Anyone remeber the Turbo button? :)

Okedokey

Okedokey

Well-Known Member
beigedesktoppccomputer.jpg
 
My dad has an old pentium system in his garage with a turbo button. The system works apart from chucking up a "Keyboard Error! Press F1 to continue..." error... of course the keyboard is plugged in, but it doesn't work :D
 
Yup! I remember the Turbo button. The first computer I built in 1986 was a clone of an IBM XT and was a Turbo version, switchable between 4.77Mhz and 8Mhz. Early clone BIOSes couldn't boot or format a disk with Turbo on so you had to boot with Turbo off then turn it on once booted. When you wanted to format a disk, you had to turn Turbo off first. There wasn't a segmented display such as shown in the picture, just a red LED that lit when in Turbo mode.

On later machines, it usually took some experimentation with a bunch of jumpers on the back of the display to get the little segmented display on the front panel to indicate the correct clock speed with Turbo on and Turbo off.
 
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I have a vague memory, I think, but nothing really... If only there was one today, a nice little overclock button. :)
 
claptonman said:
I have a vague memory, I think, but nothing really... If only there was one today, a nice little overclock button. :)
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Actually Turbo button was a misnomer because with Turbo on the system ran at full speed, with it off it ran at a reduced speed.
 
No I never saw that kind of button ever.The first PC I owned was a celeron.
What was its function?
 
The Turbo was so older programs and games that ran in conjunction with older slower processors (they would run really fast, (like in fast forward). The Turbo was really the opposite and would slow the systen down so the older programs/games would run normal.
 
StrangleHold said:
The Turbo was so older programs and games that ran in conjunction with older slower processors (they would run really fast, (like in fast forward). The Turbo was really the opposite and would slow the systen down so the older programs/games would run normal.
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Pretty weird thing to have :).

And the name is misleading.
 
StrangleHold said:
The Turbo was so older programs and games that ran in conjunction with older slower processors (they would run really fast, (like in fast forward). The Turbo was really the opposite and would slow the systen down so the older programs/games would run normal.
Click to expand...
Yes Stranglehold has stated correctly the obvious, the old 486's, 586's & Pentiums would run in turbo speed which was normal and if you want to run a slower game you would switch the turbo button so the system would run slower on clock speed.
 
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