mig@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Meir) (06/15/91)
In article <1991Jun14.164755.3515@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> tostan@mars.lerc.nasa.gov writes: >Suppose I have a 286 pc with a floppy and hard disk, and a VGA monitor. Can >I simply pull out the 286 mother board and replace it with a 386? Yes. Make sure that you have the same size case, and a 200W min power supply. >Or does it have to be a 386SX? No. >I don't have a pc, but I want to learn some things now >before buying. Will hard disk controller cards and VGA cards work in both >286 and 386 machines? Yes. >What's the difference between an "8-bit VGA card" and >a "16-bit VGA card"? The 16 bit card is longer. If it is a true 16 bit card, it has a wider data path, which should make it run much faster. >Will they both work on 286 and 386 systems? Yes. But if you buy an EISA, rather than an ISA motherboard, you may need fast cards, or you may have to reduce the bus speed. >Thanks. Your Welcome. >+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ >| Stan Mohler Jr. <---------internet---------> tostan@scivax.lerc.nasa.gov | >| Research Engineer, aircraft icing | >| NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH | >+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ * * * * * * ====================== Meir Green * * * * * * ====================== (Internet) mig@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu * * * * * * ====================== meir@msb.com mig@asteroids.cs.columbia.edu * * * * * * ====================== (Amateur Radio) N2JPG
elvis@hammond.cs.unlv.edu (Frederick Haab) (06/15/91)
In article <1991Jun14.164755.3515@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> tostan@mars.lerc.nasa.gov writes: >Suppose I have a 286 pc with a floppy and hard disk, and a VGA monitor. Can >I simply pull out the 286 mother board and replace it with a 386? Or does it >have to be a 386SX? I don't have a pc, but I want to learn some things now >before buying. Will hard disk controller cards and VGA cards work in both >286 and 386 machines? What's the difference between an "8-bit VGA card" and >a "16-bit VGA card"? Will they both work on 286 and 386 systems? Thanks. > >+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ >| Stan Mohler Jr. <---------internet---------> tostan@scivax.lerc.nasa.gov | >| Research Engineer, aircraft icing | >| NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH | >+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ There is a difference in the way 286 and 386 get memory (16 and 32 bits? anybody?), a 386sx is a 386 processor in a 286 chip, which is why they are slower then a 386dx (the normal 386), I believe you would have to get a 386sx, but there is also the matter of changing the clock speed. For this type of upgrade I think you would need an upgrade "kit" that takes care of all the little things involved with changing processors as well as changing the processor itself. BTW, a kit is still limited in memory access as your system is now. --Frederick Haab
bashiti@kira.UUCP (Abbas J Bashiti) (06/19/91)
From article <1991Jun14.220911.17522@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>, by mig@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Meir): > In article <1991Jun14.164755.3515@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> tostan@mars.lerc.nasa.gov writes: >>Suppose I have a 286 pc with a floppy and hard disk, and a VGA monitor. Can >>I simply pull out the 286 mother board and replace it with a 386? > Yes. Make sure that you have the same size case, and a 200W min power supply. Ok, I have one for you all then. Idon't know a whole lot about the inside stuff in these silicon creatures, but I have a question. I have an old IBM XT compatible. What is the easiest, CHEAPEST way for me to upgrade to a 386 system short of buying a whole new system? I've got a modem hard and floppy drives, a VGA monitor and card, and a printer. I'd like to salvage everything, even the stuff on the drive if not the drive itself if possible. What can I salvage, and what will I loose? How would I go about starting this project? How much will it cost? later, AJ ps. Actually I wouldn't really mind loosing the hard drive too much, its kinda going due to age. What would be the best way to salvage everything considering I only have a 360K floppy?
mig@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Meir I Green) (06/20/91)
> Ok, I have one for you all then. Idon't know a whole lot about the >inside stuff in these silicon creatures, but I have a question. I have >an old IBM XT compatible. What is the easiest, CHEAPEST way for me to >upgrade to a 386 system short of buying a whole new system? I've got a >modem hard and floppy drives, a VGA monitor and card, and a printer. I'd >like to salvage everything, even the stuff on the drive if not the drive >itself if possible. What can I salvage, and what will I loose? How would >I go about starting this project? How much will it cost? The cheapest way is to buy a baby 386 motherboard which will fit your XT case. Your power supply may need to be upgrade, though. * * * * * * ====================== Meir Green * * * * * * ====================== (Internet) mig@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu * * * * * * ====================== meir@msb.com mig@asteroids.cs.columbia.edu * * * * * * ====================== (Amateur Radio) N2JPG
hartung@crl.ucsd.edu (Jeff Hartung) (06/20/91)
In article <1991Jun20.095215.15593@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> mig@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Meir I Green) writes:
<> Ok, I have one for you all then. Idon't know a whole lot about the
<>inside stuff in these silicon creatures, but I have a question. I have
<>an old IBM XT compatible. What is the easiest, CHEAPEST way for me to
<>upgrade to a 386 system short of buying a whole new system? I've got a
<>modem hard and floppy drives, a VGA monitor and card, and a printer. I'd
<>like to salvage everything, even the stuff on the drive if not the drive
<>itself if possible. What can I salvage, and what will I loose? How would
<>I go about starting this project? How much will it cost?
<
<The cheapest way is to buy a baby 386 motherboard which will fit your XT case.
<Your power supply may need to be upgrade, though.
However, many of your cards (I/O cards, disk controller card, perhaps your VGA
card) will still be 8-bit cards, and while they will work, they'll be slower
than a 16-bit card which you'll eventually want.
--
--Jeff Hartung--
Disclaimer: My opinions only, etc., etc., BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!...
InterNet - hartung@crl.ucsd.edu BITNET - hartung@ucsd
UUCP - ucsd!crl.ucsd.edu!hartungtpmonai@mars.lerc.nasa.gov (Lee Monai (ANALEX)) (06/21/91)
>> Ok, I have one for you all then. Idon't know a whole lot about the >>inside stuff in these silicon creatures, but I have a question. I have >>an old IBM XT compatible. What is the easiest, CHEAPEST way for me to >>upgrade to a 386 system short of buying a whole new system? I've got a >>modem hard and floppy drives, a VGA monitor and card, and a printer. I'd >>like to salvage everything, even the stuff on the drive if not the drive >>itself if possible. What can I salvage, and what will I loose? How would >>I go about starting this project? How much will it cost? > >The cheapest way is to buy a baby 386 motherboard which will fit your XT case. >Your power supply may need to be upgrade, though. > Easier but not cheaper solution is to buy a "bare bones" system. This will give you a new power supply, motherboard and case. Then, all you gotta do to get some new memory chips, swap in the drives and cards, plug in the keyboard and monitor, and away you go. Of course, the keyboard from the XT ain't gonna work to well (if at all) so you gotta spend about $100 for an enhanced keyboard. As for prices, try looking at a copy of COMPUTER SHOPPER or other PC mag, get some numbers and call around. Lots of mail-order places have 800 numbers. LEE A. MONAI ...TPMONAI@MARS.LERC.NASA.GOV...ANALEX CORPORATION (216) 977-0057...............................Brook Park, OH "Opinions expressed are mine and do not represent my employers"
afdenis@lims02.lerc.nasa.gov (Stephen Dennison) (06/28/91)
In article <1991Jun15.004351.11944@unlv.edu>, elvis@hammond.cs.unlv.edu (Frederick Haab) writes... >In article <1991Jun14.164755.3515@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> tostan@mars.lerc.nasa.gov writes: >>Suppose I have a 286 pc with a floppy and hard disk, and a VGA monitor. Can >>I simply pull out the 286 mother board and replace it with a 386? Or does it >>have to be a 386SX? I don't have a pc, but I want to learn some things now >>before buying. Will hard disk controller cards and VGA cards work in both >>286 and 386 machines? What's the difference between an "8-bit VGA card" and >>a "16-bit VGA card"? Will they both work on 286 and 386 systems? Thanks. > > "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!" The Wizard of OZ >There is a difference in the way 286 and 386 get memory (16 and 32 >bits? anybody?), a 386sx is a 386 processor in a 286 chip, which is >why they are slower then a 386dx (the normal 386), I believe you >would have to get a 386sx, but there is also the matter of >changing the clock speed. For this type of upgrade I think you >would need an upgrade "kit" that takes care of all the little >things involved with changing processors as well as changing the >processor itself. BTW, a kit is still limited in memory access >as your system is now. The preceeding explanation is a bit convoluted and in error. You CAN use all of your 8 & 16 bit cards in a 386DX motherboard providing: The Motherboard in question has AT Style (ISA) 16 bit slots available The slots will accept 8 or 16 bit cards (Most ISA slots will) I believe the fellow that responded to you *missed* the word motherboard in your original post as the clock crystal and support chips he references are all contained on the new motherboard. Stephen "My life is a sine wave. Now, if I could just get the damned amplitude down..." Stephen Dennison
wew@naucse.cse.nau.edu (Bill Wilson) (06/28/91)
From article <1991Jun27.171632.2433@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov>, by afdenis@lims02.lerc.nasa.gov (Stephen Dennison): > In article <1991Jun15.004351.11944@unlv.edu>, elvis@hammond.cs.unlv.edu (Frederick Haab) writes... >>In article <1991Jun14.164755.3515@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> tostan@mars.lerc.nasa.gov writes: >>>Suppose I have a 286 pc with a floppy and hard disk, and a VGA monitor. Can >>>I simply pull out the 286 mother board and replace it with a 386? Or does it >>>have to be a 386SX? I don't have a pc, but I want to learn some things now >>>before buying. Will hard disk controller cards and VGA cards work in both >>>286 and 386 machines? What's the difference between an "8-bit VGA card" and >>>a "16-bit VGA card"? Will they both work on 286 and 386 systems? Thanks. > I purchased a Jameco 16 mhz 386 motherboard (baby AT style) at replaced my original IBM at motherboard with it. It was the best thing I could have ever done! I would have liked a full 386 instead of the sx, but I can't complain too much (I only had so much money). The motherboard only needed new memory. It holds 8 meg on the mb and works with the Intel Aboveboard and AST Advantage for additioanl memory. All I had to do to install it was populate with memory (Sipps or drams), deinstall all of the daughter boards off the old mb, install the new mb and reinstall the cards. There are two 8 bit and 5 16 bit slots on the mb. After running setup (AMI bios), my hard drive booted just fine! No need to reformat the drive. The other option I have seen for upgrading to a 386 is to get an Evergreen 386 Superchip II upgrade. The current price is $199. Their phone number is 503-757-0934. No slots are necessary. You simply replace the 286 CPU with their chip. AMI Bios is $30 for the 386. They claim that you can run Windows 3.0, QEMM and a number of other systems in 386 mode. -- Let sleeping dragons lie........ | The RoleMancer -------------------------------------------------------------------- Bill Wilson (wew@naucse.cse.nau.edu | ucc2wew@nauvm | wilson@nauvax) Northern AZ Univ Flagstaff, AZ 86011