Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!sun-barr!olivea!orc!inews!iwarp.intel.com!gargoyle!chinet!megabyte From: megabyte@chinet.chi.il.us (Dr. Megabyte) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware Subject: Re: Getting a free PS/2 Summary: PS/2 30 <> MCA || <> Model 30 286 Message-ID: <1990Oct29.151218.2133@chinet.chi.il.us> Date: 29 Oct 90 15:12:18 GMT References: Organization: Abacus Computers - You Can Count On Us Lines: 27 In kutcha@clotho.acm.rpi.edu (Phillip Rzewski) writes: > First of all, from what I know, all Model 30 machines came with MCGA. I This is true. This is a quasi VGA, better than EGA, bit not truly VGA. It does use the same VGA monitors and the rest of the PS/2 line though. >told me that I could get any VGA monitor I wanted (ie I could buy an >inexpensive one over the mail or something) but I would probably end up buying >the graphics card from IBM due to the "MCA Bus" on the PS/2. Is this true? No, it is not. The Model 30 uses the industry standard bus, more commonly known at the XT or AT Bus. While IBM does sell a VGA card for both the model 30 and older XT's and AT's, you can also use anyone else's too. The model's 30's monitor should work with any VGA card also. >Also, I have been told that IBM set out to screw over some Model 30 owners >and stuck wimpy processors in them and claimed to have put 80286 processors in >them. How can I tell if the PS/2 I get as the 80286 or the lesser processor? Never heard about the "screwing" but there are two model 30's: The Model 30 has a 8088 processor, the model 30 286 has a 80286. Just look right on the front: It is says, "Model 30" you have a 8088, if it says, "Model 30 286" you have a 80286. -- "Howdy Folks! I'm Oedipus Tex! You mida heard of my Brother Rex!" Mark E. Sunderlin: IRS Technocrat in Stephens City, VA aka Dr. Megabyte: megabyte@chinet.chi.il.us (703) TOY-DUDE