Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!ccicpg!turnkey!stanton!donegan
From: donegan@stanton.TCC.COM (Steven P. Donegan)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.xenix
Subject: Re: Replacement '386 motherboards ?
Message-ID: <24@stanton.TCC.COM>
Date: 16 Apr 88 13:13:12 GMT
References: <539@bronson.UUCP> <354@yunccn>
Organization: Stanton Public Domain Systems, Stanton, Ca.
Lines: 44
Summary: Fast 286's at 1/3 the price

In article <354@yunccn>, landolt@yunccn (J. Paul Landolt) writes:
> In article <539@bronson.UUCP>, tan@bronson.UUCP (N.R. "Tan" Bronson) writes:
> > 
> >     I would like to upgrade my PC limited 8mhz '286, running SCO 2.1.3,
> > to a '386 running SC0 2.2.
> >     The most attractive would appear to be to replace my motherboard.
> 
> [ The new motherboard, among other things, must be ]
> >     - verified to work w/SCO xenix
> 
> Dyna SX386 - Dyna Computer Inc. $1,650
>   
> Hauppauge 386 Motherboard - Hauppauge Computer Works Inc. $1,495
> 
> Intel iSBC 386AT - Intel Corp.  sbout $1,995
> 
> Monolithic Microframe 386 - Monolithic Systems Corp. $3,295
>   
> Zeos 386 Motherboard - Zeos International Ltd. $1,395
> 

I went through the same decision process, I wanted a faster Xenix system so
that my compiles and number crunches didn't take so long. I found an outfit
that sells the Novas motherboard line. The one I purchased cost 550$ (0K RAM)
and runs at 16mhz near 0 wait state (I would need many lines to describe
'near' 0 ws's). It benchmarks at 18.7 (Norton 3.0) under dos which is the
same number you get from most 16mhz 80386. With a 80287-8 it runs around
360k whetstones, fairly respectable for a 80286. Novas uses the Harris CMOS
80286 which runs almost cold. Harris is supposed to have a 20mhz version
out this month and Novas is ready with a motherboard that will use it. I
run SCO Xenix 2.2.1 on my system with 5.5 meg of ram and 2 ST-4096 drives,
the overall feel is not much slower than my 16mhz 0ws PC's limited 386.
Unless you have to have a 386 box for 386 Xenix I would highly suggest that
you spend your money on a 286 board like this and a 287 to go with it.
The company I bought mine from is: Computrader, 780 Montague Expressway
                                   Suite 501, San Jose, Ca 95131
                                   408-435-2662

A very satisfied customer.
-- 
Steven P. Donegan
Sr. Telecommunications Analyst
Western Digital Corp.
donegan@stanton.TCC.COM