LGR - Restoring a 1998 Packard Bell Multimedia PC

There really is no rational reason to restore a late 90s NEC-manufactured Packard Bell computer. Which is exactly why I'm doing it. Join me in getting this unloved machine back to factory fresh condition!

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● Music used in order of appearance:
Whisky on the Rocks 1, Not That Serious 3, Streetlight Conundrum 1

[K-o-R]

6:52 "It doesn't blow up" is certainly a plus point in the specs for a PSU.

[shadoom]

*LGR: so here's this thing, it sucks, let's do it!*
I love you my dude

[RayDeemer]

i agree, RAM brings back some Memory....

[descoiatorul]

"This is a delightful piece of crap" - yeah, that's how my mom presents me to people.

[seppomuppit]

I remember upgrading my Compaq Presario from 16 to 32 MB of ram. That was a great day.

[MrBad]

I could watch this man dissect a pizza

[psions]

When I was about 9 my grandparents started my computer journey by purchasing me a Packard Bell executive multimedia. It was a desktop that laid flat with the monitor on top and the speakers attached to the monitor. It ran windows 95 and had a pentium 133 with 16MB ram and a whopping 1.19gb hard disk. But it got me a hobby and later a career so thanks to my grandparents for buying it for me!

[marco_evertus]

It's a good day when any 90s PC gets restored, yes even this Packard Bell.

[abab]

“word 97 clipart .. ooooh””. love this guy.

[bloodedge]

I drooled throughout this video. This was my first computer as a child. I want to get a computer like this one to tear out the internals and keep it as a sleeper PC. The 955 has a similar case design as the 820, so either one I'd be happy with.

[BarendNieuwoudtZA]

Your passion for old time hardware is contagious.

[Petman]

Every time I see videos like this, I get an itch to buy and work on a computer I don't need.

[metfanl]

You have the patience of a saint, very relaxing to watch.

[SnipE_mS]

I had a packard bell 386 as our first family computer so I always had a soft spot for them. I was working at a computer store when I was 12/13 years old and I remember seeing one of these exact machines come through and even then I was nostalgic for it.

[MaxFPSGamer]

Back in 2004/2005, I was in reception (UK equivalent of Kindergarten) and I remember they had a PC that was probably the same model as the one in this video in the classroom that we were sometimes allowed to play on. I've always had the memory of that Kiddonet main menu screen and that music being on that PC but I never knew the name of the software. It's such a faint memory now that I almost thought it was a dream until I saw this video. Thanks, LGR for taking me back!

[stormykeep]

You know it's not an official LGR restored computer until it has the Commander Keen and Duke3d test stamp of approval. :)

[josejuanandrade]

My 2nd computer was a K6-2 @ 500 mhz. I had a lot of problems till i found the issue: THE CPU COOLER. It was unable to keep a decent temperature and the computer would crash all the time. I did replace the cooler for a better one that only cost me 6 usa dlls and i never had an issue again. The original cooler looked a lot like the one you have there.

[AirborneSurfer]

Man, I hated Packard Bell back in the day, but now, I have a newfound sense of respect for their perfectly adequate systems. Thanks, LGR!

[erikt]

Awesome to see that chart, my first computer must have came out around the exact same time this one did. I had the Compaq Presario 5050 333MHz, 96MB RAM, 7GB HDD with 2MB ATi integrated graphics. I still remember my parents asking me “should we go on a cruise, or get a computer?” What an obvious question for a young nerdy kid! That computer and Need for Speed II SE made so many memories

[phatcowboy]

Man, this brings back memories. I bought a Packard Bell pc at Sears in the fall of 1999 for $700 that was running a Pentium II 400 Mhz cpu and had Windows 95 on it. I promptly upgraded to Win 98 SE and started exploring the web. This was my very first pc ( yes I was very late into the computer game) but I liked it and had fun with it. I remember the case was exactly like this one, exactly the same with the LED's and the two buttons. My next computer I built myself and bought all the components myself. Remember Pricewatch from back then? But the Packard Bell got my feet wet so there is a tiny bit of nostalgia. After that, I had to have complete control and I built all my pc's myself from then on.