kaires@hubcap.UUCP (Robert G Kaires) (06/11/88)
I am interested in "expanding" my AT clone with more memory. I would like to run print spoolers, tsr programs, programs which use ems (such as SIDEKICK PLUS (tm) ). In addition, I would like to run bigger matrices in my fortran programs (640K doesn't last long). The question: should I buy a "generic" ems 4.0 board with 0K and populate it myself or should I buy something like a RAMPAGE 286 (tm) (from AST)? A generic board cost about $100 and the RAMPAGE cost about $339 (from PC Connection). Any comments, suggestions, experiences are welcome. Observations: a RAMPAGE with 512K for about $339 cost about the same as a generic board with 0K plus ~ $200 for 512K! The RAMPAGE however comes with DESKVIEW (tm) (or at least it used to) making it the better bargain! I don't know, however, if the AST RAMPAGE truely supports ems 4.0 or if eems (which RAMPAGE **does** support) is adequate, or what the difference really is. Please only respond is you know what you are talking about. I've seen a lot of controversy about this subject in the past. Bob Kaires
chasm@killer.UUCP (Charles Marslett) (06/12/88)
In response to an earlier article -- AST has posted an EMS 4.0 driver on one of the Compuserve boards. In fact I believe they recently posted a corrected one: I downloaded it and tested it against three different 4.0 diagnostics (one from "who knows where", one that came with either the Windows 2.0 driver toolkit or the Deskview package, and one written by one of my coworkers) and it came up clean with one minor error reported -- sorry I can't remember what it was, but I decided it was not a significant error, anyway. In summary, they have a 4.0 driver, it works as well as anyone else's, and the board it reasonably priced and quite available. Sorry to say that since they are one of our major competitors in that line of business! Charles Marslett VGA/EGA BIOS Expert STB Systems, Inc. chasm@killer.UUCP ============================================================================ This is obviously not the STB (sales) line -- we make a real good EMS 4.0 board too, but it isn't in the channels yet . . . ============================================================================
malloy@nprdc.arpa (Sean Malloy) (06/13/88)
In article <1890@hubcap.UUCP> kaires@hubcap.UUCP (Robert G Kaires) writes: >Observations: a RAMPAGE with 512K for about $339 cost about the same >as a generic board with 0K plus ~ $200 for 512K! The RAMPAGE however >comes with DESKVIEW (tm) (or at least it used to) making it the better >bargain! I don't know, however, if the AST RAMPAGE truely supports ems >4.0 or if eems (which RAMPAGE **does** support) is adequate, or what the >difference really is. > Recently, I got a copy of a new REMM.SYS driver for the RAMpage off of the AST BBS, which does support the LIM 4.0 specs. I don't know if this driver would be included with mail-order RAMpage boards, except for direct AST orders, and I don't have the number for the AST BBS available right now, but you should be able to call AST and get the BBS number, or I can e-mail you a copy of the new REMM.SYS file. Sean R. Malloy Navy Personnel Research & Development Center San Diego, CA 92152-6800 malloy@nprdc.arpa
adonis@tahoe.unr.edu (Derrick Hamner) (06/15/88)
LIM 4.0 came from EEMS (by AST). I believe that EEMS is still a
superset of LIM 4.0 (i.e. It has some functions that LIM 4.0 does not.),
but I am not sure on that point. I do know that if you have something that
will work on a LIM 4.0 board, it will work on the AST board too. I have
an AST Premium/286, so all of my memory is basically on a RAMPAGE board. I
have used this memory (set for expanded) with many applications (not
Sidekick +) with absolutely no problems. I mostly use it with Desqview (if
you don't have it, buy it). I would say that the Rampage board is a much
better deal. Even if you don't get Desqview, you still get a very high
quality board, as opposed to one whose quality is questionable. Of course,
I may be biased since I own an AST computer, but doesn't that say something
for the company in itself?
Derrick
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There are more important things to be | Derrick Hamner
than responsible. | {backbone}!tahoe.unr.edu!adonisreza0@ihlpl.ATT.COM (H. Reza Zarafshar) (06/22/88)
In article <1366@tahoe.unr.edu>, adonis@tahoe.unr.edu (Derrick Hamner) writes: > > will work on a LIM 4.0 board, it will work on the AST board too. I have > an AST Premium/286, so all of my memory is basically on a RAMPAGE board. I The AST Prem./286 does not use a RAMPAGE board. IF you are referring to the memory board that is standard on these machines, it is a Fastram board. Their FASTRAM board does EEMS, but it only works on the AST/286, since it has a totally different design not only electronically but also physically. Reza Zarafshar, ATT-BL ihnp4!ihlpl!reza0