IBM 5150

Most of the IBM line reverts to ROM Basic (BasicA is a combo of ROM BASIC with an additional file to enhance it)if no boot disk is found. Even the later PS/2 line will go to BASIC if no boot on floppy or HD is found. Many of the early clones work the same but since they have no ROM BASIC they lock up if no boot softwware is found. The hanging cursor without a boot floppy is likely memory or video, although memory will usually usually cause monochrome to get all sort of weird spots on screen or odd characters. You can boot the machine with most DOS versions. Mine runs 6.22 fine. You need an 8 bit HD controller with BIOS to run a hard drive in the machine. -> -----Original Message----- -> From: owner-classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org -> [mailto:owner-classiccmp@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Don McClure -> Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2001 7:23 PM -> To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org -> Subject: IBM 5150 -> -> -> I found an IBM 5150 at a thrift store the other day. I don't usually pay -> much attention to PeeCee's, but the price of this one was about right-- -> $3.50 complete with dual floppies and monochrome monitor. -> -> I don't have any boot disks for PC's this old. When I initially turned it -> on, it would start up BASIC, which apparently is in ROM on these -> machines. -> Lately, it hangs on a rapidly flashing left cursor, sometimes moving to a -> rapidly flashing cursor at the top middle of the monitor. -> -> Questions: -> -> Anybody know what causes this? Power supply? Video card? Loose chip? -> -> What's the deal with the BASIC in ROM on these machines? Any other early -> PeeCee's have this feature? -> -> Thanks! -> -> Don McClure -> Bel Air, MD -> ->