Re: 8MB GS RAM cards

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Mitchell Spector writes ...
> 
> In article rubywand@swbell.net writes...

 ....

>>

     Thanks for the information; however, it leaves us with a lot of
questions. For one thing, what happens if you try to boot a System 5.0.4
diskette on a ROM-03 with one of the two current 8MB boards?

<<

 
>     I'm not sure what you mean exactly. The version of System Software
> used makes _no_ difference as far as the Apple IIgs seeing what memory
> is available for software to use (they all see the same thing as far
> as what is plugged into the GS's Memory Expansion Slot).
> 
>     Using a RAM Disk on a ROM 3 (there is no "ROM 03" btw) with 7 MB
> in the expansion slot is a different issue. In that situtation, you
> need System 6.0.1 to get around a firmware bug that disables (or
> ignores?) the RAM Disk setting. When you boot System 6.0.1, the GS
> will "beep" an extra time as it reboots the GS (probably just before
> or slightly after the GS/OS "Welcome" screen) to create the RAM Disk.
>

     So, then, the version of System does make a difference. An 800k
RAM5 RAM disk is far too valuable an asset to just write off.



>>
 
And, of course, the Accelerator + DMA business is a mine field of non
information.

<<
 
>     Well the TransWarp GS was flakey as far as being DMA compatible
> or friendly as far as I know, so you often have to disable the DMA
> setting on your hardrive controller. As for the Zip GS, the early
> cards (revision 1.00 and 1.01 specifically) had problems with DMA
> as well, but the revision 1.02 board fixed that.


     It should be easy for an 8MB mem card maker to test all of this and
post the results.


 
>     When I began upgrading my GS, I made sure to get DMA compatible
> stuff to work within even 4 MB. That is why I have a RamFAST SCSI,
> RAM GS board and a Zip GS (rather than some mess like an AE memory
> card, AE TransWarp GS and Apple Rev C SCSI board). Just having 4 MB
> in the expansion slot doesn't neccessarily mean DMA compatibility
> if your add-on cards are *not* DMA friendly (i.e. AE hardware).
>

     The AE GS-RAM III 4MB card fully supports DMA. Considering its
compactness and low power drain (just 8 RAM chips), GS-RAM III is, very
likely, the best 4MB card ever produced. The Sequential RAM-GS Plus
(expandable to 8MB) with just the soldered-on 4MB looks very good, too.


 
>>

     Users should not need to blow an extra $40-$50 to experiment with
8MB and, then, discover their setups won't work. Once again, why don't
the 8MB Expansion RAM card makers just say what works with what and how
well?

<<
 
>     Well I never saw any need for more than 4 MB in the expansion
> slot, my ROM 3 runs quite well with a 5 MB memory total (1.125 MB
> on the main board, plus 4 MB in the expansion slot). Having 8 MB
> is more for Gee-Whiz value than any partical use with existing,
> and quite conceivably, future software as well.

     Not all users agree. As long as someone claims to make an 8MB
Expansion RAM card, full performance information should be available to
users interested in the extra RAM.



> It is alot like
> having your GS running at 16 MHz for the fun of it, although that
> isn't going to corrupt files at random (although it may crash and
> lock-up instead at random). ;-)
>

     More speed is nice; but, of course, everyone knows that going above
a board's original speed rating is an experimental situation.

     Expansion RAM is different. If you test an 8MB board with different
setups, it should be possible to publish specifics about performance
under various configurations. The shopper who looks for this information
on the Sequential and Alltech sites has, for some time, gotten zilch.



Rubywand