Re: Ram Card

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

In article <4gergr$oa3@madeline.INS.CWRU.Edu>,
Richard T. McCusker <cn914@cleveland.Freenet.Edu> wrote:
> 
> I just gotten an Octoram card and have a few questions.
> 1) what are the jumper's 1-5 used for?

They are used to set the type and number of SIMMs installed.  You can
have one, two, four or eight of either type (256KB or 1MB).  You
cannot mix sizes.

I don't have the jumper settings handy, but E-mail them if no-one else
supplies them, and I'll type them in again.

> 2) what type of simms are used.  I heard they were from Mac's 
>    but which macs.

The Mac Plus, and thereabouts.  The SIMMs are 30-pin (256KB x 8 or 1MB
x 8), with RAS before CAS refresh, 150 ns or faster (preferably 120 ns
or faster).  Parity (the 9th bit) is not required, but it won't affect
anything if the extra chip is present.

> 3) Is there software for the card and if so can someone e-mail 
>     me a copy?

When I bought mine in 1987, it didn't come with any software.  You
should be able to use the RAM test program from any IIgs memory
expansion card to test it.  Ideally, use the AppleWorks GS tester
(MemoryTest.CL).

> 4) does anything commect to the mail jumpers on the card?

Yes.  There was an add-on static RAM card with battery backup, called
an "OctoRAM ESP".  It provides a ROMDISK (implemented in RAM) of up to
512KB.  There is a jumper on the card to write-protect it.  I have one
of these (sans RAM and battery).

> 5) Can it be used with a high speed SCSI card?

Yes.  It will work perfectly with DMA enabled, provided you are using
four or less SIMMs.  With eight SIMMs, it might be necessary to
disable DMA.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand