1984 IBM 5170 Setup from beginning

[br_i_te]

Hey guys, first time posting in forums for PC help. I have an OKAY foundation when building computers, still much I need to learn, but never tackled a PC this old.
I just bought it IBM 5170 286 6HZ 64KB RAM off a guy who had it stored away. I opened it up, ran a soft brush over the components and blew out some dust. Checked everything to see if anything was out of the ordinary. In his post, he had it turned it on already and had it running, so I knew it powered up. I had to correct the vertical size
And horizontal hold on the monitor.
Anyway, so it turns on (no error messages)boots to the OK screen. I don't have any 5.25 OS disks. I'm gonna use this machine to play old DOS games. So my question is I just want to reach out for help with guidence to what I need to do next?
i know, of course I need an operating system, but from what I read, I might need to configure the hard drive first??? For it to accept an operating system?
These computers are a different beast which I love. I love the challenge and figuring out how to make them work and what makes them work.

 

[VileR]

Welcome to the forums. Very nice AT there! Too bad about the top of the CRT enclosure, but I've had worse happen to me in shipping...

i know, of course I need an operating system, but from what I read, I might need to configure the hard drive first??? For it to accept an operating system?

Right. The 5170 is from before the time of ROM-based BIOS setup utilities available at boot time, so BIOS configuration needs an external program.
On paper, you need the IBM diagnostic disk to "run SETUP", but there are other ways: see https://www.minuszerodegrees.net/5170/setup/5170_setup.htm

Since you can boot into BASIC, method #2 there might help. That site, in general, should have loads of info to help you out with the 5170.

 

[jafir]

Do you have any 3.5” drives you can use temporarily in the system? If so you can probably use gsetup on a boot floppy created on a more modern system to get things configured and install DOS.

Then you could put the original drives back in and use those drives to make 5.25 floppies from images going forward.

 

[modem7]

Yes, lots of IBM 5170 information at minuszerodegrees.net

What do the photos indicate:
1. Definite: The video type is CGA.
2. Most likely: The two 5.25" drives are likely to be of the 1.2M type.
3. You have an early version of the motherboard, one with the 01/10/84 revision of BIOS ROM's fitted.
4. Your motherboard has the optional math coprocessor chip fitted. (NPU) (Intel D80287)
5. Most likely: The card in ISA slot #2 appears to be an Intel model 'Above Board PS/PC', yours fitted with 1 MB of RAM.
6. Definite: The card in ISA slot #7 an 'IBM Serial/Parallel Adapter'.
7. Definite: The card in ISA slot #8 an 'IBM Fixed Disk and Diskette Drive Adapter'.
8. Definite: You need to perform the 'SETUP' procedure.
9. The MFM hard drive is a Seagate ST-225. Therefore, in the SETUP procedure, set the hard drive type number to 2.

Re point 9. When that is done:
- The POST will be aware that a hard drive is present.
- The POST will do some crude checks of the drive.
- The POST will include the MFM hard drive as a possible boot device (boot order: first floppy, MFM hard drive, BASIC on motherboard).

Presently, the POST is unaware that a hard drive exists, and that is why, without a boot floppy present, your 5170 has booted to BASIC.

 

[modem7]

5. Most likely: The card in ISA slot #2 appears to be an Intel model 'Above Board PS/PC', yours fitted with 1 MB of RAM.

Model based on the photo in the thread at [here].
The Above Board PS/PC is intended for PC-class and XT-class computers, not AT-class ones.

- The serial port functionality is expected to work in a AT-class computer.

- The parallel port functionality is expected to work in a AT-class computer.

- The RTC (real-time clock) functionality serves no purpose, because the 5170 motherboard has an RTC on it.

RAM functionality

- RAM will be 'slower' than usual; 8-bit path in a 16-bit slot.
- The card will be providing conventional (base) RAM between the address of 512 KB and 640 KB (a.k.a. backfill from address 512K), for a total of 640 KB conventional memory. That is the "00640 KB OK" appearing on-screen.
- Being intended for PC-class and XT-class computers, no extended (expansion) memory can be provided by the card.
- The balance of RAM on the card will be available as expanded memory.

When performing the SETUP procedure, the two RAM amounts (i.e. RAM fitted) to enter are:
Conventional (base) = 640 KB
Extended (expansion) = 0 KB

 

[rmay635703]

Yes, lots of IBM 5170 information at minuszerodegrees.net

3. You have an early version of the motherboard, one with the 01/10/84 revision of BIOS ROM's fitted.

Something I’ve never gotten validation on is why we’re IBM ATs sold with the 1/10/84 bios when another version released later that year?

Supposedly the AT released August of 84 but there was evidence some folks had them earlier (I guess)
Was this due to the HD failure due to controller card snafu?

Once upon a time I thought there was a video that covered the AT design and release alongside the drama from the massive batch of failed drives but I never could find it again.

The dates and specifics of its design and release seem to elude me.

 

[modem7]

The dates and specifics of its design and release seem to elude me.

As for 'model announcement dates, see the 'IBM's Announcement Letters for the 5170' section at [here]. Those are the dates of announcement, and sometimes there was a short delay before "customer shipments" occurred.

Something I’ve never gotten validation on is why we’re IBM ATs sold with the 1/10/84 bios when another version released later that year?

Another version of what? The next 5170 model was announced the following year, 1985, and it's motherboard BIOS is also dated 1985.

Once upon a time I thought there was a video that covered the AT design and release ...

Maybe that was someone in modern times creating something for YouTube.

... alongside the drama from the massive batch of failed drives but I never could find it again.

I have various magazine articles about failures of the CMI 6426 hard drive at [here].
According to one article, "A spokesman for CMI says the small company was overwhelmed by the IBM order and has now corrected the production problem."

Was this due to the HD failure due to controller card snafu?

From what I have read, some people thought that the hard drive controller was contributing to the overall problem. I have not seen any research/statement that indicate specifics.