IBM 5162 XT/286 recently added to my collection

[mikey99]

I recently added an XT/286 (5162) to my collection. I had been looking for a nice one of these for a long time.
The case is in excellent condition, even the bottom looks like new and still has the original cork pads. The system
is very clean inside, and fortunately no battery droppings on the motherboard.

Inside the XT/286 were the following cards:
1) ITT EGA Card (I replaced this with an IBM EGA card)
2) IBM serial/parallel card
3) Seagate ST22 MFM (and floppy) controller

Drives:
IBM full height Tandon TM-100
Seagate ST-225 MFM drive (with a manufactured for IBM label)

Also came with an IBM AT keyboard, not a Model M.

I'm wondering if the Seagate controller and drive are original to this machine.
I think the full height floppy may be original because I found several other pictures
of XT/286's with full height floppy drives.

I attached a few pictures of the system :

 

[mikey99]

a few more pictures.....

 

[Chuckster_in_Jax]

Looks like you got a really nice one!

 

[Anonymous Coward]

Odd, I wonder why it has a full height 360k drive. I wonder if the original half height drive was replaced or if it came like that from the factory.

 

[strollin]

... I'm wondering if the Seagate controller and drive are original to this machine.
I think the full height floppy may be original because I found several other pictures
of XT/286's with full height floppy drives. ...

Nice unit!

The XT-286 came from the factory with a half-height 1.2M floppy. There was an empty frame below the floppy attached to it via a plate on the side to be able to mount the floppy since the XT case was designed for only full height drives.

 

[per]

Nice. You may want to replace the battery if it's approaching empty. It's a regular CR-P2 lithium module, which is still quite commonand easy to get hold of.

Nice unit!

The XT-286 came from the factory with a half-height 1.2M floppy. There was an empty frame below the floppy attached to it via a plate on the side to be able to mount the floppy since the XT case was designed for only full height drives.

It also came with a WD-25 20MB HDD (which is a bit slower than the ST-225 used in the 5170s), with the low-height version of the IBM HDD/FDD card. The 5162 I have came with a hercules card instead of an IBM option.

What's the serial number? I heard that an estimate of the number of produced units lies at about 20 000, which is quite an uncertain number due to lack of sources.

 

[mikey99]

I found some pictures of another XT/286 at the following link showing a full height floppy.
So I think it's possible some units may have shipped with full height floppy drives.

http://www.nadbor.pwr.wroc.pl/yesterpc/Hardware/IBM%205162/slideshow/thumb.htm

Edit: After looking through all of the pictures at that link I see the XT/286 is shown with a half height drive
in one picture. Other pictures of the disassembled system show a full height drive . So I suspect the full
height drive wasn't original. The AT was already out and included a half height 1.2 MB drive so it doesn't
make sense that IBM would have shipped a low density drive on the XT/286.

 

[barythrin]

Very nice system! I keep forgetting about that one Have a picture of the processor?

 

[mikey99]

....
What's the serial number? I heard that an estimate of the number of produced units lies at about 20 000, which is quite an uncertain number due to lack of sources.

The serial number is 72-1067001

Not sure how this helps though, unless maybe they only used some of the
digits, like this would be 7001 or 6700 or 10670. Whats your serial number ?

Thanks for the info on the CR-P2 battery. I went ahead and purchased one locally, it was only $9
and will also work in my PS/2 Model 60 which I want to test soon

 

[mikey99]

Very nice system! I keep forgetting about that one Have a picture of the processor?

On the XT-286 the processor is near the front of the motherboard, makes taking
a picture easier....

 

[Lorne]

So I think it's possible some units may have shipped with full height floppy drives.

Edit: The AT was already out and included a half height 1.2 MB drive so it doesn't
make sense that IBM would have shipped a low density drive on the XT/286.

I don't know that we can make the assumption that IBM always shipped every unit in exactly the same configuration. I suspect they may have shipped some units bare, to resellers.
I've got a 5160 XT that I got from the original owner, along with the original sales receipt.
It shows a base unit price, and then an add on for a 20MB Miniscribe, and a TEAC half-height floppy drive (rather than a Tandon).
After they got popular, I wouldn''t be at all surprised if IBM shipped whatever a reseller wanted.

 

[per]

The serial number is 72-1067001

Not sure how this helps though, unless maybe they only used some of the
digits, like this would be 7001 or 6700 or 10670. Whats your serial number ?

The serial number of mine is:

286-72		5162-1004725

In my system the D82288-8 is soldered to the board, and it got a red line drawn on it with marker. The pictures you provide shows this chip socketed, and the chip in your pictures does not got a red marker-line drawn on it. Did IBM use partally deffective 8MHz bus-controllers in these machines? I have experienced certain glitches or issues with a few programs on my system, all of which seems to relate to I/O.

 

[JDT]

i am so very jelouse, I've been searching for a 5162 for years now. great score!

 

[Dave Farquhar]

I don't know how common this was with the XT-286 specifically, but there was a thriving "gray market" for IBMs in the mid 1980s. Companies would buy machines via questionable channels (perhaps excess inventory from authorized dealers--nobody seemed to know exactly where the machines came from) and then customize the configuration and sell them for less than the retail value. IBM didn't like the practice but there wasn't a lot they could do to stop it.

If the XT-286 usually came with a 1.2 MB drive from the factory, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if some of these gray-market vendors took them, replaced the 1.2 MB drive with a 360K full-height out of a regular PC or PC/XT, and knocked $100 or $150 off the price. That would be an obvious way to sell an XT-286 for less. Then they could turn around and sell a souped-up XT-286 with dual 1.2 MB floppies.

So IBM may very well have shipped them in multiple configurations, and there were vendors who were more than happy to offer configurations that IBM didn't.

 

[per]

I don't know how common this was with the XT-286 specifically, but there was a thriving "gray market" for IBMs in the mid 1980s. Companies would buy machines via questionable channels (perhaps excess inventory from authorized dealers--nobody seemed to know exactly where the machines came from) and then customize the configuration and sell them for less than the retail value. IBM didn't like the practice but there wasn't a lot they could do to stop it.

If the XT-286 usually came with a 1.2 MB drive from the factory, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if some of these gray-market vendors took them, replaced the 1.2 MB drive with a 360K full-height out of a regular PC or PC/XT, and knocked $100 or $150 off the price. That would be an obvious way to sell an XT-286 for less. Then they could turn around and sell a souped-up XT-286 with dual 1.2 MB floppies.

So IBM may very well have shipped them in multiple configurations, and there were vendors who were more than happy to offer configurations that IBM didn't.

Note that both my system and this system has the same "72" in the serial number field. However, mine has the documented 5162 configuration.

I also make note of how the serial number is present. In my system it's presented as a barcode as most earlier IBM machines, but on the pictues here it's a cartoon label with no barcode. If this is just an alternative label to the regularely used one, it's impossible for me to tell. I also know that different serial number labels were used in systems sold in different parts of the world, and my Europeian IBM systems has a different kind of label compared to the American IBM machines I have.

My uncle worked in a computer-store in the 80's, and he remember that it was standard practice to replace factory-shipped hardware with alternative improved 3rd party alternatives before machines were put up for sale.

 

[mikey99]

Wow, I just noticed there was an XT/286 for sale on the auction site that ended yesterday at $416 !

The same seller had an XT/286 Technical Reference Manual that went for $168 ......

 

[per]

Wow, I just noticed there was an XT/286 for sale on the auction site that ended yesterday at $416 !

The same seller had an XT/286 Technical Reference Manual that went for $168 ......

That XT/286 was in a condition seldom seen and unusually complete, including both the guide to operations, protective diskette head protectors, boxes and much more. It even contains a rare IBM memory expansion card which takes SIMM modules. I did not bid on the XT/286 as I already have one (allthough it may have some minor I/O issues).

I will try to get the technical reference scanned when I'm done with the exams in late May.

 

[mikey99]

I have a very similar memory card in my PC/AT.... they're older type SIMMs with metal covers.

I would definitely like to get a copy of the Technical Reference when you have time
to scan that .... no rush though, education does take priority !

Here's a picture of the memory card:

 

[modem7]

I have a very similar memory card in my PC/AT.... they're older type SIMMs with metal covers.
Here's a picture of the memory card:

That might be the "PS/2 Multifunction Adapter".
See earlier thread http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?282

 

[mikey99]

....
In my system the D82288-8 is soldered to the board, and it got a red line drawn on it with marker. The pictures you provide shows this chip socketed, and the chip in your pictures does not got a red marker-line drawn on it. Did IBM use partally deffective 8MHz bus-controllers in these machines? I have experienced certain glitches or issues with a few programs on my system, all of which seems to relate to I/O.

There is what appears to be a red line/area drawn with a marker on the chip right next to the CPU on my system. I just noticed
that in the picture. Cant tell the chip number on it though.