Re: Counting Memory on II+ / IIe

[Mike Guidero <mike@bogus.net>]

Intelligoth wrote:

> Are there any utilities that allow you to display the installed amount of
> RAM on an Apple II+ or IIe? I'm wanting something similar to a PC BIOS
> Startup screen that counts and checks the RAM on boot-up. I know that I
> will have to incorporate it into the HELLO file for RAM to be displayed on
> boot.
> 
> Reason I ask is that I have a couple of Memory cards for my Apples but
> don't know how much physical RAM is installed on them.

The problem is, different cards have different techniques of accessing 
memory, and different addresses used to access it.

For instance, some cards allow access to only one byte of memory at a time, 
and generally install in slots 1-7 (RAMFactor, etc).  Some cards for the 
II+ are like enhanced language cards (the Saturn ones, for instance), and 
have multiple 16K banks that can be switched in.  Still, for the IIe, 
memory cards that go into the auxiliary slot behave like extended 80-column 
cards with additional banks.

I am not aware of a utility that counts all of these.  Probably one exists.  
Locksmith 5.0 quick copy could find IIe aux-slot cards and II+ slot-zero 
Saturn-type cards, not sure if it detected the RamFactor type cards.

> Also, I have Z80 cards for both my Apples, but what are these used for?  I
> never had Z80 expansions installed back in the 80's when I cut my teeth on
> these systems, but I've managed to find a box of spare cards from a local
> liquidator and included were 2 Z80s.

Those are used for running CP/M (google it), and are fun to play with.

Mike