darrylo@hpnmdla.HP.COM (Darryl Okahata) (09/10/90)
Hi,
I need to replace the 386 motherboard in my lunchbox transportable, and
I'm finding difficultly locating a motherboard that meets my requirements (the
inside of the case is very cramped). Does anyone know of a 386 motherboard
with the following specifications?
Absolute requirements:
1. Must be an XT-sized motherboard. An AT-sized motherboard will not fit
in the case.
2. The 386 should be running at either 20- or 25-MHz (either-or -- not
both). A cache is desirable, but not necessary. Also, the 386 must be
a 32-bit 386; a 386SX will not do.
3. Must be expandable to at least 16-megabytes of 32-bit RAM (using 16-bit
RAM is not acceptable). It is preferred that the memory be on the
motherboard, although it can be on a special 32-bit RAM card. It would
also be nice (but not necessary) if the memory used SIPPs and not SIMMs,
as I already have SIPPs.
4. Expansion slots #1 (the slot furthest away from the power supply, and
the one closest to the edge of the motherboard) and #2 must both
be 16-bit slots, unless slot #1 is a special 32-bit slot for a RAM card,
in which case slots #2 and #3 must both be 16-bit slots. Full-length
16-bit cards must be able to fit into these slots.
5. The expansion bus must run at 8 MHz. The expansion bus must not be run
at 10 or 12.5 MHz; it must be run at 8 MHz.
6. The motherboard must be able to run MSDOS and Unix.
7. There must be support for a 387 coprocessor.
Does anyone know of a motherboard that meets these requirements? Any help will
be appreciated.
-- Darryl Okahata
UUCP: {hplabs!, hpcea!, hpfcla!} hpnmd!darrylo
Internet: darrylo%hpnmd@hp-sde.sde.hp.com
DISCLAIMER: this message is the author's personal opinion and does not
constitute the support, opinion or policy of Hewlett-Packard or of the
little green men that have been following him all day.Robert.Berry@samba.acs.unc.edu (BBS Account) (09/10/90)
Darryl, the motherboard I bought for the 386 system I built (and am now using) is a Chicony 386-20. I believe it meets most of your requirements quite well. 1. It is XT-sized. 2. It runs at 20 MHz and is a 32-bit 386DX. (No cache, though.) 3. It is expandable to 8 meg on the motherboard and an additional 8 meg on a proprietary 32-bit expansion card. (Takes SIMMs instead of SIPPs, I'm afraid.) 4. Slot #1 is a 32-bit slot for the RAM card; 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are 16-bit slots. 5. I am not certain about the bus speed, but I have encountered no compat- ibility problems so I assume it is the standard 8 MHz. 6. DOS runs fine, as does Win3, so protected mode works. I have not ever tried Unix, though. 7. 387 coprocessor is supported. I have been very happy with the motherboard. Despite the fact that my system is 100 % clone technology and was put together by an amateur, I have never had a single problem with it. -- *********************************************************************** Rob Dale = Rob.Dale@bbs.acs.unc.edu 8-7 Ross Ade Dr = W Lafayette, IN 47906 = tippy!rdale@newton.physics.purdue.edu