Todd82TA
Experienced Member
Hey guys, I'm hoping someone can help me. I have a KayPro computer that I'm trying to get working, and I'm running into some issues. This KayPro is the "KayPro PC" model... IE: the big huge desktop version. The normal KayPro PC version has two internal 5.25" bays (or really one tall one), and then two external drive bays. All of these PC clone KayPros have a backplane motherboard (with nothing on it), and a processor board with a separate multi-function board. Anyway, this KayPro is different.
This KayPro, also has a back-plane, but everything is on a single 8-bit full length board. The ram, processor, floppy controller, and parallel port is all on one card. The card has a reset button, but no toggle switch (like the others do) to toggle between 4.77 and 8.77. There are separate cards of course, a KayPro EGA card, and a KayPro serial port card.
Anyway, I've been able to get the computer to turn on. It's FAR more "verbose" than the other KayPro PCs that I have. This one has wording at boot-up for the EGA card, but also has a huge box that pops up that says "KAYPRO Triple-Speed CPU." ...and then it runs through the 640k memory.
So, if you guys don't mind... I have THREE questions:
1 - Now, the only problem is... the floppy controller totally fails to boot from the drive. I've tried a 720k drive, and two 360k drives. It will test it at power-on, and then it attempts to access it... waits... and then says "Boot disk failed, press any key to retry." It never actually boots. I purchased an 8-bit Seagate Floppy Controller on eBay. Can I just install this and set it to the same address?
2 - Anyone have any idea what "Triple Speed CPU" means? It's got an NEC V20. I know in the other KayPro computers, the toggle switch goes between 4.77 and 8.77. Is this like a 10 or 12Mhz version or something?
3 - Would ANYONE... ANYONE happen to have the manual that would be needed for this computer? It has a SINGLE bank of dip switches... labeled SW1. The difference is, it has 8 dip switches, rather than the standard 5 that the other KayPro motherboards have. I can verify that the first dip switch is for the presence of an 8087 Co-Processor, but I can't tell what the other dip switches are for. I've never seen a KayPro like this before... kind of wonder if maybe it was a very low production (cause they went to a 286 after) or if it was a prototype. Note, even though this is an 8088... the backplane has two 16-bit ISA card slots... the other 7 (of the 9) are 8-bit.
Thanks guys!!!
This KayPro, also has a back-plane, but everything is on a single 8-bit full length board. The ram, processor, floppy controller, and parallel port is all on one card. The card has a reset button, but no toggle switch (like the others do) to toggle between 4.77 and 8.77. There are separate cards of course, a KayPro EGA card, and a KayPro serial port card.
Anyway, I've been able to get the computer to turn on. It's FAR more "verbose" than the other KayPro PCs that I have. This one has wording at boot-up for the EGA card, but also has a huge box that pops up that says "KAYPRO Triple-Speed CPU." ...and then it runs through the 640k memory.
So, if you guys don't mind... I have THREE questions:
1 - Now, the only problem is... the floppy controller totally fails to boot from the drive. I've tried a 720k drive, and two 360k drives. It will test it at power-on, and then it attempts to access it... waits... and then says "Boot disk failed, press any key to retry." It never actually boots. I purchased an 8-bit Seagate Floppy Controller on eBay. Can I just install this and set it to the same address?
2 - Anyone have any idea what "Triple Speed CPU" means? It's got an NEC V20. I know in the other KayPro computers, the toggle switch goes between 4.77 and 8.77. Is this like a 10 or 12Mhz version or something?
3 - Would ANYONE... ANYONE happen to have the manual that would be needed for this computer? It has a SINGLE bank of dip switches... labeled SW1. The difference is, it has 8 dip switches, rather than the standard 5 that the other KayPro motherboards have. I can verify that the first dip switch is for the presence of an 8087 Co-Processor, but I can't tell what the other dip switches are for. I've never seen a KayPro like this before... kind of wonder if maybe it was a very low production (cause they went to a 286 after) or if it was a prototype. Note, even though this is an 8088... the backplane has two 16-bit ISA card slots... the other 7 (of the 9) are 8-bit.
Thanks guys!!!