CPU Upgrade Options for PS/2 Model 50z (286-10)?

[SuperKato1K]

Recently my vintage interest has shifted towards early IBMs and I recently acquired a really interesting PS/2, a Model 50z - with the MCA bus (which is kind of a double edged sword, as those of you with more IBM experience than I have are probably very familiar).

It's a 286 10Mhz, but there were apparently several CPU upgrade paths - some sold by IBM, some by third parties. My question is about the 486-SLC2 (50/25) that IBM sold as an early 90s upgrade path for the PS/2 Models 50/50z/60. Was this just the CPU, or was the entire motherboard swapped out as well? I haven't been able to find any references that spell it out for me.

If it's the latter, which would make it unlikely I'd ever find parts in the wild, does anyone know if there are any CPU upgrade options that are easier to accomplish?

Thanks!

 

[MauriceH]

Back in the day's I get it that you could spent time, money and effort to upgrade a back then expensive hardware.
Now? a 286 upgrade to a 486? It is of no use at all. Just buy a good 486 for $20 or so.
Then all the issues you get with probably timing issues on the main board and still not getting the full 486 out of that.

And still on a 16bit structure with max 16MB you still are struggling with f.i. win95 a 32bit structure.
It may be a bit faster if you keep working with 286 16bit designed software but thats it.

I own a real 386 with spec ext mem card to run win95, installed from org 3.5"FFDs.
Used it back then but dead slow. After I got the money again I quickly stepped to the cyrix486 machine.
Sometimes I start up again that 386 machine but it is quite useless to do anything proper with it.
It runs, that's it.

So advise leave it a 286.
Have fun with it, but stick to the real 486 Mboards to run proper a 486 with all its benefits.

 

[SuperKato1K]

Very good point. I have a 386SX-20 that suits pretty much all of my 286/386 needs, so it would make sense to just source a 486 and leave this 50z in its original state. I'm pretty fascinated by the MCA architecture, which is why I was inclined to tinker with it a bit more, but you're right it seems more reasonable to tinker with it as a 286.