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Unisys 486 DX2-66 - upgrade possibilities?

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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.

Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Open up your hate, and let it flow into me

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 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

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