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Qantel System 88 w/ 45XP

PS2it

Experienced Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
105
Location
Central WI, USA
At the start of the new year, I decided that I wanted to venture out to something a little bigger, and I did just that. While scanning craigslist I found a guy that had what looked to be a mini from the late 80s that was in considerably rough shape. I thought about for a long while (more like a few hours) and eventually talked myself into picking it up.(I later found out that it had been listed on eBay too, so maybe one of you saw it there?).

I wasn't able to find out much about it other than a few Computerworld articles - System 88 and System 45XP, so If anyone has any information on them, or maybe some software that would be awesome and much appericated! I belive they also went under the name MDS or Mohawk Data Sciences, in case that's any help.

Anyway, here are a few pictures I took (uncleaned of course).

IMG_20170403_175059097.jpg
The System 88 on left, a separator in the middle, and the 45XP on the right make up one full unit.

IMG_20170403_180340414.jpg
The rear of the full unit.

IMG_20170403_180509364.jpg
These are the CPU boards, the one with the colored 50 pin connector has a Motorola 68k with a few 30-pin simms, while the one above has a Motorola 68020. I'm thinking the 68020 board is either an upgrade or it's from the 45XP and possibly controls it.

IMG_20170403_180443004.jpg
Front half. There is a total of 4 memory boards (boards 1-4), I/O boards, and some other stuff that I haven't investigated yet.

IMG_20170403_180458123.jpg
Rear half. Mainly just the CPU boards, and serial boards. At the rear of the unit, there is also what looks to be a diagnostic board
 
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Here are a few more pictures of the 45XP.

IMG_20170403_180745050.jpg
Inside the 45XP, as far as I know this was also sold as a separate unit.

IMG_20170403_180943582.jpg
This is the 45XP with the front removed. There is supposed to be 3 ESDI hard drives (2 Seagate drives, and a Maxtor) in it, but I pulled the Maxtor to clean it up a bit. I haven't fired either system up yet, so I have no clue whether they still work, but hopefully they do, otherwise I'll be needing to find a version of (Best/AOS?)!

I'll post some more as I work on it, so expect some updates sometime in the future.
 
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Hi, PS2!

Actually the 45XP doesn't 'count' as a separate unit, it's all an 88. The 45 portion would, normally, be used for any drives. As to the boards inside the unit, if you can supply me with their names - IOU56 or 39, etc. I may be able to help you identify what's what.
Though it's been a few decades since I've worked on one - memory ain't what it used to be:).

Have you been able to power the baby on?

I used to spend a heckuva lotta time at Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton, WI working on it's slightly big brother, a 98, though the 98 looked identical to the 88. Used the same boards, etc. Back in the day, they were pretty darn reliable except that, with every software update or change, all the PROMS on the boards would have to be either sent back to Fremont, CA to be re-burned or exchange boards would have to sent prior to the upgrade. Spent more time replacing & re-imaging drives than anything else.
 
Hi, PS2!

Actually the 45XP doesn't 'count' as a separate unit, it's all an 88. The 45 portion would, normally, be used for any drives. As to the boards inside the unit, if you can supply me with their names - IOU56 or 39, etc. I may be able to help you identify what's what.
Though it's been a few decades since I've worked on one - memory ain't what it used to be:).

Have you been able to power the baby on?

I used to spend a heckuva lotta time at Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton, WI working on it's slightly big brother, a 98, though the 98 looked identical to the 88. Used the same boards, etc. Back in the day, they were pretty darn reliable except that, with every software update or change, all the PROMS on the boards would have to be either sent back to Fremont, CA to be re-burned or exchange boards would have to sent prior to the upgrade. Spent more time replacing & re-imaging drives than anything else.

Thanks for the reply Kurtz!

Nice to meet another Wisconsinite on the forum! Sorry I didn't see your reply sooner, I forgot I even had this post up.

So I take it that the 45XP was an optional additional unit you could buy along with the 88?

That'd be a really huge help if you could help me out with identifying some of this stuff. It still pretty new to me, and I'd like to learn as much as I can about it.
I haven't had it running yet, unfortunately, I still have it in the garage, at least until I get some room to set it up. But I should still be able to take more pictures and get some of the board names.

Thanks,
PS2it!
 
Can't believe I didn't see this thread before. Well actually, I can, thanks forum software.

I acquired a compete Qantel from a company I worked for in New Berlin in 1991. Unfortunately, I just had no way to keep it, and couldn't find anyone anywhere that would take it, so I ended up trashing it. Also unfortunately, I just don't recall much of anything about it, other than it ran Primos and CADDS. I miss using it, and really regret not having it.

I did manage to save a hard drive from it and get it running on an AT clone. But I don't even remember what happened to it after that. I do recall the lights dimming when that drive would spin up!
 
Well, seems like 20 years in the manufacturing software side. The company seems was reborn then... but the history page I posted talks about starting in 1969.

"Qantel Technologies, Inc. is a privately-held corporation formed in April 1996 by the acquisition of the powerful QANTEL product line and the expert Qantel research and development staff. "

Still worth contacting them to see if they have old documentation available.
 
PS2it!!

A fellow Wisconsinite? Whereabouts? Waupaca Cty. here.

Negatory on the 45XP. Just like yours, the 45 was bolted together with the other frame making a - ta-da! - 88. I remember thinking "why do they leave the 45 label on that part?" It is & only is an 88. You ordered an 88 (or 98) & the whole shebang came as one unit. The jumbo side on the left was where all the goodies were kept. The right side, like i mentioned, usually housed the drives.
 
Documentation.

Documentation.

BooBoo has an idea there. Who knows? Maybe they still do? Can't hurt to ask.

If my memory isn't completely shot, I do believe that DecisionOne, when they were still an actual hardware repair company - shortly after the Sorbus acquisition - bought out Qantel, or were a partner of some sort.
The Qantel support dudes were great & I used to deal with one gentleman who saved my ass waaaay too many times to count. Many late nights, many 24 hr. days.
Don't miss that one bit;-).
 
Wow, thanks for all the replies!

Negatory on the 45XP. Just like yours, the 45 was bolted together with the other frame making a - ta-da! - 88.
I see, thanks for clearing that up!

I"ll have to contact Qantel. I did think about it before, but I figured it'd be more of last resort if it didn't work right. At least that way I'll be ready if anything goes wrong.

I'm in Stevens Point! I picked the machine up in Sun Prairie, it was a bit of a drive, but totally worth it :p

I'll get some more pictures and names of the cards and whatnot.
 
Those two cities always seemed so similar to me; hard to think of it as a long drive. It's a nice drive in any case.
 
PS2..Point? I work in Point as an IT manager! Soon to be retired (hopefully) IT manager. Small world.
It was in Sun Prairie? Hmmm, don't remember any Qantel 88's around Madison. Oh well, Madison was usually covered out of a different branch, Rockford, if I remember correctly. Did you buy it from the original owner?

KC9 - bah, Point is a college town, Sun Prairie a burb of Madison;-). You're right though, not a bad drive down 39.
 
PS2..Point? I work in Point as an IT manager!
Small world.
Yeah, it really is, I couldn't believe someone from WI let alone nearly the same city would reply!

IIRC it had been on Craigslist, and eBay for about 5 or 6 months. I think the guy I email/called about it bought it from an auction of some type.
 
Alright, I've finally got some pictures of the boards. Some might be a little blurry, but should still be readable.

Q264A BD
DSC00697.jpg

Q264BR BD
DSC00701.jpg

Q299D
DSC00707.jpg
DSC00709.jpg

Q299C
DSC00711.jpg
DSC00712.jpg

Q299M BD w/ Q299 MEM - There are 4 of these inside (not sure if they're all the same part number), they all look nearly identical, so I only took pictures of 1.
DSC00715.jpg
DSC00716.jpg
DSC00717.jpg
DSC00718.jpg

IOU-39S
DSC00719.jpg
DSC00721.jpg

IOU-59
DSC00722.jpg
DSC00723.jpg

IOU-60 - Had 3 leaking batteries that I removed shortly after I got it home.
DSC00724.jpg
DSC00725.jpg
 
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Here's the last few.

IOU-39S - Now that I look at them, this one has the same part # as the one in the last post.
DSC00727.jpg
DSC00728.jpg

DIAG Panel Q264 - Figured I'd put this in too
DSC00729.jpg

IOU-56S - Again, there are two of these, but I only took pictures of one.
DSC00733.jpg
DSC00735.jpg

I can take more if anyone needs em, just let me know!
 
I'm getting slightly closer to getting this thing set up in the house to test.

Will do my best to keep everyone posted.
 
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I just bought some boards off eBay and information on these things is hard to find.
I got these: IOU-53, IOU-54, IOU-48-2, IOU-56S, IOU-56R, BP10/RTC.
Pointers to documentation or other information would be appreciated.
Thanks.
 
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I just bought some boards off eBay and information on these things is hard to find.
I got these: IOU-53, IOU-54, IOU-48-2, IOU-56S, IOU-56R, BP10/RTC.
Pointers to documentation or other information would be appreciated.
Thanks.

hopefully they still have their socketed parts on them, not that they are very useful as-is since they
are all peripheral controller boards

there is some info on bitsavers under qantel

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334172298067
seller has a bunch of mid-80's boards, every one has had its firmware pulled
 
Actually, that's the seller from whom I got my boards -- I took all the ones that still had firmware on them. Boards without firmware are kind of useless.

I did get the Qantel Pocket Reference from bitsavers, but it only goes to IOU-40. Most all the other files look like they're from 1983 or 1984, all my boards are dated 1986.
I'll take a closer look at the bitsavers files. I see they have one for IOU-49 and one for IOU-52. I don't have those but the ones I have may be lurking in other files.
Thanks.

edit: So, I looked at all the files on bitsavers, did find a field maintenance manual for IOU-54 (more pages devoted to disk drives than the board). Nothing else pertinent though.
So maybe I'll just strip these things for parts...
 
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