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Lord Crucifier
Registered: Feb 2004
Posts: 47 |
Estimated lifetime of a C64
I'm starting to see a pattern emerging in my life: C64 in the attic for a while, C64 build up & used for a while, C64 back in the attic, etc...
Does anybody have any idea how long we can keep this up before our C64's die? Is corrosion etc. of the inner parts something to be considered, or can we pull our C64's out of the attic when we're 80, set it up and it'll start right away?
Just wondering... |
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Steppe
Registered: Jan 2002
Posts: 1510 |
It probably all depends on the conditions you store it in. Find a cool and dry place and you should be able to have fun with your Commie until you die. If you live around the equator better get used to buy a new C64 off ebay annually. ;-)
Another factor are the power supplies: These are prone to decay sooner than the actual hardware. And once they start delivering unstable voltages you might either get unstable behaviour or even risk frying something inside the C64. |
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Graham
Account closed
Registered: Dec 2002
Posts: 990 |
changing temperaturs can corrode the material, and heat itself causes some chemical reactions. keep your c64 at room temperature and avoid too much heat on the ICs.
other hints which might keep your c64 alive: always have a joystick connected to port #2 so you don't accidently touch the pins with statically loaded fingers and kill the CIA. (big problem on c64 since the power switch is next to the port)
avoid old c64 power supplies.
turn on the monitor first since some voltage might leak into the audio out and damage the SID etc etc. this might apply to only a few monitors though. |
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TDJ
Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 1879 |
Wow. I've treated my c64 like shit for 20 years now and it still works 100% .. guess I've been lucky so far. |
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Nafcom
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 588 |
I have got quite a few. my first (A C64C from 1990) did work until 1999.
But no reason to waste it away. I could use the SID still because I have got one of an ex-classmate which had a damaged one. and also could keep the keyboard to get a C64-I working again :)
So well estiminated live time, I would say 9 years in my case :)
But imagine, it was dry and I was treating it very carefully and it was a clean place, but it was on sometimes for 12 h or longer and 7 days a week!
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Shake
Posts: 133 |
My last Commodore got killed by my girlfriend. She unplugged the powercord at once with the commie on. FLASH on the monitor and U10 got burned! logo lost, Damn ;)
don't have the skills to replace it... spare part won't be the problem. So perhaps one day it's brought back to life. (for another 15 years)
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Nafcom
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 588 |
Quote: My last Commodore got killed by my girlfriend. She unplugged the powercord at once with the commie on. FLASH on the monitor and U10 got burned! logo lost, Damn ;)
don't have the skills to replace it... spare part won't be the problem. So perhaps one day it's brought back to life. (for another 15 years)
Some C64 sceners may argue wether they would have prefered the other way round ;)
(Bad'n nasty, sorry O:-) ).
Well, I had yours once on the phone, she was friendly to me, so she wouldn't deserve a baked U10.... |
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Master Jam
Account closed
Registered: Oct 2004
Posts: 7 |
I used to have my C64 turned on 24/7 for alot of years (87-91), constant uploading, downloading or demon dialing. I Bought he computer 1985.. or 1986.
To my knowledge it still works, havn't used it for about 10-12 years though. |
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Graham
Account closed
Registered: Dec 2002
Posts: 990 |
most of you guys propably have "new" C64s like C64C or C64E. those are usually more robust than the earlier versions since commodore also fixed some problems during the years. using an old C64 24/7 would propably kill it or atleast the 1541 drive (a friend of mine got his disk melted when he left the drive turned on during night, no joke). |
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Lord Crucifier
Registered: Feb 2004
Posts: 47 |
As far as spare-parts or even spare-C64's goes, here in Holland you can pick C64's up for a couple of cents at fleamarktets, garage-sales or even online. Next time I come across a C64 in perfect shape, including box and manuals, I should just buy it... |
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Stryyker
Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 465 |
It seems electrolytic capacitors last longer when used. When left for a while they can slowly die. |
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