PS/2s nicer than expected; some questions

From: jpero_at_cgocable.net <(jpero_at_cgocable.net)>
Date: Wed Mar 24 01:23:27 1999

Date sent: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 23:39:08 -0700
Send reply to: classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu
From: Mark Gregory <gregorym_at_cadvision.com>
To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
Subject: PS/2s nicer than expected; some questions

Hi Mark!

Groan! I haven't yet found either 90 or 95!

> when PS/2s were new, the media savaged them, mainly due to high price and
> the incompatibility with all existing ISA cards, RAM, etc.

That is the time where market is driven by price and ease of
upgrades by easily available and inexpensive parts. They realize
IBM is selling decent machines but kept to be pigheaded and
attack IBM for that. :-(

> Some questions:
>
> 1) Why did Microchannel fail so completely? From a user point of view it
> seems quite nice.

IBM pigheaded and high royality fee for anyone to build
motherboards based on MCA bus. Actually, I find this quality and
design beauiful.

> 2) Can MFM or IDE drives be used with an ESDI controller, or do the drives
> have to be ESDI drives?

That is 95 XP, you have scsi in there by standard when system is
built. Both HD and controller card are SCSI, you can swap the
controller board for ESDI MCA adapter and a ESDI HD, or
aftermarket IDE to MCA adapter card (harder to find!)

> 3) Anybody know if the 486DX33 on the processor board can be replaced with
> an Overdrive chip to make it at least a 486/66; or, does IBM still run
> their parts depot in Boulder for old machines?

Yup, 5V only Intel or AMD DX2 66. Got cache slot there, that one
with brown connector running appox middle of the complex card?

> fine, but the system won't boot from the hard drive alone. If I boot with
> a floppy in the drive, I can access the HD and run programs off of it. But
> without a floppy, nothing works. Any ideas?

Check that HD for active partition by that pcdos fdisk program, if
not, add then reboot. No luck? try fdisk /mbr


>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Mark.
>

BTW, I have a PS/1 (Still decent built using parity but no cigar to
likes of the 90/95 that I'm still looking for.) And a P75 (8573-401).

Wizard
Received on Wed Mar 24 1999 - 01:23:27 GMT