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Does anyone here own an AST Ascentia 950N?

igseries88 said:
I found this thread from google. I have an Ascentia 950N including the User's manual.
It boots to the error "No available extended memory was found. XMS driver not installed." and drops you into a DOS prompt.

The machine belonged to one of my grandparents but looking around the files it looks like they never made any user files so maybe never really used it.

I was going to recycle the machine, I'm not sure why Ive kept it this long. I was surprised to find a recent forum thread about this exact machine. Is there somewhere I can donate it if people still want these older machines?

Edit: I don't know how to tell if it has a TFT screen or not.
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If you’d rather give it to ajacocks since first come first serve, I totally get that and that’s completely fine. I’ve been super interested in getting one of these for a while now though, I’d give some money for it. Let me know if things don’t work out with aja.
 
Easiest way to tell if TFT is if you can see the writing on the screen without adjusting the heck out of brightness and contrast then it is a TFT. Dual scan screens take lots of tweaks to see.
 
I’d also likely be able to tell from a photo of it on, TFT screens will usually have a way more even backlight look.
 
ajacocks said:
Welcome to the forum @igseries88 . Where are you located? If you're on the east coast of the US, I would be interested, on behalf of VCF.

- Alex
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Thank you! I am located in Boise, Idaho.

Attached some photos of the screen as it boots and when it gets to the error; user manual is in view as well. I didn't adjust anything with brightness on it if that helps.

3lectr1c said:
If you’d rather give it to ajacocks since first come first serve, I totally get that and that’s completely fine. I’ve been super interested in getting one of these for a while now though, I’d give some money for it. Let me know if things don’t work out with aja.
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Will do! It is cool to think the machine would end up in a museum so I am partial to that but I will let you know.
 

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Totally cool, I get that completely. Still interested if things don’t work out for whatever reason.

On the screen - that’s a tougher one than most. It’s either TFT/Active or a really nice DSTN/Passive panel but I’m leaning TFT.

Whatever does end up happening, @ajacocks - if you take it, please get that internal NiMH battery out! It will kill the laptop eventually if left in there.
 
You know what, I just popped out the battery and found my answer. Looks like it is TFT. Not sure what is up with the sticker in German but maybe someone here knows.

Edit: I mean knows why it's in German as opposed to English haha. Maybe some specific part manufactured there. It does say "Made in USA or primarily foreign and some domestic components"
 

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I’m pretty sure that the German sticker is just an acknowledgment that it meets their standards, like something similar to FCC I believe. I recognize the Vfg Nr 243/1991 from the bottoms of a lot of hardware.
 
3lectr1c said:
Totally cool, I get that completely. Still interested if things don’t work out for whatever reason.

On the screen - that’s a tougher one than most. It’s either TFT/Active or a really nice DSTN/Passive panel but I’m leaning TFT.

Whatever does end up happening, @ajacocks - if you take it, please get that internal NiMH battery out! It will kill the laptop eventually if left in there.
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Looks like they are passing. Interested still @3lectr1c
 
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