Old, but not "Classic"

From: jpero_at_pop.cgocable.net <(jpero_at_pop.cgocable.net)>
Date: Thu Nov 12 12:17:41 1998

> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 11:32:50 -0800 (PST)
> Reply-to: classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu
> From: Sam Ismail <dastar_at_ncal.verio.com>
> To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: Old, but not "Classic"
> X-To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>

> On Wed, 11 Nov 1998, Russ Blakeman wrote:
>
> > Unless you're talking about Win98, 95 or Workgroups, a 286 with 1 mb of
> > ram can and does run Windows 3.11 very well. I have 2 machines here in
> > the 286 class that run Netscape (older version) under Windows 3.11 and
> > have 4 mb of ram on a fair sized hard disk (120mb). They're also PS/2's
> > to boot.
>
> Hey, you're right. Maybe you ought to hold a seminar on how to make 286's
> useful so these centers can get some use out of it.
>
> That's the story I got from one recycler. And it seems to be the rule
> with all the recyclers I know of.

There are other reasons these recycler would not want to take in
286's... it's the memory in DIP's and some non standard SIPP's.
And by then many are failing, old croaking PSU's in XT factor cases.
Many can't see bigger than 120mb or so with IDE's because those MFM's
and RLL drives are already worn out.

Long ago, I picked up few 286 boards, there were too many problems
and hard to make it work reliably with IDE's and any cards. They got
trashed.

They want boards with user-defineable bios to support drives better.

Those many PS/2 machines has IBM MCA ESDI drives have high failure
rate. I had few dead ones and one dead one right now.

Also keep in mind 286 and 386 runs about the same in performance
wise and are designed to use 100ns memories originally when 386sx
16mhz came out. That is why many people on this list had no problems
adapting 386sx and 486SLC's to their decent 286 boards. (curious,
what is needed to build pair of PALs to complete that conversion?)

Aside from that, we have a 286 by a customer and it's worth too
little for 1MB, monitor, 40MB WD (not too reliable type) in a small
desktop, we will rebuild that by turfing the hd, motherboard out
first then put in decent components to help move the used machine out
that doors on sale. The old parts get used for teaching purposes.

Importantly, if machine can hold the win 3.x with good performance
they get used if not it's dumpster time. win95 is too much for
anything less than 486dx2, 500~1GB and 16MB plus.
Win98 needs new machines. All 3.x, 95/98 must have cdrom drives,
too many hardware and software are on cds.

Jason D.

>
> Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar_at_siconic.com
 
email: jpero_at_cgocable.net
Pero, Jason D.
Received on Thu Nov 12 1998 - 12:17:41 GMT