From: dic5340@hertz.njit.edu (David Charlap)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc
Subject: Re: Choosing new motherboard
Date: 18 Aug 92 17:41:42 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.

In article <1992Aug18.034114.23397@ccu.umanitoba.ca> umbryer@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Jeffrey Michael Bryer) writes:
>My current processor is a 386SX-16.  This is what I'll be using OS/2 2.0 for:
> 
>- running Word for Windows v2.0
>- using CKermit and m2zmodem
>- using the notepad, some OS/2 games
>- a few DOS sessions running CompuShow, games (mille bornes, Out of this 
>World, etc.)
>- I will be multitasking the above
>
>Regardless of the board I will have 8MB of RAM on board (till I can spring
>for another 8MB in December or April).

if you want to keep WinWord running at all times, you may want more
memory.  Remember that Windows sessions eat memory (at least 2 MB in
most cases)

Also note that some games may give it problems.  Things like CompuShow
should be run in full-screen sessions, but that's not much of a
problem. 

>What I would like to know is what kind of performance increase I can expect
>with a:
>  486DX-25 ISA
>  486DX-33 ISA
>  486DX-50 ISA
>versus a 386DX-33 (as this is the lowest motherboard I will be considering).

I'd recommend an AMD-386/40 motherboard.  I've heard strange things
from the 486 users regarding speed.  I don't know why.

>What size of cache should I get on the motherboard?

You can expect to get 64K.  It should be sufficient, although larger
ones may be available.  I question the need for larger caches in most
situations, though.

>And what about a local bus motherboard?  What advantages will it offer over
>its ISA based counterpart?  (I am pretty ignorant about local bus so anything
>you can tell me is welcome.)

A local bus slot will be nice if you have local bus peripherals to
plug into them.  Most local bus devices currently out are video boards
and hard drive controllers.  If you're not going to use it, it's a
waste of money.

Also note that accelerated graphics (like the ATI Graphics Ultra) will
speed things up more than a local bus sVGA board.

>Other equipement (if relevant):
> Quantum LPS105a hard drive (5MB FAT, 95MB HPFS)

What's the speed?  Faster drives are always better.  Remember that
about 30MB of the disk will be used for OS/2 if you install
everything. 

> ATI VGA Wonder XL with 1MB

A good choice.  Get Joel Armengaud's sVGA drivers for it.  They'll get
you 1024x768x256 res.  ATI also has drivers - they're slower, and
they'll get you 1024x768x16 res.  Note that you'll lose seamless
Windows at these resolutions.

Currently, the only non-VGA driver which provides seamless Windows is
the Trident driver (for Trident boards, of course), which gets you
seamless Windows at 800x600x16.

> Soundblaster v1.5

Be sure that it's set to an unused interrupt.  (Usually IRQ-5).  The
factory default (IRQ-7) is used by most printer ports.

> SupraModem 2400 MNP

If you already have COM1: and COM2: ports on your motherboard, you'll
need to disable one or set the modem to an unused interrupt.  COM1
normally uses IRQ-4; COM2 normally uses IRQ-3.  If the modem is
external, plugging into a serial port, then this isn't a problem.
-- 
   |)  David Charlap           "I don't even represent myself
  /|_  dic5340@hertz.njit.edu   sometimes so NJIT is right out!.
 ((|,)
  ~|~  Hi! I am a .signature virus, copy me into your .signature file.
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc