386 box supertunning

[jlf65]

A number of places sell adapters that allow you to use PS/2 keyboards with your Amiga. Finding real Amiga keyboards would probably be more expensive these days.

[Syniphas]

Well.. I hadn't even HEARD of any until you mentioned them... Will they ship to Brazil at affordable costs?

[Tom Maneiro]

Well, guys, i have bad news: my 386 is BRICKED

That crappy Dallas DS1287 RTC module died (apparently, the on-chip battery has run out of charge after 16 years of service), and unfortunately, on this Acer motherboard, it's hard to replace because the dickheads at Acer decided to save a couple of cents on a socket, and instead, they soldered the stupid RTC module to the motherboard.

Now, each time that i power-up the PC, it always says that the configuration is wrong, that the CMOS battery is dead, and even worse, trying to fix the config in the BIOS Setup ends with a frozen PC (the setup page loads, but with blank values, and after a few keypresses, the system beeps after each keypress). Since the harddrive config is lost (well, ALL SETTINGS are no longer there), the system is unbootable, making it a effective brick

My only replacement part is a DS12887A -notice the extra "8" and the "A" at the end- that i got from a random motherboard. Some people here may know the fact that the DS1287 and the DS12887A modules are interchangeable, but it depends on BIOS support (the DS12887A has a slighty different RAM layout from the DS1287)... so even if i manage to swap the module (AFAIK my soldering skills are near to zero), i have no warranty that the PC will be usable again...

...unless someone at Acer can provide some docs or utilities, that is ;D Trashing a PC because of a dead IC and a poor BIOS is a lame excuse for doing it. If anyone bothers to dissasemble the BIOS and find how it deals with the RTC module, fine, it may help (i have posted the BIOS ROM image a few hundred posts earlier).

[John EngiNerd]

Have you seen this link?

www.mcamafia.de/mcapage0/dsrework.htm

I've got the same problem with a 386 SunRace HyperBook 2200SX laptop: like in your Acer m/b, they directly soldered the RTC chip onto the board, so it's REALLY difficult to operate with it (when I'll learn to solder/desolder, since now my skills are almost below 0, I'll try fixing it in my university electronics lab).

BTW, greetings! This thread is really interesting (i kept an eye on it for almost a month before dare to write), and it's incredible and admirable that someone besides me still wants to repair and work with old PCs.
Go on like this!

[Tiido]

Old hardware is always more fun than new stuff

My 386 sees too little use... AST Bravo with 25MHz 386SX and Cyrix 387

[oompa loompa]

Mar 7, 2009 1:53:45 GMT -5 Tom Maneiro said:

Well, guys, i have bad news: my 386 is BRICKED

That crappy Dallas DS1287 RTC module died (apparently, the on-chip battery has run out of charge after 16 years of service), and unfortunately, on this Acer motherboard, it's hard to replace because the dickheads at Acer decided to save a couple of cents on a socket, and instead, they soldered the stupid RTC module to the motherboard.

Now, each time that i power-up the PC, it always says that the configuration is wrong, that the CMOS battery is dead, and even worse, trying to fix the config in the BIOS Setup ends with a frozen PC (the setup page loads, but with blank values, and after a few keypresses, the system beeps after each keypress). Since the harddrive config is lost (well, ALL SETTINGS are no longer there), the system is unbootable, making it a effective brick

My only replacement part is a DS12887A -notice the extra "8" and the "A" at the end- that i got from a random motherboard. Some people here may know the fact that the DS1287 and the DS12887A modules are interchangeable, but it depends on BIOS support (the DS12887A has a slighty different RAM layout from the DS1287)... so even if i manage to swap the module (AFAIK my soldering skills are near to zero), i have no warranty that the PC will be usable again...

...unless someone at Acer can provide some docs or utilities, that is ;D Trashing a PC because of a dead IC and a poor BIOS is a lame excuse for doing it. If anyone bothers to dissasemble the BIOS and find how it deals with the RTC module, fine, it may help (i have posted the BIOS ROM image a few hundred posts earlier).

The batteries are only suppose to last 10 or so years . To fix this, I would add my own battery supply to the VCC of the rtc chip. You would have to only desolder the one VCC pin (probably pin 32) of the dip, connect two diodes, connect your battery (3 AA's) and 5v source, and voila . The only bad thing is if the RTC chip is in an enclosed epoxy case, then you won't be able to lift the VCC up. Cutting the traces to VCC will probably really brick your 386 if you don't know what you're doing . Even if your solder skills suck, it wouldn't hurt because your 386 is still going to stay bricked

On another note, there may be a header on the motherboard to connect an external battery, in case the RTC doesn't have a battery already built in. You might also be able to replace the battery inside the RTC , but the RTC might be too new, and it may be all epoxied together

[Tom Maneiro]

Unfortunately the DS1287 (and derivates/clones) do have integrated batteries. In the Dallas RTC modules, the inside of the module is fully potted, so the VCC line is not connected to the motherboard (as you can see in www.mcamafia.de/mcapage0/dsrework.htm - the VCC line is bend up inside the module, connected to a 3v lithium cell).

Even if i decide to rework the module, desoldering it is a must... And i have checked the motherboard; there are no battery inputs for the RTC (and if there is any, it would be useless anyway, because of the DS1287. A DS1285 DO use external battery and crystal, however...)

[oompa loompa]

Mar 8, 2009 21:32:36 GMT -5 Tom Maneiro said:

Unfortunately the DS1287 (and derivates/clones) do have integrated batteries. In the Dallas RTC modules, the inside of the module is fully potted, so the VCC line is not connected to the motherboard (as you can see in www.mcamafia.de/mcapage0/dsrework.htm - the VCC line is bend up inside the module, connected to a 3v lithium cell).

Even if i decide to rework the module, desoldering it is a must... And i have checked the motherboard; there are no battery inputs for the RTC (and if there is any, it would be useless anyway, because of the DS1287. A DS1285 DO use external battery and crystal, however...)

Oh wow, if the VCC +5V isn't connected, then you're in trouble . It's really hard to desolder that thing if you're just using a soldering iron, and don't have much experience with it. I saw this article on sparkfun a while back www.sparkfun.com/commerce/news.php?id=228 . I have a rework station, so I dunno how hot these heat guns really get , but it's much safer than desoldering with a soldering iron, or using a blowtorch if you want to keep your motherboard alive. Just heat the bottom of the RTC chip, and lift the RTC off, and then solder your own 28 pin socket

[Tiido]

I have desoldered a 68K off MD board with regular soldering iron, and both board and chip were fine afterwards... it only took me 30 mins to get it off the board. Procedure is simple : take flux, put on the chip pin, hold the board in air, heat up the pin, wait until its all the way melted(but not too long ) and then quickly take soldering iron away and hit the board against desk, not you have a clean pin if all went well. Repeat some 20+ times and you've got your troublemaker off the board

[electronixguy]

Hey all, I've read this thread pretty much start to finish, and I must say that I'm impressed with what you have managed to do with your old systems. Unfortunately, I don't have a 386 computer here at the moment, but I'm looking for an old 386 laptop/portable to revive at some point. The closest I have is an AST Ascentia 800N laptop, specs are:

486sx @ 33MHz
8MB RAM
Color VGA LCD
340MB HDD
1.44MB 3.5inch floppy (busted)
dead battery

Running OS/2 Warp 4 (well, not really running, more of a controlled fall.... )


Otherwise, my oldest working computer here is an Amstrad PPC512, complete with original bag. Planning to modify it and install a zip drive for mass storage and faster seek times, whenever I get the time to do it. Also have a Toshiba T1100+, but the PSU is dead If anyone happens to know where I can get my hands on the electrical diagrams of that power supply, PLEASE let me know, as I would really like to bring that machine back to life (perhaps as a text-only terminal, or just a conversation piece running StarTTY).

Looking for a Compaq SLT/386, does anyone know where I might find one (I'm not trying to ask for anything, just advice)? Ebay is mainly full of scammers and ripoff artists, so I'm not too eager to go there (even though I already looked - there were none). The only reason for the SLT rather then any other model is that it's an interesting design, and it takes standard 16 bit ISA boards...

Anyhow, Cheers!
-Bill

[paulpsomiadis]

@tom - Shame that the postal service over there is so BAD!

Otherwise I would have asked you to mail me the board to rework it for you.

If there's a DHL office (or equivalent courier service) where you live it would have been our best shot...

But would it all REALLY be worth it for such an OLD mainboard...the postage costs would be more than its worth in the end!

[electronixguy]

@tom

I think I sent you a message regarding your RTC chip... I have a DS12887 here (drop-in replacement), and it's still good. I can probably get you a DIP socket for it as well. All you need is someone to desolder the old one and install the socket for you. If you want it, let me know and I'll see about sending it over, postage shouldn't be too bad from Canada - you can consider it a donation to your cause

[Tom Maneiro]

Thanks, but... postal service is really bad here (ask paulpsomiadis why, his last donation to the cause is still missing in the way)...

I already have the replacement, i'm still looking for someone to do the soldering job

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