Shopping for computer

[Ol Rattler]

I need something that I can install OS/2 warp version 3, followed by LucasArts AirCombat Classics Flt sim on to. I'm not sure what to look for, but a friend suggested at least a 486 DX-4. I've tried eBay with some sellers wanting way to much and don't offer returns. In the near past, someone suggested creating a partition and something about an emulator. I have no idea what any of that means. I am a novice and the good folks on this forum are light years ahead of my little computer knowledge. I've run out of options and have nowhere else to turn. Can complex thinkers solve simple problems. Please see attachments for specs.

 

[Svenska]

In my experience, OS/2 Warp 3 works okay at 33 MHz (486 SX or DX) and quite well at 66 MHz (486 DX/2). You do not really need a DX/4 (100 MHz), but if you can get one, go for it. However, more important is the amount of memory. OS/2 works well with 12 MB or more, and 8 MB is the absolute minimum. Anything less is pain.

The "create a partition" thing is about running OS/2 on your current computer. Forget about it, it will not work.

An emulator is a software program which pretends to be a computer. Because modern computer are much faster than the old computers, they can handle this. You can try out PCem (https://pcem-emulator.co.uk/downloads.html) which is free. If you search for "PCem tutorial" on Youtube you should find some videos explaining how to set it up. Then you can experiment on your own and see if you want to continue.

Whether you use a real computer or an emulator (also called "virtual machine"), you will still need DOS or OS/2.

 

[Ruud]

I'm not familiar with OS/2 so my question is: does it have to a 486? DOS runs on a Pentium-I and higher. I even have DOS running on a Medion with Pentium-III. With 512 KB of RAM you won't have any worries about that. The reason I mention this: older Pentium machines can even be obtained for free, just ask around.

 

[Moondog]

In '97-'98 I was working on a workstation standardization project, and one of their facilities had some OS/2 users. IIRC they had OS/2 running lower end Pentiums (sub-233 Pentiums.)

 

[Timo W.]

I've tried eBay with some sellers wanting way to much and don't offer returns.

The 486 is probably the most-wanted system among retro PC gamers, so you can either wait for a good deal, or just pay what people ask for it. There really isn't a third option.

The games collection will run just fine in DOSBox (https://www.dosbox.com/) on any modern PC , but OS/2 won't. Actually, OS/2 is very picky about the hardware. It's not even running on every 486. Question is: what do you need OS/2 for exactly?

 

[Moondog]

I'm curious if OS/2 will run in Oracle VM Virtualbox?

 

[wrljet]

I'm curious if OS/2 will run in Oracle VM Virtualbox?

OS/2 on Virtualbox Guide | Gekk

 

[Svenska]

I'm not familiar with OS/2 so my question is: does it have to a 486? DOS runs on a Pentium-I and higher.

It's not about the CPU, OS/2 Warp 3 should run on any common 386, 486 or Pentium without issues. But Pentium systems often contain hardware (such as PCI graphics cards) which are not supported out of the box. IBM also made updating the system extremely complicated; without lots of reading or some good guides (such as this one: http://www.altsan.org/os2/fixpaks/os.html) you don't even know in which order to install updates. The system also lacks decent driver management, making driver installation vendor-specific and tricky.

A traditional, ISA-only 386 or 486 system is very likely to "just work" even without updates; and a 386 is just slow. Newer systems require a lot more knowledge to set up. However, it is very stable when it is running; most people I know who still run OS/2 have forgotten how to install it.

 

[Ruud]

It's not about the CPU, OS/2 Warp 3 should run on any common 386, 486 or Pentium without issues.

OK, thank you for the info.

But Pentium systems often contain hardware (such as PCI graphics cards) which are not supported out of the box.

That is the same with Windows 3.x and understandable. I had once W3.11 running on a Pentium-3 with an ATI 8900 video card in its only ISA slot and that worked fine. Gave the system to a friend who adored it and really wanted to have it.

 

[Hak Foo]

In my experience, OS/2 Warp 3 works okay at 33 MHz (486 SX or DX) and quite well at 66 MHz (486 DX/2). You do not really need a DX/4 (100 MHz), but if you can get one, go for it. However, more important is the amount of memory. OS/2 works well with 12 MB or more, and 8 MB is the absolute minimum. Anything less is pain.

The "create a partition" thing is about running OS/2 on your current computer. Forget about it, it will not work.

An emulator is a software program which pretends to be a computer. Because modern computer are much faster than the old computers, they can handle this. You can try out PCem (https://pcem-emulator.co.uk/downloads.html) which is free. If you search for "PCem tutorial" on Youtube you should find some videos explaining how to set it up. Then you can experiment on your own and see if you want to continue.

Whether you use a real computer or an emulator (also called "virtual machine"), you will still need DOS or OS/2.

If you have a choice, get a board with cache. I used OS/2 3 on my college laptop (which was a 200Mb drive dragged between various 486 laptops I scavenged). The "best" one was a DX2/40, since it had a stable hinge and 256-colour support at 640x480, but even with a stupid amount of RAM (20Mb), it was poky without cache. Even the other carcass I tried, with a 133MHz 5x86, and I think 12Mb of memory, was sort of sluggish, due to the lack of on-board cache.

 

[krebizfan]

Two items to look for before installing Warp 3 are Warp Doctor's patches to handle larger IDE drives and ATAPI CD-ROMs and the Sci-tech video drivers which support higher resolution video cards.

Warp 3 will install in 640x480 on many video cards but the Workplace Shell benefits from a higher resolution. I did manage to install Warp 3 on Pentium III but that system was relatively stripped down in terms of memory and hard disk compared to a normal system of the time.

 

[Svenska]

For IDE and ATAPI, just immediately replace IBMS506.ADD with DANIS506.ADD. Don't even bother with IBMs drivers, updated or not.

The SciTech video drivers don't work unless you update the system first, they need Fixpack 35 (Warp 3) or Fixpack 5 (Warp 4). I don't remember if I ever got them to work well; I mainly ran in 640x480 (256 colors on ISA machines using the out-of-the-box drivers, 16 colors elsewhere).

 

[JAXVintagePC]

You can find excellent to decent deals on Facebook (Marketplace), Reddit, AmiBay, Craigslist, OfferUp, Mercari, Freecycle and even eBay when you use OEM keywords and other trawling methods. If you are close to Canada you can also search Kijiji.

If you are not hung up on sound cards you can always consider vintage notebooks. Those are usually more plentiful and cheaper than desktops. Plus the added benefits are less peripherals and space for storage required.