DESCRIPTION

The Compaq Prolinea 4/50S is an older, relatively compact desktop computer with a 486 processor. Its processor can be upgraded to a faster 486 or a Pentium. It features three ISA expansion slots (located on a riser board), a 5.25" drive bay (can be used to install a CD-ROM drive), and a 3.5" floppy disk drive.

RISER BOARD

The removable riser board features three 16-bit ISA slots. It reads "Assembly No. 002927", "Spare No. 141783-001", and "Diagram No. 002928". Some Prolinea systems were sold with an ISA digital sound card that is Adlib-compatible.

FLOPPY DRIVE

The Prolinea 4/50S floppy drive bears a sticker reading "Replace with COMPAQ Spare 3 MODE FLOPPY [160788-201]". The drive is screwed to a metal mounting plate. The drive was manufactured in Malaysia.

MOTHERBOARD

The computer's motherboard has a removable and upgradable processor chip. No built-in digital sound is present; it may be added with an ISA sound card. A CMOS backup battery is located on the motherboard and difficult to remove.

The CMOS backup battery is a different type than most motherboards have; it is a 3V CR2330. It is easy to accidentally break off the metal connector attached to the bottom of the battery.

The motherboard's lettering reads "(C) 1994 Compaq", and "Replace w\ Compaq Spare 164560-001". Built-in ports include two serial, two PS/2, one parallel, and one VGA (monitor).

POWER SUPPLY

The 4/50S power supply is a fairly large square metal unit which connects to a small power switch. Two of its power connectors attach to the computer's motherboard, leaving three for HDD/CD drives and one for the floppy drive. It is Compaq Model No. PA-4151-9C and Part No. 143347-003.

An information sticker indicates that it should be replaced with Compaq Spare 194352-001. The power supply has a built-in Nidec Beta SL fan (12V, model D08T-12PG). The computer uses a standard 3-prong power cord, which can be easily replaced.

ACCESSORIES

Modern printers, mice, keyboards, modems, electronic organizers, scanners, and digital cameras can be used with the Prolinea 4/50S, as long as USB devices are avoided. The two built-in serial ports make it possible to conveniently keep two serial devices attached at the same time, such as an external modem and a serial trackball.

OTHER INFO

According to "The Secret Guide to Computers" (by Russ Walter), the Prolinea model was introduced in the early 1990s and less expensive than some of the other Compaq models, but higher-priced than equivalent computers offered by most other brands.