prime@druwa.ATT.COM (DavisAR) (10/05/90)
Netlanders,
I'm looking to upgrade my BIOS so that my computer can support EGA minitors.
I have a Columbia-MPC circa 1984. I also have 640K, Microsoft Mach-20
('286 upgrade), 80287 co-processor and CGA w/color monitor. Would the Phoenix
or Chips & Technologies BIOS chips work for my system? Approximately how much
money would it take to upgrade? Am I out-of-luck? All suggestions are welcomed.
Replies can be posted to the net or to me directly (whatever is best for
you). Thanks in advanced for your help/advice/information.
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> THE PLANET <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Anthony Davis
AT&T Bell Laboratories
Denver, Colorado
(303) 538-2405
local: druwa!prime
net: att!druwa!primeprime@druwa.ATT.COM (DavisAR) (10/09/90)
In regard to my last posting about needing to upgrade my BIOS to support
an EGA monitor, I meant to say VGA monitor. I purchased a VGA monitor with
an STB VGA card, but it would not work in my system. I took it back to the
dealer and he inserted the card and monitor in an available PC. It worked
fine. I suspect that my BIOS needs upgrading. What do you think?
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*----********* Anthony Davis
*-------******** AT&T Bell Laboratories
*---------******** Denver, Co.
*--------********* (303) 538 - 2405
*-------********* local: druwa!prime
*----********** net: att!druwa!prime
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<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< THE PLANET >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>dmorin@wpi.WPI.EDU (Duane D Morin) (10/10/90)
In article <4873@druwa.ATT.COM> prime@druwa.ATT.COM (DavisAR) writes: >In regard to my last posting about needing to upgrade my BIOS to support >an EGA monitor, I meant to say VGA monitor. I purchased a VGA monitor with >an STB VGA card, but it would not work in my system. I took it back to the >dealer and he inserted the card and monitor in an available PC. It worked >fine. I suspect that my BIOS needs upgrading. What do you think? I think you're right. I've seen it happen. On my computer. I didnt see your previous post, but if 'not working' means getting something on the screen but its garbage, like half a screen of graphics or a screen that blanks out instead of scrolling, then its BIOS. Fair warning - I had a VERY old PC, like one of the original models, and was trying to upgrade it to EGA from Hercules. What I discovered was that not only wouldn't the BIOS support EGA, IBM had gone and changed the bloody pinout on the BIOS in future revisions! The new chips I got actually had more pins on them than I had space for in the sockets! I ended up trashing the computer as worthless, but I found out later that I probably could have run the new BIOS through an eprom programmer and put it onto my own chips. But, it wasnt worth the struggle. Something you might consider, though, if you find the same problem. > > ******** > *----********* Anthony Davis > *-------******** AT&T Bell Laboratories > *---------******** Denver, Co. > *--------********* (303) 538 - 2405 > *-------********* local: druwa!prime > *----********** net: att!druwa!prime > ********* > ><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< THE PLANET >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Duane Morin WPI Worcester, MA 01609 Software Etc.
prs@io.UUCP (Paul Schmidt) (10/12/90)
In article <4873@druwa.ATT.COM> prime@druwa.ATT.COM (DavisAR) writes: >In regard to my last posting about needing to upgrade my BIOS to support >an EGA monitor, I meant to say VGA monitor. I purchased a VGA monitor with >an STB VGA card, but it would not work in my system. I took it back to the >dealer and he inserted the card and monitor in an available PC. It worked >fine. I suspect that my BIOS needs upgrading. What do you think? Unless you have a very, very old BIOS (e.g. an XT clone) or a very incompatible BIOS, that's not the trouble.
wilken@plains.NoDak.edu (Scott Wilken) (01/28/91)
My machine (an Intel 301), currently has Ver. 1.06 of Phoenix 386 BIOS. I
am planning on buying an 80 meg IDE drive in the near future, and will need
to set up my own drive type. Since this version of Phoenix doesnt support
non-standard drives, I need an upgrade.
My question is..
1) What sort of information do I need to gather about my machine in
order to buy the right thing.
2) Am I limited to Phoenix (IE, can I get AMI instead).
Thanks..
Scott
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Internet: wilken@plains.nodak.edu
UUCP: ..!uunet!plains!wilken
Bitnet: WILKEN@PLAINSrfutscher@pbs.org (02/02/91)
In article <7784@plains.NoDak.edu>, wilken@plains.NoDak.edu (Scott Wilken) writes: > My machine (an Intel 301), currently has Ver. 1.06 of Phoenix 386 BIOS. I > am planning on buying an 80 meg IDE drive in the near future, and will need > to set up my own drive type. Since this version of Phoenix doesnt support > non-standard drives, I need an upgrade. > > <deleated> > > I just updated the BIOS in my 386 clone. I needed the following information: CPU TYPE Chip set used Type of EPROMS 128,256 Who made the board You also need to think about the options. One of AWARD BIOS options is password protection. North east computer guarentees that the upgrade will work, and has about 95% luck with clones. The cost is about $100 for the BIOS and keyboard BIOS. There number is 1-800-800-BIOS (2467). When I destroyed one of the EPROMS they replaced it at no charge. Almost all the intermittant problems I was haveing went away with the new upgrade. Robert Futscher rfutscher@pbs.org