ARM ARMNote TS30PS - Pentium 90

[desertrout]

Hi all. I've got my hands on a TS30PS 'ARMNote' by ARM Computers, circa 1995, rockin the Pentium 90. I haven't opened it up or powered it yet, as I'm looking to find out a little more about it first since I've never seen this brand before, and I can't find ANY information about this machine or its... reseller (?) beyond some ads and reviews from PC Magazine.

Does anyone have any knowledge of these machines? Is there *any* kind of documentation, or is that even necessary? It seems like one of those rebadged generic laptops - Midwest Micro / Mitsuba / Ultra / and others...

Anyway, mostly curious to know what I'm looking at.

 

[DeltaDon]

I've been out of the laptop repair business for too many years and the brain cells have reprogrammed and so details are gone, but I think the "TS" laptops are all Compal products. If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will correct me soon.

 

[desertrout]

Yeah, ok makes sense. I'm in the process of getting an adapter with the proper v's/a's and that oddball three-pin connector... Can I power it without the battery or with the old battery still installed? Sorry for the dumb question, but I normally work on old Macs, and they can be VERY finicky in this regard.

 

[[Chris]]

Hi all. I've got my hands on a TS30PS 'ARMNote' by ARM Computers, circa 1995, rockin the Pentium 90. I haven't opened it up or powered it yet, as I'm looking to find out a little more about it first since I've never seen this brand before, and I can't find ANY information about this machine or its... reseller (?) beyond some ads and reviews from PC Magazine.

Does anyone have any knowledge of these machines? Is there *any* kind of documentation, or is that even necessary? It seems like one of those rebadged generic laptops - Midwest Micro / Mitsuba / Ultra / and others...

Anyway, mostly curious to know what I'm looking at.

These were made by Compal, who also happens to be an OEM for Dell (only in the mid-2000s did HP also switch to Compal as their OEM as well). Their TS-series could be commonly found sporting other badges, such as Targa, Sceptre, Magitronic, and even Dell.

In that case, it probably has the 8GB limit in the BIOS (unless you use a DDO). Compal tended to use SystemSoft for their BIOS, and Chips & Technologies for their video card. Unless they switched to the standard EDO modules for laptops for their Pentium lineup, the RAM expansion would be in a proprietary daughtercard.

Pics would be great!