OS/2, eCS & ArcaOS - Technical > Hardware

OS/2 compatible?

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Tricky_Cat:
Hello wonderful people! I found something that you may like... An old IBM Aptiva! It doesn't seem to be working ATM but I hear the Aptivas can run OS/2 natively and I was wondering if someone can help me find out if it will work before I put all the effort and money into it.

And for anyone who wants to know, yes I do plan to sell it. As much as I would like to keep an OS/2 comp I need to mony to replace my aging Toshiba laptop.

Thanks for reading!

Here's a pic:

Doug Bissett:
My brother had an Aptiva, many years ago. It came with warp 3 installed, along with DOS 7.0 and Win 3.1. OS/2 worked well, and eCS 1.0 also worked well, before it became unusable for modern browsers (not enough memory). The other "problem" was that it had an IBM sound card that required a very hard to find driver. We eventually scrapped that (not as easy as it sounds), and put in an old SoundBlaster.

All of that may, or may not, apply to what you have. What, EXACTLY is it that you have? Knowing the Machine type, and model, might help to answer your question (ISTR that there are probably about 100 Aptiva models, covering about 20 years).

Sell it? You would be lucky to get $10 for an old machine, no matter what OS is installed. If it is not working, you would need to describe, exactly what is not working, to decide whether it can be fixed. Putting any money into it would not be cost effective.


--- Quote ---I hear the Aptivas can run OS/2 natively
--- End quote ---

That statement could be misinterpreted, so I will counter with this statement: " Most computers, made after 1987 will run OS/2, or eCS, natively. Some do it better than others, and the main "problems" are caused by cheap, "windows only" devices, that won't work without a specific windows driver. Fortunately, most of them seem to have gone out of business, simply because Linux has become big enough to get the attention of the manufacturers. The other major "problem" is lack of drivers for the newest hardware, which would not be a problem, in this case.

Tricky_Cat:
OK... Lots of things to respond to...

Knowing my family it probably has the IBM sound card.

The first thing I did was look for the model number, but I can't seem to find anything.

Well in that case I'm keeping it.

Well if those comps where made in the 80's it should be be OK as this one seems to run Windows 95.

As for what's broken... I won't know until I can get the screwdrivers I need to open the thing.

Martin Iturbide:
Ohhh. ... I have this Aptiva too, but stored. My first geocities page was on how to install OS/2 on this machine... sadly I can not remember the URL to look for it on archive.org.

It has a strange Media Console (ISA?) card, which connects the Media Console (CDROM, Diskette, power button, PS/2 ports) away from the CPU. It will be cooler if you have monitor special base for the Media Center.

   



There was another model (sorry I don't got that one) that used to have bose speakers.


At that time I remember I installed OS/2 on it. Everything worked fine, except the audio card. I think that some years later an audio driver that supported it was released, but I no longer used this computer. So, I can no be sure about it.

I'm not sure if you will be able to make some money with it, specially without the monitor and monitor base, but give it a try also on ebay. I really think this model was very interesting on Aptiva's history.

Tricky_Cat:
Thanks so much! Now that I know the system can work with OS/2 I'll get to work on fixing the comp... Anyone know how to do that?

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