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| • | Besides "XT Model 286", IBM has also referred to the IBM 5162 as the "XT/286". (Example) |
| • | Although the model name has "XT" in it, the IBM 5162 is an AT-class computer, not an XT-class one. To quote the 'Upgrading & Repairing PCs' book, "This model may look like an XT, but under the skin, it's all AT !". The decision to give the impression that the machine is XT-class, would have been a marketing one. |
| • | There is no built-in method of performing SETUP (BIOS configuration) ("CMOS SETUP"). Methods for performing SETUP are at here. |
| • | Some of the securing screws for the drives are accessed via a well that is on the 5162's underside. Photo at here. |
| • | The BASIC that is built into the motherboard, Cassette BASIC, cannot write/read BASIC programs to/from floppy disks (or hard disk drives). |
| • | The "Bytes free" figure that Cassette BASIC displays, is not the amount of fitted RAM. |
| • | The floppy drive supplied by IBM is a 1.2M one. Click here to read about a problem caused writing to 360K floppies in that drive. |
| • | If your IBM 5162 has the optional second floppy drive: - Be aware that for the 5162, IBM marked 360K drives by placing an asterisk on the front of the drive. (Photo) - The 5162's power-on self test (POST) will not boot from the second floppy drive (B:). |
| • | The IBM 5162 fully supports 1.44M drives and diskettes. Attach one, adjust the SETUP, and 'away you go'. |
| • | Not all ISA expansion cards will work in an IBM 5162. Ensure that any card you acquire is IBM 5162 compatible, and that it does not conflict with any existing card. Note also, that 'tall' cards designed for the IBM 5170 (IBM AT) will not fit in the IBM 5162's short case (short in height). |
| • | The IBM 5162 was released after the IBM 5170 (IBM AT). See here. |
| • | The general performance of the IBM 5162 motherboard is between that of a 6 MHz IBM 5170 and an 8 MHz IBM 5170. - IBM 5170, 6 Mhz, one wait state RAM - IBM 5162, 6 Mhz, zero wait state RAM - IBM 5170, 8 Mhz, one wait state RAM |
| • | By the way. Claims that IBM created the IBM 5162 just so that it could use up stocks of IBM 5160 (IBM XT) cases are pure speculation. It seems unlikely to me, considering the cost of system development (including technical documentation), administration, testing, and marketing. Consider too, that the IBM 5162 was introduced 7 months before IBM decided to withdraw the IBM 5160 from the market (see here). |
| • | Aged tantalum capacitors are known to explode. That has happened to me many times, in the vast majority of cases when I have acquired something that has not been powered on in years. If the motherboard, or expansion cards, are exposed to your face when you power them on, then consider wearing glasses of some sort. More information at here. |
