DL225 386 Unix PC Build Part 1

[@Jayoldstuff1]

Nice little 386 and something a bit different to the usual retro gaming PC build, I'm sure Ive a couple of 1.2 meg drives spare up in the attic.

[@electronash]

When I built a Pentium (200MMX) system a few years ago, I didn't have an AT style keyboard for it. I knew that the protocol for PS/2 keyboards is essentially the same as the 5-pin DIN AT keyboards, so I just soldered a USB-A socket directly to the pins on the mobo. Quite a few cheap modern keyboards still support PS/2 mode via the USB pins, so that's a nice way to use a new keyboard on an old AT system. (as long as you get the Gnd and 5V pins correct, it's very unlikely to damage anything if a modern keyboard doesn't support PS/2 mode, it just won't work.)

[@electronash]

Oh, and the PSU in the Pentium was kindly donated by Mr Dexter, and it's still going strong. ;) I did remove the external mains filter that the PSU had bolted to it, though (factory original), as it was a bit hairy having the exposed mains terminals right behind the CD drive. lol

[@BobHannent]

Yay for SCO!

[@AlejandroRodolfoMendez]

Part 2? I was interested to know about the uses of old Unix on a 386. Interesting build. I have a old IBM value point maybe I could try unix.

[@Darkstar2342]

I think you forgot to connect the power cable of the front panel LED display. It usually has a vampire connector that goes onto one of the floppy power connectors. After that you'll have to fiddle with the jumpers to get it to display the correct MHz numbers in regular and turbo mode ;-) For a challenge, you could try installig Dell UNIX on it (yes, Dell had their own UNIX at some point...)

[@klaushergesheimer8602]

Your 7 segment MHz display isn't working. That's the most important thing about a 386. 😃

[@Conenion]

7 segment display vs LED strips -- choose your fighter :-D

[@DextersTechLab]

Yes it wasn't connected, will sort that out in part 2!

[@JVHShack]

@@DextersTechLab How's part 2 coming along? Just curious....

[@DextersTechLab]

It's a sidelined project at the moment. It's still here as it was. I don't have much time to work on other projects at the moment.

[@alexfinns6162]

The floppy drive is probably staying like that until the tape doesn’t hold anymore lol

[@sphinxios]

wow u got it running on ata drive, i was just about to say u might need scsi drive but i was wrong wasnt i

[@BocaRetroGames]

I believe my first pc ever was pretty close to this. 386 33mhz, 2 or 4mb ram , 120mb hdd,

[@rmccombs66]

I can't find Part 2. Is it no longer available?

[@Bassquake76]

I sure dont miss the annoying harddrive sounds 😄

[@cprossu]

I don't miss the hard drive droning, or ball mice for that matter. I remember once FDM bearings became a thing in hard drives, and the first optical mice that didn't need a special mousepad coming out and running a campaign to rid every customer I had of both those annoyances. Wish I had kept all the old mice and hard drives now though, makes getting these older machines up and running easier, plus when demoing these things for newer generations having the noisy hard drive and the awful mouse is a part of the experience!

[@DextersTechLab]

I agree with the ball mice, they can burn in hell. But i do like old clacky hard disks.

[@alexfinns6162]

@@DextersTechLab were they that bad?

[@schnitzelsamy]

Nice

[@SeanBZA]

Got a dozen I could post you, though likely they would only arrive 2023 by you, unless I paid close to 1000 pounds for courier. Still got a 386sx33 board that I used as a controller, just no longer have a MDA monitor for it.

[@alexfinns6162]

A dozen what?

[@IanScottJohnston]

Just sent you an email re: Old PC Bits.

[@DextersTechLab]

Thanks, will reply properly tomorrow 👍