PC XT messed up after trying to upgrade to VGA

[marcoguy]

I was trying to upgrade my IBM PC XT 5160 from the IBM standard mono graphics card with a Taxan Super Vision 635 monitor to a WESTERN DIGITAL 61-603235-01 8BIT ISA PARADISE VGA 256K RAM 020-01905 PVGA1A-JK video card. After I performed the upgrade, the machine beeped like there was no monitor plugged in-and yes I adjusted the DIP switches-so I tried to reset everything so it was exactly like before. Then when I booted it up, I got a blinking asterisk and a beep. The bios didn't even load. I may have accidentally hit one of the other DIP switches on the mobo, the configuration of which I foolishly didn't take note of, or one of the switches on the mono graphics card. If someone could shed some light on the situation it would be very much appreciated.

 

[Pepinno]

I was trying to upgrade my IBM PC XT 5160 from the IBM standard mono graphics card with a Taxan Super Vision 635 monitor to a WESTERN DIGITAL 61-603235-01 8BIT ISA PARADISE VGA 256K RAM 020-01905 PVGA1A-JK video card. After I performed the upgrade, the machine beeped like there was no monitor plugged in-and yes I adjusted the DIP switches-so I tried to reset everything so it was exactly like before. Then when I booted it up, I got a blinking asterisk and a beep. The bios didn't even load. I may have accidentally hit one of the other DIP switches on the mobo, the configuration of which I foolishly didn't take note of, or one of the switches on the mono graphics card. If someone could shed some light on the situation it would be very much appreciated.

You could start posting pictures of the motherboard DIP switches, and of the MDA card DIP switches, as you have them now.

Then, people with an XT at hand may have a chance to tell you if you have them set up right.

 

[Stone]

Here's the configuration scheme:

[h=3]IBM XT[/h][h=4]Switch block 1:[/h]

• Switch 1
• off = Normal POST then Boot
• ON = Continuous Power On Test (testing only!)

• Switch 2
• off = 8087 Math Chip installed
• ON = 8087 NOT installed

• Switch 3,4
• ON,ON = One bank of memory
• off,ON = Two banks
• ON,off = Three banks
• off,off = Four banks

• Switch 5,6
• off,off = MDA (or Hercules) Video
• off,ON = 40 column CGA
• ON,off = 80 column CGA
• ON,ON = No video or special (EGA, VGA)

• Switch 7,8
• ON,ON = 1 floppy drive
• off,ON = 2 flops
• ON,off = 3 flops
• off,off = 4 flops

 

[marcoguy]

Here's the configuration scheme:

[h=3]IBM XT[/h][h=4]Switch block 1:[/h]

• Switch 1
• off = Normal POST then Boot
• ON = Continuous Power On Test (testing only!)

• Switch 2
• off = 8087 Math Chip installed
• ON = 8087 NOT installed

• Switch 3,4
• ON,ON = One bank of memory
• off,ON = Two banks
• ON,off = Three banks
• off,off = Four banks

• Switch 5,6
• off,off = MDA (or Hercules) Video
• off,ON = 40 column CGA
• ON,off = 80 column CGA
• ON,ON = No video or special (EGA, VGA)

• Switch 7,8
• ON,ON = 1 floppy drive
• off,ON = 2 flops
• ON,off = 3 flops
• off,off = 4 flops

Boy am I stupid, I had the on position confused with the off position on the DIP switchboard. Thank you so much for all of your help!

 

[Lutiana]

Boy am I stupid, I had the on position confused with the off position on the DIP switchboard. Thank you so much for all of your help!

Nah, happens to the best of us. I did exactly the same at one point. Took me about an hour to work it out.

 

[marcoguy]

Might have taken you an hour, but it took me a day! :D