Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!sundc!rlgvax!vrdxhq!bisanabi From: bisanabi@vrdxhq.UUCP (Paul Paloski) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: IMS comments (long) Message-ID: <3082@vrdxhq.UUCP> Date: Fri, 6-Mar-87 12:02:07 EST Article-I.D.: vrdxhq.3082 Posted: Fri Mar 6 12:02:07 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 8-Mar-87 07:18:08 EST Distribution: na Organization: Verdix Corporation, Chantilly, VA Lines: 115 Keywords: IMS, AT Clone, mailorder > From: seismo!harvard!wanginst!elrond!bam (Bruce A. Mallett) > > Yes, my brother recently bought one of these systems from IMS with a > 44meg MiniScribe drive, a monochrome adapter, and a full meg of memory. > The thing works well and does about 10.1 on the Norton utility (at 10 > mcycle). It is nicely built using the std. rail mounting for the disk > drives. Speaking of which it has room for two full height hard drives > plus a single 1.2 meg floppy or for 3 1/2 high drives and a full height > hard. Was also glad to see that they use the Western Digital > controller. The system has the fastest boot time I ever saw in an AT > clone: CTL-ALT-DEL to MS-DOS prompt is about 5 seconds! The Miniscribe > drive is FAST (28ms) and it shows. Also comes with Speed-Stor software > which is menu driven and a snap to setup. > > The only weak point is the keyboard which is smaller than an AT's and > has a sloppy feel to it. If possible try to substitute this for one you > are more comfortable with. > > The people at IMS are courteous and shipped the system to us within 10 > days. Of course if others start noticing their add I am sure that they > will get backlogged! Overall I am very impressed. > > (Bruce A. Mallett) > The above is a reply I received last month when I made a request about the IMS machines. Since then I have also purchased one. Here are my comments : Computer System : AT Clone (6/10 Mhz) : 6 MHz - slower than 6 MHz IBM PC/AT -- Norton rates at 5.7 : 10 MHz - faster than 6 MHZ (obviously)- Norton rates at 10.3 Keyboard : AT style, smaller, squishy feel (better than PC Limited) : (IMS said that you could plug a regular IBM keyboard in) Power Supply : 200 Watts : can handle those additional cards Hard Drive : Miniscribe 70 Meg : 28ms (fast), sounds noisy but works Floppy Drive : Hitachi or something : works/sounds fine, (PC Limited drives are very flakey, so I was concerned.) EGA Card : Some generic card : does not emulate CGA nor Hercules mode. Upgrades : Video 7 Vega $140 extra - software mode switch resolution 640x350 : Video 7 Vega Deluxe $190 extra - automatic mode switch resolution 640x480/752x410 SpeedStor : Used for partitioning the hard disk : VERY nice and easy. Extras : --------- Monitor : $164 Upgraded to the NEC Multisynch 512K Memory : $ 70 Upgraded to 1 Meg (they use 256K chips, not 64K) I/O Card : $ 75 Added Everex I/O Card (1 serial, 1 parallel port ) Negative Comments : ----------------- When I removed the cover from the machine, the box itself looked like it had been dropped from a plane without a parachute. The mounting around the floppy drive looked like it had been hammered repeatedly; the flat metal braces being bent, dented, etc. The case itself wobbles slightly which produces noise from vibration. I found out from the company that they receive the boxes separate and add the components in themselves. They were very pleasant when I mentioned the mangled box, and would talk with the assembly department. Everything in the box works fine, so I know they were added after the box got hurt :-) And once the cover is replaced, and the monitor sitting on top, you would never know the condition of the box. The I/O card was jumpered incorrectly. At least if you plan on using the serial port with a modem, it was incorrect. This was 'easily' fixed. (Took me time because I ruled out a jumper set which was the 'problem'). Another minor point was that when I ordered the 'upgraded Vega board', I meant 'out of the two Vega boards, I want the upgraded, or higher, one', and they heard 'upgrade from the generic board to a Vega board'. So mention the Vega DELUXE specifically if that is what you want. I even asked for verification of the ordered items and missed the distinction. They have sent out the Vega Deluxe card to me, and given me a return authorization number for returning the other Vega board. However, my credit card account has been charged for both EGA cards until they receive the old one back. There is a hum which periodically comes and goes which drives me crazy. I've tightened everything up, but no luck. It may rest with the warped box mentioned earlier. POSITIVE: --------- System : The system seems to work fine. I have used it for about a week with no problems. Just some cosmetic/aesthetic items. People : The IMS people are very courteous. They spent a bit of time trying to satisfy me (I tried to have them bill me the $50 EGA upgrade difference and send it out, and trust that I will return the other board), but each of three people I talked with were not authorized to do so. They even answered some technical questions while I was making my order. Delivery : The system arrived on the tenth business day after the order. : Some companies send their boards via FedEx, but this one is via : UPS, but this does help keep costs down. All in all, I would recommend this company and their systems to anyone. -Paul -- :-- Paul : :UUCP: ...!{decuac, rlgvax, seismo, verdix}!vrdxhq!bisanabi