🚀 go-pugleaf

Lynn.Olivier@f31.n282.z1.tdkt.kksys.com (Lynn Olivier) writes:

> To: Newsgroups: Comp.sys.unisys
> Repy: Lynn.Olivier@tdkt.kksys.com
> 
> I told my Dad a Univac\Sperry\Unisys alum that I would check out this
> newsgroup as he has one of the first generation Sperry PC's. He has
> upgraded the memory but when he went to add a hard drive he found it was
> not possible with his model. If anybody has solved this problem please
> let us know. Lynn DeRider Olivier

What he needs is a BIOS upgrade.  Basically stated, the BIOS is an IC chip
on the main board of the computer.  Without a new BIOS chip, the system
doesn't know hard drives from beans.  Even if your system can run with a
hard drive, your BIOS chip might not know about your particular model of
hard drive.

The good news is that it's not hard to pull the old chip out and put the
new one in.  The price should be about $49.95, which is not cheap, but it's
less expensive than a new computer.  There are firms that specialize in new
BIOS chips for old systems.  I've never dealt with any such firms myself,
but a quick look through Computer Shopper shows one such place, "Smart Micro
Technologies" at 800-266-1576.  They list Sperry as one of the systems they
can upgrade.

The other problem with the old Sperry PCs is that the expansion slots are
not absolutely regulation size, making it sometimes difficult or impossible
to upgrade a video card, controller, or anything that expects the full IBM
PC size cut-out.

--
Tony Shepps  toad@cellar.org
Preferred address:  toad%cellar@tredysvr.tredydev.unisys.com
Snail mail:  P.O. Box 655, Blue Bell, PA  19422
Public access and thoughtful conversation:  The Cellar BBS  +1 215 654 9184