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Revision as of 14:26, 1 October 2026

Welcome to the RetroTechCollection Wiki
Yesterday's Tech, Preserved for Tomorrow

The RetroTechCollection (RTC) Wiki is a repair and documentation wiki for vintage computers and games consoles. It has pages on individual machines, maintenance, troubleshooting and capacitor replacement guides, and a library of hosted service manuals, schematics and technical books. It currently has 2,932 articles and 3,419 uploaded files.

Platforms

Apple Macintosh and Apple II hardware, software, and component-level repairs.	Commodore Commodore 64, VIC-20, PET, and Amiga systems and peripherals.	Sinclair ZX80, ZX81, Spectrum models and related hardware and accessories.	Atari 8-bit and 16-bit Atari computers, consoles, and development tools.
Sega Restoration, repair, and mods for Sega Master System, Genesis, and more.	Nintendo Classic Nintendo hardware: NES, SNES, Game Boy, and related projects.	IBM IBM PC, PS/2, ThinkPads, and workstation support and documentation.	PSION PSION portable computers, peripherals and more.
BBC Micro Documentation, repairs and upgrades for the BBC Micro and peripherals.	Acorn Computers Archimedes, Electron, and RISC OS systems and hardware projects.	Digital Equipment Corporation DEC PDP, VAX and x86 Computers and peripherals.	Amstrad CPC, PCW, and other Amstrad computer systems and peripherals.
Tandy / Radio Shack TRS-80 series and Tandy 1000 family; early US home computing.	MSX Standardized 8-bit platform developed in Japan and Europe.	Sharp X68000 and MZ series – iconic Japanese home computers.	Osborne Early CP/M portable computers, including the Osborne 1.
Silicon Graphics IRIX-based 3D workstations like Indigo, O2, and Octane.	SNK Neo Geo AES/MVS arcade systems and hardware documentation.	3DO Company Interactive Multiplayer consoles (Panasonic, Goldstar variants).	Panasonic Makers of 3DO, MSX systems, and vintage electronics.
Coleco ColecoVision console, Adam computer, and classic accessories.	Mattel Electronics Intellivision and Aquarius computer systems.	Magnavox Odyssey consoles, Odyssey², and gaming history.	Philips Videopac, CD-i, and vintage electronics.

Guides by type

Category	Pages	What it holds
Maintenance Guides	352	Cleaning, inspection and preventive work, machine by machine. The full index is at Maintenance Guides.
Troubleshooting Guides	358	Symptom-led fault finding for each machine
Capacitor Replacement Guides	228	Capacitor lists and recapping procedures
Repair Guides	44	Specialist repairs and procedures that apply to many machines
Service Manuals	535	Pages for hosted service manuals and schematics, each saying what the document covers

Guides for every machine

These pages apply across platforms. Read the first one before opening anything with a picture tube.

For Macintosh faults, see also Sad Mac Error Codes and the Macintosh diagnostic serial console.

Manuals and documentation

Each hosted document has its own page giving its title, part number and date, what it contains and what it leaves out.

Macintosh Repair Resources: repair books, Apple service guides and general Macintosh references
Apple Service Source (198 pages): Apple's service manuals, machine by machine
Apple Documentation (247 pages): Apple's other publications, the LaserWriter service-training manuals and third-party Macintosh books
Apple Programming Documentation (151 pages): programming, language and compiler manuals
Commodore Documentation (114 pages), including Commodore Books (69 pages)
Service Manuals: the top-level category for service manuals and schematics from every manufacturer

Get involved

Anyone can improve an existing article or start a new one. Start with Getting started, Editing and Help, read the policies and guidelines, and use the Article wizard to create a page. Discussion happens on the RTC Forum and the RTC Discord server.

If you find the wiki useful, you can support it at Buy Me a Coffee.

Other RTC tools

RetroTechCollector

RetroTechCollector is a collection catalogue and marketplace run by RetroTechCollection. It records consoles, computers, handhelds and games with market values, and lets collectors buy, sell and trade. It is free to use, with some paid features, on the web and as an app for Android and iOS.

RetroTechCollector on the App Store

Floppy Disk Workbench

The Floppy Disk Workbench is an open-source (MIT licence) tool for restoring, formatting and recovering floppy disks with a Greaseweazle. The source and downloads are on GitHub at JYewman/Greaseweazle-Floppy-Disk-Restorer.

PsionNet

PsionNet connects a Psion Series 5mx, Series 7 or netBook to the internet. It is open source (GPL v2); the source and downloads are on GitHub at JYewman/PsionNet.

Install the wiki as an app

The wiki can be installed as a progressive web app (PWA) on Android, iOS, Windows and macOS.

Service status

Wiki and forum: https://status.retrotechcollection.com
RetroTechCollector: https://status.rtccollector.com

To apply to join the RTC Wiki or Forum staff, fill in the RTC Staff Member Application Form. Applications are reviewed and answered within 24 hours.

For more about staff roles, see the forum post RTC Staff Member Applications, or ask on the RTC Forum or the RTC Discord server.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 __NOTOC__{{CategoryHeaderBox
 | title = Welcome to the RetroTechCollection Wiki
-| subtitle = Yesterday’s Tech, Preserved for Tomorrow
+| subtitle = Yesterday's Tech, Preserved for Tomorrow
-}}<div style="padding:15px; font-size:110%;">Welcome to the '''RetroTechCollection (RTC) Wiki''', your ultimate resource for preserving, repairing, and celebrating vintage technology. Whether you're restoring an old computer, troubleshooting hardware failures, or searching for service manuals, this wiki serves as a comprehensive guide for enthusiasts and collectors.
+}}<div style="padding:15px; font-size:110%;">The '''RetroTechCollection (RTC) Wiki''' is a repair and documentation wiki for vintage computers and games consoles. It has pages on individual machines, maintenance, troubleshooting and capacitor replacement guides, and a library of hosted service manuals, schematics and technical books. It currently has {{NUMBEROFARTICLES}} articles and {{NUMBEROFFILES}} uploaded files.
 </div>
-== 🎮 Vintage Computing & Gaming Areas ==
+== Platforms ==
 {{MainPageVintageAreas}}
-== 📂 Popular Categories ==
+== Guides by type ==
 <templatestyles src="Template:StyledTable/styles.css" />
 {| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
+! Category !! Pages !! What it holds
 |-
-! style="background-color:#4B9CD3; color:white; font-size:120%;" | Category
+| [[:Category:Maintenance Guides|Maintenance Guides]] || {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Maintenance Guides|pages}} || Cleaning, inspection and preventive work, machine by machine. The full index is at [[Maintenance Guides]].
-! style="background-color:#4B9CD3; color:white; font-size:120%;" | Description
-|-
-| '''[[:Category:Apple Vintage Computers|🍏 Apple Computers]]''' || Classic Macintosh and Apple II systems.
-|-
-| '''[[:Category:Apple Troubleshooting Guides|⚡ Apple Troubleshooting Guides]]''' || Fault diagnosis and repair for Apple systems.
-|-
-| '''[[:Category:Vintage Computers|🖥️ Vintage Computers]]''' || Broad range of retro computing platforms.
 |-
-| '''[[:Category:Repair Guides|🔧 Repair Guides]]''' || General-purpose repair and restoration guides.
+| [[:Category:Troubleshooting Guides|Troubleshooting Guides]] || {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Troubleshooting Guides|pages}} || Symptom-led fault finding for each machine
 |-
-| '''[[:Category:Service Manuals|📜 Service Manuals]]''' || Downloadable schematics, service data, and OEM docs.
+| [[:Category:Capacitor Replacement Guides|Capacitor Replacement Guides]] || {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Capacitor Replacement Guides|pages}} || Capacitor lists and recapping procedures
 |-
-| '''[[:Category:Sinclair Computers|🕹️ Sinclair Computers]]''' || ZX80, ZX81, Spectrum and related systems.
+| [[:Category:Repair Guides|Repair Guides]] || {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Repair Guides|pages}} || Specialist repairs and procedures that apply to many machines
 |-
-| '''[[:Category:Commodore Systems|💾 Commodore Systems]]''' || C64, VIC-20, PET, and Amiga systems.
+| [[:Category:Service Manuals|Service Manuals]] || {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Service Manuals|pages}} || Pages for hosted service manuals and schematics, each saying what the document covers
-|-
-| '''[[:Category:Atari Systems|🎮 Atari Systems]]''' || 8-bit and 16-bit Atari hardware coverage.
-|-
-| '''[[:Category:Sega Systems|🌀 Sega Systems]]''' || Repair and modding for Sega consoles.
-|-
-| '''[[:Category:Nintendo|🎮 Nintendo]]''' || NES, SNES, Game Boy and classic handheld systems.
-|-
-| '''[[:Category:Vintage Audio Equipment|🎵 Vintage Audio Equipment]]''' || Classic radios, tape decks, and amplifiers.
-|-
-| '''[[:Category:Vintage Video Equipment|📺 Vintage Video Equipment]]''' || VCRs, monitors, projectors and cameras.
 |}
-== 🛠️ Troubleshooting & Diagnostics ==
+== Guides for every machine ==
-Having trouble with your vintage computers, video equipment, or other retro tech? Our troubleshooting guides provide in-depth diagnostics and repair techniques:
+These pages apply across platforms. Read the first one before opening anything with a picture tube.
+* [[CRT Discharge Procedure]]
 * [[Capacitor Failure Symptoms]]
+* [[Battery Explosion, Capacitor or Corrosion Damage]]
+* [[Battery Refurbishment]]
 * [[Floppy Drive Repair]]
 * [[Hard Drive Maintenance and Repair]]
-* [[CRT Discharge Procedure]]
+* [[Retrobrite]]
-* [[Battery Explosion, Capacitor or Corrosion Damage]]
+* [[Recommended Tools]]
-* [[Sad Mac Error Codes]]
+* [[RetroTechCollection:Safety requirements|Safety requirements]]
-* [[Diagnostic Serial Console|Macintosh Diagnostic Serial Console]]
+For Macintosh faults, see also [[Sad Mac Error Codes]] and the [[Diagnostic Serial Console|Macintosh diagnostic serial console]].
-== 🖥️ Dedicated Device Pages ==
-Each vintage device has its own wiki page featuring specialised maintenance instructions, repair tutorials, parts lists, documentation, and technical specifications. Explore these dedicated pages to ensure your vintage gear remains in optimal condition. Use the search bar at the top to explore all our documented devices.
-== 🤝 Get Involved ==
+== Manuals and documentation ==
-Your contributions keep this wiki growing! Share your expertise, improve existing articles, or create new content to help preserve retro technology for future generations.
+Each hosted document has its own page giving its title, part number and date, what it contains and what it leaves out.
+* [[Macintosh Repair Resources]]: repair books, Apple service guides and general Macintosh references
+* [[:Category:Apple Service Source|Apple Service Source]] ({{PAGESINCATEGORY:Apple Service Source|pages}} pages): Apple's service manuals, machine by machine
+* [[:Category:Apple Documentation|Apple Documentation]] ({{PAGESINCATEGORY:Apple Documentation|pages}} pages): Apple's other publications, the LaserWriter service-training manuals and third-party Macintosh books
+* [[:Category:Apple Programming Documentation|Apple Programming Documentation]] ({{PAGESINCATEGORY:Apple Programming Documentation|pages}} pages): programming, language and compiler manuals
+* [[:Category:Commodore Documentation|Commodore Documentation]] ({{PAGESINCATEGORY:Commodore Documentation|pages}} pages), including [[:Category:Commodore Books|Commodore Books]] ({{PAGESINCATEGORY:Commodore Books|pages}} pages)
+* [[:Category:Service Manuals|Service Manuals]]: the top-level category for service manuals and schematics from every manufacturer
-Visit '''[[Help:Getting_Started]]''' and '''[[Help:Editing]]''' to get started, you can also join the discussion on our community forums at [https://forum.retrotechcollection.com forum.retrotechcollection.com] or our Discord server: https://discord.gg/sYgGY778TJ
+== Get involved ==
+Anyone can improve an existing article or start a new one. Start with [[Help:Getting_Started|Getting started]], [[Help:Editing|Editing]] and [[Help:Contents|Help]], read the [[RetroTechCollection:Policies and guidelines|policies and guidelines]], and use the [[RTC:Article wizard|Article wizard]] to create a page. Discussion happens on the [https://forum.retrotechcollection.com RTC Forum] and the [https://discord.gg/sYgGY778TJ RTC Discord server].
-'''You can create a new article using our new [[RTC:Article wizard|Article wizard]]'''
+If you find the wiki useful, you can support it at [https://buymeacoffee.com/retrotechcollection Buy Me a Coffee].
-If you like or use any of the content on the RTC Wiki, please consider buying Josh a coffee! [https://buymeacoffee.com/retrotechcollection Buy me a coffee]
+== Other RTC tools ==
+=== RetroTechCollector ===
-Before you start contributing, please read our [[:Category:RetroTechCollection policies and guidelines|policies and guidelines]]
+[https://retrotechcollector.com RetroTechCollector] is a collection catalogue and marketplace run by RetroTechCollection. It records consoles, computers, handhelds and games with market values, and lets collectors buy, sell and trade. It is free to use, with some paid features, on the web and as an app for Android and iOS.
+[[File:RTC Collector - Dark Mode.png|none|thumb|420x420px|RetroTechCollector]]
-== 🛠️ Other RTC Tools & Resources ==
+[[File:Google Play Store badge EN.svg|frameless|173x173px|link=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.rtccollector.twa|Get RetroTechCollector on Google Play]] [https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/retro-tech-collector/id6762841160 RetroTechCollector on the App Store]
-=== RTC Collector ===
-We have launched a brand new services as part of the RetroTechCollection. [https://rtccollector.com RTC Collector]! The ultimate retro technology collection management and marketplace platform. It's free to use, there are some paid features but we hope you will love it as much as we do!
-[[File:RTC Collector - Dark Mode.png|none|thumb|420x420px|RTC Collector]]
-[[File:Google Play Store badge EN.svg|frameless|173x173px]]
 === Floppy Disk Workbench ===
-In order to make it easer to restore, format and recover old floppy disks, we've created the Floppy Disk Workbench. It's completely open source, easy to use and you can find all of the information as well as download it from github at https://github.com/JYewman/Floppy-Disk-Restorer
+The Floppy Disk Workbench is an open-source (MIT licence) tool for restoring, formatting and recovering floppy disks with a Greaseweazle. The source and downloads are on GitHub at [https://github.com/JYewman/Greaseweazle-Floppy-Disk-Restorer JYewman/Greaseweazle-Floppy-Disk-Restorer].
 [[File:Floppy Disk Workbench.png|none|thumb|431x431px|Floppy Disk Workbench]]
-== 📲 Install our PWA ==
+=== PsionNet ===
-The RetroTechCollection Wiki is now a PWA! You can install it on Android, iOS, Windows or macOS.
+PsionNet connects a Psion Series 5mx, Series 7 or netBook to the internet. It is open source (GPL v2); the source and downloads are on GitHub at [https://github.com/JYewman/PsionNet JYewman/PsionNet].
+[[File:PsionNet Screenshot.png|none|thumb|PsionNet]]
+== Install the wiki as an app ==
+The wiki can be installed as a progressive web app (PWA) on Android, iOS, Windows and macOS.
 {{#PWAAndroidInstall:main}}
 {{#PWAiOSInstall:main}}
-== ⚙️ RTC Status ==
+== Service status ==
-You can always check the status of all of the RetroTechCollection services over at:
+* Wiki and forum: https://status.retrotechcollection.com
+* RetroTechCollector: https://status.rtccollector.com
-https://status.retrotechcollection.com for the Wiki and Forum
+<div style="margin: 0.5em 0; padding: 15px; border: 2px solid var(--border-color-base, #a2a9b1); display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between; gap: 15px;" class="plainlinks">
+<div style="flex-shrink: 0;">
+[[File:RTC Logo.png|90px|none]]
+</div>
+<div style="flex-grow: 1; text-align: center;">
+To apply to join the RTC Wiki or Forum staff, fill in the [https://form.typeform.com/to/Yflsw44e RTC Staff Member Application Form]. Applications are reviewed and answered within 24 hours.
-https://status.rtccollection.com For the RTC Collector app.
+For more about staff roles, see the forum post [https://forum.retrotechcollection.com/threads/rtc-wiki-updates.6/#post-52 RTC Staff Member Applications], or ask on the [https://forum.retrotechcollection.com RTC Forum] or the [https://discord.gg/sYgGY778TJ RTC Discord server].
+</div>
+{{clear}}
+</div>

Josh (talk | contribs)