biglug

Model

• Compaq Portable 286
  

Introduced

• 1985
  

CPU

• Intel 80286, 6/8 MHz

RAM

• 640 KB
  

Video

• 7" Monochrome
• 640 x 200 CGA, 80 x 25 (text) MDA
  

Disk

• 20 MB harddrive
• 720 KB 3½" floppy
• 1.2 MB 5¼" floppy
  

Network

• Interlink via parallel port
  

Operating Systems

• MS-DOS 6.22

Features

• Internal monitor switches between MDA and CGA mode, so you get nice crisp text when not displaying graphics
• TVOut option
• External CGA monitor option
  
• Can switch between 6 MHz compatible mode and 8 Mhz turbo mode
  

Portable in the 80s meant anything with a handle on it. Put a handle on your house: mobile home. The Compaq Portable 286 was the first "portable" PC with the 80286 processor. It weighs about 20 kgs, has a handle on the top/back, and when not in use the entire thing rests on the keyboard attached to the bottom/front. 20 kgs resting on the keyboard; they don't build them like that anymore.

biglug is running MS-DOS 6.22, I suspect. I can't tell because due to stiction the hardrive won't spin up. The CMOS battery is dead, too. Actually the CMOS battery died years ago and I replaced it with a battery holder with four AA batteries in it. Those batteries are dead too, and I don't fancy taking biglug apart again as every time I do pieces fall off. The side panels are barely staying on.

If I get biglug up and running, I'll save anything of interest that might be on the harddrive. Then, I'll replace MS-DOS with FreeDOS and maybe make it dual boot with Minix. Or not. I have two XT class PCs that I could run FreeDOS and Minix on as well.