Onyx-IMI Computers

[atarimuseum]

Anyone have any information on the Onyx-IMI computers. Apparently Corvus bought Onyx-IMI around 1985 and merged the companies.

I have been unable to locate any information on these computers other then they were some kind of Unix machines. Looks for photo's, technical information and such as I want to learn more about them, thanks.


Curt

 

[Chuck(G)]

The Onyx box (C8000) I used, ca. 1982 was a Z8000 (Xenix) box. Onyx+IMI was just down the (N. First in San Jose) street.

The relationship between Corvus and IMI was a strange one. IMI made drives for the early Apple II hard drive add-on. I got to play with their early 5.25" prototype drive--pretty big, about shoebox size with a smoke plastic cover. Voice-coil closed-loop servo positioner. I think about 4MB.

Onyx bought IMI, which I thought was a lousy decision and an even sillier name "Onyx+IMI". Then Corvus bought them and shortly thereafter filed for bankruptcy. Hey, what can I say? It was the 80's arbitrage and Michael Milken were big.

 

[atarimuseum]

Milken, now there is a name I haven't heard in a long time, next to Madoff, that guy was a saint!

Yeah, the name was really stupid, most likely an ego compromise name...

Xenix! Cool, I used to mess around with a TRS80 Model 16 when I worked at Radio Shack while going to College in Manhattan, that was my first taste of Unix exposure, most people didn't even know how to use MS DOS yet!

Well, if you know of any photo's or anyone with a unit they are looking to trade/sell, let me know...

Thanks!
Curt

 

[Chuck(G)]

I don't remember too much about the thing. We used it to work on a port of our stuff to Xenix It had an 8" hard drive, a QIC (DC-300) tape drive and it was your basic black 19" wide industrial style box and otherwise undistinguished.

 

[atarimuseum]

Hmmmm.... I found a thread where someone bought one for $10 at a flea market, he says it looked like a tape drive box. I also found some infoworld articles...

Apparently the C-8000 came with a Z80 CPU and Onyx licenses CP/M for it and then they had an upgrade board to make it a Z8000 system, but none of the Infoworld articles have any photo's. There is also a wikipedia page for Onyx Systems as well.


Curt