Re: //gs Memory 8 or 16megs?

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Marvin Miller <marvinmiller@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Is there any way to 'fix' the memory restrictions in a //GS or is it
> just not possible to make it use the full 16 megs?

The only way to "fix" it would be to replace the FPI or CYA chip (a
custom chip made by Apple) with one that used different memory decoding
logic, and retained every other feature.

Apart from the very low chance that anyone could design a functional
replacement without referring to the original (Apple secret) design, it
is also a large surface-mount chip which is soldered onto the
motherboard.

> Assuming it could be fixed, would anything be able to use it?

Speaking hypothetically, the only other change that would be needed
would be to modify the initialization code for the Memory Manager
toolset (in ROM) so that it knows to try looking for RAM in banks beyond
$7F.

Every other correctly written native IIgs application uses the Memory
Manager to allocate memory, so most applications (including the RAM disk
support) would be able to use the extra memory automatically.