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| Aion | |
|---|---|
 Aion | |
| Hardware | |
| Vendor: | IBM |
| Model: | Personal Computer 5150 |
| CPU: | 8088@4.77MHz |
| RAM: | 1024KB |
| Software | |
| OS: | Microsoft MS-DOS 6.22 |
| Collection Data | |
| Acquired: | 2019 |
| From: | lakemichigancomputers |
| Catalog Data | |
| Location: | Office |
| Usage Info | |
| Role: | Personal Workstation |
Summary
This machine was acquired 30 Dec 2019 from eBay seller lakemichigancomputers. It is the first IBM CGA-equipped 5150 I've seen where the CGA board isn't bent/warped, and also only one of two machines I've seen that retains the dust cover for the two drive bays.
When I received the machine, most of the RAM chips on the AST SixPak board were loose, resulting in a "4001 201" POST error (bad RAM at bit 1 of first expansion bank). Reseating these chips corrected the issue. I've been able to successfully run the 8088 MPH demo on the machine, as well as getting some software installed (see the software section below).
The two floppy drives were also swapped (A: was on the right and B: was on the left). I believe this is because the drive in the leftmost bay is not functioning correctly. I need to lubricate both sets of drive rails and inspect the stepper motors.
However, I am able to use the XT-IDE BIOS to boot from drive B, which allowed me to run the IBM PC DIAGNOSTICS utility.
Hardware Roster
- System Planar: 64-256KB rev "B" (IBM ROM BIOS dated 10/27/82)
- On-board RAM: 256KB
- CPU: 4.77MHz AMD D8088
- Floppy Drive Controller: Original IBM FDC
- Hard Drive Controller: XT-IDE OPTIMA with slot-mounted, externally-accessible CF card
- Asynchronous Communications Controller: Original IBM
- Multi I/O, Memory Expansion, Async Communications, Parallel, Joystick, and Realtime Clock Board: AST SixPak Premium with 768KB RAM installed
- Floppy Drives: 2x 5.25" DSDD (360K) floppy drives (IBM-badged)
- Power Supply: Original 63.5W PSU
Note that the last 384K of RAM on the AST SixPak Premium is configured as LIM (Lotus-Intel-Microsoft) EMS (Expanded Memory Specification) expanded RAM, giving 640KB of conventional and 384K of expanded memory.
Current Software
- MS-DOS 6.22
- Microsoft Macro Assembler 6.11
- Personal Ancestral File 2.31 (a genealogy tool)
- Cosmi Top Ten Solid Gold (a collection of games I used to love as a child)
- 8088 MPH Demo
- Planet X3 (an awesome realtime strategy game written by David Murray, who is better known as The 8-Bit Guy)
- MicroProse Railroad Tycoon
- XT-IDE Utilities
- Civilization I
Plans
I have a Zenith ZVM-123 green phosphor composite display en route. Hopefully, it arrives in one piece, as this was the display I had on my original IBM PC 5150. I also need to clean and lubricate the floppy drives, and would like to add an Intel 8/16 NIC to it, as well as lots more software. Having 2GB of storage on a 5150 is... trippy.
UPDATE: The Zenith ZVM-123 arrived in perfect condition and is working with the machine!
Gallery
