My AM386

So today I have spent the entire day playing with an AMD 386 SX/SXL - 25. I obtained it several years ago and since has been sat in a box doing nothing.

So I figured, hey, lets get it out and see what's what and maybe see if I can sell it or something. I saw recently that they are classed as something called Vintage Computing. To someone like me this is a nice little computer, I wouldn't want to sell it. But I know I'll never use it. My days of tinkering with PC Hardware are all but gone.

So looking at it, what do I have? Its a really small computer, built obviously as a space saver. It runs a 25 mhz cpu with 1 and a half mb ram... Not sure the specific of that one as I didn't look enough.

But the big issue here is that it is missing a hard drive, I have the original floppy disk drive but no cable for it, as it has a different socket which converts into the standard format for the board. This is a problem, as a regular floppy disk drive is too long to fit in the case, also a regular floppy disk cable takes up space.

The other issue is that the front of the machine is missing, so no plastics making it look nice, its just a metal shell. This causes a problem because I can't identify what the actual computer is. I have been searching the net all day for what could be an ECS Book PC, but I can only find Book 2s and 3s. Which is annoying.

The BIOS string is 30-0100-D01131-0111111-070791-HT18C-F which only matches manufacturer and no boards listed online. I can't find it anywhere. There is a number on the board BP1000 which to what I found is the model number of some UPS Battery.

It seems impossible to find, but not only that it has a major major issue. Its CMOS Battery is a Dallas Real Time Clock chip with an inbuilt battery, which is flat. It means finding a new one which could prove impossible, or hacking it down the side and attaching a more modern battery. I'm not sure I want to start taking it apart because I have shaky hands and don't belong near a soldering iron.

One thing I will note before I finish this blog, If you have any idea what I'm talking about... IE what the board could be or what computer it was for, please let me know I would be very grateful.

Stay Frosty
-Professor Clutch