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WTB: late model 386 motherboard

oblivion

oblivion

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
1,003
Location
Apache Junction, AZ
I need a 386 motherboard with the following specs

must:
support between 25mhz and 40mhz cpu
256kb cache
16mb ram
socket for math co pro
socketed cpu slot preferred

small form factor would be nice

I recently found a new case I wanted to use for my 386 machine but unfortunately in the process of transferring the board over to the new case something broke so I need a new high end motherboard. all I need is the board I have the RAM, cpu and everything else.

something along the lines of this would be perfect
 
Hello there Oblivion,

Sorry to hear about your old board, it is sad when they die, you feel you've lost a friend......;)

I've got a couple 386sx boards, but I'm not sure you'd want those. However, I do have something I think is rather special, certainly to me...:D

About 12 years ago my Uncle gave me my first PC, an Intel 302 / SYP302 full-size 386DX-25mhz computer. All made by Intel, case and everything, an actual Intel COMPUTER, when's the last time you saw one of those lol?

Here's a spec sheet I dug up:
http://archive.computerhistory.org/...302_ibm_pc_80386_chip.ca1988.102652286.lg.jpg

It's a pretty fast system, seemed to work a lot faster than my friend's comparable A-Trend 386, maybe that's Intel design. To be honest, I've never had more than 8MB RAM in the machine, so that could be a problem, I'd have to check that.

If nothing else Oblivion, it's fun chatting with all you on here about old stuff. Feel I'm fortunate to have grown up using my Dad's XT, when I hear people asking what DOS is makes me feel old lol......;)

Cheers!

Bellarmine
 
Thanks, what sucks is both my 386 boards are dead. The other that came in the new case has battery acid issues. Its my own fault, couldn't leave good enough alone and had to cram the board into a cool mini case. Good news is I found someone that's going to try and fix at least one of the boards, possibly both. You 386 is pretty Intresting. If you lived closer to me id be tempted to make an offer.
 
No problem Oblivion, glad to help. Best wishes with getting one of your two boards fixed, I think I saw your other thread, hope your friend can fix those SIMM sockets.

If it turns out they can't be fixed, here's one I came across would fill you bill nicely, bit expensive shipping but could get it for a song:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321402491568

I have an A-Trend 486C-V2 board with battery corrosion as well, started having POST issues near the end, stupid cells, real motherboard-killers. Was my first 486 after the Intel 386, found it at the dump in 1999 in a nice full-tower case, my 2nd computer.

Thanks for the compliment on my Intel 386, I always thought it was a rare beast. Yeah I guess shipping would be a bit pricy, weighing in at about 30 pounds or so! I've got it running an Adaptec 1540B SCSI card with a Seagate ST4766N 730mb 5-1/4" full-height SCSI monster drive, runs like a champ, pretty fast access time. I got a Diamond Stealth 24 2MB ISA vid card for it, 2mb is rare for ISA. Even got a 387-33mhz for it, made SC2000 work so much better. However I think I'm going to buy another co-pro sometime, as since installing it the system now freezes sometimes. I think it's probably due to bad packing for the 387, when I took it out of the styrofoam padding (!) it had nice styrofoam balls clinging to the pins, 20,000 volts of static there lol groan!

Actually runs win95 pretty good. I had a friend with a 386 running 95 with 4mb RAM, I would never attempt it with 4mb, took ages to do anything, and how about 10 minutes to load SC2000 Urban Renewal Kit? 8MB RAM is SO much better.

Well, hope you found that interesting if nothing else Oblivion, cheers!

Bellarmine
 
Here's a good one It's very similar to the board I have. It's NOS, which is an amazing find. It has the soldered in Ni-Cad battery, so I'd want to be sure it is ok. My board still has its Ni-Cad, and is keeping good time to boot. I have the parts to replace it when I get around to it. This board has the AMD 40Mhz 386. Great processor. It's already soldered in though, and has 256k cache if it's like mine, or the one described here This is a nice very compact board. I have my board loaded with 32 MB (8 X 4MB) and 256K cache. My board is an Acer KMC A419-8, but it is almost identical to this BioTeq board in layout, size, and specs. These were popular in '93, or late in the 386 era.

Here's a shot of mine:
Acer ALi M1419.jpg

Here's a shot installed, but with only 4 MB of RAM (before I upgraded it)

more 386 002.jpg
 
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Ah, the Intel 302 PC. Place I worked at used dozens of the 301 version, 16MHz, 512kB memory which was a right pain to expand to 1MB. Then there was the 303 with the 16MHz SX processor.

Undoubtably the 302 was the best one, did have one for a year or so until borrowed by the software group, being hardware design I didn't rate!
 
Wow Woodchips, so you had one too! As I said, it was my first computer back in 1999, still have it and it works great. Built like a tank, I can stand on the thing lol. I didn't have all the drive rails, and I wanted to add a few more drives so my Dad helped me make a few out of some other similar ones, fit pretty good now.

I didn't know they made two other versions, nice we both used the best one. Would you know if I can put more than 8MB of memory onboard, or I'd have to get one of those 32bit-slot memory expansion boards which I'm sure are un-obtainable by now?

Cheers!

Bellarmine
 
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I thought all the expander boards did was let you use 72 pin simms in a machine that has only 30 pin slots but I've never heard of something that lets you go above the specified RAM limit. I've been wrong before though. I thought that was Bios thing.
 
oblivion said:
I thought all the expander boards did was let you use 72 pin simms in a machine that has only 30 pin slots but I've never heard of something that lets you go above the specified RAM limit. I've been wrong before though. I thought that was Bios thing.
Click to expand...
He probably means a memory expansion card that goes in a normal slot.
 
oblivion said:
I thought all the expander boards did was let you use 72 pin simms in a machine that has only 30 pin slots but I've never heard of something that lets you go above the specified RAM limit. I've been wrong before though. I thought that was Bios thing.
Click to expand...

Stone said:
He probably means a memory expansion card that goes in a normal slot.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I didn't know they made adapters to put 72pin simms in 30pin sockets, I thought that'd be incompatible.

About the 302, yes I mean an expansion card that plugs in to the two special ISA slots. According to the linked brochure above, it can have 8mb on board and an additional 16mb via two special 32bit ISA bus expansions cards. I always wondered what those 2 longer ISA slots were for, sort of like a VLB bus, guess they're for the proprietary memory expansion cards. I should try and see if it accepts 4mb simms, I did try some 16mb 30pin simms I bought years ago, they didn't work.

How's it going with your motherboard repair Oblivion? Too bad my post wasn't moderated in time for that 386 eBay board I posted, compared to the Acer board it's a steal, had 16mb RAM and a Vesa Local Bus slot too, NEVER seen one of those on a 386 before lol.

Cheers, Bellarmine
 
bellarmine said:
Interesting, I didn't know they made adapters to put 72pin simms in 30pin sockets, I thought that'd be incompatible.

About the 302, yes I mean an expansion card that plugs in to the two special ISA slots. According to the linked brochure above, it can have 8mb on board and an additional 16mb via two special 32bit ISA bus expansions cards. I always wondered what those 2 longer ISA slots were for, sort of like a VLB bus, guess they're for the proprietary memory expansion cards. I should try and see if it accepts 4mb simms, I did try some 16mb 30pin simms I bought years ago, they didn't work.

How's it going with your motherboard repair Oblivion? Too bad my post wasn't moderated in time for that 386 eBay board I posted, compared to the Acer board it's a steal, had 16mb RAM and a Vesa Local Bus slot too, NEVER seen one of those on a 386 before lol.

Cheers, Bellarmine
Click to expand...

having to use weird ISA slots to expand RAM seems bizarre especially for a 386 class machine. you would think they would just make it able to use more via the Ram slots but I dunno, maybe it was a cost saving measure.

as for my board i haven't heard back yet. it probably hasn't arrived yet so I may not know for a few days. hopefully it can be repaired. I have hope since it did post once so I just hope its a matter of bridgeing or fixing the eaten away trace(s). if the repair fails i'll be sending my second damaged board which hopfully only needs the RAM holders replaced. unfortunitly with that board its very large so I don't want to risk killing it again by installing it into the mini case I want to use.

as for that VLB slot MB. I think VLB needs a 486 to function so my thought is its a 386/486 hybrid board capable of accepting both. with a 386 installed my guess is the VLB slot only functions as ISA.
 
Recycledgoods.com has this available for $70:
http://www.recycledgoods.com/product/43856-generic-m326-v5.5-386-motherboard

m_43856_1.jpg


It fulfills most requirements except for the cache (128k instead of 256k). Hopefully it works too. :)

(FWIW I'm in no way associated with that site)
 
thanks for the link, bit pricy as well for not having exactly what I want. well I just got word the board I have with acid damage is unrepairable :( so now my hopes are ridding on the second board I have being fixable which I have high hopes for. I am still keeping an eye out for a new board if the price is right in case plan B fails.
 
board has been found. thanks for all the help guys. I acquired a board identical from the image I first posted except interesting enough the chipset is SIS as opposed to UMC but otherwise identical.
 
Congratulations Oblivion, glad it all worked out and you got 'er sorted. Have fun with your 'new' old retro 386 Turbo woohoo!

Bellarmine
 
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