Computer 386 DX-33 Turbo Button Inverted AT Case OPL DOS Windows 3.1 TESTED
DX-33 Sound Blaster Pro Compat 8MB RAM Speed Display
Ready to use. Used item that has few signs of cosmetic wear and is fully
working. Inspected, cleaned and repaired to full working order. In very
good condition. Software, drivers, games installed.
This listing is for a Classic 386 Mini-Tower AT PC. The ideal machine to
enjoy the start of what would become the golden age of MS-DOS games -
the early 90s. It comes with a 386DX CPU running at 33 MHz, and 8MB of
RAM, which is more than enough for MS-DOS and Windows 3.1. It has a
Frequency Display and Turbo LED. It also has a Turbo Button so that you
can easily slow down the machine. It also comes with Cirrus Logic
SuperVGA Graphics and a Sound Blaster Pro 2.0 ISA compatible sound card
with a real OPL 3 chip. This allows it to run most DOS games from the
start of the PC era, right into the early to mid 90s.
Note that his PC features a very beautiful and rare inverted AT case:
the PSU and 3.5'' bays are on the bottom of the machine, while ports
and slots are on the top.
This unit is also compatible with legacy software and software that needs
access to legacy ports.
Please note that the listing is just for the computer and it's internal
components. Monitor, mouse, keyboard, or any other accessories used for
testing, mentioned or not in the description, are not included. Please
read below.
Hardware
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Amd Am386 DX-33 MHz NG80386DX-33 PQFP
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8MB FPM 30p RAM
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DataExpert OPTi-386WB Baby AT w/ 64KB Motherboard Cache
Chipset:
OPTi 82C391
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Cirrus Logic CL-GD5428 1MB ISA
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Aztech Sound Galaxy Multimedia Pro 16 ABI/ABO I38-MMSN850 ISA
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CONNER CFA540A 540MB IDE
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Floppy Drive 3.5 1.44MB
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Viva Computer Multi I/O Card
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Slots/Ports: 1xISA 8-bit, 7xISA 16-bit, 1x5-pin DIN Keyboard
connector, 1x9-pin serial, 1x25-pin parallel, 1xIDE
Serial/RS232 port was tested with a serial mouse and it works.
The Joystick port on the sound card was also tested and found to
be working.
This PC was tested under Windows 3.1 and MS-DOS 6.22 for 10+ hours.
Software
This PC comes prepared for Windows 3.1 English and MS-DOS 6.22. You can
find all utilized drivers (graphics, audio, etc.) in the unit hard disk.
It also comes with shareware/free/demo games installed and additional
utilities: Office 4.3, Media Player, etc.
The majority of games appropriate for this era will run, although you may
find some exceptions. I've tested Commander Keen 4 and 5, Prince of
Persia 1 and 2, The Secret of Monkey Island, Lemmings, Crystal Caves,
Wolfenstein 3D, Blake Stone, Dune, Dune II, Jazz Jackrabbit, Turrican II,
Civilization, Epic Pinball, Stunts, King's Quest 6, Ultima VII,
among others.
Condition
This is a used item which was cleaned and restored. You may still find
signs of usage here and there. For example, there is some wear on
the IO ports and also on the front bezel.
From most angles, though, the machine looks like a well preserved used
386 PC. The front bezel shows very few signs of yellowing. Both the case
frame and cover were treated for corrosion and then spray painted (take
a look at the pictures).
All components, like the motherboard, the floppy, internal cards, the
case interior, etc, were cleaned in great detail. The motherboard
looks in very good condition without bulging or leaking capacitors. The
PSU was tested and outputs good voltage signals (as measured with a
multimeter).
The machine came with a barrel battery from Varta that just started to
leak. Only a very small area was affected by the leakage.
After removing the battery and neutralizing the battery liquid and
testing all surrounding traces for continuity, the machine booted without
problems. An external CR2032 battery was connected to the external
battery jumper. The only issue is that the PC can't keep track of time,
even though all other settings (disk and floppy configuration, etc.) are
stored and preserved correctly between reboots.
Return Policy
This unit and all components were thoroughly tested and were
complete functional at the time of shipping. Being vintage items
with old parts, no warranty applies. This is sold as-is. No returns
accepted.
Please Take Note Of The Following Before Buying
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This listing is just for the PC. No keyboard, mouse, monitor,
cables, power cords or any other equipment or material is included.
Note that you will need both a serial mouse and AT style keyboard to
use this machine.
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As explained above, for some unknown reason this machine doesn't
keep track of time, although all other BIOS settings are correctly
maintained.
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The parallel port wasn't tested (don't have the equipment to test
it).
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The PSU has a 110V/230V switch. Being in Europe, I've only tested
the 230V operating voltage.
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Unlike what was common back then, on this machine you actually need
to press the Turbo button to run the machine at maximum speed. It
will then show "33" (33Mhz) in the speed display. Releasing the
button will slow down the machine, and you'll see "12" (aprox.
12MHz) in the speed display.
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The 12MHz value for the low speed is an estimation that I obtained
after running several benchmarks with the turbo on and off. The
turbo button doesn't actually change the clock speed (it uses some
other way to slow down the machine).
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The machine boots into DOS. You need to start Windows manually by
entering the command "win" at the DOS prompt.
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You need to have some knowledge of MS-DOS to operate this machine
properly. Specifically, you should be confortable entering DOS
commands at the command line.
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Windows 3.1 and MS-DOS are old and sometimes unreliable and unsecure
operating systems. As with all computers of that era, crashes and
incompatibilities will occur. Most software and games will run,
but you may encounter incompatibilities and vulnerabilities. That's
just how it is.
International Buyers
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This item is shipped from Portugal. Buyers
from outside the European Union must be aware that
import charges may apply. I'm not responsible for any customs or
import duties/taxes that you may incur. Not all countries will be
subject to import charges, but, in doubt, please check with your
local authorities before buying.
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Shipping for non-EU countries: I take no
responsability if an item gets retained or is blocked in customs
due to whatever reason. You take full responsability for importing
an item into your country/economic zone. When I ship an item, I
provide the authorities with all necessary information that is
demanded for a private sale. That includes contents, price and
shipping costs.
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Every shipped item is packed in a sturdy package, with lots of
bubble wrap and other padding materials. I take no responsibility
for damaged items during shipping.
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Every item is shipped uninsured. If you want shipping insurance
provided by the carrier, please contact me to get a shipping quote
with insurance.