Amstrad PC2086

In September 2009 I started to downsize this collection to a few items and then archived this section to its own subdomain at the start of October 2011. Remaining items sold off in mid 2024.

The PC2086 is an XT type machine from 1988 that was intended to be a replacement for the earlier PC1512 and PC1640. Released at the same time were the PC2286 and PC2386 which had 80286 and 80386 processors respectively and all aimed at the business market but the rumour goes that due to problems with MS-DOS 4.0 they got a bad name.

To all practical purposes the PC2086 is an XT machine that has VGA video, a 720K 3.5" floppy drive and optionally a 30MB RLL hard drive.

This system

I obtained this system complete with manuals from a fellow rover who was disposing of it. As I had no active interest in it I later sold it through eBay.

Specifications

CPU 8Mhz 8086 Processor
RAM 640KB
Video Extended VGA adaptor that supports MDA, CGA, Hercules, EGA, MCGA, VGA, and enhanced VGA
I/O Ports Mouse Interface, 1x Parallel and 1x RS232 Serial
Expansion 3 full size 8 bit expansion slots
Sound Built in 'PC Speaker'
Drives 3.5" 720K Floppy Drive and 32MB RLL hard disk with hard disk model. Second internal 3.5" 720K floppy drive or external drive (5.25" 360K, 720K 3.5", or 1.44M 3.5")
Operating System MS-DOS 3.30
Microsoft Windows 2.1
Microsoft GW-BASIC

Images

Complete system including an optional external 5.25" floppy drive. - pc2086-01.jpg pc2086-01.jpg, 936x796, 95KB
Complete system including an optional external 5.25" floppy drive.
Close up of power switch, volume control, mouse port and keyboard port. - pc2086-02.jpg pc2086-02.jpg, 1152x792, 113KB
Close up of power switch, volume control, mouse port and keyboard port.
View from above showing the depression that the monitor base fits into as well as the compartment for the bios batteries (four AA). - pc2086-03.jpg pc2086-03.jpg, 1020x780, 85KB
View from above showing the depression that the monitor base fits into as well as the compartment for the bios batteries (four AA).
Top and side covers over the full length 8 bit expansion ports removed. - pc2086-04.jpg pc2086-04.jpg, 802x668, 50KB
Top and side covers over the full length 8 bit expansion ports removed.
Top cover removed showing the locations of the drives. The hard disk controller in the fourth slot can also be seen. - pc2086-05.jpg pc2086-05.jpg, 926x804, 113KB
Top cover removed showing the locations of the drives. The hard disk controller in the fourth slot can also be seen.
Close up of the right hand side showing the data and power ports for the external floppy drive. Presumably the switch indicates whether an additional internal or external drive is connected. - pc2086-06.jpg pc2086-06.jpg, 1152x692, 92KB
Close up of the right hand side showing the data and power ports for the external floppy drive. Presumably the switch indicates whether an additional internal or external drive is connected.
External drive unit. - pc2086-07.jpg pc2086-07.jpg, 714x542, 34KB
External drive unit.
View of the small circuit board that the external floppy connector is attached to. - pc2086-08.jpg pc2086-08.jpg, 1152x864, 175KB
View of the small circuit board that the external floppy connector is attached to.
Internal of the external floppy drive showing that it is just an internal drive and the two cables are nothing more than the 34 pin data cable and 4 pin power. - pc2086-09.jpg pc2086-09.jpg, 1152x864, 192KB
Internal of the external floppy drive showing that it is just an internal drive and the two cables are nothing more than the 34 pin data cable and 4 pin power.
Close up of the 8-bit ISA hard drive controller card. - pc2086-10.jpg pc2086-10.jpg, 952x844, 219KB
Close up of the 8-bit ISA hard drive controller card.

Other resources