gsisson@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Glenn Sisson) (11/02/90)
Is it possible to swap a 386SX processor for the 286 processor on my motherboard? I seem to remember hearing that the pinouts are the same and that the reason for making the 386SX was so that vendors could easily upgrade there products (change the processor on the motherboard and sell it as a 386SX instead of a 286). I have a motherboard from JDR which is their 286-16Mhz model. It uses the Chips and Technologies Neat Chipset, and ATI BIOS. Would I need to change the BIOS also? I would like to just make a change to a 16MHz 386SX if the processor isn't too expensive, and if I can then run 386 multitasking applications. Thanks ---- glenn sisson
bchs1b@jetson.uh.edu (11/02/90)
In article <gsisson.657483872@beowulf>, gsisson@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Glenn Sisson) writes: > Is it possible to swap a 386SX processor for the 286 processor on my > motherboard? > > I seem to remember hearing that the pinouts are the same and that the > reason for making the 386SX was so that vendors could easily upgrade > there products (change the processor on the motherboard and sell it > as a 386SX instead of a 286). > > I have a motherboard from JDR which is their 286-16Mhz model. It > uses the Chips and Technologies Neat Chipset, and ATI BIOS. Would I > need to change the BIOS also? > > I would like to just make a change to a 16MHz 386SX if the processor > isn't too expensive, and if I can then run 386 multitasking > applications. > > Thanks > ---- glenn sisson The answer is NOT QUITE. The rumor was certainly around that you would be able to plug a 386SX into a 286 socket and upgrad, but that turns out not to be the case. There is at least one vendor around (and probably more) which sell miniboards that do plug into the 286 socket and replace it with a 386sx and the little neccessary circuit. However the price of these boards was ridiculous. It is actually cheaper just to buy a new 386sx motherboard and stick it in your system (about $300). mike benedik university of houston benedik@uh.edu