santol@cbnewsc.att.com (shawn.r.antol) (03/23/91)
Recently I had read somewhere that it was possible to install an
80386SX cpu into an AT style motherboard and virtually have a low
end SX machine. Is this possible? What are the caveats?
Shawn Antol
AT&T Bell Labortories
Naperville, Il.
Work: 708-979-5622
email: santol@ihlpb.att.com
My hardware is:
10M Hz 80286 Hyundai
1M RAM
90Meg 1:1 Interleave Hard diskccastms@prism.gatech.EDU (Michael Todd Smith) (03/23/91)
In article <1991Mar22.182606.549@cbnewsc.att.com>, santol@cbnewsc.att.com (shawn.r.antol) writes: > Recently I had read somewhere that it was possible to install an > 80386SX cpu into an AT style motherboard and virtually have a low > end SX machine. Is this possible? What are the caveats? > > My hardware is: > 10M Hz 80286 Hyundai > 1M RAM > 90Meg 1:1 Interleave Hard disk The only way possible to install a 386sx into an AT ( 286) system is in an expansion slot thru some kind cpu expansion board. Reasons why the 386sx and 286 aren't interchangable: - They are not the same size. The 386sx has 100 pins ( See Intel Microprocessor and Peripheral Handbook Volume I page 4-355) and the 286 has 68 pins ( See page 3-2 ). - The clock would not provide the type of performance you would probably be looking for in an upgrade. Most CPU expansion boards will have a clock on board(16 MHz, I have not heard of any 20 MHz models yet), but I think it would be a lot less hassle to just buy a new 386sx motherboard and stick it in your AT case. I think you will be a lot happier a year or so down the road if you ever wanted to sell it and upgrade again. -- Michael Smith Internet: ccastms@prism.gatech.edu Georgia Tech User Assitance | "Are you celebrating the tenth | Office of Information Technology | anniversary of Ethernet?" |