garrik@valnet.UUCP (Eric C. Garrison) (06/12/91)
Hello, I am looking into upgrading my system, as I am currently struggling along with a PC-1 (8086, 2 floppy 5 1/4", CGA and monitor, 1200 baud modem, Epson MX80III printer and parallel card). I'd like to go to an 80286 processor, 40+ meg hard drive cheaply. So far, the best (cheapest) I can find by going through a mail-order place is by getting a bare bones 286 machine (case, motherboard w/ 1 meg mem, 200W power supply) for $275, and a 30 meg hard drive with controller for $250, cannibalizing all other parts from my present machine. Is this the way to go? Also, the company I am thinking of buying from is USA Electronics, does anyone know of a reason not to order from them? any advice would be appreciated! Eric Eric C. Garrison I don't have a sig. garrik@valnet.uucp CompSci BBS +1 812 876-4407 Only Eric C. Garrison is responsible for the contents of this article. ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
oneel@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov ( Bruce Oneel ) (06/13/91)
In article <mTqF41w164w@valnet> garrik@valnet.UUCP (Eric C. Garrison) writes:
Hello,
I am looking into upgrading my system, as I am currently
struggling along with a PC-1 (8086, 2 floppy 5 1/4", CGA
and monitor, 1200 baud modem, Epson MX80III printer and
parallel card).
I'd like to go to an 80286 processor, 40+ meg hard drive
cheaply. So far, the best (cheapest) I can find by going
through a mail-order place is by getting a bare bones
286 machine (case, motherboard w/ 1 meg mem, 200W power supply)
for $275, and a 30 meg hard drive with controller for $250,
cannibalizing all other parts from my present machine.
Is this the way to go?
Also, the company I am thinking of buying from is USA Electronics,
does anyone know of a reason not to order from them?
any advice would be appreciated!
I did just about what you are trying to do. The thing to watch out
for is that if the boards (cga and such) in you system are more than a
few years old they may not be fast enough to work with your new
system. I had to replace my herc board ($40) to get it to work at
12mhz. Also, if you hard drive controller doesn't come with a floppy
controller you need a new one of those. Depending on the case you
get, both of the full height 5.25" floppies may not fit.
bruce
--
Bruce O'Neel oneel@heasfs.gsfc.nasa.gov
NASA/GSFC/STX/Code 664mig@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Meir) (06/13/91)
In article <mTqF41w164w@valnet> garrik@valnet.UUCP (Eric C. Garrison) writes: >Hello, > >I am looking into upgrading my system, as I am currently >struggling along with a PC-1 (8086, 2 floppy 5 1/4", CGA >and monitor, 1200 baud modem, Epson MX80III printer and >parallel card). > >I'd like to go to an 80286 processor, 40+ meg hard drive >cheaply. So far, the best (cheapest) I can find by going >through a mail-order place is by getting a bare bones >286 machine (case, motherboard w/ 1 meg mem, 200W power supply) >for $275, and a 30 meg hard drive with controller for $250, >cannibalizing all other parts from my present machine. > >Eric C. Garrison I don't have a sig. >garrik@valnet.uucp CompSci BBS +1 812 876-4407 >Only Eric C. Garrison is responsible for the contents of this article. Griffin was last selling the Quantum prodrive 40AT for $198, 80AT for $320. The low profile LPS 52AT is $225. These are IDE drives. An IDE card is around $25-75. 1800-472-4743 This company seems to have the lowest prices on Quantums. I am planning to get my hard disk from them. It SEEMS to be an excellent company. * * * * * * ====================== Meir Green * * * * * * ====================== (Internet) mig@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu * * * * * * ====================== meir@msb.com mig@asteroids.cs.columbia.edu * * * * * * ====================== (Amateur Radio) N2JPG
gale@virtech.uucp (Gale A. Botwick) (06/14/91)
garrik@valnet.UUCP (Eric C. Garrison) writes: >Hello, >I am looking into upgrading my system, as I am currently >struggling along with a PC-1 (8086, 2 floppy 5 1/4", CGA >and monitor, 1200 baud modem, Epson MX80III printer and >parallel card). >I'd like to go to an 80286 processor, 40+ meg hard drive >cheaply. So far, the best (cheapest) I can find by going >through a mail-order place is by getting a bare bones >286 machine (case, motherboard w/ 1 meg mem, 200W power supply) >for $275, and a 30 meg hard drive with controller for $250, >cannibalizing all other parts from my present machine. >Is this the way to go? >> That's not a bad price, but what are you really getting? Look >> for a system that has a Chips & Technologies chipset on the >> motherboard with either a C&T or AMI BIOS. Depending on the >> type of hard drive, you might want to go with a Kyocera 40MB >> IDE drive which will save you money on the controller portion. >> I don't recommend either Seagate or Western Digital hard drives. >> Many people can argue with me on this, but I've seen many of >> them fail after 3 months of operation. If you want an MFM or RLL >> hard drive, I recommend the Mitsubishi 40MB/60MB. >Also, the company I am thinking of buying from is USA Electronics, >does anyone know of a reason not to order from them? >any advice would be appreciated! >Eric >Eric C. Garrison I don't have a sig. >garrik@valnet.uucp CompSci BBS +1 812 876-4407 >Only Eric C. Garrison is responsible for the contents of this article. >()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() -- Gale A. Botwick Software Engineering Resources, Inc. uunet!virtech!gale (703)830-5034
nagi@motcid.UUCP (Paul Nagi) (06/15/91)
mig@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Meir) writes: >Griffin was last selling the Quantum prodrive 40AT for $198, 80AT for $320. >The low profile LPS 52AT is $225. >These are IDE drives. An IDE card is around $25-75. >1800-472-4743 >This company seems to have the lowest prices on Quantums. I am planning to get >my hard disk from them. It SEEMS to be an excellent company. Until you call them to buy, and they tell you that prices JUST went up.... I thought it was too good to be true. Has anyone ever been able to buy from Griffin for the advertised price? I am sincerely interested. Paul Nagi
davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (Wm E. Davidsen Jr) (06/17/91)
In article <mTqF41w164w@valnet> garrik@valnet.UUCP (Eric C. Garrison) writes: | I am looking into upgrading my system, as I am currently | struggling along with a PC-1 (8086, 2 floppy 5 1/4", CGA | and monitor, 1200 baud modem, Epson MX80III printer and | parallel card). | | I'd like to go to an 80286 processor, 40+ meg hard drive | Is this the way to go? I think not. I would suggest that you go with the cheapest (good) SX system you can find, not for speed but because so much software is and will be using it in the future. DOS 5.0 does lots of nifty things on a 386, however small and slow, which aren't there on a 286. Unless you expect to have lots of money in the next year or so to buy another machine, I would go with a 386 as a machine which will still be useful for five years or so. A 286 today is just not a good investment. I would also sell the PC-1 for what you can get and start over, rather than mix and match. Yeah, I know it's more money, but think how expensive it will be if it doesn't do what you want it to in a few years and you spent the money and can't run something you really need. -- bill davidsen - davidsen@sixhub.uucp (uunet!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen) sysop *IX BBS and Public Access UNIX moderator of comp.binaries.ibm.pc and 80386 mailing list "Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me