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+--- Thread: Hello! (/thread-1070.html)
Hello! - PaulC - 22-08-2026
Hi everyone, nice to find this forum.
First computer I ever got to use was a Microbee - a ROM model around 1983-4 in school.
I haven't had a chance to touch one again until recently acquiring a 128K non-premium model, with what looks like a 3.5" disk controller (alas, no drives) and a green monochrome monitor.
The computer seems to work, but the majority of keys are flaky. They seem to be coming to life a bit with some use (if I move the keys side to side when depressed they will mostly register) so I'm hoping that it's just oxidation, but may need to get a replacement keyboard at some point.
The monitor, alas, isn't working - it flickers on when turned on very briefly, and then goes black. But of course I can use the system with another composite monitor, and it's nice to have an original for display at least.
I plan to try using a Gotek to get started, at least until I can source a proper drive (then maybe try a dual drive setup with a gotek and real 3.5" drive arrangement.
Anyway, just a brief message to introduce myself and say hi. It's exciting to revisit the computer that got me interested in computing in the first place. Good times ahead I hope!
RE: Hello! - shane.crozier - 22-08-2026
G'day Paul and Welcome
Sounds like we'd be roughly the same age(ish) as your experience is much like mine. I'm in Perth and used a Bee from Year 8 High School to leaving in Y12 - and also had a 128k Small business system at home.
Many like to repair their own Bee's but when I got a Premium machine, I found the challenge of replacing so many keyswitches to be a bit of a challenge since my soldering is a bit shaky these days. I send my Bee to Ewan (Microbee Technology) to do a keyboard replacement kit for me.
With regard to your disk system, you can probably find a 3.5" replacement drive relatively easily these days for the B drive and consider the use of a Gotek for the A: Drive - that will allow you to use images from the repository.
I have a 56k CP/M Bee (Project for repairs) and a 128k Premium with a project SBC01 Disk enclosure, as well as a Microbee badged Mitsubishi Amber monitor. I use my Premium on a vga screen using one of Ewan's CGA to VGA Upscaler's - We all love to see eachother's kit so do post pictures when you get a chance.
RE: Hello! - CheshireNoir - 22-08-2026
(22-08-2026, 01:16 AM)PaulC Wrote: Hi everyone, nice to find this forum.
First computer I ever got to use was a Microbee - a ROM model around 1983-4 in school.
I haven't had a chance to touch one again until recently acquiring a 128K non-premium model, with what looks like a 3.5" disk controller (alas, no drives) and a green monochrome monitor.
The computer seems to work, but the majority of keys are flaky. They seem to be coming to life a bit with some use (if I move the keys side to side when depressed they will mostly register) so I'm hoping that it's just oxidation, but may need to get a replacement keyboard at some point.
The monitor, alas, isn't working - it flickers on when turned on very briefly, and then goes black. But of course I can use the system with another composite monitor, and it's nice to have an original for display at least.
I plan to try using a Gotek to get started, at least until I can source a proper drive (then maybe try a dual drive setup with a gotek and real 3.5" drive arrangement.
Anyway, just a brief message to introduce myself and say hi. It's exciting to revisit the computer that got me interested in computing in the first place. Good times ahead I hope!
Hey PaulC.
Welcome aboard! I've used Goteks with almost all my Microbees. (Except for the SuperPAC system, which just uses a heap of ROMs instead).
I have built up a couple of "One gotek, one real drive" enclosures more recently. I expanded my "Computer in a Book" enclosure with a second volume containing a gotek, and I also added a simple gotek enclosure to a Microbee Disk System, swapping out one of the two drives.
Also the keys failing is practically a rite of passage for the Microbee.
Cheers!
John