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IBM PS/2 Help - Mod 90

I

IBMPS2

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Hi my first post here...and I need some help if possible. I came across a mint shape IBM PS/2 model 90 desktop (9590-DLG) and a IBM display 8518.

The model 90 has the processor board, SCSI card, XGA-2 card, one ram filled card filled and one empty ram card installed. It also has a 2.88 FD, it is missing the HD but still starts up and is a very clean machine (almost like new). I already replaced the cmos battery. I have a new OS/2 Warp on Floppy disks too.

Computer seems to work fine when I when I turn it on it comes up and ask me for a ref disk as the configuration has changed. There is a microchannel slot that is empty with no blank cover over the back end. So it looks like a card of some sort was removed or missing (maybe net card?). Oh I also found another mod 90 PS/2 processor board that has a 486 DX2 50 on it.

So I would like to get it up and working and connect it to my router and surf the web with it. Seems I would for sure need a HD, eithernet card, ref disk, maybe more ram? anything else?

Any help and advise would be great!
 
My memory is rusty but it was either the 90 or 95 (or both) that stored the system configuration and the system configuration utility on the hard drive which due to a ROM limitation, had to be 1gb or less in size, otherwise the system would either give an error or be unable to access the special configuration partition.

Someone, please correct me if I'm wrong.
 
NeXT said:
My memory is rusty but it was either the 90 or 95 (or both) that stored the system configuration and the system configuration utility on the hard drive which due to a ROM limitation, had to be 1gb or less in size, otherwise the system would either give an error or be unable to access the special configuration partition.

Someone, please correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

It's referred to IML partition, not from any limitation to ROM, but that it could be updated more easily. Unless someone has replaced the main drive with something newer it is bound to be below that limit. For the Model 90 (granted this is a 9590, not an 8590, which makes it a little newer) we are talking of drives sizes about 20 years back if stock (typically 400Mb for that system).

EDIT: The third digit of the submodel will typically decode the hard drive size. I don't have my IBM manual with me at the moment, but I can look it up later. For some reason Google Groups search functions (I have put the information up before) don't work as intended right now.

2nd EDIT: The DLG submodel looks to decode (if still in stock configuration) as 8Mb of RAM, 'L' Type 2 486DX2-50 complex, and a 540Mb SCSI HDD...
 
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Thanks for the responses on helping me get running!

When I turn the system on I get the "IBM" screen that reads

IBM SERVER POWER-ON SELF TEST
IBM SUREPATH BIOS REVISION LEVEL 10
COPYRIGHT IBM CORP 1981, 1999

Then it will pop up and say "PRESS ESC to enter setup"

At that point it does not matter if I press ESC or not it will go to the next scree and says:

00016100 Battery Error -- Run Configuration programs
00016300 The Date and Time are not set

INSERT THE REFERENCE DISKETTE INTO THE DEFAULT DRIVE AND THEN PRESS F1

And that's where she stops and waits.

There is no Hard drive or little slide plate that it would attach to. I have no reference disk that it wants either, any suggestion where I can find these parts? I saw some eithernet micro channel cards on Ebay but I would think I would need drivers or that referance disk and hard drive to intsall it.

If anyone could help me get going or what I need to do I would really appreciate it!
 
Now that's cool...but how would I be able to make/get a 1.44 floppy disk from that? I only have a DVD computer running Win7...I would like to find one already made on a 1.44
 
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IBMPS2 said:
Thanks for the responses on helping me get running!

When I turn the system on I get the "IBM" screen that reads

IBM SERVER POWER-ON SELF TEST
IBM SUREPATH BIOS REVISION LEVEL 10
COPYRIGHT IBM CORP 1981, 1999

Then it will pop up and say "PRESS ESC to enter setup"

At that point it does not matter if I press ESC or not it will go to the next scree and says:

00016100 Battery Error -- Run Configuration programs
00016300 The Date and Time are not set

INSERT THE REFERENCE DISKETTE INTO THE DEFAULT DRIVE AND THEN PRESS F1

And that's where she stops and waits.

There is no Hard drive or little slide plate that it would attach to. I have no reference disk that it wants either, any suggestion where I can find these parts? I saw some eithernet micro channel cards on Ebay but I would think I would need drivers or that referance disk and hard drive to intsall it.

If anyone could help me get going or what I need to do I would really appreciate it!
Click to expand...

With the Surepath BIOS (good news, it is the latest version) it sounds like an 8590 upgraded with a Type 4 complex (that is why you have the "extra" 486DX2-50 'L' complex, because it was taken out for the upgrade. Does the system have a blue or gray letter IBM label on the front (as seen on the page I gave before)? Are you sure it is listed on the model/submodel as "9590" (in any regard, it is now with the T4 complex)?

Look over the complex page (http://ibmmuseum.com/ohlandl/complexes/Complex_ID.html) to see which T4 it is. All T4 systems use the same Reference Diskette. Probably better to put a 50-pin SCSI HDD on the system, then run the Reference Diskette, but you don't have to have an IML partition (on the HDD) to configure the system with a Reference Diskette.
 
IBMPS2 said:
Now that's cool...but how would I be able to make/get a 1.44 floppy disk from that? I only have a DVD computer running Win7...
Click to expand...

Every try a USB floppy drive? If you want (and if my mom will let me) I could make you a starter disk, i just need to know what type of PS/2 90 you have.
 
IBMPS2 said:
Now that's cool...but how would I be able to make/get a 1.44 floppy disk from that? I only have a DVD computer running Win7...I would like to find one already made on a 1.44

Are there any online manuals too? I did not find the ref files you found when I searched.
Click to expand...

The Reference Diskette image is there on the page, but in this case it is shown as for a Model "95 (Type 4)". Download the executable to a system with a 1.44Mb floppy drive. With a blank floppy on hand to hold the extracted image, run the program from where it has been downloaded. Do not open the floppy afterwards to view the files or do a DIR listing on that generating system.

Once extracted, put the floppy diskette in the Model 90, and power it up...
 
IBMMuseum said:
With the Surepath BIOS (good news, it is the latest version) it sounds like an 8590 upgraded with a Type 4 complex (that is why you have the "extra" 486DX2-50 'L' complex, because it was taken out for the upgrade. Does the system have a blue or gray letter IBM label on the front (as seen on the page I gave before)? Are you sure it is listed on the model/submodel as "9590" (in any regard, it is now with the T4 complex)?

Look over the complex page (http://ibmmuseum.com/ohlandl/complexes/Complex_ID.html) to see which T4 it is. All T4 systems use the same Reference Diskette. Probably better to put a 50-pin SCSI HDD on the system, then run the Reference Diskette, but you don't have to have an IML partition (on the HDD) to configure the system with a Reference Diskette.
Click to expand...



It has BLUE IBM logo on startup screen...
 
IBMPS2 said:
It has BLUE IBM logo on startup screen...
Click to expand...

9590front.gif


On the *case*, the logo color denotes that it was an 8590 (gray "IBM" lettering) or 9590 (blue lettering). The Model M keyboards are the same, later versions paired with the 95xx-series systems had a blue logo (and the cords were non-detachable). To me your system sounds like a field upgrade.

I can explain the 85xx vs. 95xx with a litlle more time later...
 
Yes...The case logo is blue as well as the kybd logo. The CPU board looks most like this one:

http://ibmmuseum.com/ohlandl/complexes/Type4-P.html


I guess I need to find a SCSI HD and some kind of tray that can slide/clip in the case like the FD has. Any place sell these older parts? I will try to find a system that has like XP and a 1.44 floppy to burn a ref disk. Should I load Warp on it or is it too buggy? What would be a good OS to load and run on this to surf the net with? If the HD and ref disk works I will continue to find MCA eithernet card to hook it up to my router. Fun!
 
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IBMPS2 said:
...The CPU board looks most like this one:

http://ibmmuseum.com/ohlandl/complexes/Type4-P.html
Click to expand...

The badge not matching the model/submodel label is confusing, as an ´L´ (486DX2-50) complex is Type 2, and would be in an 8590 (the T3, or one of the various T4s, would make it a 9590). If your unit came with the ´P´ (Pentium 60MHz) it would have had a submodel encoding like ´DPG´ (the ´D´ means it was orderable with a choice of operating system, ´G´ means a 540Mb HDD). I think the previous owner got at least the ´P´ complex to upgrade, and left the stock ´L´ complex as spare for the system.

There are other ways to tell, as the 9590s never have the two DBA ESDI connectors on the planar (just solderpads in the vacant spots). An 8590 is XGA from the system planar, a 9590 has an XGA-2 adapter added. I can´t remember if the 8590 would be a 1.44Mb floppy drive as stock, or the 2.88Mb you have (on the 8556/8557/9556/9557 systems it was common that the 85xx series versions had lesser CPUs/planars and 1.44Mb drives).

Someone probably knew what they were doing to upgrade that system, and may have swapped the case top too (the badge changes, but not the model/submodel label stuck to the case below)...
 
Well the labels on the front and back both say 9590-DLG ...Here are some pic's. I don't think the 486 board came with this computer when I got it many years ago. I used to have a bunch of older systems and just remember that 486 board sitting around. But whatever the model 90 and monitor was the only IBM PC I kept. Was doing a major house cleanup and found it again, almost forgot I had it.
 

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Just found a Model 90 reference disk digging in an old box :p YAY! Ordered a 540MB 50pin SCSI & IBM PS 2 Mouse, thinking about ordering a PS/2 eithernet card too but not sure if I can find the right driver for a bare net card.

Playing with the ref disk it said I had a 66Mhz Pentium.
 
IBMPS2 said:
...Playing with the ref disk it said I had a 66Mhz Pentium.
Click to expand...

Which would be the 'Q' complex (http://www.ibmmuseum.com/OhlandL/complexes/Type4-Q.html). 'P's and 'Q's look very similiar. Sorry, but when I was looking through your pictures I should have noticed the difference.

Strange that you would have a case marked as an 'L' complex in the submodel (but with a blue badge, and apparently all other 9590 enhancements) and a spare 'L' complex that didn't come from the system...
 
IBMMuseum said:
...Sorry, but when I was looking through your pictures I should have noticed the difference...
Click to expand...

The picture looks like a 'P' (Pentium 60MHz complex) instead of a 'Q' (Pentium 66MHz complex). What is the oscillator marked as? And the FRU (either 52G9362 or 92F0120) of the board?
 
IBMPS2 said:
CPU reads 66mhz
Click to expand...

But a 66MHz CPU on an unmodified 'P' complex would be run at 60MHz. There is a crystal oscillator close the the CPU, either 60MHz for the 'P', or 66MHz for the 'Q'. What is the speed marking on the 82496 cache controller (the other large chip on the complex, without a heatsink)?
 
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