sean@ukecc.UUCP (11/25/86)
I have an honest to goodness IBM portable with a rather paltry 256K in it. I'd like to go to 512K by changing chips but I've heard that it isn't as easy in a portable as it is in a normal PC. Has anybody expanded the RAM in a portable or know someone who has? If it's going to be a real pain, I don't want to try it. Thanks in advance, Keith Hatfull -- ------------------------------------------------- Keith R. Hatfull University of Ky. Engineering Computing Center "I don't care it's all psychobabble rap to me..." -------------------------------------------------
berger@clio.Uiuc.ARPA (12/02/86)
On the contrary, I don't know of any way to do it on a PC motherboard, but the PC portable has a standard XT board. Instructions have been published in a variety of magazines and BBS's to upgrade the XT board. I don't have the details on hand, but the procedure requires adding a jumper to a pair of pads located by the power connector, plugging a chip into an empty slot (from memory (ugh!), 74ls158 in u86?), and changing the memory chips to 256K type. mike berger ihnp4!uiucuxc!clio!berger
stevel@dartvax.UUCP (Steve Ligett) (12/02/86)
In article <840@ukecc.UUCP> sean@ukecc.UUCP (Sean Casey?) writes: > >I have an honest to goodness IBM portable with a rather >paltry 256K in it. I'd like to go to 512K by changing >chips but I've heard that it isn't as easy in a portable >as it is in a normal PC. Has anybody expanded the RAM >in a portable or know someone who has? If it's going >to be a real pain, I don't want to try it. > >Thanks in advance, > >Keith Hatfull The IBM Portable uses the same motherboard as the XT, and can be upgraded to 640K on the motherboard in the same way. (I can find those instructions again if need be.) The most work will be in finding the motherboard inside the portable. -- Steve Ligett stevel@dartmouth.edu or (astrovax cornell decvax harvard ihnp4 linus true)!dartvax!stevel
sandy@uhmanoa.UUCP (Sandy Phipps) (12/05/86)
In article <5384@dartvax.UUCP>, stevel@dartvax.UUCP (Steve Ligett) writes: > In article <840@ukecc.UUCP> sean@ukecc.UUCP (Sean Casey?) writes: > > > >I have an honest to goodness IBM portable with a rather > >paltry 256K in it. I'd like to go to 512K by changing > >chips but I've heard that it isn't as easy in a portable > >as it is in a normal PC. Has anybody expanded the RAM > >in a portable or know someone who has? If it's going > >to be a real pain, I don't want to try it. > > > >Thanks in advance, > > > >Keith Hatfull > > The IBM Portable uses the same motherboard as the XT, and can be upgraded > to 640K on the motherboard in the same way. (I can find those instructions > again if need be.) The most work will be in finding the motherboard inside > the portable. > > -- > Steve Ligett stevel@dartmouth.edu or > (astrovax cornell decvax harvard ihnp4 linus true)!dartvax!stevel That's right and the have been numerous replies suggesting hardware modification by soldering a jumper across various locations on the motherboard. I have a much easier solution. In fact it comes from a company in Texas. A company called INNOVENTIONS, Inc is Houston Texas sells a kit for upgrading the XT motherboard to 640K. This works fine in the Portable also. The kit includes two chips, one to replace a chips already on the board and the other is added to an empty socket. In addition to the kit you still have to buy the memory chips (256K type) to go in the board to replace the one in the board (64K type). These can be found at most computer stores, but INNOVENTIONS also sells them. The companies address is : INNOVENTIONS, INC 1669 S. Voss, Suite #880 Houston, TX 77057 Phone: (713) 728-0939 The upgrade kit is part number: INN-8008 (2 yr. warranty) memory chips are part number: INN-256 (18 needed for 640K) The price of the kit was $59.95 from a local store here in Honolulu, and memory chips $70.00 or so again locally. This sure beats any hacking to the motherboard and works great. I have had the chips in now for almost a year and have no problems at all. Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the above company and do not guarantee their products. I am just a satisfied customer. ---sandy ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before".... And When There...Hide! US Mail: --Sandy Phipps--, Dept. Of Information and Computer Science, University Of Hawaii, 2565 The Mall, Room 319, Honolulu, HI. 96822 Phone : (808) 948-7175 UUCP : seismo!s3sun!sdcsvax-\ >-nosvax!humu!uhmanoa!sandy ihnp4-/ : or sandy@ICS.HAWAII.EDU if your mailer understands domains. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
stevel@dartvax.UUCP (Steve Ligett) (12/08/86)
In article <147@uhmanoa.UUCP> sandy@uhmanoa.UUCP (Sandy Phipps) writes: >In article <5384@dartvax.UUCP>, stevel@dartvax.UUCP (Steve Ligett) writes: >> In article <840@ukecc.UUCP> sean@ukecc.UUCP (Sean Casey?) writes: >> > >> >I have an honest to goodness IBM portable with a rather >> >paltry 256K in it. I'd like to go to 512K by changing >> The IBM Portable uses the same motherboard as the XT, > >That's right and the have been numerous replies suggesting hardware >modification by soldering a jumper across various locations on the >motherboard. I have a much easier solution. In fact it comes from >a company in Texas. > A company called INNOVENTIONS, Inc is Houston Texas sells a >kit for upgrading the XT motherboard to 640K. This works fine in >the Portable also. The kit includes two chips, one to replace a >chips already on the board and the other is added to an empty socket. (deleted stuff about the expensive products available) Well, that sounds like an easy solution, though an expensive one. Perhaps it's the documentation that costs so much. The prom and multiplexer chips don't cost near $60, and the rams shouldn't cost $70 either. Disclaimer - I do stuff like this to make money, but I don't think that 1000% markup on a prom (or just 100% on rams) is good for the business. -- Steve Ligett stevel@dartmouth.edu or (astrovax cornell decvax harvard ihnp4 linus true)!dartvax!stevel