My daughter was born a few months ago and ever since I have been obsessed with finding ways to share the things I care about with her. When the time is right I want to share with her all the things her mother and I love and cherish: music, foods, and video games – so many video games.

Unfortunately the vast majority of the games I grew up with can’t be found on Steam. No, one must dive deep into the realm of garage sales, pawn shops, and eBay to find the relics of my childhood. With that search comes the certainty of finding age, wear, and damage. That’s where restoration and repair come into play.

Repairing old tech offers two immediate benefits. First, it saves money. If the computer still does what you need it to do, or it would with some simple upgrades, then it’s a no-brainer to go the restoration route. Second, it helps keep e-waste out of landfills. Each year the U.S. alone is responsible for billions of pounds of e-waste and that number is only growing. If you are concerned about our culture of over-consumption, then restoring your old laptop is one way to help push back.

Remember that bit about interests changing? Well, that can happen at any time, and for me it happened while I was listening to a podcast at working. The subject: internet privacy. Now, up until this point, I figured there was only Windows and Mac. Computers for poor folks and computers for rich folks. No other options to speak of. Or so I thought. Enter Linux. The open-source operating system that you, the user, can customize to meet whatever needs you may have. And the kicker? It’s decentralized, so your data isn’t being phoned home unless you’re okay with it. The power is in your hands.

It was this realization that rekindled my love for computers. What started as a pastime during my childhood and adolescence was reborn as a potential career that would let me unleash my creativity and build a proper legacy for my family. As I went down the Linux rabbit hole, I stumbled upon the world of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and whole communities devoted to the perfection thereof. I discovered that 3D printing isn’t some hobby for smelly nerds, but an actual avenue for self-sufficiency and decentralized manufacturing. There’s even an open-source replacement for those creepy “assistants” that spy on us for multi-billion-dollar companies to sell us more junk.

The keystone, the coup de grâce, the crown jewel of my discoveries that should have been obvious from the very start: I can make upgrades. I can build what I need. I can actually fix things!

So I set out to find things to fix. I started with installing Linux on my personal PC. Next thing I know, I’m making things with my 3D printer and setting up servers in my home lab. These are fun projects, always in a state of flux, but I wanted a real A to Z project. Something with a definitive goal. Then I remembered that old rig at my parents’ house. That beautiful, outdated hunk of junk.

It was about that time that my wife and I found out we had our little one on the way. A new wave of nostalgia washed over me. I wanted nothing more than to share my childhood with this new life that was coming into the world. I made it my mission to find and preserve all the things I loved as a kid. My old gaming rig, my PlayStation, I am even looking for a replacement for my Xbox 360 that got the Red Ring of Death. So much to save, so little time. So let’s focus on the PC. Let’s resurrect this relic for a new age.

Project: Lazarus

After hauling this relic back home in an already over-loaded Jeep Renegade, I was finally able to really dig into this project. But what to call it?

“Lazarus”. It was the perfect name, invoking resurrection without claiming deity, but still Biblically oriented. And it’s a nice departure from the standard naming convention of giving machines female names. Something a little unique, much like the automobile-inspired case that housed the ancient components.

(For real though, if anyone knows the name of that old case, please let me know!)

I found a VGA-to-HDMI converter on Amazon. This gave me a picture to work with when it came time to inspect the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). There was only one slight, teeny tiny, problem: he wouldn’t even POST (Power-On Self-Test)! All my connections were solid, we had power, the fans were spinning (and rattling), but no POST. Not even a beep from the case speaker.

Now, I’m not a computer scientist, but if a machine doesn’t POST, that tells me there is something very wrong. What that wrong was, I had no idea, so I did what any former aircraft mechanic out of his depth would do: I turned to the manual! Naturally, I did not have the original paperwork that came with the computer. In all honesty I don’t think it even came with a box. Surprise custom builds are kinda like that.

I may not have had the original paper manual, but I had the next best thing: the internet. Specifically, ManualsLib.com, a treasure trove of esoteric knowledge, most obscure. I had seen some of their other entries while fixing up some appliances around the house. Good stuff all around, highly recommend. Not sponsored or anything (unless they want to ;P)

With manual “in hand” it was time to do some real diagnostics and find out exactly what kind of TLC this old rig needed. Let’s dive in to the inner workings of this thing and get it ready for the next generation.

Project Lazarus: Diagnosis

Now we get into the real nitty-gritty. An actual, honest-to-goodness diagnosis of the ailments that plague poor Lazarus. First things first lets go over what we already know.

1. He was kept in a hot dusty attic for many years.
2. Lights light and fans fan (we have power).

That’s about it. So lets consult the manual.

With a little more digging, I was able to decern that no beep and no video output meant one of two things: either power was as unstable as my job during COVID or the CPU (Central Processing Unit) was shot. Considering the machine’s history I sided with the later. In a perfect world I would have used a CPU and PSU tester to know for sure, but I’m just a guy fixing things in his free time. Besides, we need formula more than a tool I’ll use once and put away.

I needed to find out exactly what CPU I had in this machine. Usually you can just go into the BIOS and it will tell you what you’ve got. Wouldn’t that be nice? Since I didn’t have any output I had to physically examine the CPU itself. This required some decent disassembly of the computer. It needed to be dusted anyway so I guess it all works out.

With the motherboard out and the rattly old CPU cooler removed from the socket I finally saw, face-to-face, the little chip that entertained me all those years ago.

So I jumped on the ole eBay and started looking for a new CPU, the AMD Duron to be specific. This is an A socket (462) motherboard so we could install an AMD Athlon, Athlon XP, or Duron processor. I didn’t want to deal with BIOS updates, so I chose to stick with the same CPU it had before. A little searching and part number checking, and I found a “New” processor for around $30. I picked up a “new” CPU cooler for good measure.

One week later and I had my NOS (new-old stock) parts in hand. I carefully lifted the socket arm to unlock the old CPU and removed it like I was defusing a bomb. With the same cautious touch, I installed the new CPU, being sure to heed the alignment marks. A gentle yet heart-wrenching drop and it was in. Locking the socket arm down, I remembered humans run on oxygen and started breathing again.

With the CPU replaced and the CPU cooler/thermal paste installed, I put Lazarus back together again and powered him on, fire extinguisher on stand-by. The lights shine, the fans spin, and, at long last… BEEEEEEEEEEEP!

“It lives!! Now why won’t it shut up!?! Oh Lord, kill the power!”

Did that work? Nope!

“Hmmm. Let me check the manual again. Maybe I’m missing something.”

I had remembered that it does, in fact, matter which slot you put the RAM if you don’t have enough to fill all the channels. The manual told me I needed to put it in DIMM 1 (Dual In-Line Memory Module): the blue slot closest to the CPU. Funny thing is, the stick was in the DIMM 2 slot. Always had been as far as I knew.

I never once opened the case to mess with it when I was younger; I didn’t want to break anything. So either this is a strange anomaly or there’s some gremlins in my parents’ attic. Either way, I installed the RAM into the proper slot with a satisfying “CLICK” and moved on to the next point of interest.

Let’s see here.

Power? Check.

CPU swapped? Check.

RAM properly seated? Check.

So what’s next? Well the CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) battery of course! Sounds scary, but its just a little coin battery every computer has to keep the quartz clock tickin’. That’s how your computer knows what time it is even if it’s been off and unplugged for a week. It’s a small component, but vital for your computer to run properly. Since Lazarus was in an attic for fifteen years it was a certainty that battery was drained.

What!? That can’t be right. Let’s dig in the BIOS and see what’s going on. Maybe it’s a configuration issue.

This post is long enough as it is and I’m sure my family wants me back. I’ll take this time to search for parts and make sure I have everything I need. Since we’re doing a fresh install I’m sure there’s some drivers I need to install. Lord only knows where I’ll find those. But the hunt is half the fun!

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading. Feel free to sign up to my news letter to be notified when I post new article including the continuation of the Lazarus Project.