• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here
  • From now on we will require that a prefix is set for any items in the sales area. We have created regions and locations for this. We also require that you select a delivery option before posting your listing. This will hopefully help us streamline the things that get listed for sales here and help local people better advertise their items, especially for local only sales. New sales rules are also coming, so stay tuned.

Compaq Deskpro 386, first model

I had one of these beasts at work running DOS 3.3 and AutoCAD 10. It had a 40MB Control Data hard disk which turned out to be IDE, the first of that type I had seen. Found that out when I killed the HD after the monitor slipped off the back giving it a fatal thump and then tried to replace it with a 40 MB Seagate with ST506 interface.
Mine also had the mainboard mounted ("static" ??) RAM upgrade taking it to 2 MB.
 
This was the standard issue computer for engineers when I went to work for Compaq in '88. Your first *job* was to assemble your computer while your boss stood there checking out if you knew what you were doing. Of course, all the hardware was non-standard (for the time) torx screws, so along with our new machine was a toolkit with all the appropriate bits in it.
 
I still have my Compaq Deskpro 386/25 from 1989. I learnt to program on it. A couple of years ago I fired it up (after many years) and it booted!

Sadly, a few minutes into the run the power supply blew up. I bought a new 110V one on eBay and cut out the resistor that determines whether it's a 110V supply or a 240V one (I'm in Australia).

In pulling the machine apart I disconnected the battery and now, even though it functions, I can't set the clock so it's stuck asking for the setup diskette.

I'm trying to get hold of that diskette so if anyone has an image please message me.

I still have the original (blown up) power supply that I'd be happy to part with. Someone would need to poke around and figure out which parts need replacing (one of them is very obvious).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top