Need Drivers for Unisys Aquanta EN Laptop.

[DOS lives on!!]

I have an old Unisys Aquanta laptop thats missing some drivers. The main one I need is for the infrared port, which I can't live without. Does anybody know where I can get drivers for this laptop? It's running Windows 95. Also, doesn't the keyboard on this laptop raise up somehow??

 

[nigwil]

I'm interested in Unisys machines generally. Any chance you could describe the specifications of the laptop and take some pictures please?

Unisys re-branded other manufacturers machines, have you had it apart? you might be able to determine who made it originally.

 

[DOS lives on!!]

Pictures of Laptop

Pictures of Laptop

Any chance you could describe the specifications of the laptop and take some pictures please?

Here are the pictures. The model number is NBF50021. It was made on February 19, 1997. Also, it turns on when the lid is open, how convenient!! It has PCMCIA slots on the other side.

 

[DOS lives on!!]

Where would I get drivers for the sound?

 

[DOS lives on!!]

You haven't seen this thread in a while, have you. I decided to turn it on today and found in the BIOS that the architecture (possibly meaning original manufacturer) said, "Mars 1996-1997." I can't find anything about this laptop on the iternet, probably because Unisys rebranded it. Any help on finding the drivers would be greatly appreciated. I'll take it apart and see who made it originally.

 

[Chuck(G)]

Looks an awful lot like an Acer laptop to me, given the keyboard layout.

 

[DOS lives on!!]

Looks like that's the one Unisys rebranded. Anyone have the drivers for the Acer version of this laptop?

 

[Chuck(G)]

A huge bit of confusion is that Quanta used to (before about 2006) make Acer laptops, as well as many other brands, including HP--and there is an Acer Quanta line, but it doesn't look like your unit. However, your unit does look a lot like the Acernote 370PC model (A P1 133MHz unit). You may want to start looking for drivers for that model and try them out.

 

[DOS lives on!!]

Hate to keep asking, but I can't find any drivers for any one of these laptops, just websites to buy batteries. Anyone know where to find them? As Chuck said, it is 133mhz.

 

[RWallmow]

Is there any way you can crack the case open and find the sound chip used in this model (I am putting money on ESS1688, they seem to be in EVERYTHING from this era), that would be far easier to find a sound driver that way, you could also look to see if there's an infrared chip-set you can identify (winbond maybe?). Lots of companies used quanta designed laptops, Compaq being one, and they have EXCELLENT driver support for OLD models, if you could find the Compaq equivalent (likely Presario consumer line) drivers would be a breeze.

 

[Chuck(G)]

Here's a fairly complete listing of what's on this laptop

 

[RWallmow]

Here's a fairly complete listing of what's on this laptop

Did I call it or what with the ESS1688, lol. I swear that audio chip-set is in EVERYTHING from the last half of the 90's

 

[DOS lives on!!]

I am putting money on ESS1688, they seem to be in EVERYTHING from this era

That's confidence. Thanks Chuck and RWallmow for the pointers.

 

[DOS lives on!!]

Another thing, I opened it up and found that it was indeed made by Acer. It has two boards, a multimedia board and a system board. Both of the boards say, "Acer 970 (Mars)." The infrared port is soldered into the motherboard and gives no brand name.

 

[RWallmow]

Another thing, I opened it up and found that it was indeed made by Acer. It has two boards, a multimedia board and a system board. Both of the boards say, "Acer 970 (Mars)." The infrared port is soldered into the motherboard and gives no brand name.

ftp://ftp.work.acer-euro.com/notebook/notenuovo_970/driver/win95/ - SLOW as heck, but has all what you are looking for.

 

[RWallmow]

View attachment irda.zip Here I figured in case the site goes down, heres the IR driver.

 

[Chuck(G)]

It's not made by Acer, but made for Acer by Quanta Computer. Hence, the name.

Quanta makes laptops and notebooks for lots of vendors, including HP.

 

[DOS lives on!!]

Would the boards be made by Quanta too or just the casing?

 

[Chuck(G)]

I gather from their website that Quanta makes whole units. Acer may supply additional boards or gizmos to add in, however.

 

[DOS lives on!!]

Oh No!!!, what have I done now????

I reassembled it after RWallmow found the drivers and for all that work, NOTHING comes up on the screen when I turn it on. I think it's something with the motherboard because the hard drive does nothing to indicate it is booting. Everything does turn on and all the lights and hard drive do turn on. I (think) the video cables from the motherboard to the screen are fine. Even pressing the reset button on the side does nothing to help.