alt.certification.a-plus - help with a OLD 386 system

Author

help with a OLD 386 system

Brick

2002-12-31, 8:16 pm

My buddy had this old 386 sitting around so I thought I'd have a little fun
with it. I took it home, plugged it up and got a Hard Drive Config error. I
deleted and created a new partition, but I can't seem to get much further as
the only DOS system I can find to run on it is 4.01 thats on 5.25" disks and
the first install disk runs right but it won't read the info on the second
install disk. I'm just goofing around more than anything, but some fresh
ideas might it more fun. Throw some thoughts around with me and I'll see if
I can get this archaic beast trudging along. It shows the c: drive as having
108908544 bytes free ....I used "type 24" when I set up the Cyl Hd Pre LZ
Sec setting.

Michael E

2002-12-31, 8:16 pm

I would say download dos 6.22 or something of of a web site.. I know its
not right to pirate software but its been obsolete for so long your not
really causeing them to lose money . Or find win 3.1 somewhere.. I used to
have the original disks but they have long been damaged or whatever.. Or
this would be better.... download linux (free) and put that on there and
play around.. I am pretty sure linux will run on a 386 (maybe even less) i
dunno if you will be able to use xwindows tho.. never tried it..

theres 3 options for ya..

Brick" <corporatemagic@go.com> wrote in message
news:v07ijalgftombf@corp.supernews.com...
> My buddy had this old 386 sitting around so I thought I'd have a little
fun
> with it. I took it home, plugged it up and got a Hard Drive Config error.
I
> deleted and created a new partition, but I can't seem to get much further
as
> the only DOS system I can find to run on it is 4.01 thats on 5.25" disks
and
> the first install disk runs right but it won't read the info on the second
> install disk. I'm just goofing around more than anything, but some fresh
> ideas might it more fun. Throw some thoughts around with me and I'll see
if
> I can get this archaic beast trudging along. It shows the c: drive as
having
> 108908544 bytes free ....I used "type 24" when I set up the Cyl Hd Pre LZ
> Sec setting.
>
>

Tom MacIntyre

2002-12-31, 8:16 pm

On Fri, 20 Dec 2002 20:53:59 -0000, "Brick" <corporatemagic@go.com>
wrote:

>My buddy had this old 386 sitting around so I thought I'd have a little fun
>with it. I took it home, plugged it up and got a Hard Drive Config error. I
>deleted and created a new partition, but I can't seem to get much further as
>the only DOS system I can find to run on it is 4.01 thats on 5.25" disks and
>the first install disk runs right but it won't read the info on the second
>install disk. I'm just goofing around more than anything, but some fresh
>ideas might it more fun. Throw some thoughts around with me and I'll see if
>I can get this archaic beast trudging along. It shows the c: drive as having
>108908544 bytes free ....I used "type 24" when I set up the Cyl Hd Pre LZ
>Sec setting.
>

The first thing you need to do is identify the proper HDD type. Get
the make and model, and do a web search for the proper type, if you
don't have another source for the information. The config error you
got may have been due to the wrong information being set up. A 100M
HDD is possible in a 386, I suppose, but the numbers all have to be
correct.

One other thing...stay as far away from DOS 4.xx as you can. It was,
if memory serves me, buggier than Windows ME. My two favourite
versions of DOS were 3.3 and 6.22, which may or may not be suitable.
You can probably get a DOS and Windows 3.1 for little or nothing
through a buy and sell magazine, or flea market.

How much RAM do you have? What is the processor speed, and is it SX or
DX? Windows 95 will possibly work well on this system with enough RAM
and processor speed. It worked slowly and badly on my old 386sx16/4M,
but very well on my cousin's 386dx40/32M.

Tom

2002-12-31, 8:18 pm

"Michael E" <notmyrealone@ihatespam2.com> wrote in message
news:KdSM9.413072$%m4.127569@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att.net...
> I would say download dos 6.22 or something of of a web site.. I know its
> not right to pirate software but its been obsolete for so long your not
> really causeing them to lose money . Or find win 3.1 somewhere.. I used to
> have the original disks but they have long been damaged or whatever.. Or
> this would be better.... download linux (free) and put that on there and
> play around.. I am pretty sure linux will run on a 386 (maybe even less) i
> dunno if you will be able to use xwindows tho.. never tried it..
>
> theres 3 options for ya..

Try www.freedos.org for a free, legal version of DOS. I have it on an old
laptop that doesn't have enough memory to run Win95. I use it for the old
DOS games the don't need a sound card.
AG

>
>
> Brick" <corporatemagic@go.com> wrote in message
> news:v07ijalgftombf@corp.supernews.com...
> > My buddy had this old 386 sitting around so I thought I'd have a little
> fun
> > with it. I took it home, plugged it up and got a Hard Drive Config
error.
> I
> > deleted and created a new partition, but I can't seem to get much
further
> as
> > the only DOS system I can find to run on it is 4.01 thats on 5.25" disks
> and
> > the first install disk runs right but it won't read the info on the
second
> > install disk. I'm just goofing around more than anything, but some fresh
> > ideas might it more fun. Throw some thoughts around with me and I'll see
> if
> > I can get this archaic beast trudging along. It shows the c: drive as
> having
> > 108908544 bytes free ....I used "type 24" when I set up the Cyl Hd Pre
LZ
> > Sec setting.
> >
> >
>
>

Millimeter

2002-12-31, 8:20 pm

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