11 Oct
2000
11 Oct
'00
6:17 a.m.
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2000 16:46:36 -0500
To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
From: Tarsi <tarsi(a)binhost.com>
Subject: Re: Compaq Deskpro 286
Reply-to: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
Hi,
VERY heavy machine. Run of the mill, perhaps, but
vintage nonetheless and
a nice addition to my informal collection/museum. My hardest part right
now is getting the setup program on a 5.25 disk. I have some drives around
but they have issues getting it onto that small of a disk. <shrug> Guess
I'll figure it out at some point.
This one has a lot of cards inside it, looks like a lot of memory cards,
etc. Dunno yet. 4MB? I think.
Count chips in one row (9 or 3), thats one row, then count number of
rows. 286 uses two rows as one bank due to 16bit data path, compaq
use 9th chip for parity. 16MB max. See where 386sx limitations
come from except the brain-dead part which 286 got?
Each bank can either have 64K (128K per bank) or 256K (512K per
bank) , rarely can have 1MB chips (2MB per bank) but I don't think
compaq 286 deskpro supports 1MB chips.
That one I had has 72 x 256K x 1bit DIPs, taking up nearly 2/3 of
the whole motherboard to bring up 2MB. Use 1.44MB generic FD on it.
No problems and easier this way to get setup program to boot.
Yeah, Very aucient and good idea of what things were like back then
before all the mostly cheap clones few decent clones stuffed into
either crappy flimsy finger cutting cases, some decent cases flooded
the market.
That little round 3 pin socket on back is 12V power for mono TTL
monitor.
Thanks,
Welcome!
Cheers,
Wizard