Model 30 8086 information...
IBMMuseum
I'll post a little later about adding a SCSI HDD & external CD-ROM
to the Model 30 8086, but was looking through my "Model 30 Technical
Reference" on the background of some of its features. Probably sharing
functions with at least the 8086 version of the Model 25, there are
some oddities maybe not found anywhere else. Kind of a half step from
the XT to microchannel.
For instance it was helpful to me to know when I am replacing the
functionality of the planar hard drive controller that it uses IRQ5. So
on the SCSI card I set it to the same. Later I will find out if I need
an IRQ line at all.
One surprising function is a particular I/O port register
controlling the built-in planar features (except for the RTC). The
hardware for each feature's "select line" can be disabled by clearing a
bit in the I/O register to zero. Of course the setting is not preserved
through a power cycle (maybe a blessing), with read/write Port 65h
organized like so:
Bit: Function:
7 Parallel Port Output Enable select
6 Reserved = 0
5 Reserved = 0
4 Serial Port select
3 Diskette Controller select
2 MCGA Video select
1 Parallel Port select
0 HDD controller select
Initially probing in case I might be wise to turn the planar HDD
controller off (clearing bit 0 of the I/O register 65h to a zero) by
deactivating its select line. That puts the relevant feature to "sleep"
until toggled over again or a power cycle occurs. Using DOS DEBUG:
> i 65 [DEBUG natively talks in hexidecimal]
9E [and the output is too]
In binary:
Bit: | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Value: | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Ignore the "Reserved" bits set to 0, and you can see that the HDD
controller select line is the only one deactivated. Probably because
this is a signal put over the ribbon cable from the drive itself to
show it is present (there were Model 25 8086 & Model 30 8086 shipped
without harddrives). So I had no reason to worry.
Another probable use is to turn off the planar MCGA video when a
VGA card is in a slot. There are BIOS calls that are used to toggle
between the video controllers when another adapter is installed.
Otherwise the resource conflicts would cause some bad mojo.
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
William R. Walsh
> One surprising function is a particular I/O port register
> controlling the built-in planar features (except for the RTC). The
> hardware for each feature's "select line" can be disabled by clearing a
> bit in the I/O register to zero.
A very interesting feature indeed!
> (there were Model 25 8086 & Model 30 8086 shipped
> without harddrives).
As per any of the manuals I've got for the Model 25 series, a hard drive was
not available, or at least not considered user-installable in the 25-XT. The
remaining models have procedures in their manuals for installing a hard
disk.
> Another probable use is to turn off the planar MCGA video
> when a VGA card is in a slot. There are BIOS calls that are used
> to toggle between the video controllers when another adapter is
> installed.Otherwise the resource conflicts would cause some bad
> mojo.
This sounds like great news. I've been looking at running Windows 3.0 in VGA
mode on my hot-rodded Model 30 for some time. I found a Paradise SVGA video
card that was happy to work in every mode and with every program except
Windows.
A while back I found a DOS paint program that can really exploit the
capabilities of the MCGA...in both 320x240/256 color and 640x480/2 color
modes. The 256 color mode isn't much news, but the program lets you pick two
colors from a large palette in the higher resolution mode. While obviously
limited to monochromatic drawings, the results are very sharp and clear.
William
IBMMuseum
> As per any of the manuals I've got for the Model 25 series,
> a hard drive was not available, or at least not considered
> user-installable in the 25-XT. The remaining models have
In many of the Model 25 8086 I got from the local school system
(despite being set to RIPL from a NetWare server using a NIC) there was
an ST11 MFM card, power tap, and 3-1/2" 20Mb HDD installed. You tell me
the benefit gained instead of using the proprietary 20Mb drive & planar
controller (and I never found that combination on that lot of 25s). The
fact that it all looked factory installed (backed up some by Lewis
Eggebrect's diagram that showed an add-in card to run the harddrive on
a Model 25) still is a mystery to me.
> This sounds like great news. I've been looking at running Windows
> 3.0 in VGA mode on my hot-rodded Model 30 for some time. I
> found a Paradise SVGA video card that was happy to work in
> every mode and with every program except Windows.
It may be a failing (seeing this mentioned by people running
Windows 3.0 on an XT-class system with only VGA cards) of that user
interface. To tell the truth I have been thinking of this angle for a
few weeks too (ever since I saw a mono 3.0 on my VGAed 30). Easy to
check or set with DEBUG:
> i 65
With all other planar features enabled except MCGA video it would
be 9Bh. If 9Fh the MCGA video is running & confusing Windows. With a
couple weeks I can probably produce a little program stub to call the
video interrupt toggle or you can do it with "select" from DEBUG:
To turn off only MCGA video (mostly you are checking to make sure it
does what you want)
DEBUG
> i 65
9F
> o 65, 9B
> i 65
9B
> q
> A while back I found a DOS paint program that can really exploit
> the capabilities of the MCGA...in both 320x240/256 color and
> 640x480/2 color modes. The 256 color mode isn't much news,
> but the program lets you pick two colors from a large palette
> in the higher resolution mode. While obviously limited to
> monochromatic drawings, the results are very sharp and clear.
Ever seen the balloon puzzle on the Starter Diskette? It looks
pretty sharply defined. Besides the lesser VRAM (just 64Kb) I was going
to look at the hardware differences for a cost of designing &
supporting another lesser video standard on the two low-end systems.
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
IBMMuseum
> ...being set to RIPL ...using a NIC... ...The fact that
> it all looked factory installed ...still is a mystery to me.
Of course all the NICs were a 16-bit Linksys NE-2000 with boot
ROM...
> ...Easy to check or set with DEBUG:
>
> > i 65
>
> With all other planar features enabled except MCGA video it would
> be 9Bh. If 9Fh the MCGA video is running & confusing Windows...
With the true IBM 8-bit VGA card (which I thought was still giving
me mono 3.0 back when) in this system I am getting a reponse of 9Ah
(MCGA video & HDD controller select lines off). Meaning the VGA BIOS
extension is disabling the planar MCGA video with this method in IBM's
own implementation. I suggest if your tests don't give you a suitable
result then you do the same manually (until I can make a simple DOS
program up).
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
David L. Beem
> A very interesting feature indeed!
"8530-8086 Specs From the Upper Unit in the Picture):"
Your 8530-8086 is on the bottom in your picture...
"Intel 8086 CPU at 8 or 10MHz, I forget which..."
8MHz. In the case of a couple of my Model 30 8086 (and a couple of
Model 25 8086) it is a V30 8MHz. On this particular unit I am working with
it has an 8087 too (more how to check that on the Model 30 8086 by other
than NPU commands later).
"640KB RAM"
This is correct, but bears mentioning (different from the Model 25
8086) that on the Model 30 8086 the first 128Kb is soldered to the planar,
with the remainder on the SIMMs. If a problem is found with the base 128Kb,
that area is disabled & the SIMMs are automatically remapped to cover the
hole (but then leaving a total of 512Kb). I've never heard of a Model 30
8086 issued without the two 256Kb SIMMs.
On the Model 25 8086 it is a reverse of that scheme. The base 512Kb is
from the SIMMs, with the top 128Kb in the optional socketed DRAM chips. I
think almost all of my Model 25 8086 have this option, so I can offer it to
anyone in need (let's say $5 if it can't be found elsewhere, $10 for a V30
8MHz, actual shipping; Sorry to be out to make a buck, but things are
getting tight again).
"200 MB Western Digital IDE Hard Disk, run by an Acculogic XT IDE
controller"
On one of my Model 30 8086 I have an Acculogic too. The later post will
talk about the Trantor T130B SCSI controller that may have the ability to
run up to a 2Gb drive, in addition to giving the external CD-ROM connection.
I'll list instructions for properly formatting something like a standard
0662 drive (the Trantors I might sell for something like $10 to $15, but my
supply of 0662s might be too low).
"1.44MB Floppy (Originally had a 720K floppy, but this one has the planar
support for both.)"
Don't know if I said it before, but most of the time trying this I had
the 4869-001 card installed (even have a Model 25 8086 with "big-button"
720Kb that had the cable & card to use one). There is a BIOS extension (I'll
look at the size later), but it would be strange using the whole space just
to tell the Model 30 8086 how to run an older 360Kb floppy drive. I think it
comes down to more of the 1.44Mb drive type.
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
David L. Beem
Or they can be fought over on eBay (spotted this a couple days ago):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290023498028. Nice big
pic to use, showing all the switch settings (later in this thread I will
talk about how to set this adpter to work with other Model 30 8086 options).
I've got the software.
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
wm_w...@hotmail.com
> Your 8530-8086 is on the bottom in your picture...
Nope, it's on the top. :-) Note the positions of the power switches.
The machines have relocated since that picture was taken, but they've
remained stacked in the same order. Both of them are 8530-8086 models,
but the one on the bottom is decidedly more original with its big
button low density floppy drive.
I never got around to taking the picture for the 8530-286, it's simply
mentioned on the page.
> 8MHz. In the case of a couple of my Model 30 8086 (and a couple
> of Model 25 8086) it is a V30 8MHz.
You sent me a tube of V30 CPUs. I installed all but one of them. I do
need to fix that.
> I've never heard of a Model 30 8086 issued without the two
> 256Kb SIMMs.
I think I tried booting one without the SIMMs once, but I don't
remember what it did, if anything.
> Sorry to be out to make a buck, but things are getting tight again).
It sounds reasonable enough, though.
> On one of my Model 30 8086 I have an Acculogic too. The later
> post will talk about the Trantor T130B SCSI controller that may
> have the ability to run up to a 2Gb drive, in addition to giving the
> external CD-ROM connection.
I've got a Trantor board (of unknown model) in the "brand new" 25-8086.
It's got a 200MB-or-so Quantum drive attached to it. I haven't yet
needed more than that on either the 25 or 30.
> I'll list instructions for properly formatting something like a
> standard 0662 drive (the Trantors I might sell for something
> like $10 to $15, but my supply of 0662s might be too low).
I have slimline 0662 drives that I do not need. Tested and guaranteed
working for $10 per drive, or will trade for parts. (Media filters,
auto or non-IBM TR cards, interesting boards (don't have to be useful,
just interesting), or ????)
> Don't know if I said it before, but most of the time trying this I
> had the 4869-001 card installed (even have a Model 25 8086
> with "big-button" 720Kb that had the cable & card to use one).
I don't remember it being mentioned in any of our conversations.
> I think it comes down to more of the 1.44Mb drive type.
That's what you'd mentioned, and my experiences so far seem to concur.
This one planar is different--it's got a vastly different layout (SIMMs
by the PSU, like the 55SX), later BIOS, brighter green color, and works
with any 1.44 floppy I've ever tried. It's also the only planar I've
ever seen that claims to have been in Greenock.
The other planars work too, but are more selective.
William
David L. Beem
>> Your 8530-8086 is on the bottom in your picture...
> Nope, it's on the top. :-) Note the positions of the power switches.
> The machines have relocated since that picture was taken, but
> they've remained stacked in the same order. Both of them are
> 8530-8086 models, but the one on the bottom is decidedly
You're being too sneaky to the layperson, especially with the shadowing
masking the gray case base. I just want people to understand the differences
in appearance between the 8086 & 286 versions. Generally the unmodified
attributes (besides reading the badge) will be:
Model 30 8086: A dark band around the bottom of the case. Generally orange
power switch, but since it is a mechanical piece with a connecting rod to
the actual PSU, it can be "switched" (as William has done). "Big button"
floppy drive(s), usually with no marking on the eject button (720Kb).
Model 30 286: All tan case (no band). Generally a white power switch. Small
button drives, and especially when marked as "1.44". Cases have a full metal
top.
The planars can't be swapped between a 30 8086 & 30 286 cases. Model
30 8086 planars are larger, and not flush along the back edge. PSUs can't be
swapped between Model 30 cases (unless a 1:1 wiring converter is made). Just
stating this for the benefit of all, where I could also give the attributes
of the Model 25 cases.
Funny that Louis has both versions of the 25 286 / 30 286 (they share
the same planar type) sourced from us
(http://www.gilanet.com/ohlandl/8525/8525-286_Planar.html &
http://www.gilanet.com/ohlandl/8530/8530-286_Planar.html. You've got a
diagram of the 25 8086 at http://www.walshcomptech.com/ps2/m25.htm. Oh, I
did find Louis's information on 25SX submodels online that I will point out
later.
> I've got a Trantor board (of unknown model) in the "brand new"
> 25-8086. It's got a 200MB-or-so Quantum drive attached to it.
> I haven't yet needed more than that on either the 25 or 30...
I've run a 1Gb in there, but there will be a process to set up a 2Gb.
Trantor's program didn't want to format it. Think, a 2Gb drive running on a
system with a CPU designed in 1978 (I remember 1978, but don't know if you
do).
> This one planar is different--it's got a vastly different layout
> (SIMMs by the PSU, like the 55SX), later BIOS, brighter
> green color, and works with any 1.44 floppy I've ever tried. It's
> also the only planar I've ever seen that claims to have been in
> Greenock. The other planars work too, but are more selective.
And the Greenlock planar will run a 30Mb proprietary HDD (of course
with what I am doing it doesn't matter)...
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
wm_w...@hotmail.com
> You're being too sneaky to the layperson, especially with the
> shadowing masking the gray case base.
Perhaps so. I blame the digital camera I had at the time. "Poor" isn't
the word. Both power switches are actually red, but...
> The planars can't be swapped between a 30 8086 & 30 286 cases.
Indeed they cannot. As you mentioned, the 30-286 shares its planar with
the 25-286 (is there any way to tell the difference in software?).
The power supply on the 30-XT looks suspiciously (right down to the
color codes on mine) like it is just an "AT" style set of plugs.
William
David L. Beem
>> The planars can't be swapped between a 30 8086 & 30 286 cases.
> Indeed they cannot. As you mentioned, the 30-286 shares its planar
> with the 25-286 (is there any way to tell the difference in software?).
planar has to know which riser is installed), but I can't remember if the
risers have some "loopback" circuit ID wiring. If I'm not mistaken (and I
would have to see where the battery leads come out on the Model 30 8086) the
riser is viewed as being "LPX". Used by the ValuePoint line (with a riser
slot number determination), a few PS/1s, and also by many other
manufacturers.
Even with the same planar they have a different Starter Diskette? That
could be an indication IBM couldn't even do it (for the display pictures
showing the customer). Notice that the 25SX, 35, & 40 share a Starter
Diskette, so there even has to be some system detection (between the 35 &
40, the riser) software routine there.
I'll have to look it over. Even there it is finding which I/O register
IBM saved the flags in. Is there an LPX riser pinout up somewhere?
> The power supply on the 30-XT looks suspiciously (right down to
> the color codes on mine) like it is just an "AT" style set of plugs.
Yes, I'll have to show you the budget clone case I bought in the early
'90s. It had some extra leads for patching in the 90 watt (suspiciously
covered by someone else's part label) Model 30 8086 PSU to run a 486DX Baby
AT motherboard. That is (it was the only clone at my father's business at
the time, when the systems were very expensive) why I bought a few extra
PSUs of that type some years later, but it has never smoked the original.
Yes, I'll probably put in a more energy-efficient motherboard to use
the case later. The case was actually made to fit the PSU mounts (and the
sheetmetal couldn't fit a standard version). Somebody went to a lot of
lengths to cut costs. Maybe a few years later it was the same people faking
the CPUs.
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
David L. Beem
coprocessor is installed". My system responds with a value of 26h, which is
good because Bit 2 "[w]hen cleared to 0... indicates that the [proprietary]
fixed disk and controller are installed.". Bits 0, 3, & 4 are "Reserved",
which looks like cleared to 0.
Bit 7 "indicates that memory parity error has occured" when set to 1.
The "-IO CH CK" (I/O Channel Check) signal is active if Bit 6 is set. For
the status of the Timer 2 output (which shows set on my system, with Timer 2
being used for "Tone Generation") it is Bit 5. Maybe I can organize (an
eventuality of being helped to generate an I/O map of all PS/2 systems) the
information on a page later.
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
David L. Beem
Also meant to say (but should be apparent) that this I/O port is
read-only...
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
William R. Walsh
> BTW did you ever get the printer sharing device going?
I started a thread on that very exciting subject.
The primary fuse is blown. I don't have a replacement, so I can't get there
yet. I'm not bold enough to just jumper over it and hope for the best
result.
William
David L. Beem
> ...I have heard you don't really need anything but +12
> and +5 (except for the serial port) but I never tried it...
"The system board and storage devices take approximately 5 A of +5 Vdc, thus
allowing approximately 4 A of +5 Vdc for the adapters in the system
expansion slots. The -5 Vdc level is used for adapters. The +12 Vdc power
level is designed to power the internal diskette drives and the fixed disk
drive. The +12 Vdc and -12 Vdc are used for powering the Electronic
Industries Association (EIA) drivers for the serial port. All four power
levels are bussed across the three system expansion slots."
Wow, I had thought the Model 30 8086 PSU was 90W. It is listed as 70W
in the Technical Reference quoted above. 9.0 A of +5 Vdc, 1.8 A of +12 Vdc,
110 mA of -5 Vdc, and 300 mA of -12 Vdc.
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
wm_w...@hotmail.com
> Wow, I had thought the Model 30 8086 PSU was 90W.
I think some of them are 90W supplies. I'll have to double check to see
what information my PS/2 SIM (System Information Manual?) has in it
regarding the Model 30-XT.
In any case, the supply seems to be pretty well built, so overloading
it a little may not cause an issue...at least it didn't seem to in the
case of the 486 system you had.
William
David L. Beem
here is the pictures. The label that beefs up the listings from that of IBM
is placed right over the top of it (Even though they make it seem like a
200W PSU, I guess they could have abbreviated it as "PS230" as well; Their
listing only shows it as 112.5W anyway. They also kept the IBM FRU for their
part number!). From the back you can see the case is *designed* to fit the
PSU (the back label has the name of the brand for the direct branch office I
myself bought the sealed computer from, also with the motherboard types of
"386DX Mod: 33 - 40 486SX Mod: 25 - 33 486DX Mod: 33 - 50 - 66/2" they
probably put inside.):
http://www.IBMMuseum.com/ClonePSU/FromTop.JPG
http://www.IBMMuseum.com/ClonePSU/FromBack.JPG
Here is the real version from one of my spares, without their label.
After I opened the case the first time (and I had a reference of my first
PS/2, a Model 30 8086, to compare it to) I noticed it immediately. Always
wondered if I should have gone after them for false advertising:
http://www.IBMMuseum.com/ClonePSU/RealType.JPG
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
IBMMuseum
> ...As you mentioned, the 30-286 shares its planar with the
> 25-286 (is there any way to tell the difference in software?)...
One way to do a preliminary check is to query the monitor type.
Probably the built-in monitor on the 25 286 is going to report
something just like an 8513. If it is anything else, you know you have
a Model 30 286.
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
David L. Beem
>> ...Easy to check or set with DEBUG:
>>
>> > i 65
>>
>> With all other planar features enabled except MCGA video it would
>> be 9Bh. If 9Fh the MCGA video is running & confusing Windows...
> With the true IBM 8-bit VGA card (which I thought was still giving
> me mono 3.0 back when) in this system I am getting a reponse of
> 9Ah (MCGA video & HDD controller select lines off). Meaning the
> VGA BIOS extension is disabling the planar MCGA video with this
> method in IBM's own implementation. I suggest if your tests don't
> give you a suitable result then you do the same manually (until I can
> make a simple DOS program up).
read the equivalent diskettes just during the installation process) in
color, using IBM's 8-bit VGA adapter! As far as booting, I have a 1Gb drive
in there right now, because the 2Gb (however prepared) were giving me
trouble. CD-ROM drive is also out of the equation for the moment too (now
back to playing Solitaire on the Model 30 8086...).
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
David L. Beem
>>> ...Easy to check or set with DEBUG:
>>> > i 65
>> mono 3.0 back when) in this system I am getting a reponse of 9Ah (MCGA
>> video & HDD controller select lines off). Meaning the VGA BIOS extension
>> is disabling the planar MCGA video with this method in IBM's own
>> implementation. I suggest if your tests don't give you a suitable result
>> then you do the same manually (until I can make a simple DOS program up).
time in this case. All the 8-bit (including an odd "Made in China" that
looks 16-bit, but only uses that portion for power) VGA cards I have tested
(also two "Paradise", like you have) tell me the MCGA video select line is
off.
Probably not even the VGA BIOS extention (witness the odd Chinese
adapter) turning off the select line, but rather the system itself. Wouldn't
really be that hard (but very obscure) by VGA extension (check the BIOS
Model-Submodel for "FA 00"; The Model 25 8086 is "FA 01"). Your results have
me confused, because I see Windows 3.0 in color (probably the earlier memory
was installing it on MCGA).
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
David L. Beem
> ...Probably not even the VGA BIOS extention ...turning off the select
> line, but rather the system itself....
"When the system video and adapter video have the same BIOS data areas
and hardware capabilities, they are in conflict. If POST detects the
conflict, the system video is disabled and the adapter video becomes the
primary."
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
David L. Beem
External SCSI CD-ROM drive now set up. The T130B adapter appears to
want the primary boot device (like the hard drive) at a lower SCSI address.
If reversed with the CD-ROM a lower address (and I set the HDD for SCSI ID
1, so I could have a lower external address without opening the case), the
BIOS extention cycles through "Waiting for boot device...". Maybe a
potential for a bootable CD-ROM with the correct disc?
Windows 3.0 & DOS 6.22 see the A:, C:, & D: drives correctly. About the
time to connect the 4869-001 (external 5-1/4" floppy) drive too. I may
monkey around with things to see if I can get a 1.2Mb 5-1/4" instead of the
360Kb B: drive working.
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com
wm_w...@hotmail.com
> Probably the built-in monitor on the 25 286 is going to report
> something just like an 8513.
It looks like the built in monitor on the Model 25 returns only a value
for color or monochrome. At least I couldn't find anything more
specific than that.
I haven't tried the 30-286 for a cross comparison.
William
David L. Beem
286 was always a color CRT as issued by IBM (only the 8086-based unit could
be either color or mono). It should be the comparable (since the Model 30
286 planar just has an adapter to a standard VGA connection) to the
circuitry inside a stand-alone monitor.
David
Da...@IBMMuseum.com