[ On Thursday, June 10, 1999 at 09:57:42 (+1000), David Burren wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: Old DEC software
>
> When I upgraded my DS700 I talked to a RAM supplier and read out the
> Samsung numbers from some DEC parts I had available, and they identified
> them as a standard 72-pin PC SIMM.  However, now I can't recall _which_
> standard...  Sorry.

Well I know for certain they are "quad-CAS" which isn't quite the normal
design for a PC SIMM, and of course they require 36-bits which is also
(unfortunately) somewhat abnormal, at least in the PC world....
Unfortunately without a data sheet for the proper part it's difficult to
compare with possible replacements.

> The tricky thing with the 90TL is the problem of physical space.  The
> SIMMs from the 700 won't fit in, but only due to the location of the
> socket, the surrounding chips, and the proximity of the case.  I think
> the DS90 SIMMs only have chips on one side, for a start.

Yes, there is a bit of an issue with physical space, but in my tests
I've managed to squeezed in even the most improbable fitting SIMMs!  ;-)

> If you can get someone to open up a 90M and identify its SIMM (I think
> they use the same type) you might be onto a winner.

Oh, I do have a couple of working 4MB SIMMS, but that still leaves more
than half the units without enough RAM to run the software I have.  The
data sheets for those I have are long gone from the mfgr's web sites and
nobody still selling SIMMs knows how to match them with existing parts
they might have.  I tried ordering some from memoryx.com, but the ones
he was able to find didn't work.

Thanks for the offer though, and if one of your units is just sitting on
a shelf (they're really easy to open up!) I'd still appreciate another
part-# cross-reference -- it's possible DEC used different suppliers at
different times....

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098      VE3TCP      <gwoods@acm.org>      <robohack!woods>
Planix, Inc. <woods@planix.com>; Secrets of the Weird <woods@weird.com>