PS/2 Server Model 95A - "Q-Q-Clock"
As with the Server 95 (no A) this is one of the last microchannel x86 computers to be made by IBM. It is the last and highest performing MCA-only based planar to have been produced by IBM. This same planar was also used in the PC Server 500. I haven't yet done a whole lot with this computer.
This system was originally equipped with a Type 4 "P" complex running at 60MHz. Now it is running an upgraded Type 4 "Y" complex at 180MHz with a 200MHz-rated Pentium OverDrive CPU.
Some of these no doubt saw service as very high end workstations. It looks like there may have even been plans to introduce a model with multimedia features, not unlike the Ultimedia models 57 and 77.
Jim Hope sold me two of these systems...this one is a PS/2 Server 95A. The other is a PS/2 Server 95 (no A). The difference? Although I don't have it installed in this system, the "95A" models included a RAID disk array and controller system. Special thanks to him for sending what are two very nice systems in good condition and excellent working order. I have this one configured as follows:
200MHz Pentium CPU (running at 180)
128MB RAM
Multiple hard drives (1, 2 and 4GB)
IBM Fast/Wide MCA SCSI-2 adapter ("Corvette")
SCSI CD-ROM drive of unknown speed
Olicom OC-2335 10/100 Ethernet adapter (to be replaced by a Madge Smart Ringnode or IBM Streamer-type token ring adapter in the near future).
M-ACPA (Revision B) sound card (not used or usable under Windows NT)
Windows NT Workstation 4.0 with SP6a is the operating system of choice for this computer.
What's In A Name? (part 2)
Finally, a footnote (yeah, about the name of the machine once again): At a time, it was presumed that this machine was running an upgraded Type 4 "Q" Pentium 66MHz processor complex. As upgrading the P and Q complexes has proven to be impossible for the most part (one exception by Tim Clarke is noted here). That didn't end up being the case, but no less than Peter Wendt (of MCA Mafia fame) suggested the name "Q-Q-Clock" for any computer running a successfully upgraded "Q" complex. I liked the name, so it stuck to this computer anyway. Maybe later I will actually get around to attempting an upgrade on a "Q" complex. Then I can have a machine whose name matches the configuration.
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