At 03:43 PM 5/3/04 -0700, you wrote:
>On Mon, 3 May 2004, Joe R. wrote:
>> I think you're mixed up.
>ABSOLUTELY! no argument there!
>
>
>> I think the first one was the Portable (8088 w/ 256k, then the Portable
>> II (smaller but still 8088 and 640K)
>How much would you pay for a "Portable II" that came stock with a 286
>motherboard?
The same as I paid for all the other Compaqs that I have. $0.00
>I think that there were both a "Portable II" AND a "Portable II/286", but
>the 286 "II" that I have says "Portable II".
I don't remember a Portable II/286. It sounds like Compaq had to P-II
cases left over and decided to stick 286s in them. Similar to IBM with
their XT/286.
>
>> then the Portable 286 (286 CPU and
>> 640k(?)), then the Portable III (the small lunchbox sized computer (I don't
>> remember if theese were 286s or 386SXs)) and then the Portable 386 (it had
>> a full fledged 386DX). FWIW I have a P-II sitting about five feet from me.
>> FWIW I think the Portable 286 was probably the same size as the P-II. It
>> wasn't much smaller than the original Portable but I distinctly remember
>> Compaq saying that it was 40% smaller. Probably about 10% smaller in each
>> direction so ~40% smaller volume.
>
>How much would you pay for a "Portable 286" that IS EXACTLY the size and
>shape as the original portable, with MOST case/body parts interchangeable
>with the original portable?
>
>The original portables that I had (sold off at VCF a few years ago),
>and the "Portable 286" that I still have are EXACTLY the same size and
>shape, and are difficult to tell apart (minor differences, such as
>horizontal v vertical drives).
FWIW one of the more useful features of the Portable 286s is that the
keyboard will work with the 286 and up clone boards. Why does that matter
you ask? Because then you can take a Portable case and stuff a late model
clone MB and video card in and and make a useful computer out of it and
still keep the detachable keyboard.
>The "Portable II" that I still have is significantly, noticeably, and
>obviously smaller.
>
>Is it unreasonable for me to assume that the 286 with a case like the
>original was an earlier model than the 286 with a smaller more modern
>case?
No. but I don't remember a full sized 286 portable. I suspect Compaq had
some full size chassis left over and decided to use them up.
>
>
>I do not have any of the Portable IIIs (lunchbox)
>
>One of my Compaq's is "upgraded" to the Compaq EGA card
>Another has the ATI EGA Wonder, with "special Compaq adapter"
>
>The Portable 286 has sheet metal "damage" (I mounted a 3.5" drive above
>the expansion cards)
>
>If still around by then, I'll sell them at VCF. (along with the usual
>pile of boxes of crap)
>
>--
>Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin_at_xenosoft.com
>
>
>> At 01:09 PM 5/3/04 -0700, you wrote:
>> >On Mon, 3 May 2004, Joe R. wrote:
>> >> IIRC they were 256k, 8088 CPU and dual DS disk drives and that
was it.
>> >
>> >> The Portable II was 40% smaller and lighter and had 640k of RAM. I
think a
>> >Between the original and the II, there was a "Portable 286", which was
>> >ALMOST the same as the original, but with a 80286 motherboard, etc.
>> >(The II was also 286)
>> >
>> >> hard drive was available in the P-II but I don't know if that was
from the
>> >> factory or a third party job.
>> >factory
>> >but third party was fine - other than having a very limited list of "drive
>> >numbers", which didn't exactly match the IBM AT list, the hard drive could
>> >take ordinary 506/MFM drives.
>> >
>>
>>
>
>--
>Fred Cisin cisin_at_xenosoft.com
>XenoSoft http://www.xenosoft.com
>PO Box 1236 (510) 558-9366
>Berkeley, CA 94701-1236
>
>
Received on Mon May 03 2004 - 18:09:00 BST