I'll add the bios files just in case...
As an update, plugged an XT keyboard and the floppy and everything sounds as it was working, beeps, tries to read from floppy, etc... and if I press CtrlAltDel it "reboots"...
the mce2vga adapter finds signal when in monochrome but shows a black screen...

No info found yet. Sort of makes sense the similarity, Hewitt Rand was Canadian based and ACT (Advanced Computer Technology ) was UK based back in 80's and 90's iirc and probably collaborated on a few things.

It's so strange, because looking at the Wikipedia, ACT became Apricot in 1985... And this machine is dated 1987...
Anyways... If anyone has any idea of what the dip switches might be...
I've tried a few combinations and the first jumpers make it not even beep... The last ones don't seem to affect... But it looks like the vga card I tried to install isn't detected
Another update... Somehow similar motherboards are listed as goldstar. Goldstar gs100 (earlier version with 8088) and xt-iv 611-270 later revision

marcushg85 wrote on 2023-06-11, 10:45:

motherboard has so many dip switches with totally unknown functionality.
I'd like to find any info related to it to see if I can get it working! I don't even know if it is an IBM compatible or not!

I not sure if this question is still actual but the jumpers 1-8 are the same for a number off XT computers :

For example :
-VTech - Laser Turbo XT - Technical Reference Manual
- ITT XTRA - Technical Reference - January 1985

marcushg85 wrote on 2023-06-11, 19:36:

It's so strange, because looking at the Wikipedia, ACT became Apricot in 1985... And this machine is dated 1987... Anyways... I […]
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It's so strange, because looking at the Wikipedia, ACT became Apricot in 1985... And this machine is dated 1987...
Anyways... If anyone has any idea of what the dip switches might be...
I've tried a few combinations and the first jumpers make it not even beep... The last ones don't seem to affect... But it looks like the vga card I tried to install isn't detected
Another update... Somehow similar motherboards are listed as goldstar. Goldstar gs100 (earlier version with 8088) and xt-iv 611-270 later revision

I hope this is not too old to respond to but here goes.

I'm the guy who took that picture of the Hewitt Rand machine. I discovered that dip switch 9 was for enabling and disabling the onboard video. I don't know for sure but I am fairly certain that switches 10-12 are for enabling/disabling the onboard serial ports and parallel port.

Edit: Oh I see now that yours only has one serial port. Mine has two serial and one parallel so that's what I figured 10-12 on my dip switch was for.

This model was made by GoldStar I believe and many manufacturers slapped their own badges on it. I have one that is an Apco, the most widespread/known version appears to be the Packard Bell edition the PBVX88 or just VX88
Motherboard reference page https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/packard-bell-pbvx88