Re: IIGS memory card

["Henry" <apl2research(.a.t.)comcast.net>]

Hello Dean.

> I recently bought a GS through Ebay and the picture on the auction
> shows what appears to be an Apple made memory card installed and about
> half full. Cruising the web looking for info on the Apple memory card
> doesn't turn up much. I did see that as far as Apple is concerned the
> card can only hold 1 meg of ram.

Congradulations on your purchase!  Yes, the Apple's IIgs memory card is only 
expandable to 1 Meg using banks (sets of 8 pieces) of 256k x 1bit DRAMs.


> I was wondering, is 1 meg the max for this card or could I maybe make
> it a 4 meg card by installing larger ram chips, like the 1 meg sets
> available through GSE-Reactive? Also does this card work with the ROM
> 03 motherboard or just the ROM 01 motherboard that is installed in
> this computer? I'm curious about that as well since I've already got a
> ROM 03 motherboard that I was considering installing in the GS after I
> get it.

You can mod the card to expand it to 4 Megs but it's quite a bit of work. 
Here's the link to the Site: http://www.apple2gs.republika.pl/eng.html.  I 
would recommend staying away from 4bit DRAMs though.  My experience is they 
can be a bit problematic due to their tighter tolerances.  One of these 
days, when I'm finished all my research, I'll be able to say why some cards 
work yet other seem to have issues.

Hope that helps!


-- 
Henry S. Courbis
www.GSE-Reactive.com
Legacy Hardware and Support - Come take a look at what we have to offer!