On 9 Aug 2000, Matthias Scheler wrote:

> 	Hello,
> 
> from a quick look a DEC 3000 uses normal PS/2 SIMMs with parity. Does
> anybody know the exact requirements? I would like to put more than
> 64MB in a DEC 3000 but prices for "original" DEC 3000 memory modules
> are still ridiculously high.

From what I understand, anything larger than 8MB will give you a problem
if it's not the DEC memory (or equiv).  The difference is a small one -
some of the lines on the SIMM are a bit nonstandard (I believe they're
tied to ground with a resistor or such...), and that prevents "normal" 36
bit SIMMs greater than 8MB being detected as such.  They still function,
IIRC, but are only detected as 8MB.

Nick <nmanisca@vt.edu> had experienced this a while ago when he threw some
16 or 32MB SIMMs into his 3000/300x; he manged to dig up some info on
it.  Another explanation (found at random) is at:

http://www.bucks.edu/alpha-osf-managers/Jul1998-59.html

Of course, if you're handy with soldering very tiny items, this becomes a
neat challange.  If you're fat fingered like me, then you'll probably have
to get lucky finding cheap memory, or sulk at your box every time you see
it boot with 64MB ;-)  Of course, if anybody else has some nifty
solutions, they'd certainly make a few of us 3000/xxx users smile by
sharing it; I currently don't know of any other options.

Hope this helps,

-Jon
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