• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

Hello from Bucharest (again)

the_pope

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
14
You seem to be the community where I can find info and details about the computer generations I know of (286-on). Someone actually recommended me to sign up here - someone from classiccmp.

I own a Goldstar Gold Note 386SX laptop (looks identical to the Zenith Mastersport 386SX and it may be just a clone) and I came here to fix it. I wouldn't know if that requires another specialized thread.

I noticed there is at least another person from Bucharest, Romania here. Count me in, too. I'm 27 and have been having a computer since 1995, but before Windows '95 was released. Enough time to get to know enough about DOS and the 16-bit world. I learned hardware a few years later.

I have a whole bunch of things to ask you all. I'm mainly here to grab all the high end parts from the past that I can grab. I would give an example but again, I think I should make a separate thread for that.
 
Welcome!

Welcome!

As a fellow Zenith(or Zenith Clone)user,Howdy!
This forum is really a special place,full of all kinds of information and VERY bright and creative people.Take some time to read the threads from past postings,you will be amazed!
cgrape2
 
Oh man! Your avatar is the cutest vintage computing picture I've ever seen! Can I have it full-size, pretty please?

Anyway. I've been thinking about it. I think I should ask here and see if I'm completely crazy before going to ask "officially" on the correct forum sections.

The Gold Note 386SX has 2 MB of integrated RAM. Non removable. You could get another two at the time, by buying a proprietary RAM card. Of course, nowhere to be found on the net. As far as I know, the 386SX can address 16 MB of RAM. Is there someone competent enough to concoct a RAM card with 14 MB on it just by studying the motherboard? It's not just the competence, it's also the time, will, necessary amounts of money...

Another "expansion" was a proprietary slot for a 2400 bps modem. Naturally, nowhere to be found. I'm guessing that slot should actually be nonstandard 8-bit or 16-bit ISA (probably 8-bit). Since I learned from this very forum that there are 8-bit ISA Ethernet cards, one could try to fit a network card in there.

Also, it was apparently released in 1992. As far as I know, the IEEE standard for bidirectional LPT ports was released in 1994, so the LPT port on it is probably standard. Would this port be upgradeable to bidirectional? This is because I found a strange device on lpt2usb.com that might be usable as an external USB controller. I certainly need to buy one and show it to a competent person to know wether it can be used as a universal controller or not.

Yes, I like my machines to be as upgraded as possible. You know, if you find a Pentium machine with PCI (or a socket 3 board, for example) you can put SATA and USB 2.0 in there. And also a DirectX10 video card. This is why I'm so "weird" about combining the old and the new.
 
Hmmm...I don't have one of the Zenith laptops of this type,but is the "Ram Card"slot fairly thin and has two rows of pins(Sorta like a PCMCIA socket would look)?
I'm pretty sure the Parallel port is bidirectional,so you can hook up a Xircom networking adapter to it.
You should post questions like these to the "Portable\Laptop" question group.It'll get more replies.
My "Avatar" is a "Pelorian Cat" from a trading card set from the mid 1980s.It features a "Slot Machine",it's as close to a PC that I could find in the set.
cgrape2
 
This is the RAM upgrade card. I knew it would be a great idea to scan that portion from the manual.

ram.jpg


Also, on the side there's a tab and a screw hole near it. And then there's the power switch. That tab comes off and that's where I'm supposed to install a 2400 bps modem upgrade card that I want to replace by an Ethernet card.
 
That system RAM card looks pretty proprietary.I know some Zenith parts guys that might have something.I'll check them on Monday.
cgrape2
 
And since someone asked about the modem card...

modem.jpg


I really doubt that was PCMCIA. Although not having seen the actual modem card, I can't say. I don't know how the inside of the PCMCIA slot looks, either, so I have no idea wether the connector is or is not a PCMCIA connector. The standard was developed in 1991, as far as I know, while this laptop was made in 1992. Might be, might not be.

The manual says that slot is for an optional modem. As if nothing else can be connected there.

Thank you cgrape2!
 
http://www.zdsparts.com/zwl036008.htm
This page has a list of Zenith parts that look like they might be used on your PC.I have done business with them and while they are not cheap,they are honest and reliable.
The module for the modem looks very familiar as a Zenith part.
cgrape2
 
Welcome to the forums :) I'm not that familiar with that system but if you can identify which Zenith model it's a clone of as cgrape has been pointing towards also it might have the same parts.

Alternatively (and I'm not sure this would be worth it) but you could search some auction sites and craigslist for parts or someone with the same system for sale with the specs you want and snatch the parts off that.

Good luck either way! The problem as you're finding is there was a lack of standardization back then with laptop memory and other stuff being proprietary per vendor. Makes these addons quite a pain to find.

- John
 
Thanks a lot cgrape2! I'll e-mail them and ask if they still have the RAM card. I'm not quite keen on having a modem card, but it may be useful for reverse engineering the slot pinout for something like a custom made USB 1.1 controller. I'll ask them for pictures, too.
I think I found that site on my own earlier on, but I thought that's an old store with a website made for 56k dial-up connections and that the store might not even exist anymore.

Mr. John: altairkit.com is probably going to make you very happy.
 
Well, I e-mailed them but the next day I felt like calling to see if they have the RAM card and the modem upgrade in stock. I checked the mobile phone fee, half a Euro for each minute. Ok, let's do it.
This incredibly cool-speaking man answers. He had an accent that I believe was Italian, and spoke very slowly and softly, pronouncing every letter. Very cool.
He recognized me and mentioned that I must be the guy who sent the e-mail. He said the modem is most likely available, while the RAM card is not certainly available and he needs to check to make sure.

Keeping my fingers crossed right now. But if the RAM card is not available, the question remains: is there anyone who could make one? Should I start a thread in the portable section?
 
Back
Top