CompuServe Messages

Bruno, The entire process was quite easy, I ordered the Upgrade from ElekTek in Chicago plus a Cyrix 387SX math coprocessor upgrade. The Cyrix upgrade chip is their CX486SRX2, it is the only one that will work with the Bridgeboard ( 20 or 25 megahertz no problem, if you have the original 16 megahertz bridgeboard then you need to run a software test supplied free by Cyrix before you buy the upgrade – it may not work on these machines ). The upgrade chip is mounted in a plastic carrier that clips firmly to the surface mounted 386SX chip on the bridgeboard. Simply place the chip over the Intel chip so the names are aligned and press down smoothly until all four corners of the chip carrier "pop", this signals they have firm contact with the original chip. Attach the included heat sink to the top of the upgrade chip and the hardware assembly is finished. ( I added a 387 math coprocessor since the board was out of the computer anyway, line up pin 1 of the coprocessor chip with the flattened corner of the socket on the board and slowly apply pressure until the chip pops in ). Reassemble the BridgeBoard into the computer and boot up, install the cache software supplied by Cyrix to activate the chips on board cache and you are done. The system performs far better than the original 386 based unit, Norton SI was 13.9 on the unaccelerated system, it reports 66.5 on the Cyrix based system. Windows 3.1 is actually quite usable now, MS Word and AmiPro are fast and friendly and I can finally play DOOM! Drawbacks are few, The chip carrier and heat sink are one inch tall so a full size card in the next slot will likely be blocked ( I have a Supra modem card in one end of the next slot and a Diamond Speedstar Video card for DOS in the other end of that slot, they are both small enough that there is no clearance problem ), the upgrade chip gets quite warm during operation – use the heatsink!!! Cyrix gives a lifetime warranty on the chip so that isn't much of a worry. All things considered this is one of the biggest improvements for the money I have ever made to my Amiga ( just did my brothers A3000, he is very impressed! ). If you use DOS at all get this thing, it is worth it. Gary