On Oct 2, 2015, at 10:21 PM, [email protected] wrote: > Hello everyone, > > I'm working to troubleshoot a 286 laptop style computer. I've kind of hit > the end of my knowledge and wondering if anyone has any insight. > > The computer in question I've never seen run. So I don't know normal > behavior. There were a few caps inside that were leaking electrolyte, I > cleaned it all up and replaced them. A few traces look a little bit corroded > but test fine. > > First thing I'm thinking, is did the BIOS eproms loose a bit or two of data > from age? Bit rot? I did read off the two BIOS chips (high and low pair I > assume.) I can see text like Copyright Pheonix Technologies 1988, but I can > see that for instance the first character of the text Copyright is wrong, > it's a P in one file and 9A in the other. > > Second thing I hooked up Oscope and cut on computer. It never does a floppy > seek. When I poke around the 27c256 EPROM I see constant activity on all > address lines, and all datalines. This includes the OE pin as well. Would a > normal runnng computer hit the BIOS that much? > > Any thoughts appreciated! > > -- > Ethan O'Toole >
When you drop into BIOS, is anything actually set? Can you set the time, and get it to stick? I have a Twinhead 386sx/16 I bought new, the only thing I've used it for in the past 20 years is a serial terminal, and every time I go to boot it, I have to drop into BIOS, and configure things, as the BIOS battery is long dead. Zane
