jim@randvax.UUCP (Jim Gillogly) (12/06/84)
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If you don't have one of the ancient IBM PC's (i.e. with 64K on the
motherboard), this horror story will probably be boring to you.
If you don't care about my tribulations, skip to the end for the
denouement. FOO: GoTo BAZ;
I recently upgraded my ancient PC-1 with a 44 Meg hard disk. To boot from
it, I used the floppy in A: supplied by VISTA. So how does one boot from
it without the floppy? It seems the XT ROM will automatically check for
the existence of a winchester and boot from it, but the older ROM used in
the oldest PC's won't. However, IBM has produced an upgrade to the old ROM
BIOS which (probably among other things) will do the trick. After getting
the hard disk I tried off and on to find one, but couldn't. Monday I
got serious, and tried real hard. Here's the saga.
Computerland #1: Called Woodland Hills (CA) Computerland. They knew about
it, but didn't expect to have any for a couple of months (at least).
Computerland #2: Santa Monica Computerland didn't have it, but suggested
West L.A. Computerland.
Computerland #3: West L.A. Computerland didn't have it, but could order it
and maybe get it in about 4 weeks, after which I would have to pay
$45 for the chip and $50 for them to install it for me. (No, they
wouldn't let me plug the chip in myself.)
IBM #1: IBM Product Center (Encino) didn't have it and wouldn't be getting
it for a long time. I should call:
IBM #2: IBM Direct Order (1-800-426-2408). They couldn't deal with it, and
suggested I call the local branch office.
IBM #3: L.A. Branch Office (213-621-5000) sent me to the local L.A. parts
distribution office.
IBM #4: L.A. Parts Distribution (213-736-5811) needed the part number, and
couldn't look it up, but gave me the (toll) number to check it out.
IBM #5: Part numbers (317-658-2900) gave me a bogus part number.
IBM #6: L.A. Parts rejected it.
IBM #7: Parts numbers (toll call again) gave me the right number (write
this down!): 1501005.
IBM #8: L.A. Parts found the number, and discovered the part is marked
"Restricted for internal use." I told him why I needed it and
what it was for, but he wouldn't sell it to me (and didn't have
it anyway). Said I had to go through a local branch service
manager, and to tell him "C&A Code Q" (wouldn't tell me what it
meant).
IBM #9: Talked to local Branch Office (213-621-6292) Service Manager
Tom Greisel, who didn't see any problem with getting it, and
didn't know what "C&A Code Q" meant. R.F. He pointed me at
the Norwalk Service Repair Center, and said they ought to
be able to get it for me.
IBM #10: Norwalk Service Center (213-929-5544) featured a really nice
lady, Betsy Bellotti, who was interested in the problem and
willing to make some calls. She didn't have it there, of course,
or any idea of how to get it, but had heard of the problem before
and thought there ought to be a way to do it. Suggested that I
try a local IBM Product Center (that was IBM #1 above) to get it.
Next day: Betsy at Norwalk called back and said the part is not available
at all through IBM, and that my only chance is other dealers such
as Computerland. She talked to several Computerlands and found
a guy at one who was interested enough to work on it.
Computerland #4: Called to Tony at the Lawndale Computerland, who thought
that his buddy at Torrance Computerland might have one. Turned
out that he didn't.
I gave up at this point ... but today I got a call from Woodland
Hills Computerland that they happened to have a couple of them, and
wondered whether I was still interested.
BAZ: ComeFrom FOO;
For those of you who skipped down to here, they sold me the part (1501005)
at the Woodland Hills Computerland for $20.82 plus tax, and didn't make
me bring the machine in for installation or anything. I did have to bring
in the old ROM (it's in U33, next to the disk drive) for them to send back.
It works fine, and is no trouble to install.
The moral is that the thing is really out there, and you can get it, and
you don't have to let them install it at enormous expense ... but you need
to get lucky.
Jim Gillogly
{decvax, vortex}!randvax!jim
jim@rand-unix.arpadob@ihuxj.UUCP (Daniel M. O'Brien) (12/14/84)
And my local IBM Product Center wouldn't sell me one saying that it was intended soley for people purchasing the Cluster Adapter! I guess I gave up too soon. Cheers. -- Daniel M. O'Brien AT&T Bell Laboratories IH 4A-258 Naperville, IL 60566 ....!ihuxj!dob