IBM Aptiva K45 (Model 2144)

Now with more free time due to the pandemic, I had the courage and finally managed to finish a project forgotten over the years, which was the restoration of my IBM Aptiva K45 (Model 2144).

I am the second owner of this beautiful Aptiva. I acquired this equipment around the year 2000. Since, at the time of its launch, a few years earlier (between 1994/95) the idea of owning an “Aptiva” was absurd due to its high cost. Only wealthy families had an IBM Aptiva, the poor mortals (like me) had to settle for building their own computers with cards from Paraguay (lol).

Just to give you an idea, the announcement of the PC Player Magazine of 1996, brings the value of R$ 3,710.00 in cash (brazilian reals). This value converted for today (2020 using IPCA) would be simply R$ 15,863.73. Cheeeeap!

IBM Aptiva was introduced in September 1994 as a replacement for IBM PS / 1. The first models were based on the Intel 486 CPU (I have one), followed by the Pentium.

Aptiva computers were typically sold as a package that included a monitor, speakers, keyboard and mouse. The first generation models came with IBM PC DOS 6.3 and Windows 3.1. The Pentium Aptivas generation came with Windows 95 and OS / 2 (PC DOS 7 / Windows 3.1 and OS / 2 Warp) on selected models.

Sound and modem functionality was provided on models M, A, C and S by an IBM Mwave adapter. It is known that Mwave had several compatibility and performance problems and was eventually replaced by modems and standard sound cards. Mine has an Mwave card, and it works great!

The first generation of Aptiva was made in the horizontal cabinet model (Desktop 2144) and in the vertical cabinet model (Tower 2168). There was a second generation called the “Stealth” series 2159. It was an exclusive design entirely black, with the monitor supported on a metal stand with a console located underneath, which contained the floppy and CD drive. Later, all the Aptivas used the tower unit’s shape.

Originally, machine types 2144 and 2168 referred to the number of open slots and drive bays. This “Stealth” model was not sold in Brazil.

Returning to our history; When I acquired it, Aptiva was no longer a computer of such stature or of great processing power. There was already better.

I saw an ad in the (paper) newspaper by chance, and as the value was very interesting (I remember well: R $ 200) and because I was an IBM, I ended up buying it, but I didn’t even need it or use it .

As my mother had a homeopathy pharmacy at the time, he ended up going to work at her pharmacy, where he worked there for several years, I believe until around 2006.

August 2003 – IBM Aptiva working at my mom’s pharmacy.

When the pharmacy closed, Aptiva ended up “staying” with my uncle who was a partner in the company for a few more years. And then I believe that in 2010/11 that computer came back to me. My uncle ended up giving him back, but he was no longer as he was …

Original 1996 bill receipt.

Aptiva then stayed in the attic of my house for years (until 2019), when I cleaned it there and ended up taking it out in the hope of being able to “give my life” back to him.

I no longer even remembered what I had of him. And to my surprise, I ended up finding just about everything; Since the manuals, CDs, microphone, mouse, and the little frying pan that opened (door) was not in it, but I had it kept in a box with a few more things.

I can’t help mentioning that the original sales invoice is also with me. In short, he was all chopped up, but everything was there … (there was hope)

Not to mention that over the years I managed to buy two more Aptivas (I thought I might one day need parts to restore mine, and it turned out that I didn’t have to).

I later came to discover that they were his brothers, one more “486” and a younger one, a “Pentium 166”, mine being the middle son a Pentium 100.

The day the restoration started, I decided to dismantle the three Aptivas to clean everything. But what I saw inside the 486 was surreal. When I bought the 486 I just kept it, I didn’t even notice it was a 486, I just hoped to be a parts donor for my beloved Pentium 100. And worse than during the restoration, I was surprised to see that the 486 was also neither integral nor with all original parts.

I started by opening the Pentium 166 (left) and P100 (right)

Aptiva Pentium 133 (left) and Penitum 100 (right)

As the disassembly continued…

Both P133 and P100 boards have already been removed side by side. We can already see several differences between them. On the P133 a serial came out and a USB port entered (new at the time), a DIMM memory slot was also added. However, the video memory was already fully soldered without being able to expand as in the P100, in addition to having only one cache memory slot.

Aptiva Pentium 133 motherboard on the left and Pentium 100 on the right.

Finally it was the turn of 486: (CAUTION, strong scenes). The 1 million dollar question: How did it work?

Oh yes!
(As it is not my goal here to show 486, more information about 486 and P133 will be posted to a next post).

Beautiful cleaning with Würth, brush, compressor and a lot of patience …

Clean Processors (133 x 100)

PS: And to find thermal paste? In the past it even existed in a supermarket, today it is impossible to find and I live in a city of almost 1 million inhabitants. I only managed to buy online!

Finally the P100’s board clean and with its original memories and processor in place. CMOS battery was changed too!

Nothing is wonderful. And it had to happen! When I was about to turn on Aptiva, I didn’t have the PS2 keyboard around and I went to use a USB / PS2 adapter but it was defective and the port burned me. It actually burned this L3 inductor. I was able to see how easy it was, because it was stuffed and smelled like burning. I then had to get another inductor from a serial port to use instead. As soon as the change was made, I tested the PS2 keyboard and everything went back to normal…

Queimou = Burn (Before)
After

Here are pictures of the finished product! A 2 GB CF Card was cleaned and upgraded in place of the HD.

This is the Aptiva K45’s enclosure already assembled and opened. And we can see the MWave card over the top that did the job of being both a sound card and a modem.

Microphone, keyboard, mouse and original speakers. I had to change the 4x CD player for a Creative (the same however with the Creative logo) and the floppy I also upgraded to use USB pen.

Original PS2 ball, Microphone also original and replaces the original CD-ROM player with this Creative. In fact, they are exactly the same. IBM launched this K45 with this same 4X model from Creative, only it didn’t have the Creative logo for obvious reasons.

Phone splitter also original IBM, all manuals and VHS tape from Aptiva. Detail the sticker “Multimedia” that does not have in other versions.

IBM Tag

Finally the finished product, restored with its original software.

IBM Aptiva K45.

In the installation I used the recovery CD

Aptiva was very interesting, as it came with a range of pre-installed software, such as Netscape, Anti-virus from IBM, and even a Welcome with interactive guide on how to use your computer.

In the next post I will show the differences between the Aptivas 486, P100 and P133. I had no idea how big the differences are and you can see the evolution in the 3, it’s very interesting.

I am looking for a front door of Aptiva, if someone has and wanted to sell, please send me an email. Thank you! I hope you enjoyed it and leave your comments below!

6 comments

  • Carlos Max Andres

    Tenho inúmeras peças do Aptiva. À disposição.

  • “GOOD JOB Mr. Toth” sinceros PARABÉNS!”

    Isso é a vitória de: Insistência em um Sonho, do Estudo e da Persistência para a realiza-lo.

    Aliás, tenho uma lembrancinha para lhe entregar . . quando eu for até a casa de sua mãe novamente vou deixar lá.

    Gabriel

  • Oi Amigo tudo bem como você fez o adaptador stick card de 2GB para o seu aprova?

  • JOAO PEDRO JACKS JUNIOR

    Voltei no tempo! eu ainda era criança quando meu pai comprou aquele impressionante computador. um aptiva k45 fiquei infinitos 4 dias esperando o eletrecista vir para instalar o aterramento na tomada. imagina ligar um equipamento tão caro como esse sem o bendito fio terra naquela época rsrsrsrsrs. essa foi uma de muitas historias boas e trágicas que este computador nos proporcionou. Ainda lembro de alguns programas como o Teatro mágico, Aventura submarina, cyberia, contabilidade do lar, jack niklaus golf…. rsrsrsrsrs bons tempos! este monstro histórico só me trás boas lembranças de um tempo que não volta mais. Obrigado por isso meu amigo!

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