VOGONS


First post, by tizzdizz

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Hi guys, I picked this up about 6 months ago for 10 bucks and it works perfectly. I haven't seen much online about these at all, but it looks like a business PC from 1995. I was thinking about swapping the CPU and video card for something better, but not sure what it will support. I am more familiar with late 90's systems, as that is when I started building my own. But our first PC was a 486-66.

I really like how clean the look of the system is. It runs quiet and smooth, and I love the sound of it booting up, hard drive clicks and all.

Specs are:
- Unisys ELI-4663
- 486 DX2-66 (unknown Motherboard)
- 64 MB 72pin RAM 😲
- I have removed the 4-disk NEC CD-ROM changer for now, swapped for a single unit, but might put it back in.
- I swapped the network card for a Soundblaster 16, which works great.
- Currently running DOS 6.22 and Win 3.1.

Here are my questions:
1) How interchangeable is a DX4-100 or faster CPU with this? Does anyone recognize this board?
2) What would be an appropriate upgrade for the on-board video? I can't tell how much VRAM is on-board for the Cirrus Logic chip. I don't have any VLB cards, only PCI/AGP.
3) Someone elsewhere pointed out the lack of L2cache, but I really don't know how to determine what type I would need, and where to find it.

EDIT: I just looked at my own pictures more closely and noticed the jumper info that says DX4 on it. 😊 So it should be able to take one, no?

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Reply 1 of 11, by Baoran

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For dx4 you need to be able to change voltage. That is most important thing that you don't break your dx4 cpu.
I don't recognize the motherboard, so I don't know if it has jumpers for changing the voltage. Maybe there are markings about changing voltage somewhere on it?

Reply 2 of 11, by tizzdizz

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Baoran wrote:

For dx4 you need to be able to change voltage. That is most important thing that you don't break your dx4 cpu.
I don't recognize the motherboard, so I don't know if it has jumpers for changing the voltage. Maybe there are markings about changing voltage somewhere on it?

You're right, and I think there ARE markings (see my photos). I need to open it back up when I get home and see, but it looks like it's possible.

Reply 3 of 11, by The Serpent Rider

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There's two voltage regulators on the board, which means it's 3.3v capable. In fact, the board has jumper memo near the socket which mentions DX4.

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.

Reply 4 of 11, by Cobra42898

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Awesome dos /win3.1 machine. Could run win 95/98 with that zillions of ram. Most 486s would have had 4/8/16mb of ram at that time. Ram used to be stupid expensive.

Searching for Epson Actiontower 3000 486 PC.

Reply 5 of 11, by claesbas

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I got the EXACT same comp. In mine there is a diagram attached to the "roof":

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Hope that can help!

Reply 6 of 11, by claesbas

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I have a question Three. In the middle of your system there is a extra IsA port with a small thin card (with some port on the back). What is this? I dont have anything here and there is a screwed on lid.

Reply 7 of 11, by Brickpad

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There is a seller on Ebay who has a bunch of Trinity Works / PNY PowerStacker (AMD 5x86) CPUs for sale that should work with your system if you want to push it farther than a vanilla DX4.

https://web.archive.org/web/19980415091631/ht … s/products.html

Reply 8 of 11, by melbar

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claesbas wrote:

What is this?

It looks like a modem card. The port can be seen at the backside of this case.
Maybe it is a 14.4k or 28.8k modem.

#1 K6-2/500, #2 Athlon1200, #3 Celeron1000A, #4 A64-3700, #5 P4HT-3200, #6 P4-2800, #7 Am486DX2-66

Reply 10 of 11, by claesbas

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melbar wrote:
claesbas wrote:

What is this?

It looks like a modem card. The port can be seen at the backside of this case.
Maybe it is a 14.4k or 28.8k modem.

Ah thanks - so its a modem - I ask about this here you see: Extra ISA on "back" and some holes/lids on old case?

Just the thing on the left of that now (also like a lid with two screws) that is a question mark...

Reply 11 of 11, by treeman

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don't forget a heatsink/fan if you go a dx4 unless you took it off for the pictures. I understand some systems with a dx2 cpu may have come without a heatsink