spector@brillig.umd.edu (Lee Spector) (05/06/89)
I have an old IBM PC (not XT or anything) that I want to add memory to. It now has 256k (with two floppies) and I want it to have at least 384k. I've been getting conflicting stories from IBM dealers about the cheapest way to do this. Some don't even remember the machine, and one asked me whether it was a PC 1 or a PC 2. How am I supposed to find this out? The plate on the back says "model 5150". I'd appreciate any advice that anyone can offer. (email is probably best) Thanks! -Lee (spector@brillig.umd.edu)
mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us (Michael P. Cook) (05/06/89)
spector@brillig.umd.edu (Lee Spector) asks:
[I have an old IBM PC (not XT or anything) that I want to add memory to.
[It now has 256k (with two floppies) and I want it to have at least
[384k. I've been getting conflicting stories from IBM dealers about
[the cheapest way to do this. Some don't even remember the machine,
[and one asked me whether it was a PC 1 or a PC 2. How am I supposed
[to find this out? The plate on the back says "model 5150". I'd appreciate
If you have 256K on the motherboard, you have a PC 2. The PC 1 had only
64K on board. There should be a "B" on the back of your case if it's a PC 2.
The PC 2 also has BIOS support for a hard disk if you should choose to add
one. If you have a PC 1, you should already have a memory board which may
not be full. Check if it has empty sockets. If not, you'll have to replace it.
In any case, any mailorder place these days should have a memory card for
adding 0-384K RAM to an "XT" type pc. That would work fine. Some may
include parallel, serial, and game ports. I would think under $100 plus RAM
should be easy to find. I wouldn't waste my time talking to IBM about this
computer. They *have* forgotten about it.
By the way, I have a PC 2 (IBM PC 5150) with 640K RAM, a 42 MEG hard drive,
a 1.44 MEG floppy drive, etc. with no problems.
________________________________________________________________________
Mike Cook Oak Park, IL
usenet: mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us
data: 312-383-6335 - Discovery Place BBS, 3/12/2400, 8N1
=>Home of Children's Software Library
________________________________________________________________________
THESE ARE MY OWN OPINIONS AND ARE NOT SHARED BY MY EMPLOYER OR ANYONE
ASSOCIATED WITH MY EMPLOYER (I'M SURE, BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T CARE LESS
ABOUT THESE ARCANE ISSUES).
________________________________________________________________________
cramer@optilink.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) (05/07/89)
In article <17324@mimsy.UUCP>, spector@brillig.umd.edu (Lee Spector) writes: > I have an old IBM PC (not XT or anything) that I want to add memory to. > It now has 256k (with two floppies) and I want it to have at least > 384k. I've been getting conflicting stories from IBM dealers about > the cheapest way to do this. Some don't even remember the machine, > and one asked me whether it was a PC 1 or a PC 2. How am I supposed > to find this out? The plate on the back says "model 5150". I'd appreciate > any advice that anyone can offer. (email is probably best) > Thanks! -Lee (spector@brillig.umd.edu) Take a look at the motherboard. If it has 16K RAM chips in it, it is almsot certainly a PC-1. If it has 256K total on the motherboard, it is almost certainly a PC-2. My PC-1 had a serial number around 16xxx. -- Clayton E. Cramer {pyramid,pixar,tekbspa}!optilink!cramer Governments that don't trust most people with weapons, deserve no trust. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer? You must be kidding! No company would hold opinions like mine!
usenet@cps3xx.UUCP (Usenet file owner) (05/07/89)
I have an ancient IBM clone (Canon Athena A-200) that does not have BIOS hard drive support. Can the BIOS be replaced at a reasonable cost? Right now I have a ST-225 running with a software patch (the machine boots from a floppy that "connects" the drive to the system). |--------------------------------| |-----------------------------| | Bryan A. Ackermann | | "Fate protects fools, | | Department of Computer Science | | children, and ships | | Michigan State University | | named Enterprise." | | |<=====>| --- CDR W. Riker | | ackerman@frith.egr.msu.edu | | | | ackermanb@clvax1.cl.msu.edu | | "Data, I noticed...." | |--------------------------------| |-----------------------------|
aadm@ecsvax.UUCP (Atkins D. Michael) (05/10/89)
enter the following basic program:
10 DEF SEG=&HF000
20 FOR X=&HFFF5 TO &HFFFF
30 PRINT CHR$(PEEK(X));
40 NEXT
When you run, the date must be later than 10/19/81.
if so, then you have a 256k
I have some multifunction boards, serial,parallel,clock & 384k.
$ 125 with 200ns chips (good enough for your machine)
$ 155 with 150ns chips (a little faster chip will also work on AT)
email aadm@ecsvax.bitnet or (919)834-2684 (h)