apollo@bucsb.UUCP (Doug Chan) (11/04/89)
I'm looking to buy a 386 machine or possibly just a motherboard to replace an old XT... Now, I've just lately come across some really low priced 386 boards and I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with the following mail order companies: Home Smart They're selling a 386-25 Mhz motherboard (true 25 mhz) for $669. It has 0K, comes w/a ram board that can hold up to 16M and uses a Phoenix BIOS. I've called them for some more details but I'm just a bit leary because they don't list an address in the advertisement...just a 800-number. Data Expert Corp. They want $680 for a similar board as above except it uses an AMI BIOS. This company gave the full address... One other thing... is there a difference between the power supply connectors on an XT board vs. AT/386 board? If so, please describe it. -Doug apollo@bucsb.bu.edu engm08c@buacca.bu.edu-- | Doug A. Chan | apollo@bucsb.bu.edu | | Boston University | apollo@buengf.bu.edu | | Class of '91 | engm08c@buacca.bu.edu |
plim@hpsgpa.HP.COM (Peter Lim) (11/08/89)
Don't know anything about the mail order companies you listed. I write just to say "Beware when people claim true 25 mhz". A few days ago I just bought a 386-25 Mhz motherboard (true 25 mhz) for about the same price. After I wrote them the check, I got a receipt with the system item list printed. One of the lines said "25 mhz system board (20 Mhz CPU)". What happened was: the 386 CPU is a 20 mhz rated unit, but the chipset is 25 mhz rated. And they wanted a few more hundred bucks if I want a 25 mhz CPU. Anyway, I gave the 20 mhz CPU a chance to prove itself (using 8 MB of 100 ns RAM, talk about pushing the chips ! :-)). I told them I'll be back if the thing can't run 25 Mhz. So far, after running two days of burn-in with some real nasty test programs, the system runs 25 MHz with interleaved memory beautifully and every part in the system is real cool (really ! I can't feel any part heating up a single bit at all) ! I can't quite remember the name of the mother board (some Taiwanese clone). But the distinct feature is it is highly integrated using 8 VLSI chips. E-mail me if you want more detail, but I doubt if you can get the same thing in the States (I'm in Singapore). So, the moral is "Take vendor's claim with a pinch of salt". Must say I was lucky so far......... > One other thing... is there a difference between the power supply > connectors on an XT board vs. AT/386 board? If so, please describe it. > As far as I know, no difference. But don't quote me :-). Regards, Peter Lim. HP Singapore IC Design Center. E-mail address: plim@hpsgwg Snail Mail address: Peter Lim Hewlett Packard Singapore, (ICDS, ICS) 1150, Depot Road, Singapore 0410. Telephone: (065)-279-2289
akcs.larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (11/09/89)
>I write just to say "Beware when people claim true 25 mhz". A few >days ago I just bought a 386-25 Mhz motherboard (true 25 mhz) for >about the same price. After I wrote them the check, I got a receipt >with the system item list printed. One of the lines said "25 mhz >system board (20 Mhz CPU)". What happened was: the 386 CPU is a 20 mhz >rated unit, but the chipset is 25 mhz rated. And they wanted a few I am running my system at 25mhz (and am considering pushing it to 30 mhz) using a 20 mhz CPU and 4 megs of 80ns ram with 0 wait states without a single problem. I've been running SCO 2.3.2 for months - supporting various IO cards - . Larry
karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) (11/11/89)
>----- >Response 2 of 2 (6600) by akcs.larry at nstar.UUCP on Thu 09 Nov 89 20:27 >[Larry Snyder] >(13 lines) > >I am running my system at 25mhz (and am considering pushing it to >30 mhz) using a 20 mhz CPU and 4 megs of 80ns ram with 0 wait states >without a single problem. I've been running SCO 2.3.2 for months - >supporting various IO cards - . Oh geesus... You're going to try 30Mhz?! I hope it works for you, but you won't catch us doing that kind of thing. Sure, it may work, but it certainly voids your warranty on the board, isn't recommended, and may cause all kinds of strange things to happen which you won't be able to reproduce or track down! Stick with rated parts, at rated speeds folks. It's much easier on your nerves and wallet. -- Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl) Public Access Data Line: [+1 312 566-8911], Voice: [+1 312 566-8910] Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. "Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"