286 -> 386sx Upgrades

[Mark Tovey]

In article <1990Sep21.144108.1098 at pmafire.UUCP> tuv at pmafire.UUCP (Mark Tovey) writes:
>In article <40019 at cci632.UUCP> tvf at cci632.UUCP (Tom Frauenhofer) writes:
>>I have a 286 system that I want to upgrade to a 386sx.  Before I jump in and
>>buy a motherboard is there anything I should look out for?  Ideally, I would
>>like to be able to drop the ram from my 286 straight into the 386sx (I know,
>>It might be a little slower, but funding limitations and all that).  And which
>>BIOS should I consider?
>>
>    I have a friend who has found a 386sx upgrade kit. Apparently you
>remove the 286 chip and install a plug in daughter board in place.
>This board contains the 386 chip, a socket for a coprocessor (you can
>continue to use the 287 if desired) and any necessary support
>circuitry.
>
>    I haven't seen it and I don't know his source so I can't be of
>much more help other than to tell you that such a thing is available.
>Probably you can find it somewhere in the Computer Shopper.
>
>
    I managed to track my friend's source. He got the information from
the August 20 issue of InfoWorld, page 83. The company that
manufactures it is:

    SOTA Technology Inc.
    559 Weddell Drive
    Sunnyvale, CA, 94089
    (408) 745-1111  (information)
    (800) 933-7682  (ordering)

    It uses a 16MHz chip and comes with 16k of cache memory. Currently
it can only use the 387 processor. Later versions will offer 20MHz,
32k of cache, and the ability to use the motherboards 287 coprocessor.
The cost is a little steep, it lists for $595.00. This may or may not
be cheaper than replacing the motherboard and memory, depending on
your configuration. Otherwise it sounds like a good idea.