🚀 go-pugleaf

        I have a question about a AST Premium 286 Model 170 Base system
that I have recently aquired.  By base system I mean: case, power supply
and motherboard.  I already have a functioning EGA monitor and card.
        Ok enough background info. On to my question.  I tried to hose
this little guy up and turn it on to see if I could get some sort of
boot info on the screen.  All I got were a series of beeps and nothing
on the screen. The motherboard HAS NO MEMORY.  I am not extremly
familiar with the inner workings of DOS.
        1) My first question is DOS these machine require RAM to
          initiate the start up sequence.  i have heard that DOS
          ... Shoot that is wrong....  THE BIOS copies part of itself
          or part of ROM into RAM before starting up or something like
          that.
        2) This AST motherboard looks a little weird to my eyes there
           seven standard-looking AT/XT slots in the standard locations
           but then there are these 2 OTHER slots near the "front" of
           the motherboard.  What are these for?  Memory?
        3) This case is pretty tough looking and the 230 watt power
           supply is also pretty high quality.  So when I am ready to
           upgrade to a motherboard with more processing power will I
           be able to use a "standard"(*chuckle*) sized motherboard or
           will I be limited to AST boards for upgrades.
        We theses are a few of the things that are making me go "hmmm"
right now and I would appreciates any thought that anyone out there may
have on these.
        Thanks for your time.   <8=)
                        dean.
p.s     feel free to respond to this messages via this group if you fee
        this information will be of interest to others.
        Otherwise I can be reached via Email at
        dean.johnson@satalink.com