Can 386SX run UNIX ?

John C. Archambeau jca at pnet01.cts.com
Fri Nov 16 16:36:13 AEST 1990


kaleb at thyme.jpl.nasa.gov (Kaleb Keithley	) writes:
>In article <1990Nov15.122135.28079 at metro.ucc.su.OZ.AU> wongl at extro.ucc.su.oz.au (Glenn N Woodland) writes:
>>
>>But one person told us that 386SX cannot run UNIX, whatever which version
>>it is. Is this true? What's the reason behind it? Otherwise a 386 has to
>>purchased instead.
>>
>
>This is utter hogwash.  A 386 is a 386 is a 386....
>
>I ran ESIX on my 386SX for nine months while I saved my pennies to buy
>a 486.  Intel reference manuals unequivocally state that SX and DX are
>100% compatable.  Just don't expect to address beyond the 20-bit address
>space of the SX.

I agree, but don't you mean 24-bit address space?  A 20-bit address space is
1 Mb which is the 8086/8088/80186.  My 386SX motherboard manual says it has a
24-bit address space (16 Mb).

As for Unix, well, I'm running SCO Xenix 386 2.3.3 with everything but the
networking packages and Xsight.  No problems.  My only complaint is lack of
hard drive space and the fact that my motherboard can only handle up to 4 Mb
of physical memory on the motherboard.  Oh well.  Such is life.
 
     // JCA

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