Olivetti · M
Olivetti M300-08
20 MHz 386SX desktop with OPTi 82C283, separate 82C206 and integrated OAK OTI-067 video.
History
The BA319/BA324/BA325 M300-08 is a later compact platform, distinct from IF378 and TOPCAT. Its manual documents a 10 MHz AT bus and 2/4/8/10/14/16 MB memory; 6 and 12 MB are impossible.
Hardware
- Processor
- Intel 80386SX 20 MHz
- Memory
- 2/4/8/10/14/16 MB
- Chipset
- OPTi 82C283 + separate 82C206
- Bus
- ISA/AT 10 MHz
- Video
- Integrated OAK OTI-067
Catalogue classification
- Form factor
- Desktop
- Mobility
- Stationary
- Processor generation
- 80386SX class
- Graphics standard
- VGA
Research
This page separates documented hardware facts, behavior observed in original firmware, and the current fidelity of BluMach emulation.
Sales and commercial configurations
Evidence: documented or confirmed hardware
- Commercial models
The service guide lists the BA324 (2 MB) and BA325 (4 MB) boards; the BA325 was discontinued and the memory difference was then fitted at system level.
Architecture and memory
Evidence: documented or confirmed hardware
- CPU and bus
20 MHz Intel 386SX on the BA324 board, with an i387SX socket. OPTi 82C283 memory and bus controller, and 82C206 for RTC, DMA, interrupts and timer. Four 16-bit ISA slots on the IN133 bus board.
- Memory
2 MB soldered in bank 0 and three banks of two sockets for 1 M × 9 (2 MB) or 4 M × 9 (8 MB) SIMMs: 2 to 16 MB. 6 and 12 MB are not possible, and with 16 MB the 2 MB soldered are lost.
- Video
Integrated OAK OTI-067 VGA, with 256 KB expandable to 512 KB with the VGA-MEM kit.
- Storage
Floppy controller and serial and parallel ports in the 87310; buffered IDE interface on the board. Documented disks are 40, 85 and 120 MB. The BIOS reads the IDE disk geometry at startup.
BIOS and firmware
Evidence: observed in preserved firmware and boot testing
- Known revisions
BIOS 1.08 (12/04/92), 64 KB, is preserved, with a separate 32 KB EVC video ROM. The M300-08 and M300-15 images differ in only five bytes. The service guide stops at 1.07.
Emulation status
Evidence: current BluMach status; not necessarily a description of the original circuit
- Verified
POST, Setup, calendar year rollover, 1.44 MB floppy and MS-DOS 3.30a boot validated. With an IDE disk set to AUTO, the BIOS reads the disk geometry and boots from it.
- Pending or approximate
Bootable partial emulation. The 82C283 is modelled and the AT bus is fixed at 10 MHz; the 82C206 is represented by the common AT core and RTC timing remains an approximation. Setup has no hotkey: it only appears on a cold boot when POST detects a configuration error, so opening it requires changing the machine configuration or deleting its NVR.
Sources
Preserved research material
Evidence: primary sources and research notes