🚀 go-pugleaf

Ian schrieb:
> 
> I have an old 386/20 original IBM with win3.1 and need some help.  I need to
> access the bios (or what ever it was then) so I can activate a comms port and
> get a modem going on it, but have no idea how.  As far as I can tell, the port
> is actually connected, it just seems to be disabled through a bios setting.
> Does anyone know how to access the bios in one of these machines, or have an
> idea what I should be doing with this machine?

The are many possibilities: F1, F2, Del,... (IIRC there are some sites
where the possible hotkeys are listed) But if it's a PS/2 you'll need a
special setup disk (I think they can be d/l'd with IBM). 
A few tips: If you get the port going, have a look at
<http://home.t-online.de/home/jgrossklass/w31mm_e1.htm> where some of
the problems that can appear are described. I recently had someone with
a nice 386SX-20 laptop/notebook with 16 MB of RAM who had big trouble
accessing the net (dialing wouldn't always work, IE crashed much too
often) - enlarging the COM buffer and using Netscape instead of IE
solved most of it, though it's still not a runner, of course. BTW: You
may want to upgrade the RAM to 8 MB (better 16 MB or more). And here's a
NG for old PCs: <news:comp.sys.ibm.pc.classic>. I think there are some
PS/2 NGs too.

> Please respond directly to my email if possible.

(netiquette)

Stephan
-- 
Stephan Gro�kla� (7bit: Grossklass)
eMail: mailto:jgrossklass@t-online.de
Home: http://home.t-online.de/home/jgrossklass/
P3-500, 128MB, 8+8+19GB HDD; MS-DOS 6.22, WfW 3.11, Calmira II 3.1b

"Stephan Grossklass [ Gro�kla� ]" wrote:

> Ian schrieb:

> > I have an old 386/20 original IBM with win3.1 and need some help.  I need to
> > access the bios (or what ever it was then) so I can activate a comms port and
> > get a modem going on it, but have no idea how.  As far as I can tell, the port
> > is actually connected, it just seems to be disabled through a bios setting.
> > Does anyone know how to access the bios in one of these machines, or have an
> > idea what I should be doing with this machine?

> The are many possibilities: F1, F2, Del,... (IIRC there are some sites
> where the possible hotkeys are listed) But if it's a PS/2 you'll need a
> special setup disk (I think they can be d/l'd with IBM).
[snip]

The original ATs used an IBM Diagnostic Disk to do mods to the BIOS. 
Some of the Clone PCs had a disk with a program on it that would do the
same thing.  I think Mitac was one of these.  If the BIOS is a Phoenix,
then you hit control-alt-S at any time to get into the BIOS.  

If this motherboard does not have built-in comm ports, then the BIOS
cannot turn a comm port on or off or configure it.  You have to do
jumpers or dip switches on the adapter card that has the comm ports.