Re: GS memory expansion

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer) writes...

>spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector) wrote:
>
>>    Yep, and it reports a not enough memory error. Delta Demo,
>>including most other European demos, look for 1.25 MB (1280K)
>>while the ROM 3 came shipped with only 1.125 MB (1152K). The
>>ROM 3 came up 128K short for the minimum required memory for
>>the IIgs.
>
>Have you actually tried this?  I have.
>
>Take the RAM card out of your ROM 3 unit.  Boot Delta
>Demo.  It runs quite well, up to the 3d apple.  Then it stops.

    I just did, your were right. It has been a long time since
I had my ROM 3 running without a memory card installed (I'm
probably thinking of older FTA demos, such as the X-MAS Demo
or Modulae).

    This changes nothing, it still is just further proof that
a stock ROM 3 machine falls 128K of a ROM 01 with a 1 MB card
installed. The majority of programs that require a full mega-
byte assume you have 1280K--not 1024K (which incidentally is
not a valid memory configuration with Apple's card) or 1152K.

    At *minimum*, I would recommend ROM 3 owners install an 
empty Apple IIgs Memory Expansion Card in the memory slot, as 
this will bump you up to 1408K (that's expandable to 2.125 MB 
at almost no cost considering the card and chips are virtually
free these days. Better yet, if you don't mind spending a bit, 
you should just stick in a fully populated 4 MB card).

>>    Again, the ROM 3 falls short of the minimum standard by
>>128K. In any case, I think if you shift-boot and make sure
>>that Tool 35 is on the boot disk, it'll run even from a stock
>>ROM 3.
>
>Again, I have actually tried this.  During the time, without
>a memory card for the ROM 3, I even tried to make a
>System 5.0.4 boot disk with Tool 35.  synthLAB still did
>not work.

    Again, so have I. It launches up and works absolutely fine
on my ROM 3 with no memory card installed (I just verified it
by pulling my card out and shift-booting System 6.0.1). Which
version did you try, 1.0b2, 1.0b3 or 1.1?

    You shouldn't consider a stock ROM 3 board as the standard
amount of RAM for programs, most were written expecting 1280K.
With only 1152K present unexpected things can happen, though 
most of the smart programs would just spit out "$0201" (the
way GS/OS would tell you it's out of memory message).

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca