krisku@niksula.hut.fi (Kai Henrik Risku) (09/28/90)
Could someone out there tell me the difference between an IBM XT286 and an AT? My own computer is an XT286, but so far I haven't found anything that makes it different from a 'normal' AT. Any suggestions?
mlord@bwdls58.bnr.ca (Mark Lord) (09/29/90)
In article <KRISKU.90Sep28172135@psykoman.hut.fi> krisku@niksula.hut.fi (Kai Henrik Risku) writes: >Could someone out there tell me the difference between an IBM XT286 >and an AT? My own computer is an XT286, but so far I haven't found >anything that makes it different from a 'normal' AT. Any suggestions? Apart from the lack of 16-bit slots, the big difference is usually the BIOS. XT/286's usually do not support the full functionality of an AT-bios, with its added function calls and extended memory support. Also, XT/286's require an XT style disk controller, with on-card bios for controlling the hard drives. -- ___Mark S. Lord__________________________________________ | ..uunet!bnrgate!mlord%bmerh724 | Climb Free Or Die (NH) | | MLORD@BNR.CA Ottawa, Ontario | Personal views only. | |________________________________|________________________|
krisku@niksula.hut.fi (Kai Henrik Risku) (10/01/90)
>>Could someone out there tell me the difference between an IBM XT286 >>and an AT? My own computer is an XT286, but so far I haven't found >>anything that makes it different from a 'normal' AT. Any suggestions? > Apart from the lack of 16-bit slots, the big difference is usually the BIOS. Well, at least in my XT286 there are both 16 and 8-bit slots. > XT/286's usually do not support the full functionality of an AT-bios, with > its added function calls and extended memory support. Also, XT/286's require > an XT style disk controller, with on-card bios for controlling the hard drives. But, what does all this mean practically. Are there any programs or any hardware for AT that I cannot use in my XT286? So far I haven't had any problems at all... Kai Risku - krisku@niksula.hut.fi -- +---------------------------------------------+ | Kai Risku - ( krisku@niksula.hut.fi ) | +---------------------------------------------+ | The only thing that is better than a | | pizza is of course two pieces of pizza. | +---------------------------------------------+
cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us (Gordon Hlavenka) (10/02/90)
>Could someone out there tell me the difference between an IBM XT286 >and an AT? My own computer is an XT286, but so far I haven't found >anything that makes it different from a 'normal' AT. Any suggestions? I used an XT 286 for a couple of years. As I recall, the only difference between this machine and an AT was the case size and (perhaps) clock speed. I believe the AT also had a larger hard drive. There were 16-bit slots, the BIOS was IBM's AT BIOS, even the setup disk was labelled "IBM AT / XT 286." >Apart from the lack of 16-bit slots, the big difference is usually the BIOS. I did not find either of these assertions to be correct. >XT/286's usually do not support the full functionality of an AT-bios, with >its added function calls and extended memory support. All AT calls supported. I used many of them myself. >Also, XT/286's require >an XT style disk controller, with on-card bios for controlling the hard >drives. Wrong again. My XT 286 used a 20MB drive which was referred to in SETUP as "Type 13." No BIOS extension on the controller. > ___Mark S. Lord__________________________________________ >| ..uunet!bnrgate!mlord%bmerh724 | Climb Free Or Die (NH) | >| MLORD@BNR.CA Ottawa, Ontario | Personal views only. | >|________________________________|________________________| Is probably referring to an XT system with a 286 accelerator card installed. I'm referring to the actual IBM machine (briefly marketed) called the "XT 286." Different animal. ----------------------------------------------------- Gordon S. Hlavenka cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us Disclaimer: Yeah, I said it. So what?
draper@cpsin2.cps.msu.edu (Patrick J Draper) (10/02/90)
In article <KRISKU.90Sep30195808@superman.hut.fi> krisku@niksula.hut.fi (Kai Henrik Risku) writes: > > >>Could someone out there tell me the difference between an IBM XT286 > >>and an AT? My own computer is an XT286, but so far I haven't found > >>anything that makes it different from a 'normal' AT. Any suggestions? > > > Apart from the lack of 16-bit slots, the big difference is usually the BIOS. > >Well, at least in my XT286 there are both 16 and 8-bit slots. > >> XT/286's usually do not support the full functionality of an AT-bios, with >> its added function calls and extended memory support. Also, XT/286's require >> an XT style disk controller, with on-card bios for controlling the hard drives. > >But, what does all this mean practically. Are there any programs >or any hardware for AT that I cannot use in my XT286? So far >I haven't had any problems at all... > >Kai Risku - krisku@niksula.hut.fi >-- I use a PC-XT 286 on my job every day. It's an interesting hybrid. Supposedly, IBM was doing its normal thing that it does when it has too many parts and nothing to use them on ---- it invents something that needs them. In this situation I believe that it was the IBM XT case. The case can cause some problems if you use AT cards that are tall. If you have those cards, the top won't fit on the case. Performance wise, the XT286 is between the 6 and 8 Mhz AT models, but the hard disk is the worst I've ever heard of. Mine can do only 95msec average random seek. As far as I know, any 286 software will run on the XT 286. Patrick Draper ----- Michigan State University
krisku@niksula.hut.fi (Kai Henrik Risku) (10/03/90)
> Performance wise, the XT286 is between the 6 and 8 Mhz AT models, but > the hard disk is the worst I've ever heard of. Mine can do only 95msec > average random seek. According to some testprogram (I don't remember which) the average random seek time was about 65 ms for my XT286. Other testprograms reported the CPU speed to be about 8 Mhz. > As far as I know, any 286 software will run on the XT 286. I agree fully with that. -- +---------------------------------------------+ | Kai Risku - ( krisku@niksula.hut.fi ) | +---------------------------------------------+ | The only thing that is better than a | | pizza is of course two pieces of pizza. | +---------------------------------------------+
thoger@solan1.solan.unit.no (Terje Th|gersen) (10/03/90)
>Could someone out there tell me the difference between an IBM XT286 >and an AT? My own computer is an XT286, but so far I haven't found >anything that makes it different from a 'normal' AT. Any suggestions? I used a XT/286 this summer, and the only difference I could find between the XT/286 and my own AT is that the XT/286 does not support a '0-wait state line' on it's 16 bit bus. I haven't got the faintest idea about what this line is good for, but the manual for my Seagate SCSI host-adapter says that the jumper enabling this should be installed when the card is used in AT compatibles, but this did *not* work on the XY/286. I should perhaps add that it worked in my Sperry/IT almost-AT-compatible. -Terje
pnl@hpfinote.HP.COM (Peter Lim) (10/06/90)
> I used a XT/286 this summer, and the only difference I could find between the > XT/286 and my own AT is that the XT/286 does not support a '0-wait state line' on > it's 16 bit bus. > > I haven't got the faintest idea about what this line is good for, but the manual > for my Seagate SCSI host-adapter says that the jumper enabling this should be > installed when the card is used in AT compatibles, but this did *not* work on the > XY/286. I should perhaps add that it worked in my Sperry/IT almost-AT-compatible. > Well, that line is what makes the AT 16-bit bus go warp speed :-). A 16-bit card in an AT usually goes quite a bit faster than the 8-bit counterpart. This is because a 16-bit operation on an 8-bit card involves extra wait state on top of having to do the operation in two 8-bit steps. So, I guess that's another speed penalty for the XT-286. Regards, ## Life is fast enough as it is ........ Peter Lim. ## .... DON'T PUSH IT !! >>>-------, ########################################### : E-mail: plim@hpsgwg.HP.COM Snail-mail: Hewlett Packard Singapore, : Tel: (065)-279-2289 (ICDS, ICS) | Telnet: 520-2289 1150 Depot Road, __\@/__ ... also at: pnl@hpfipnl.HP.COM Singapore 0410. SPLAT ! #include <standard_disclaimer.hpp>