Pic I took so far more after I get it home

I'm excited to see more pics, the front of the case, the back ports, etc.

That monochrome monitor and video card sounds exciting (I remember playing a lot on old herc monochrome displays). Though it might get old quickly.

Also, looks like you're running 1MB ram, which will be a nice start.

will get them, its at my work right now, a going away present, i took the train home today so I couldn't bring it with me, will tomorrow

Congrats on your first 286! 😀
Now you've got a clean and pure 16-Bit (/24-Bit) machine.
It looks fine from what I can tell by the photo, also.

If it has at least one MiB of overall memory, you can load DOS in HMA,
load EMM286, run Windows 3.1 (on its knees, but still), etc.

Speaking of Windows, I'm currently experimenting with 3.0 on my 286-10
and it seems the Tandy flavor with MME ships with SB16 drivers.
Maybe we're lucky and it turns out these drivers do
work in Standard-Mode, too ? 😉

It posts's I get beep codes, but no display, the old amber display turns on but the tubes never charge, not sure whats wrong but ATM I don't have an ISA VGA card so 🙁

So since I have to buy a VGA card for this system, what do you recommend

So I got a display, new problem the keyboard lock is on and no key for it is known by the original owner, anyway to bypass this issue

Yes, but that shouldn't be a real issue,
since you're the owner and have access to the inside of the PC.

As far as I know, there should be a little plug/cable thing
that goes from the key lock to the lower left/center corner of the mainboard.

If you're lucky, the header on the mainboard is labeled "key lock" or so.
In case the cable consists of two wires, just short it. Like a car.

Anyway, before you do, please check some documentation in respect of such a pinout.
- I have never really used that key lock feature and maybe there are/were oddball versions around.

Maybe the lock even works in reverse and the cable has to
be removed (think of the turbo button, which is more of a brake actually).

Here are some sample pinouts of such a mainboard header :
1) https://allpinouts.org/pinouts/connectors/mot … at-led-keylock/
2) http://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/mobo/compConnectors-c.html
3) http://www.certiology.com/comptia-certificati … properties.html

Also I will need a Pheonix 80286 Rom Bios 3.07 setup disk if anyone has an image

If this means anything, PC 7338088 is the only unique indentifier on boot up

candle_86 wrote:

So since I have to buy a VGA card for this system, what do you recommend

My go to ISA vga card has always been the ati mach 32/64 cards, but I don't think they would be a good match for a 286.
Maybe a Mach 8 if its a later higher end 286 system? But if you ask me vga is more for a 386 and newer system. I'd go for a EGA card.

Ok so the amber display is working now, not sure what changed, and I got the keyboard lock off. New problem the 5 1/4 drive is diskette 0, I can't boot to gsetup on my 3.5 disk because of this and i have zero 5 1/4 disks, whats the next solution

The I/O card for the floppy is called winchester on the back it says WK 155988 WDC 60-600173-02 Rev 01

Correct me if im wrong but the twist in the cable tells it what is A and B doesn't it

it

Aww yeah. Nice.

RE floppy cable - The A drive is the last connector on the cable, and the B drive is the one in the middle. Put either one on backwards and the floppy drive light will just stay on.

candle_86 wrote:

Correct me if im wrong but the twist in the cable tells it what is A and B doesn't it

That's right. If you swap the connections at the drives, you swap the drive letter. I know a lot of machines that age will have floppy cables with edge connectors (the style uaed on a 5.25") and then an adapter to go to the newer connector on the 3.5" drive. If thats the case, swapping will be really simple.

Sweet looking system

EDIT: what CRTech said! I just noticed both floppy lights are on, in that case make sure the red wire (or marked wire) goes to pin 1 on the controller as well.

yea i fixed it, and i swapped the edge and pin connections on the ribbon cable so the 3.5 is now A drive 🤣

Well done. Just keep in mind that late-80s 286 machines sometimes had this config: 1.2MB HD 5.25" drive, 720KB DD 3.5" drive.
So maybe you're required to change these settings in the CMOS setup accordingly.
(Yes, I know, later 286 machines also had 1.44MB drives already..😀 )

Anyway, if you encounter any read errors, format the 3.5" floppy with 360KB.
That should work with any drive config and should still be read-/writable with Windows XP/7.

More pics added, also removed the battery, no damage from the acid woohoo, anyone identify the battery header, also the motherboard?

What saved it was the covered the bottom with hotglue, it came off with the battery but the acid was just at the leads for the battery, and the rest on the hot glue 🤣

Future plans

Soundcard but which one to get on a budget?
VGA card but again budget?
Memory expansion board?
Mutli I/O I have a 6gb IDE I'd love to put in here if i can find a compatabile multi I/O

What OS
My options are Dos 3.33, 5.0 and 6.22 as well as Windows 1.03 and Windows 3.0

candle_86 wrote:

Future plans […]
Show full quote

Future plans

Soundcard but which one to get on a budget?
VGA card but again budget?
Memory expansion board?
Mutli I/O I have a 6gb IDE I'd love to put in here if i can find a compatabile multi I/O

What OS
My options are Dos 3.33, 5.0 and 6.22 as well as Windows 1.03 and Windows 3.0

I would just go DOS 6.22 for ease of use. Not sure what you'll be able to get out of Windows, but it would be fun to install and play with.

For sound - adlib, sound blaster, or sb pro? I guess any non-pnp sound card. My preference would be an original sound blaster. Seems most appropriate.