So, I have a 1994 model Hewlett-Packard Vectra VL Series 4 P133 (originally). It was the first computer that I owned and I got it second hand from my grandfather.

When I got the computer, it had a whopping 500MB hard disk, 32MB of RAM, a Pentium I 133MHz and a 16-color graphics card,  which was stunningly poor for running the Windows 95 that was installed on it. It had an 8x CD-ROM drive and a single floppy drive. Big whoop. No USB, no Infrared, so it was utterly useless for connecting my Pocket PC to, which made my PPC more useful than my desktop.

I upgraded the computer to a Pentium MMX 233MHz, 64MB of RAM and a 3.5GB hard disk, which I then installed Windows XP onto and added a 32x CD Burner, and a USB PCI card. I also added a Trident video card shortly after I got the computer, as 16 colors wasn't enough, but I couldn't find an old enough 3D accelerator, so I stuck with SVGA, 4MB of memory. Meh.

The computer worked well, but then I got a new HP Pavillion 310n a while back, and this orange beast has been my baby ever since. I took this old Vectra apart and used the parts in various other computers.

Yesterday, I slapped it together, running DOS 6.22, Windows 3.1 (Nostalgia ftw) and added some other stuff, such as a Matrox Millenia SVGA video card, a TRUE SoundBlaster 16 (Don't ask where I got it, and I won't tell.) and removed the USB card.

I got bored with Windows 3.1 and installed Windows 95, a bootleg off of a tablet computer I had, which I took the mini-IDE hard drive out of for use in my Hitachi Laptop.

So, anyone else build anything relatively nostalgic?

Also, links to some free Windows 3.1/Windows 95 programs would be nice

Nice. If I was more interested in Macintosh, I'd be tempted to find an old Mac SE somewhere and try that, but I'd rather play with PCs.

Also, I once put a computer, motherboard screen and all, into a suitcase. I would walk into a room, open it, plug in the cords, and start computing. It broke after I steeped on it and broke the screen.

Actually, that unit was designed by my fucking idol, Bejamin J Heckendorn, whose website I frequent on a weekly basis AT LEAST.

No, I don't have a workshop >_> unless you count my garage.

My next major project is to get my Celeron-powered HP up to speed with a Pentium 4. First thing I want to do is get a new motherboard. Any suggestions, anyone?

I recently acquired an ancient packard bell with a 500 mhz celeron cpu and stuck xubuntu on it just for the hell of it.
It runs surprisingly well and the packaged games are better than windows XD

I just recently acquired an ancient Packard Bell myself. But even more ancient with a 486DX at 33MHz. And DOS/Win3.1 came on it OEM.

And I'm looking for motherboards now. Just a run-off-the-mill P4 compatible is fine by me ;)