Toshiba 3200SX
Posted by jussuumguy@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 30 comments
Picked this up for $25.00 at a Thrift Shop. Worth about $16,000.00 CAD at the time of release (adjusted for inflation) in 1989. Beautiful Amber Monochrome Display. 16mhz 386 with 1MB of RAM and a 40 MB Hard drive. Allows full sized ISA Expansion Cards. Cool handle for lugging it around. This one still has the original Conner Hard Drive (working). In pristine condition. Used in a Laboratory or Hospital based on the Software that was installed on it. Lucky find. Only had a faulty Power Switch and a bad battery so far. Installed DOS 6.22 with Norton Commander Shell.
Defiant_Try9444@reddit
I had a T3100e which used to be used to manage and control traffic signals in its part time gig, before being relegated for Lotus 123 with WYSIWYG and WP51. What a time to be alive.
I ended up reformatting it and running Windows 3.1 with Word 2.0.
It was quickly reverted to DOS 6.22.
ElevatorGuy85@reddit
A 386SX could in theory run Windows 3.1. It is a 32-bit processor at its core (in fact, almost the same silicon as the 386DX)
https://dfarq.homeip.net/386sx-vs-386dx-a-misunderstood-difference/
Here’s Intel’s own manual on the 386SX. The differences and limitations relative to the 386DX are the external 16-bit data bus width, and being limited to just 24-bits of memory addressing (16MB maximum).
https://media.digikey.com/pdf/data%20sheets/intel%20pdfs/intel386%20sx.pdf
cdheer@reddit
Not in theory; it absolutely does.
ElevatorGuy85@reddit
Yeah, I could have chosen to word that better! A 386SX can run Windows 3.1. Not necessary very fast compared to the 386DX at the same clock speed, but it can.
cdheer@reddit
Yeah tbh the 386sx was a 286 killer. Early 386sx’s were not much more than the AT clones of the day.
ElevatorGuy85@reddit
The CPU in the Toshiba 3200SX was an Intel 386SX, i.e. a 32-bit CPU but with an external 16-bit bus (unlike the 386DX models with the full 32-bit bus width). The 386SX was cheaper to incorporate into PC systems as a result, but it sacrificed performance because it took twice as many data bus operations to fetch the same amount of data from RAM. For many manufacturers it was a necessary bridge between the existing 80286 and 80386 systems, and many other manufacturers also used the “SX” variants in their products.
jussuumguy@reddit (OP)
I love that you have this information to share. I was wondering about the SX designation. It seems there will be no Windows 3.1 32bit Extension Upgrade in it's future or would it work but just be exponentially slower?
cdheer@reddit
It’ll work but be slower. The big appeal of the 386sx was that it got you into a multitasking/32 bit cpu for barely more than a 286. You can also run Desqview/386 etc.
stuffitystuff@reddit
I played DOOM for the first time on a later variant of this machine with a VGA screen. It was soooo smoooooooth due to the 486 DX2/66.
Techaissance@reddit
I have one of these and Windows 3.1 is…an experience.
jussuumguy@reddit (OP)
I meet the bare minimum requirements. No 386 Enhanced mode for me. I may eventually try it but I'm more comfortable in DOS anyways.
DumbNTough@reddit
Can't get past system config listing processor speed as simply "High" and display mode as "Color". And there is indeed just one color.
redditshreadit@reddit
It should have an ega or vga port in the back for an external colour monitor.
jussuumguy@reddit (OP)
It does, yes. I will have to try that. Thank you for that I hadn't noticed.
ux386@reddit
Nice find, great to see one of these in great shape! I love the amber of these screens. I have a T3100sx (or what’s left of it) but the board died at some point and the screen deteriorated horribly. Take good care of that beauty!
LuigiTeaching@reddit
Okay WTF that is the most beautiful laptop I think I’ve ever seen.
FlyByPC@reddit
Pretty much my daily driver DOS interface for a good ten years or so, until Win95.
sebastek8194@reddit
Awesome beast!!! Omg that plasma display 😲
teknosophy_com@reddit
Really sick rig, and even nicer that you have some screenshots of how the games look!!
isecore@reddit
Sweet rig. I have a T5200. They look almost identical. Can't remember the specs on mine right now, think it's got a 386 of some speedier flavor and 4MB of RAM and a harddrive that is $SIZE. Either way, I love the gas plasma VGA display.
m-in@reddit
My dad had this one. I deleted everything on my his hard drive by mistake. On a business trip I was accompanying him on (I was a kid). I could reconstruct most of it from floppies he had with him, but damn, I scared myself pretty damn good.l for a few hours.
graywolf0026@reddit
Gas plasma amber.
MY BELOVED.
flying-benedictus@reddit
Damn, it looks new. Feels like a time machine.
Sbatushe@reddit
absolute beauty, worth 2500€, sooo lucky!
Away-Ad-3407@reddit
I had one of these about 20 years ago running as a web server. Pretty sure I had an isa ethernet in it.
EskildDood@reddit
(north) Americans have it so easy with secondhand electronics
muse_head@reddit
Nice to find one without vertical lines on the display (they often have lines stuck on or off caused by failing components).
Tall_Access_7806@reddit
I remember those
fretinator007@reddit
Way cool!
---Data---@reddit
Wow, that is a gorgeous amber screen. Nice find!