
Power Jack, 1 Ethernet, 1 Firewire 800,
1 Thunderbolt 2, 2 USB 3.0, a Camera
Card Reader, & Headphone Jack



There is plenty of space left in this
Brand New Western Digital 480GB SSD.



You'll love using the working DVD Drive for
movies + moving music CDs to iTunes.



After getting the message below, I
finished installing all current updates.



The lid opens and closes easily & the hinges work great.



In almost every review regarding the best laptops, this Macbook Pro is always the main challenger.
Supported by an Intel i5 processor with a speed of 3 GHz Boost and 2.5 GHz base, [upgraded with 16 GB] DDR3 RAM,
Intel HD Graphics 4000, and support for up to 2TB of hard disk memory
this laptop is one of the best laptops of all time.

(Tech Reviews, Oct 29, 2020).


This MacBook Pro comes with a brand new
Magsafe charger as shown below.



Besides coming with iTunes you also get Pages,
(Apple's app like MS Word)



Plus Keynote, another Apple app,
(like MS PowerPoint)



And Apple's Numbers app,
(a program like MS Excel).



You can use a power saving 4K TV,
or you might want to use any standard HDTV,
but you don't need it for the Mac laptop to work.



Refurbished for Richard's ComputerHobbyShop.com by


Store Sign,ComputerPro2000


The seller is licensed.

ComputerPro2000's Great Reputation
See my great feedback below.

Happy Customer Feedback

Fast & Free! Ships by USPS Priority Mail

(International buyers see eBay Global Shipping)

See the password info below for the buyer.


eBay item pricing does not consider upgrades and
values fluctuate wildly on eBay & cannot be guaranteed.

In preparing ad, eBay posted this chart.

Below is an eBay search to compare
price & value of 3 similar sold Laptops.




Below is a value checker I created for you.



Thank you for buying my Green Earth Eco-Friendly MacBook Pro
with RAM & Storage updated to 2021 Specs on eBay
.

Finished reading this? Click here to see the eBay summary.


December Christmas PC Laptop Deal

     See who bought this HP EliteBook that sold for hundreds of $$$ less than when new...
December sold post from the Computer Hobby Shop


Originally it cost over $1,000.00 when new, but I asked only $125.00.
Post from the Computer Hobby Shop




New studies now show that most people trend to view websites via mobile devices.

I'm rebelling against trends with my favorite way to surf the net. My PC connects to a large screen 4K TV and I didn't have to spend large on a second screen with a previous model 50" Vizio Family Home Theater/Game Room HDTV. It even supports a max of 1080p resolution.
Surprisingly, it is as much fun to use as my newer 4K TV.

2/21/2020 Post for the Computer Hobby Shop

I use it for website editing on both Macs and PCs as it has 3 HDMI ports, like a newer 4K HDTV.



It also has VGA & Composite Video ports for older game machines. I've also used it on a Mac mini and
Mac Pro plus an Apple TV and my Gaming PC too. It has 1080P resolution and a newer Vizio has 4K.

(Shout out to Vizio! Sponsor a review here of your TVs to increase TVs sold as PC monitors).



Details are posted for my MacBook Air that sold very fast for $300 less than normal...
Not to rub it in, but the savings missed was on a pretty 2015 Custom Apple Core i7 shown below.



ComputerPro2000 sold it very fast where eBay & PayPal also offer a 30 day money-back guarantee.

To not miss another great deal, you can subscribe to be notified before deals go live!

You can also go to my Patreon posts.



Sorry, you missed this great Apple Laptop. Just sold is my Intel Core i5 MacBook Pro



I upgraded this 13" MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM and a fast 480GB SSD.
If you missed this one, you can still join my Patreon Members here,
or to my last Model 9,2 MacBook Pro on eBay.

Next time don't count on luck, you can subscribe to be notified before anything goes live!


Wow, that last post for a green earth PC finished at 44 bids!
When we work hard we'll want to take a break to play a few games too! Here is a nice DSi XL.
1/23/2020 Post for the Computer Hobby Shop

To prep it for sale, a simple video
demos this DSi XL Console!

Honorable mention goes to naymare-7, who just purchased this on eBay. For him or anyone else interested, here's good news about this DSi XL. If you want to install a lot more fun stuff, I found a video with links to websites, that shows you how to mod it for root access. It seems a lot of people are doing that and you can essentially jail break it to load more games and unlock a lot more of it's features than was previously possible when softmodding this DSi XL console. Although I have not done this yet, it sounds like a lot of fun, which is why I built this hobby website to begin with. I'll see you next time. Won't that be fun!


In case anyone else wants to know, I received a question on my Dell Intel Core i5 with Fast SSD Drive.
eBayer kevigadsde_0 wanted to know, ... 'will your computer be able to hook up to my hdmi tv or [does it have to] be a computer montior?' I replied, 'No problem, you just need a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter. You could also adapt DVI to HDMI, but trust me, DisplayPort to HDMI is better ... the adapters are cheap, as found on eBay...'
I have converted this PC from "BuyItNow" to an auction and it is at $9.95 at the time of this post.

What, you didn't get to bid? Sorry if you missed it! Don't want to miss out again?
To be among the 1st to know subscribe below and if you like games, you're sure to have fun here!


I never thought I'd see 2020. I was born around the time that Sputnik was launched into space.

1st Post in 2020, Computer Hobby Shop 01/13/2020


I remeber the late 50s and early 60s were times when many thought the earth would be destroyed by nuclear war. But today the trend is more towards Arctic ecosystems protection from oil spills and black carbon emissions.

1st Post in 2020, Computer Hobby Shop


I grew up on a farm & fought for the preservation of wild life. This attitude of a green earth was new to many people, but I followed it into my future work with computers and I just made
a Green Earth PC Project for 2020.

1st Post in 2020, Computer Hobby Shop


12/30/2019: My last post on eBay for 2019 is where I upgraded a Dell Intel Core i5 with a Fast SSD Drive. It now boots faster into Windows using less power! I also has a new WD Black 1 TB Hard Drive for website graphics, data backups & maybe even a games library too. It was a lot of fun to refurbish. Click the image for more details.
Happy New Year!

4th Post, Computer Hobby Shop

I think you would have liked how fast I made it.

So you won't miss out again, subscribe below and you can be among the 1st to know.
This was my last carefully refurbished project from my last post in 2019. See you in 2020!


12/11/2019: Here's feedback from one I helped on the December 4th post, 'Refurbished Intel Core i7s'.
2nd Post, Computer Hobby Shop
(I think he meant to say, "transaction", but his main point is still clear)....
He bought 3 of my PCs from my post last week and he's very happy!
I'm glad, but so more people get a chance, in the future I'd ask followers to only buy once per post.


12/4/2019: On this date, I've been refurbishing used PCs & Macs just for the fun of it and
I've just finished 4 PCs and 1 Mac. See the Refurbished Intel Core i7s listed below.

Here an entire PC can sell for less than just the CPU might sell for alone.
1st Post, Computer Hobby Shop

Open a new widow to show my Intel Core i7 Dell PC for example....

Click to see the original details
and to be among the 1st to know, click the subscribe button below.

And if you like Apple computers, then here is a Mac mini you should see....

Click to see the original post
or be among the 1st to know, click subscribe below.



RAM's RANDOM ACCESS FILE:

Do you know?

What IBM geeks used to gather in User's Groups to help each other out with mainframe issues?

ANSWER ... SHARE was a 1955 group of aerospace industry users of IBM mainframes and is the oldest group still active. Most all of those once popular user's groups & club meetings have long since moved to the Internet as 'THE' source of help.



When Amazon sponsors it, I can help you look for a good tech job.
Many tech oriented jobs exist with
"specific goals & strategic openings for students".

Tech workers who speak a second language are needed as the demand for bilingual workers is rising.



When I taught tech seminars, it was with all expenses paid as I had traved to teach a thousand + clients
in the lower 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii + Canada. Traveling trainers get served by a lot of flight attendants.

Richard_traveled_over_150,000_miles_to_teach_tech_help


I always enjoyed traveling, especially to share my best tech ideas.
My success helping people has encouraged me to post on this site and share my expert skills!

Richard-Allen-McFarland_Can_Help_You

Eventually, live seminars became less popular than the Internet and times changed.
More and more IT work was local and I'd get reviews like past and present ones posted below.

Richard-Allen-McFarland_99.7%_10_out_of_10

I later worked daily as a Technical Trainer for the U.S. Dept. of Labor.


There, the real challenge seemed to be getting people to beleive in what they can do!

It was shut down when Covid-19 hit in early 2020.

For a future post, is there any retro Gamer's machine you'd like to hear about? Let me know by email.

Ready for more? Besides upgrade projects, there's a lot more fun at ComputerHobbyShop.com!

So you don't miss another post, simply sign up & subscribe to become an early notified member.


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So you can be among the 1st to know, click the subscribe button below. Thank You!


Praise: Great A+ Trainer! Top notch, will tell all my friends about Richard's ComputerHobbyShop.com.
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