berman@ihlpg.ATT.COM (A.S Berman) (11/10/87)
Burnt by IBM: A Sad Tale I bought an IBM-PC two-floppy system way back in 1982, before hard disks were available. What I paid back then would almost buy a Cray today, but what the heck, if you wanted IBM, you paid. There were no IBM compatibles back then. Now here's the sad tale. After 5 years of solid use, it's time to upgrade to a hard disk. But I need a BIOS ROM update kit (I was quoted about $40) so that the system will recognize the hard disk. Because of the PC/2 push and because post-1982 ROM chips can handle the hard disk. IBM no longer manufactures the upgrade, and numerous calls to local dealers have proven fruitless. Are the any ideas on where I could find the BIOS ROM upgrade (part number 1501005) for the IBM-PC? Many thanks, Scott Berman ...ihnp4!ihlpg!berman -- ------------------------------------------ Scott Berman ....ihnp4!ihlpg!berman
mac@idacrd.UUCP (Bob McGwier) (11/11/87)
in article <4231@ihlpg.ATT.COM>, berman@ihlpg.ATT.COM (A.S Berman) says: > > > Burnt by IBM: A Sad Tale > > Are the any ideas on where I could find the BIOS ROM upgrade > (part number 1501005) for the IBM-PC? > > Scott Berman ...ihnp4!ihlpg!berman > Scott, I hate to sound facetious but I would seriously consider the fact that $40 is about 10% of the cost of a full clone. Sorry I wish I could help you with your BIOS upgrade. Bob
rps@homxc.UUCP (R.SHARPLES) (11/11/87)
In article <4231@ihlpg.ATT.COM>, berman@ihlpg.ATT.COM (A.S Berman) writes: > > Burnt by IBM: A Sad Tale > ... > Now here's the sad tale. After 5 years of solid use, it's time > to upgrade to a hard disk. But I need a BIOS ROM update kit > (I was quoted about $40) so that the system will recognize > the hard disk. > > Because of the PC/2 push and because post-1982 ROM chips can > handle the hard disk. IBM no longer manufactures the upgrade, > and numerous calls to local dealers have proven fruitless. > > Are the any ideas on where I could find the BIOS ROM upgrade > (part number 1501005) for the IBM-PC? > > Many thanks, > > Scott Berman ...ihnp4!ihlpg!berman Copy them. If IBM is such a jerk as to discontinue something only 5 years old, they deserve to have their roms stolen. This is typical IBM arm twisting to force customers to upgrade. If I were you I wouldn't buy new roms, I'd buy a 286 or 386 motherboard and get rid of all that IBM crap inside the case! Russ Sharples homxc!rps NOTE: The above in NO WAY reflects the opinions of AT&T. AT&T would probably advise the person above to replace his IBM PC with one of AT&T's state of the art PCs.
sipples@husc2.UUCP (sipples) (11/12/87)
>> Are the any ideas on where I could find the BIOS ROM upgrade >> (part number 1501005) for the IBM-PC? > Scott, I hate to sound facetious but I would seriously consider the >fact that $40 is about 10% of the cost of a full clone. You could certainly afford a Phoenix clone BIOS. Check the pages of Computer Shopper for a vendor, or contact Phoenix directly. Timothy Sipples | BITNET: sipples@husc3.BITNET | ARPA: sipples%husc2@husc6.harvard.edu | UUCP: ...ihnp4!seismo!harvard!husc6!husc2!sipples
ralf@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU (Ralf Brown) (11/12/87)
In article <329@idacrd.UUCP> mac@idacrd.UUCP (Bob McGwier) writes: }in article <4231@ihlpg.ATT.COM>, berman@ihlpg.ATT.COM (A.S Berman) says: }> }> Are the any ideas on where I could find the BIOS ROM upgrade }> (part number 1501005) for the IBM-PC? }> }> Scott Berman ...ihnp4!ihlpg!berman } } Scott, I hate to sound facetious but I would seriously consider the }fact that $40 is about 10% of the cost of a full clone. } }Bob Why buy a whole clone? The BIOS upgrade is nearly half the cost of an 8MHz/640K motherboard (They now run about 90-100 dollars, and you may find one for quite a bit less). For twice the price of upgrading the BIOS to handle a hard disk, you'll also get an additional 576K RAM and a 70% performance boost. -- {harvard,uunet,ucbvax}!b.gp.cs.cmu.edu!ralf -=-=- AT&T: (412)268-3053 (school) ARPA: RALF@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU |"Tolerance means excusing the mistakes others make. FIDO: Ralf Brown at 129/31 | Tact means not noticing them." --Arthur Schnitzler BITnet: RALF%B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU@CMUCCVMA -=-=- DISCLAIMER? I claimed something?
ching@amd.AMD.COM (Mike Ching) (11/12/87)
In article <1337@husc2.UUCP> sipples@husc2.UUCP (Timothy Sipples) writes: >>> Are the any ideas on where I could find the BIOS ROM upgrade >>> (part number 1501005) for the IBM-PC? >> Scott, I hate to sound facetious but I would seriously consider the >>fact that $40 is about 10% of the cost of a full clone. > >You could certainly afford a Phoenix clone BIOS. Check the pages of >Computer Shopper for a vendor, or contact Phoenix directly. > Or you could get a clone XT motherboard for <$100 and get both the BIOS and a speedup to 8-10MHz. mike ching
cm450s02@uhccux.UUCP (jeff t. segawa) (11/12/87)
In article <329@idacrd.UUCP> mac@idacrd.UUCP (Bob McGwier) writes: >in article <4231@ihlpg.ATT.COM>, berman@ihlpg.ATT.COM (A.S Berman) says: >> >> Are the any ideas on where I could find the BIOS ROM upgrade >> (part number 1501005) for the IBM-PC? >> > Scott, I hate to sound facetious but I would seriously consider the >fact that $40 is about 10% of the cost of a full clone. > >Sorry I wish I could help you with your BIOS upgrade. It's not really all that bad. I ran into the same sort of trouble when I wanted to upgrade my PC Convertible model 1 to a model 3 w/backlit supertwist screen. I called the local IBM office and was told that they didn't do direct sales, but that one of the dealers could help me. Called most of the dealers listed in the yellow pages and found out that they either knew nothing about the upgrade, or else wanted nothing to do with the PC Convertible or (worse) simply didn't want to be bothered by upgrades when they could be selling complete new systems. Called the local IBM offices back to complain, and was told about the "IBM Direct" phone number. Called them and gave them the part number for the upgrade kit, and my VISA card number, and they said I'd be seeing it in 5-10 working days. How easy! The IBM Direct phone number is: 1-800-426-2468.
sipples@husc2.UUCP (sipples) (11/12/87)
>Copy them. [BIOS] If IBM is such a jerk as to discontinue something >only 5 years old, they deserve to have their roms stolen. This >is typical IBM arm twisting to force customers to upgrade. If >I were you I wouldn't buy new roms, I'd buy a 286 or 386 motherboard >and get rid of all that IBM crap inside the case! I was waiting for someone else to say this. I agree. (Even Radio Shack still carries parts for the venerable Model I!)