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Compaq Portable 286

T

Terry Yager

Veteran Member
Joined
May 1, 2003
Messages
8,763
Location
Saginaw, MI, USA 48601
I finally got 'round to tearing down my Compaq Portable 286 last night. Found the problem in the power supply, and it looks like I'll be able to fix it. (A 12-volt regulator is toasted). I'll keep all posted on my progress. (The machine may be up for sale after I get it running again).

--T
 
I have the same machine but i have never booted it up i havent got a power supply for it.

its in good condition very complete.
 
PS1 said:
I have the same machine but i have never booted it up i havent got a power supply for it.

its in good condition very complete.
Click to expand...

I saw one go on eBay a few weeks ago, for $1.00. Broke my heart, but I couldn't bid on it cos I couldn't even afford the shipping. (Gotta save my pennies, my insurance bill is due next month).

--T
 
"Terry Yager" wrote:

> I saw one go on eBay a few weeks ago,
> for $1.00. Broke my heart, but I
> couldn't bid on it cos I couldn't even
> afford the shipping.

Should of got them to pay for the cost of
shipping! ;-)

Cheers,
CP/M User.
 
"CP/M User" wrote:

>> I saw one go on eBay a few weeks ago,
>> for $1.00. Broke my heart, but I
>> couldn't bid on it cos I couldn't even
>> afford the shipping.

> Should of got them to pay for the cost of
> shipping! ;-)

Strewth, a measly buck, what do they think
this is, "Trading Places"?

Cheers,
CP/M User.
 
CP/M User said:
"Terry Yager" wrote:

> I saw one go on eBay a few weeks ago,
> for $1.00. Broke my heart, but I
> couldn't bid on it cos I couldn't even
> afford the shipping.

Should of got them to pay for the cost of
shipping! ;-)

Cheers,
CP/M User.
Click to expand...

That would be nice of them, wouldn't it?

--T
 
I think I detected a reference to an Eddie Murphy/Dan Akroyd movie ... it took a moment, but I figured it out ...
 
Need Advanced Diagnostics Disk

Need Advanced Diagnostics Disk

Yow, you gotta love the internet ;)

I tried to boot my Compaq Portable 286 tonight and the batteries are dead (no surprise) and it wants the Adv Diags disk to reset the hard-drive parameters. And in all the JUNK I own, that's one of the few things I can't find.:stern: If anybody can help out here, it'd be really appreciated!

Emory Stagmer (aka VAXHeadroom)
 
dongfeng said:
There's one on eBay for $0.01 right now. Sadly the shipping to the UK is $97!

http://search.ebay.com/120108122808
Click to expand...

Dat ain't a Portable '286, and this guy has sold several of 'em like this in the past few months. I've messaged him twice and his only excuse is "Well, the first one was, so I thought they were all the same." This thing he is selling is the original 8088-based Compaq Portable.

--T
 
The Portable 286 is more interesting because so few were made. The production run only lasted a couple of months (just long enough to uze up all the full-size cases they had stockpiled).

--T
 
Compaq Portable 286

I just bought a compaq portable 286 for $5. The computer boots but asks for system disk. Anyone know where I might get a system disk for this sweet machine. :p I was happy just to see it start up but to use it would be great!!!



peorge
 
If your machine has no hard drive, and your machine is fully functional, then your machine is probably just asking for a DOS diskette to boot from.
But if your machine has a hard drive, then it sounds like the battery in your machine has died, resulting in the machine losing its configuration information. If so, we'd expect you to see error codes or error messages.

Do you see error codes or error messages?
Does your machine have a hard drive?
 
When I boot up I get.....

00640 KB OK
162 system options not set (run setup)
insert user programs diskette in drive A:
(RESUME = "F1" key)

if I hit F1 I get.....


163 time and date not set
non-system disk error
hit any key to continue

I do not know if this machine has a hard drive. I dont know much about these older machines. With the time and date not set it sounds like maybe the battery to me. If so can I get a new one or a setup disk? I have never used a computer like this and would really like to check it out. :)

Thanks,
peorge
 
The symptoms you list are indicative of a dead battery.

I'm unfamiliar with the specifics of the Compaq portable 286, but I can't see why it would be very different to other 286 based PC compatible computers.
And so the steps to get your machine working again are basically:

Step 1: Confirm dead battery - replace if so.
Step 2: Identify make/model of hard drive and provide that information to this forum. Forum members will tell you the drive type number.
Step 3: Run a setup program (sometimes specific to the computer) specifying:
* Present date/time
* Type of floppy drive/s (eg. 360K/1.2MB/720K/1.44M)
* Hard drive type number (eg. type 2)

BATTERY

You are going to have to open the computer to check the battery. It will possibly look like one of the following two, which are very popular in 286 based computers:
http://members.dodo.com.au/~slappanel555/misc/BATT_1.JPG ( 3.6 volts)
http://members.dodo.com.au/~slappanel555/misc/BATT_2.JPG ( 6 volts with series resistor)

Replacements are available. For example, eBay item 230206899317 ($4 each) can be used to replace the two types above.

HARD DRIVE

While you're inside the computer, see if there is a hard drive present. If so, note it's make/model and pass that to us then we'll tell you the drive type number.

SETUP DISK

As for the setup program/disk, I've found an earlier thread on these forums where someone provides a link to the disk (in the second post).
Here's a link to that thread: http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?t=11808
 
Thank you for all the help. I will have to bring home my meter from work tuesday and check the batt. I will take the machine apart today and check things out though.

Thanks again,

Peorge
 
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