[comp.sys.zenith] Old memory board in a new PC

pcoen@drew.edu (Paul Coen) (06/05/90)

I'm posting this for a co-worker.  Please address replies to 
bcampbel@drew.edu or bcampbel@drunivac.bitnet.  As our incoming
Newsfeed is down due to campus politics, only direct mail replies will 
be seen.  A summary will be posted to the net.  Thanks in advance.

				--paul

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I'm trying to add a Zenith 1 meg memory expansion card to a Zenith 20 Mhz 386
machine.  The model number of the computer is ZBO-3521-ED.  (I don't know 
how useful that is.)

Anyway, the system currently has 1 meg of memory on the mother board.  
640k base memory and 256k ems (or extended.  It's easily configurable through 
the setup program.)  The mother board uses either 1 or 4 meg SIMMs (Single
Inline Memory Modules).  There is currently room for seven more.  

The owner's manual for the system says up to three add on memory cards can 
be used in the 32-bit slots.  It suggest the use of a Zenith ZA-3600-MQ 
card, but elsewhere, hidden in the manual, it seems that some third party 
cards will work.

I've been given a Zenith Z-505 1 meg memory expansion card and am trying 
to use it to add an extra meg to the system.  (In the world of academics, 
we use what we can get.)  Zenith says it can only be used with their 
386/16mhz machine which uses the 505 as base memory and for expansion.  
Zenith isn't always completly right.  The card I have worked in a 386/16 
I borrowed to test it, but I can't get it to do anything in the 386/20 I have.  

From playing with the dip switches and reading both the manual on the card 
and on the system, I've gotten it to sit in the pc without it kicking out 
any error messages, but it's not recognized by the system as far as I can 
tell.  If I set the extra meg as ems memory and try to use emm.sys (a 
zenith device driver for ems memory) the machine locks.  Emm.sys worked 
fine when I take out the extra card and just use the 256k of ems.  

I would greatly appreciate any help or ideas on how I can get it working.  
I'm setting up a small LAN for a BBS and the extra meg would be very 
useful.  Email is preferred over a posting to the discussion, but I'll 
take anything I can get.

  					Bill Campbell
                              System Manager - Drew University Undgerground BBS
                         
			      bcampbel@drew.edu
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