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Zenith ZDS - 320S: Information Needed!

gatewayrepairs1985

Experienced Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2021
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104
Location
South Of Boston, MA
Hi all,

I hope this message finds you well. I've recently acquired this Zenith 386 320S - but have not been able to find literally any information about it online. I know the previous owner upgraded the motherboard and the ISA cards - but the power supply and floppy drives are original. Not sure if the HDD was original or not. Photographed all the labels I could find on the case. Just looking for maybe some old advertisements or some information about this machine - like what kind of motherboard it originally had, when it was released, etc. Thank you!

-bostonvintage1993
zenith3.jpgzenith1.jpgzenith4.jpgzenith2.jpg
 
Even with the part number, you're probably going to have a hell of a time finding the original motherboard for this thing. So am I correct to assume this computer takes standard AT motherboards with a riser card for the ISA slots?
According to the model name, the system likely had a 386SX-20 CPU originally. You could always just plop in some random 386SX-20 motherboard...maybe you could even find one with Zenith branding. I highly doubt whatever was in there originally had much character to begin with. What's in there right now anyway? A 386DX board?
 
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You wont find much info at all unless the system came with its original documentation. You are lucky to have a later Zenith/Bull system which has standard parts that swap in without any bother.
 
Do a search for "identifying motherboards" and you will find info on where manufacturers mark their boards. You may be able to find specs for the board in your computer.

Also, there are usually jumper settings silkscreened on the motherboards you will need if making changes to the RAM or processor.

FWIW, If the previous owner swapped out the boards, then it really doesn't matter what manufacturers badge is on the front of the case.
This PC was manufactured at a time when name brands couldn't compete with the cheap off-shore boards. So to remain competitive, they were forced to abandon their boards and also use the generic brands.
 
Even with the part number, you're probably going to have a hell of a time finding the original motherboard for this thing. So am I correct to assume this computer takes standard AT motherboards with a riser card for the ISA slots?
According to the model name, the system likely had a 386SX-20 CPU originally. You could always just plop in some random 386SX-20 motherboard...maybe you could even find one with Zenith branding. I highly doubt whatever was in there originally had much character to begin with. What's in there right now anyway? A 386DX board?
Hi,

Thanks for the reply - compared to my knowledge on Gateway 2000, I know absolutely nothing about Zenith, haha. Attached is a picture of the current board installed; definitely not original, but still pretty cool I think. I usually like to keep most of my systems stock so that's why I was asking about the origins of this machine - haven't been able to even find a single picture of it online!

It also came with this monitor dated March 1994 - maybe that can help identify it some more.

Thanks again!
 

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Do a search for "identifying motherboards" and you will find info on where manufacturers mark their boards. You may be able to find specs for the board in your computer.

Also, there are usually jumper settings silkscreened on the motherboards you will need if making changes to the RAM or processor.

FWIW, If the previous owner swapped out the boards, then it really doesn't matter what manufacturers badge is on the front of the case.
This PC was manufactured at a time when name brands couldn't compete with the cheap off-shore boards. So to remain competitive, they were forced to abandon their boards and also use the generic brands.
Hi,

Thanks, I'll try that. Seems this system was from around 1994 (going off of the monitor), so that definitely fits with the info you provided! Might try to get a 386 board to swap in, I'm not sure.

Even so, if this actually is from 1994 that seems like a really late time period to be selling a 386 20 mhz? Wouldn't that have been very obsolete by that point?

I've searched PC Mag for any advertisements but haven't been about to find any about this machine sadly.

Thanks for the reply!
 
Hi,

Thanks for the info! Interesting to learn about the company - I know they were once pretty renowned it the 80s and never really knew what happened to them. Appreciate the reply!
Glad I could assist in some way. When I got my 1990 Zenith Z286LP Plus I did a LOT searching, similar to what you most likely did, and came up with hardly anything as well. When I got my first Zenith Z-180 it had all the original manuals OEM Dos installation disks. Sadly the hdd was dead. I then got a twin fdd Z-180 with nothing else, not even the psu was missing. Zenith Data Systems was one manufacturer than supported MS Windows right from the get go.

Here's the thread I created about my Z286LP Plus https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/zenith-data-systems-model-zcv-251-ec.41103
 
I think the actual name of the original computer was the Zenith Z-386/33E Model 320 from this article in the October 1990 Computerworld.


Zenith.JPG
 
I think the actual name of the original computer was the Zenith Z-386/33E Model 320 from this article in the October 1990 Computerworld.


View attachment 1241039
Wow, nice find! Interesting read for sure, however I looked up the Z-386/33E and came across this:
1652460529871.png1652460607523.png
I think the Z-386/33E is a couple years older than my machine. That setup looks awesome though - I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for it! Thanks for letting me know of its existence, haha.
 
There was a time in the early 90's when ZDS tried to branch into mass market pc's rather than their usual multiple pc buyer strategy. In order to sell a less expensive computer, they went through a Taiwan based company (Inventec?) to produce a ZDS branded pc clone. The power switch in front and reset button and the cased design are dead giveaways this was a mass marketing pc that we sold through the Crutchfield catalog. Until near the end, most in-house made ZDS desktops made in St Joseph, MI had the power switch in the back and no reset button. They had spaces for an extra hard drive, however the engineers told us the power supplies were something like 80-100 watt supplies, so don't try it.

I hope this helps.

Edited to add: I think company was Inventa, not Inventec from Taiwan
 
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There was a time in the early 90's when ZDS tried to branch into mass market pc's rather than their usual multiple pc buyer strategy. In order to sell a less expensive computer, they went through a Taiwan based company (Inventec?) to produce a ZDS branded pc clone. The power switch in front and reset button and the cased design are dead giveaways this was a mass marketing pc that we sold through the Crutchfield catalog. Until near the end, most in-house made ZDS desktops made in St Joseph, MI had the power switch in the back and no reset button. They had spaces for an extra hard drive, however the engineers told us the power supplies were something like 80-100 watt supplies, so don't try it.

I hope this helps.

Edited to add: I think company was Inventa, not Inventec from Taiwan
Hi,

Wow, thanks so much for the info! You actually worked at the company back then? That is awesome! What you said makes a lot of sense - this Zenith doesn’t feel like any of the other Zenith’s I’ve seen and does have that generic 90’s PC clone feel to it. Again, really appreciate the reply!
 
Glad to help. My history of products by model numbers or product names is a bit rusty, but I'll help when I can.

Another oddball set of maichines ZDS made were what they referred to as the NDL series (New Design Line.) The idea was to create a tool free or nearly tool free design like what IBM had done with their PS/2 systems. Some pieces would interlock with others, and some would have clips that were designed to be snapped in and out again without snapping in half. Some modules had proprietary upgrade daughterboards that held in by the friction of the connector plus a stand-off with a bulged end on it. Off course, when these clips or stand offs failed, the engineering manual suggested replacing them with screws. Well, so much for tool free. Later on, companies such as Compaq and Dell were more successful with creating assemblies which contained levers and latches.
 
Glad to help. My history of products by model numbers or product names is a bit rusty, but I'll help when I can.

Another oddball set of maichines ZDS made were what they referred to as the NDL series (New Design Line.) The idea was to create a tool free or nearly tool free design like what IBM had done with their PS/2 systems. Some pieces would interlock with others, and some would have clips that were designed to be snapped in and out again without snapping in half. Some modules had proprietary upgrade daughterboards that held in by the friction of the connector plus a stand-off with a bulged end on it. Off course, when these clips or stand offs failed, the engineering manual suggested replacing them with screws. Well, so much for tool free. Later on, companies such as Compaq and Dell were more successful with creating assemblies which contained levers and latches.
Hi again,

It's great that you have so much info on the later days of the company, once again I really appreciate the help! Looking up Inventa online actually yielded some interesting results as well - still haven't found my exact machine but I found others with the same case badge, so we're getting there! It would also be pretty cool to see one of those new-design-line computers, haha - I assume the quality wasn't that great on them.

Thanks!
 
Hi everyone,

I have great news on this Zenith machine! I finally managed to track down the part number of the original motherboard! @Anonymous Coward was right, I did have a hell of a time finding it. I only managed to stumble across it last month, when I finally found somebody else who has this machine. They were able to provide me with the information I needed. That being said, I now am on the hunt for one of my own. The part number is MB-1316/20/25VST. It's not a great motherboard by any means, but I still want it to make this a historically accurate Zenith machine from the waning days of the company. If anybody has the motherboard and they'd be willing to sell it, I'm interested! I also am looking for three cards that originally came with the machine as well. One is an IO card, a BIOSTAR REV: EI M9212-09278. The second is a modem, model 80-2003011-1 or model#9624SH, I can't tell which number is the correct number. Finally, the video card has a WDC WD90C11-LR chipset, but I haven't been able to identify the card itself. I have attached photos of everything I'm looking for.

Thanks for all the help, everybody! Stay safe!
 

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