High Integrity Systems 432 Multibox 2023-04-24 19:30

This site is my attempt at documenting as much as I can about a computer from a company called High Integrity Systems.

High Integrity Systems operated in the UK to design and provide their own Multibus based Intel iAPX 432 systems. At first, they released a 3 board set fitted with the 432 Release 1 and 2 intended for anyone wanting to add an iAPX 432 to an existing system.

However, at around the time of Release 3 they did something very interesting.

It should be no shock to learn that Intel sold their own computers during the late 70s and early 80s. Mostly, these computers were designed to quickly allow any potential customers wanting a specific Intel processor the ability to purchase such a computer as a turn-key solution. For example, Intel sold the Intel System 300 series, which showcased the Intel 8086, 8088, 80286 and 80386, all using Mulitbus. Similarly, Intel supplied the System 600 series, which put their own Mulitbus weidling iAPX 432 implemenation front and centre.

Realising that their customers could benefit with a High Integrity Systems built iAPX 432 computer, they set out to make it so.

Their first (and possibly only) computer was actually a rebadged Intel System 310, which had been ordered from Intel with a very low level set of iSBC and associated Multibus boards. High Integrity Systems would have needed to remove the unnecessary cards (like the iSBC), and then installed their brand new iAPX 432 Release 3.2 cards. As a final touch, they removed the Intel badge on the front of the computer, and replaced it with their own. In doing so, they had managed to create a relatively low cost iAPX 432 computer using chassis hardware mostly obtained from Intel.

Confusingly, High Integrity Systems expected to ship only a 50 of these machines in 1984. As a result, it is safe to presume that not many have survived to this day.

Below, I have collated an assortment of photos, along with links to downloads of drive backups, firmware images, and related documentation.

High Integrity Systems logo First look HIS 432 Mulitbox Intel iAPX 432 GDPs and IP

Index 2023-04-24 20:12