🚀 go-pugleaf

kmcvay@oneb.UUCP (Ken McVay) writes:

> The machine: An early 10MHz 286 "baby  at" stuffed into an XT case.
> DOS: MS-DOS 3.3
>[...]
> Portents: the owner decided to upgrade the box, and added an Everex RAM3000
> board with a meg on it, a 1.44 meg 3.5" fd, and a second 40-meg hd. Poof.
>[...]
> ...in the course of playing with the
> system, I first removed the RAM card, modem and IO card, leaving nothing but
> the hd, fd, video, and controller. The drive booted and tested for 90 
> minutes without error....

This is your red flag! (I shan't quote the remainder of your
message...:-)

You indicate that the machine would once again operate, after removing
the RAM card, so I suspect the RAM card is FUBAR.

As for re-formatting with DOS 4.01, I don't know what the conflict might
be. Will the machine boot (without the RAM card) from a DOS 3.3 floppy?
If so, re-init the HD with DOS 3.3, and scrap the RAM card. Also, did
you test the power supplies you assumed to be fried? My 165w supply will
not do anything at all (not even spin the fan) unless loaded. A floppy
drive is enough to do it, but with no load it appears completely dead
_even to a voltmeter_.

> btw - the owner ordered a new 386, but I want to know WHY this sucker fails
> like it does before I bury it.

Don't bury it... send it to me! <grin>

--
    Roy M. Silvernail   | 'I don't see why you people    | Opinions found
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 cybrspc!roy@cs.umn.edu | Its just this little chromium  | but you can rent
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