bright@dataio.UUCP (Walter Bright) (08/31/85)
Anybody know how I can get a rom bios upgrade kit for my old 64k motherboard IBM PC? The hard disk kit I want won't work without one. I have been calling the local IBM Product Center for over a month trying to get one. Sample conversation with them (same everytime I call): "I'd like to buy a ROM BIOS upgrade kit for my PC." "We don't have any in stock, they are backordered." "When will you have them in?" "We'll have them in two weeks." "That's what you told me a month ago." "I'm sorry, but I don't know when they'll arrive." "Does anybody there know?" "No, nobody here knows anything. They'll arrive when they arrive. Getting inventory is like Christmas." "Do you know where I can buy one?" "No." Obviously, IBM is not interested in supporting their machines. But I really need this part. Any ideas?
brown@nicmad.UUCP (09/02/85)
In article <795@dataio.UUCP> bright@dataio.UUCP (Walter Bright) writes: >Anybody know how I can get a rom bios upgrade kit for my old 64k >motherboard IBM PC? The hard disk kit I want won't work without one. Call your local Computerland service department. They are available for an easy price of $35.00. That is where we got ours. -- Mr. Video {seismo!uwvax!|!decvax|!ihnp4}!nicmad!brown
dueland@isucs1.UUCP (09/03/85)
Would it be possible to borrow a set from a friend and
take them to a local hacker with a PROM/EPROM burner? I think
this is a popular thing to do when buying not so compatible
Apple ]['s (switching ROMs makes it just like the real thing).
I have also seen compatible ROMs for sale in magazines for
use in making compatible systems. Look in Byte.johnl@ima.UUCP (09/09/85)
/* Written 4:22 pm Sep 2, 1985 by dueland@isucs1 in ima:net.micro.pc */ > Would it be possible to borrow a set [of IBM ROMs] from a friend and > take them to a local hacker with a PROM/EPROM burner? Sure it would. It's also quite illegal, since the ROMs are copyrighted. Calling around to the service departments of various IBM dealers usually will turn one up. They also ship one with every PC expansion chassis, and frequently don't use them since recent PCs already have up to date ROMs. My experience with IBM product centers has been that if they don't have the item you want in stock, right now, forget it. It once took two months of well-intentioned bumbling on their part to get my money back for back- ordered stuff that never came in. I'm not surprised they couldn't get the ROMs. You might ask if they have any of those funny chips from the expansion chassis, though. ("Oh, that's all you wanted?") John Levine, ima!johnl
dws@tolerant.UUCP (Dave W. Smith) (09/12/85)
I received and installed the mythical PC BIOS upgrade today, after waiting
patiently for six months. I got on the waiting list in March. At the time,
the local IBM Product Center (Sunnyvale) told the that the wait was about
three to four months, and that the upgrade kits "trickled in". They were
careful not to tell me how long the waiting list was, or how long people
had been on it. I got a look at the list today (they left it on the
counter for a moment and walked away). It looks like they were getting 2-3
upgrade kits a month. So, if you're on a list somewhere, there is indeed
hope.
The kit includes a socket puller, and the first few pages of the enclosed
document describe in great detail how to open up your PC and pull the ROM.
However, the Product Center wanted the ROM (and my serial number) before
they'd sell me the kit. Sigh.
For those who are wondering what a "BIOS upgrade" is, and if it affects them,
the upgrade is for PC's with ROMs dated prior to 10/27/82 (~ serial number
300,000). These old ROMS don't recognize hard disk controllers, and hence
are unable to boot off of a hard disk, requiring an awful software cludge.
The upgrade (for a mere $30) fixes the problem. It's compatible with a
number of the cheap (< $700) hard disk kits. (Mine is a DTC controller,
Cogito 10Mb drive, purchased for around $600).
--
David W. Smith {ucbvax}!tolerant!dws
Tolerant Systems, Inc.
408/946-5667