Follow along as I rescue and begin restoring a rare 1978 Commodore PET 2001-16N computer discovered at a local estate sale complete with original manuals and a Commodore-branded IEEE-488 disk drive interface cable. As one of the earliest all-in-one home computers released by Commodore Business Machines, the PET 2001 series helped define the early era of personal computing during the late 1970s.
In this video, I perform an initial smoke test of the CBM PET 2001 system before carefully disassembling, inspecting, and deep cleaning the computer inside and out. Featured throughout the restoration process are keyboard testing, motherboard inspection, cleaning the PET case, washing the PET motherboard PCB, inspecting the internal components, and reassembling the machine after restoration work.
The video also shares the history behind this specific Commodore PET 2001-16N system. The original owner reportedly purchased the machine new and used it daily until retiring from his career as an electrical engineer at a power plant. After sitting unused for many years following his passing in 2003, the computer eventually resurfaced through a family estate sale where it was rescued locally, helping avoid the risks and costs associated with shipping fragile vintage computers.
Featured hardware includes the Commodore PET 2001-16N system itself, original Commodore documentation, IEEE-488 interface hardware, and discussions about planned future upgrades including expanding the system from 16 KB to 32 KB RAM and updating the BASIC ROMs in a follow-up restoration video.
Anyone interested in Commodore PET computers, CBM systems, IEEE-488 peripherals, early personal computing history, vintage computer restoration, retro computing preservation, and classic 1970s computer hardware should find plenty to enjoy here. The Commodore PET 2001 remains one of the most historically important and recognizable computers from the dawn of the home computer revolution.