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Help - IBM PS/1 won't boot after installing Diamond Speedstar

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First post, by moruobai

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Hi All -

I have an IBM PS/1 2155A - 24C and recently purchased a Diamond Speedstar EX4000AX ISA graphics card, which I can't seem to get to work.

After inserting the graphics card and powering on the machine I see the typical boot sequence up until the power on self test (POST), at which point the machine makes one loud beep and then shows a blank screen with a flashing cursor and nothing else. At this point and prior I am unable to enter BIOS using the F1 key. If I switch the VGA cable to the IBM's motherboard VGA port nothing displays on the monitor. When the monitor is connected to the Diamond Speedstar output port I do see information on the monitor and it looks good, but it doesn't finish booting.

Also, if I physically remove the Diamond Speedstar and boot using the motherboard's VGA output the computer works just fine.

I'm thinking I might need to change the display device in BIOS to the Diamond Speedstar? Or, perhaps there are some jumper settings on the motherboard I need to configure?

Machine manual is here: http://ps-2.kev009.com/pccbbs/aptiva/63g2028.pdf
Diamond Speedstar graphics card is the first one on this page: http://dosdays.co.uk/topics/Manufacturers/diamond.php

Has anyone encountered this before? Grateful for any recommendations on how to proceed!

Reply 1 of 4, by moruobai

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Update -- unsuccessfully attempted the following:

1. Setting the motherboard jumpers (J15) to disable video
2. Setting the graphics card jumpers to disable IRQ2
3. Booting with a DOS boot disk

Also noticed when the machine first powers on the message: "Diamond Speedstar 1MB" flashes on the screen quickly and then it goes into the IBM POST where it fails.

Grrr.... Anyone want a video card?

Reply 3 of 4, by maxtherabbit

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that's a very nice card, I wouldn't give up on it so quickly

Reply 4 of 4, by moruobai

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Hmmm... also tried the following:

4. Changing the bus timing jumper on the card. That resulted in a 4 or 5 LOUD beeps followed by a normal boot with no video.
5. Changing the ISA slot the card sat in.
6. Removing all of the other cards from the expansion bus riser.

Maybe a memory address problem? I got nothing. Pretty sure Rage Against the Machine was named for troubleshooting old computers. (Or a printer 🤣).

If anyone else has any ideas, would be super grateful.

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