As the title says. I'd quite like to expand my Compaq collection with an old style 486. I have read mention online of a 50MHz version, but I can find no real trace of it aside from that mention. Did a 50 exist, or was 33 the highest it went?
See a few mentions in the computer press of the time...
https://www.google.com/search?q=50Mhz+486+des … ..0.-y0DTiT0N88
Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.
BitWrangler wrote on 2021-07-02, 23:03:See a few mentions in the computer press of the time...
https://www.google.com/search?q=50Mhz+486+des … ..0.-y0DTiT0N88
PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2021-07-02, 23:09:Seems so
https://web.archive.org/web/19961226053428/ht … 1/dp48650l.html
Compaq DeskPro 486_50L (Aug 1991).jpg
Hmm so they changed the naming convention, and they are as rare as unicorn turd. Good to know, thanks guys!
Deskpro L series is very very hard to find these days this one is based on single CPU board motherboard version of dual slot motherboard used in Compaq's Systempro.
I had searched hard during what to do deciding what Compaq models to collect last year, and I wanted to have L but there is no processor cards around let alone complete system.
So I settled down to get Deskpro M (now two, one out of two was built from parts which was $$$, minus the power supply board which is also nearly impossible to get as a separate part, ANYWHERE else.), and Deskpro i (complete computer purchased), purchased Deskpro 386e/25 motherboard and brought Kingston memory expansion card and put into complete computer that was deskpro 386s.
Yes, Compaq stuff, not the consumer computers (easy to get still, not the 486, they don't have external cache ever, Pentium and later did have cache by default), but not same deal as true business/real workhorse type.
64K cache slot is very, very common in some models of compaq 486 boards but 64K cache card itself is impossible to get dictated what compaq models to get which was ones that already have cache by default.
Reason that people bought new compaq computers back in the day, without 64K cache card was costly since have cache controller along with 8 smaller SRAM ICs and bunch of components. This would be easier if was standardized sockets or passive cache modules. But no, compaq is not making this easier decision or easy to add cache later on for us.
Cheers,
Great Northern aka Canada.
Vaudane wrote on 2021-07-02, 23:20:BitWrangler wrote on 2021-07-02, 23:03:See a few mentions in the computer press of the time...
https://www.google.com/search?q=50Mhz+486+des … ..0.-y0DTiT0N88PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2021-07-02, 23:09:Seems so
https://web.archive.org/web/19961226053428/ht … 1/dp48650l.html
Compaq DeskPro 486_50L (Aug 1991).jpg
Hmm so they changed the naming convention, and they are as rare as unicorn turd. Good to know, thanks guys!
$12,000-$14,000 MSRP in 1991 dollars is a good indication of why there are few in existence
pentiumspeed wrote on 2021-07-03, 00:44:Deskpro L series is very very hard to find these days this one is based on single CPU board motherboard version of dual slot motherboard used in Compaq's Systempro.
...
Cheers,
This is correct for the Deskpro 486/33 L but not for the 486/50 L.
The 50 L used a CPU mounted on the motherboad itself but the same proprietary memory modules on a dedicated memory board like the 33 L and the Systempro.
Deskpro /e and /s use different memory modules on system specific memory boards.
Unfortunately I just have the 50 L motherboard but no complete system.
The power supply has the same PCB as well. I swapped the PCB from my Deskpro /L to the Systempro until I found replacement.
I agree these systems are really hard to find.
Not a single one showed up during the last few years.
Vaudane wrote on 2021-07-02, 22:48:As the title says. I'd quite like to expand my Compaq collection with an old style 486. I have read mention online of a 50MHz version, but I can find no real trace of it aside from that mention. Did a 50 exist, or was 33 the highest it went?
I'm getting one of these next week. All I know is that it POSTS and has 8Mb RAM.
And a hard disk.
Youtube channel- The Kombinator
What's for sale? my eBay!
Be careful. Even there is multiple models that says /50 doesn't mean it is real DX 50. Actually DX2/50 models which majority of them are, even the server machines were either DX2 50 or 66, including DX 33 and 25.
I think Compaq was very conservative for reserving the high end models only at expensive prices.
Cheers,
Great Northern aka Canada.
