fkb@pyuxe.UUCP (Francine K Bryan) (12/04/90)
I am considering purchasing this model 55SX with 2MB 386SX CPU, 60M fixed disk, and one 3.5 floppy drive. I'd appreciate it if anyone out there having this model could let me know if they are satisfied/unsatisfied with its performance. Any problems I should know about? Thanks in advance, Francine
nef@mace.cc.purdue.edu (paulhicks) (12/04/90)
In article <1104@pyuxe.UUCP> fkb@pyuxe.UUCP (25810-Francine K Bryan) writes: >I am considering purchasing this model 55SX >with 2MB 386SX CPU, 60M fixed disk, and one >3.5 floppy drive. > >I'd appreciate it if anyone out there having >this model could let me know if they are >satisfied/unsatisfied with its performance. > >Any problems I should know about? > >Thanks in advance, >Francine Francine, I have a 55SX and I think its the greatest thing since the invention of the wheel. Now I admit I'm a true Blue fanatic, and that has a lot to do with my desision to buy it. Also, I got a great student discount through the university, so I jumped on the oportunity.(Incuding sofware) I am running Windows 3.0, and find that I will need at least 4 Meg to make multiple DOS applications run (ussualy more than 3) at a time, so I would urge you to buy more mem ASAP. The other quirk is that it only comes with 3 expansion slots. (I don't think I will need more than this, but who knows?) If 386SX's are of interest to you, and you wish to stick with a true blue (I am sure many netters will try to convince you otherwise), why not try the 65SX with its tower configureation? (It has more slots.) Paul PS. If anyone outside of Purdue gets this, please let me know. PPS. A while a go I heard that 4Meg simms were coming on the market. Does anyone know if this is true?
altman@sbstaff2.cs.sunysb.edu (Jeff Altman) (12/06/90)
Slower than a fast 386, butthat is expected. Basicly happy with performance. Am using Windows with QEMM386. 4mb memory necessary for Windows. But the biggest problems I have found are the number of slots and the size of the hard disk. The 60 mb of HD space went real fast. therefore, added a SCSI board and an external SCSI drive. (1 slot) Then wanted more memory. there are two memory slots on the motherboard which can take either 1mb or 2mb chips. The system I had came with 2 - 1mb SIMMS. So as opposed to buying 2 - 2mb SIMMS and saving the 1mb SIMMs for a rainy day (expensive) I installed an additional memory card with 2mb of memory (cheaper). (2 slots) Now I have one slot left and am facing a real dilemma. Do I used the slot for a Hayes ESP board so that I can perform serial data transfers under windows at greater than 2400 baud without losing characters or do I use it for an XGA board? Problem is I want both bu only have one slot. Possible solutions are taking out the memory board and buying the 2mb SIMMs but that limits me to a total of 4mb of memory. Or buying another hard disk and get rid of the current internal drive and the external drive. But this prevents me from installing a SCSI tape backup unit and a CD-ROM off of the SCSI. So the dilemma is there Time to buy a new machine. - Jeff (jaltman@ccmail.sunysb.edu)
n8840371@unicorn.cc.wwu.edu (Todd Crowe) (12/06/90)
altman@sbstaff2.cs.sunysb.edu (Jeff Altman) writes: >Then wanted more memory. there are two memory slots on the >motherboard which can take either 1mb or 2mb chips. The system >I had came with 2 - 1mb SIMMS. So as opposed to buying 2 - 2mb >SIMMS and saving the 1mb SIMMs for a rainy day (expensive) I installed >an additional memory card with 2mb of memory (cheaper). (2 slots) Actually, this is not quite true. I bought my PS/2 55SX this summer to run OS/2 and Windows (which it does just fine). Rather that buying a new board to bring me up to 6 megs, I bought one of the new 4 meg simms. They are kind of expensive normally (the best I found mail order was about $900) but through my university I got one for $650 and installed it myself.
ss@sprite.Berkeley.EDU (Srinivasan Seshan) (12/06/90)
In article <1990Dec5.231442.23445@sbcs.sunysb.edu>, altman@sbstaff2.cs.sunysb.edu (Jeff Altman) writes: |> Then wanted more memory. there are two memory slots on the |> motherboard which can take either 1mb or 2mb chips. The system |> I had came with 2 - 1mb SIMMS. So as opposed to buying 2 - 2mb |> SIMMS and saving the 1mb SIMMs for a rainy day (expensive) I installed |> an additional memory card with 2mb of memory (cheaper). (2 slots) |> ....some other stuff.... |> |> Possible solutions are taking out the memory board and buying the 2mb |> SIMMs but that limits me to a total of 4mb of memory. Or buying |> another hard disk and get rid of the current internal drive and the |> external drive. But this prevents me from installing a SCSI tape |> backup unit and a CD-ROM off of the SCSI. So the dilemma is there |> |> Time to buy a new machine. |> |> - Jeff (jaltman@ccmail.sunysb.edu) Two things - 1) I would go talk to the dealer that you purchased you 55SX from since you got robbed!! The 55SX-061 (60meg hard drive model) has always come with 1-2meg simm. The 55SX-031 (30meg hard drive) initially came with 2-1meg simms but was changed (I think last summer) to also have 1-2meg simm. I remember seeing some news of various IBM dealers replacing the simms in the 55SX (since they were 80ns ^^^^^^^ (not IBM) simms but the 55SX need only 100ns?) with cheaper simms. Something similar might have happened with you. 2) The 55SX will take 4meg simms on the motherboard for a total possible of 8megs on the motherboard (two - 4meg simms). I currently have 6megs (a 4meg and a 2meg) in my 55SX-061. General comments - I am quite satisfied with my 55SX. The only problem I've ever had is that when I bought a 5.25" floppy for it they were quite expensive and slow (~$300) It seems that they are cheaper now ~180 (pacific rim at soft warehouse). Also one comment about the 4meg simms. Putting one in your 55SX slows down performance by about 10-15% on various benchmarks. Are memory accesses slower for some reason???? Does anyone know anything about this??? Srini Seshan
martyz@groucho (12/07/90)
In article <1990Dec5.231442.23445@sbcs.sunysb.edu> altman@sbstaff2.cs.sunysb.edu (Jeff Altman) writes: >Slower than a fast 386, butthat is expected. > So far no one has mentioned the speed of the hard drive. I have a 55sx on my desk here at work, and I am very dismayed by the SLOW response of the hard disk. It makes Windows a real drag to work with. Don't think I'm spoiled by a faster machine at home, either. My home machine is a cheap 286 clone with a (supposedly) slow hard disk and a clone VGA card. There is no competition for the title of Preferred Machine: I'd rather work at home. Marty -- Marty Zimmerman Computer Services University of Idaho <martyz@ted.cs.uidaho.edu> or <martyz@idui1.bitnet>
chris@peregrine.peregrine.com (Chris Cole) (12/07/90)
In article <1990Dec5.231442.23445@sbcs.sunysb.edu> altman@sbstaff2.cs.sunysb.edu (Jeff Altman) writes: >Possible solutions are taking out the memory board and buying the 2mb >SIMMs but that limits me to a total of 4mb of memory. Or buying ... >Time to buy a new machine. Another solution is buying 4mb SIMMs (I recommend Kingston Memories). These can be had for about $400, are reliable and fast, and allow you to go to 8mb without using up a precious slot.
ss@sprite.Berkeley.EDU (Srinivasan Seshan) (12/12/90)
In article <1990Dec06.165102.12527@groucho>, martyz@groucho writes: |> In article <1990Dec5.231442.23445@sbcs.sunysb.edu> altman@sbstaff2.cs.sunysb.edu (Jeff Altman) writes: |> >Slower than a fast 386, butthat is expected. |> > |> So far no one has mentioned the speed of the hard drive. I have a 55sx on |> my desk here at work, and I am very dismayed by the SLOW response of the |> hard disk. It makes Windows a real drag to work with. |> |> Don't think I'm spoiled by a faster machine at home, either. My home machine is a cheap 286 clone with a (supposedly) slow hard disk and a clone VGA card. |> There is no competition for the title of Preferred Machine: I'd rather work |> at home. |> |> Marty |> |> -- |> Marty Zimmerman |> Computer Services |> University of Idaho |> <martyz@ted.cs.uidaho.edu> or <martyz@idui1.bitnet> You must have the 30mb hard drive model. It is a 30mb, 40ms, ST-506 drive. Not very exciting. However, the model with the 60mb hard drive is much better. It is 27ms, ESDI. Quite a good performer. I have no complaints about it. Srini Seshan
martyz@groucho (12/13/90)
In article <1990Dec11.211404.26287@agate.berkeley.edu> ss@sprite.Berkeley.EDU (Srinivasan Seshan) writes: >In article <1990Dec06.165102.12527@groucho>, martyz@groucho writes: >|> In article <1990Dec5.231442.23445@sbcs.sunysb.edu> altman@sbstaff2.cs.sunysb.edu (Jeff Altman) writes: > >You must have the 30mb hard drive model. It is a 30mb, 40ms, ST-506 drive. >Not very exciting. However, the model with the 60mb hard drive is much >better. It is 27ms, ESDI. Quite a good performer. I have no complaints >about it. > >Srini Seshan Nope. I have the 60M model, and it is slow, slow, slow. A big improvement over my old Model 30/286, but still not up to the non-IBM competition. Marty -- Marty Zimmerman Computer Services University of Idaho <martyz@ted.cs.uidaho.edu> or <martyz@idui1.bitnet>