HeadStart Vendex TURBO-888-XT Switch settings

[Arkady]

Hello,

I have a HeadStart Vendex TURBO-888-XT and i don't have the switch settings of the motherboard.
It has got a weird internal layout. It has got a kind of passive backplane with 1 serial and 1 parallel port, a RTC and a floppy controller onboard.
Plugged into the 8bit ISA connectors, there are two daughter cards: one with the CPU, memory, etc... and another one with the video, memory expansion, bus mouse connector and two game ports.
Onto the passive backplane, there is a DIP switch (8 switches) and another one (8 switches) onto the CPU daughter card.
It's the same layout than the Packard Bell PB88. See below:

http://museum.ttrk.ee/th99/m/P-R/31492.htm

But the dip switch is absent onto the passive backplane of the Packard Bell PB88. I need to know the settings for this DIP switch. If someone has got this computer, could you help me, please.

The battery has leaked and i will have to fix it. I already cleaned it. The computer checks the memory, but it fails reading the floppy disks. The floppy disk heads of the two drives don't move during booting and it only try to read the drive B (the drive that is plugged to the second connector). I fear the onboard floppy controller has been damaged by the leaking battery.

Thank you.

 

[chjmartin2]

Hello,

I have a HeadStart Vendex TURBO-888-XT and i don't have the switch settings of the motherboard.
It has got a weird internal layout. It has got a kind of passive backplane with 1 serial and 1 parallel port, a RTC and a floppy controller onboard.
Plugged into the 8bit ISA connectors, there are two daughter cards: one with the CPU, memory, etc... and another one with the video, memory expansion, bus mouse connector and two game ports.
Onto the passive backplane, there is a DIP switch (8 switches) and another one (8 switches) onto the CPU daughter card.
It's the same layout than the Packard Bell PB88. See below:

http://museum.ttrk.ee/th99/m/P-R/31492.htm

But the dip switch is absent onto the passive backplane of the Packard Bell PB88. I need to know the settings for this DIP switch. If someone has got this computer, could you help me, please.

The battery has leaked and i will have to fix it. I already cleaned it. The computer checks the memory, but it fails reading the floppy disks. The floppy disk heads of the two drives don't move during booting and it only try to read the drive B (the drive that is plugged to the second connector). I fear the onboard floppy controller has been damaged by the leaking battery.

Thank you.

This happens to be my dream XT. I have one as well, but have not located the books for it. Mine is in super rough shape and I have yet to test it. I wish I had the details for you. Would love to see some pics of what you have.

 

[lucasdaytona]

But the dip switch is absent onto the passive backplane of the Packard Bell PB88. I need to know the settings for this DIP switch.

What do you mean by "absent"? The DIP switch was there in past? Or it was never populated? Pics would really help. Also, more info about the board, IC's and all info you could get.

 

[Arkady]

This happens to be my dream XT. I have one as well, but have not located the books for it. Mine is in super rough shape and I have yet to test it. I wish I had the details for you. Would love to see some pics of what you have.

Ok that's quite a long time, but i repaired mine and these are the pictures.
I'm still searching for the DIP switch settings from the backplane and the CPU board (see below)
If you "click right" onto the pictures, you will get full resolution images.

Front view

Rear view

Backplane with floppy controller, parallel, serial and clock

CPU board with 256kb and reset switch

Video/Memory extension/Game port/Mouse port board

Sticker onto the Video/RAM/Game/Mouse board

Damaged (and cleaned) area where the battery has leaked

 

[Magstriker]

Hi,

I bought a Vendex recently and the dip switches were set properly on mine. I have the same exact model except mine has a hard drive from the factory, not dual floppies. I figured Id post my jumpers and dip switch settings anyway. Sorry for the shaky-cam but it should be clear enough to set the jumpers. I have all the original disks with it too. I'm not sure if those are on the internet anywhere. If they aren't I'll do my best to archive them.