ALR CPU's

[Steve Croft]

In article <2777NU013809 at NDSUVM1>, NU013809 at NDSUVM1.BITNET (Greg Wettstein) writes:
>                                       ...The 386/220 I had was of about 1988
> vintage when 20 MHZ machines were first starting to appear.  The thought kept
> running through my mind, 'I wonder if they stuck 16 MHZ parts in these early
> machines and over-clocked them.......'.  What was especially troubling was
> that the heat-sink kept me from learning very much about the processor.

I bought a 386/2, an early 16-MHz box from ALR.  It had one of the early
386 chips with the "16-bit only" stamp.  The problem was, I didn't know
it contained the 16-bit version because ALR covered the CPU with
motherboard serial number stickers!!!  In fact, it looked like one
sticker didn't quite cover it, there were two stickers over the stamp!!
These are not easy to peel off, either (they crumble up instead of peel
off).

I had the same prob as Greg with the customer support... no real
hassles, just took awhile to get the proper CPU.  After getting through
to technical support and convincing them that I really, truly was
planning to run 32-bit software, they put me on a waiting list and,
about four months later, exchanged the part.  I don't see the reason for
the cover-up, since Intel was exchanging these parts with manufacturers
for no fee.  Just an indication of ALR strategies, I guess.

BACKGROUND:  In case somebody is unaware, when the 386 first came out,
there were some problems running 32-bit software.  Intel continued
releasing the part with "16-bit software only" stamped on them.

steve
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*   I will COBOL no more, forever... *      Steve Croft, Qualimetrics, Inc.  *
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