That's the typical look of late 80s cases. Your case is a "deluxe" model, because you can open it without removing screws, just by pushing the buttons in the left and right side. No original IBM computer had that mechanism. Unless someone specically knows the model lineup of BMx, I don't think it's possible to tell whether it originally had a Turbo XT board (with Turbo at 8MHz or 10MHz), or a 286 board originally installed. It's also possible that BMx had both kinds of boards as option for that case. Obviously, this kind of case can't accomodate a full-size AT board (but a baby AT board will just fit) and has a more compact (but not necessarily less powerful) power supply than the original XT or AT, so it definitely didn't have one of the earliest 286 boards.

I'm excluding 386 for now, because the black back side was no longer common in the early 90s when there were 386(SX) boards that would fit the Baby AT form factor.

Note: What we know today as "AT boards" typically is baby AT or even smaller. "Full-size AT" as I wrote in the description refers to the size of the original IBM AT board (https://www.minuszerodegrees.net/misc/5170_mo … oard_type_1.jpg) which seems execessively large when compared to standard 486 boards.

mkarcher wrote on 2023-03-30, 07:47:

That's the typical look of late 80s cases. Your case is a "deluxe" model, because you can open it without removing screws, just by pushing the buttons in the left and right side. No original IBM computer had that mechanism. Unless someone specically knows the model lineup of BMx, I don't think it's possible to tell whether it originally had a Turbo XT board (with Turbo at 8MHz or 10MHz), or a 286 board originally installed. It's also possible that BMx had both kinds of boards as option for that case. Obviously, this kind of case can't accomodate a full-size AT board (but a baby AT board will just fit) and has a more compact (but not necessarily less powerful) power supply than the original XT or AT, so it definitely didn't have one of the earliest 286 boards.

I'm excluding 386 for now, because the black back side was no longer common in the early 90s when there were 386(SX) boards that would fit the Baby AT form factor.

Note: What we know today as "AT boards" typically is baby AT or even smaller. "Full-size AT" as I wrote in the description refers to the size of the original IBM AT board (https://www.minuszerodegrees.net/misc/5170_mo … oard_type_1.jpg) which seems execessively large when compared to standard 486 boards.

Thank you so much for your precious answer!
So... "deluxe" case huh? my oh my hehehehe

Inside is a relatively massive power supply by "A-Matik" rated at 150w

I notice now there is a sticker on the power supply saying "BMx 91/5 " ... so I guess it might be from 1991 witch would emply a late 286 maybe

And you are right... most "AT" motherboards are actually "baby-at" because a full AT board is HUGE ! 😀

Thank you

This still is a generic case for baby AT. They could have stuck anything appropriate in from the time, whenever BMx actually sold the unit. I remember reading about these kinds of cases and being intrigued by the case design... around '90.

I guess it was a simple office computer? Even though it had vlb slots. Given that the drive covers are still intact, this never had a cdrom. The computers I built with vlb 94-95 were multimedia pcs by then, and therefore had cdroms in them. It's hard to say they really replaced the original board or not. What did the insides look like before they were removed? Did it have a hard drive in it?

I agree with mkarcher, it probably housed an XT or 286 in its time. From the stickers on the back you can tell it originally had a CGA/Monochrome card since it has LPT1 and DISP on the same slot. So I would say late '80s.

There is a slight difference in the mounting holes between XT and AT, but it's not an exact science. On XT boards (or older 286) the mounting holes are usually laid out in parallel lines (vertically), while in most AT style boards some of the holes are shifted slightly. If the case was intended for XT style hardware, it will probably only have fixed mounting points arranged in that style, while AT cases generally allow installing standoffs in different positions for supporting both layouts.

the3dfxdude wrote on 2023-03-30, 18:26:

This still is a generic case for baby AT. They could have stuck anything appropriate in from the time, whenever BMx actually sold the unit. I remember reading about these kinds of cases and being intrigued by the case design... around '90.

I guess it was a simple office computer? Even though it had vlb slots. Given that the drive covers are still intact, this never had a cdrom. The computers I built with vlb 94-95 were multimedia pcs by then, and therefore had cdroms in them. It's hard to say they really replaced the original board or not. What did the insides look like before they were removed? Did it have a hard drive in it?

Yeah, it was probably an office computer

no sound card, and on the hard drive only accounting software

it came though with a nice VLB video card, a Advance Logic ALG2201
the controller was ISA though
no matter it was just 25 euros 😀

Now I need to find it a nice old 286 motherboard to put in 😀

thanx

The most dated feature of the case is the key lock, no?

jakethompson1 wrote on 2023-03-30, 19:18:

The most dated feature of the case is the key lock, no?

I suppose so 😀

It was getting into the mid 90s by the time indy system builders quit using cases like that. In particular CAD specialists seem to stick with the "serious business" "desktop workstation" styling rather than the frivolity of these upstart mini towers with gaudy garish Mhz displays. Even seen P60/66 systems built new in that style, but by then I don't know if it was fresh manufactured or old stock.