Sun Microsystems 386i/150 599-1525-03 Tower Workstation For Parts AS-IS

Sun Microsystems 386i/150 599-1525-03 Tower Workstation For Parts AS-IS

The Sun Microsystems 386i/150 is a tower workstation built around the Intel 80386 processor, released in the late 1980s as part of Sun's short-lived effort to bring its SunOS Unix environment to Intel x86 hardware. This unit powers on but produces two short beeps and no video output, indicating a POST (Power-On Self-Test) failure. It is being sold strictly AS-IS for parts or repair — it is not functional and no functionality is guaranteed.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: Sun Microsystems
• Model: 386i/150
• Part Number: 599-1525-03
• Serial Number: 91060319 (visible on rating label)
• Processor: Intel 80386 (150 designation indicates 16 MHz or 20 MHz class configuration)
• Form Factor: Tower
• Power Input: 100–120V / 200–240V AC, 50–60Hz, Single Phase
• Power Inlets: Dual IEC connectors on rear panel (rated 10/5A and 3.0/1.5A)
• Front Panel: Two floppy drive bays, Sun 386i logo badge, power LED indicators
• Rear Connectors: Two DB-15 ports (video), DB-25 parallel port, DB-9 serial port, DB-25 expansion connector
• Expansion: Multiple internal expansion slots (cards present and visible internally)
• Internal Components: Motherboard, ribbon cables, expansion cards, memory modules — all present and visible in photos
• Certifications: FCC Part 15 Class A, TUV GS, CSA, UL
• Fault: Two short beeps on power-on, no video output — POST failure (likely memory, video card, or motherboard fault)
• Included: Tower unit only — no monitor, keyboard, or mouse

Applications

The Sun 386i series was introduced in 1988 as Sun Microsystems' attempt to offer SunOS on Intel 386 hardware, targeting customers who wanted Sun's Unix workstation environment at a lower price point than SPARC-based systems. The 386i ran a specialized version of SunOS that supported both Sun's native binary format and standard AT&T Unix applications, and it was positioned as a departmental workstation in engineering and scientific environments. The line was discontinued in the early 1990s as SPARC-based systems became more cost-competitive and the 386i's dual-architecture approach proved complex to maintain. Today, the Sun 386i is a rare piece of computing history sought by vintage Unix collectors, retrocomputing enthusiasts, and those maintaining legacy Sun software environments. This unit, while not functional, represents a source of hard-to-find spare parts including the proprietary motherboard, expansion cards, drive hardware, and chassis components.