The IBM 5150 - The First PC - A Look Inside and Running Programs

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While the IBM 5150 may not be the first system to be referred to as a "personal computer", it is the system the really put the term in societies vernacular. As the first successful x86 based home computer, this is the PC that spawned the "IBM compatible" clones in the 80s, and is the ancestor of our modern desktop and laptop computers today. In fact, many programs that run on this 35 year old computer will run on modern hardware. See where it all started as we open up this system and power it on and run a few programs!

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I came for the car videos and am staying for the PC videos, top notch stuff!

albundy

I was just talking to my daughter about this. We had one when I was a kid. I remember that any kind of static electricity would erase the boot floppy, so you had to have a back up or two, well any floppy to be honest. Then there was the noise when it would read the disk. I have to say it was fun and the average person born within the past 20 years has no idea how technology has advanced since then.

davidschore

I was stuck with different XTs for a few years in the 90s when I was in high school, one being a 5150 with (eventually) that same color monitor, since finding computers and parts at rummage sales (or on the curb) was all I could afford. At the time it felt like a curse, since all my friends had better machines. But looking back it was a blessing in disguise since it forced me to learn assembly for speedier graphics routines, and how to interact with the physical hardware components, to make the most of its limitations. I wouldn't want to go back, but the beepy hard drives, the 8x8 font, the visible space between rows of pixels, etc, all still make me nostalgic.

FyberOptic

This brings back memories and will be a very interesting series of videos, maybe even worth starting a new channel.
Thanks for sharing and look forward to what else you have got to share

stevemarriott

The IBM PC was not released on August 12, 1981, it was announced on that date but not available yet...It was made available and released the following October, 1981.

deannascott

It WAS the first PC - before the IBM PC came out, we called them 'microcomputers' (or 'micros' for short) in everyday language.
While other micros may have been referred to as PC's under some circumstances, (possibly by manufacturers) it wasn't common use.
The IBM PC reversed that situation, and now 'PC' is the everyday term, and 'micro' or 'microcomputer' is archaic.

thepenultimateninja

this can be considered the granddaddy of the PC as we all know it today. It was cloned HEAVILY, and most desktop/laptop computers can trace their ancestry back to this computer. The Mac being the only well known exception to this today.

ArchiveofAwesomeness

The Alto was leagues ahead of the 5150. In fact, the much cheaper BBC Model B was far more feature-rich compared to the 16k, cassette-only initial version. However, the expandability, documentation and hefty brand identity of this IBM beast made it the success. Given it was thrown together in 12 months using off-the-shelf parts (some as major compromises), it really should have been a flop and the world would look different today. Great video!

stupossibleify

Hello ! I collect and use vintage computers )... Have an IBM 5150, too... With a EGA videocard, ISA8->CF controller - hope to find time - make a review on it, too)

yakovkhalip

It was mainly a business computer, not a home computer. I bought the first one for my company in 1983. I spent ten thousand 1983 dollars to buy a PC, memory expansion, software, and a dot matrix printer. People at home didn’t do that, Mr. Expert.

LarryKelly

I always thought the 5150 presented a blank screen for up to a minute during POST, leading many to wonder if it was actually faulty!

stupossibleify

You have bad switched graphics mode. On motherboard DIP switch you need to set up position 5 to ON and 6 to OFF. You have now the exact opposite. 40x25 text mode instead 80x25. Also you can try to low level format your hard drive, it can help.

Romanon

I can't get video to my monitor on my IBM 5150. I have a CGA 9pin cable but I'm not sure what's wrong

LordRayken

Did DOS 1.0 even have the prompt $p$g command in the autoexec.bat?? Because otherwise I would've been surprised about seeing the C:\> prompt on screen as displayed.

bundesautobahn