Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!utastro!gary
From: gary@utastro.uucp (Gary Hansen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Opti-486/25 motherboard
Message-ID: <1991Feb12.163208.29050@astro.as.utexas.edu>
Date: 12 Feb 91 16:32:08 GMT
Sender: gary@astro.as.utexas.edu (Gary Hansen)
Organization: U. Texas @ Austin Astronomy/McDonald Observatory
Lines: 40


								02/12/91

	I was looking for a 386-33, 387, 8Mb caching mother board to replace
a 286-20, 287. I came across the following "deal" from a California company
called Novacor.

485-25 Opti mother board	$ 410.00
486-25 Intel uProcessor		  795.00
8Mb, 80ns memory		  432.00
128K cache board		  175.00
				--------
				$1812.00

	I have been using AMI 386-33 mark IV mother boards and have been very
pleased with them, however this is a cheaper board with about twice the
performance. 
	I am interested in this "deal" but I am vary concerned that there
may be some hidden reliability or compatibility problem that the sales people
are unaware of.
	Does any one out there know of problems with the Opti-486 chip set or
the BIOS used with it? I have been told that the BIOS is uResearch or optionally
AMI.
	I have heard rumors that as of about 3 months ago the Opti-486 would
not work properly with the Connor 100Mb IDE disk or with any VGA card running
the OAK chip set. I have not been able to get substantiation of the rumors
or find out if the problems have been solved.
	I don't want to get caught with a board that will plague me with
compatibility problems in the future. That would be no bargain at all.


	Gary Hansen
	Astronomy Dept, U of Texas @ Austin
uucp:	cs.utexas.edu!utastro!gary
arpa:	gary@astro.as.utexas.edu
at&t:	(512) 471-8414
snail:	University of Texas
	Astronomy Department
	RLM 15.308
	Austin, Texas 78712