Determining IBM 5150 Memory Without Opening It Up?

[abigbadzebra]

I'm trying to figure out how much memory my IBM 5150 has installed without cracking the case open and hoping I can tell. I guess the DOS 'mem' command wasn't available until DOS 4.0 and I have DOS 3.3 installed. Am I out of luck or is there a different way?

While researching this I came across one post that said you'd see it during the POST. If that's the case I'm not seeing it. I get a flashing monochrome '_' and it goes straight to processing the autoexec.bat file after that.

Any help would be appreciated.

Kirk

 

[mbbrutman]

The DOS "chkdsk" command reports on available main memory. Boot with no CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT, run CHKDSK, and you can see what the machine thinks it has.

 

[krebizfan]

I believe the command chkdsk would give you the amount of installed and available memory (up to 640k). If you have an EMS card, chkdsk will not see any expanded memory.
I thought all the 5150s did a count of installed memory on boot so you should see it then as well.

 

[DOS lives on!!]

I can boot off the diagnostic disk on my 5160 and see how much memory I have available. Or by runnung CHKDSK like Mbbrutman said. Although, why can't you just open up the case and look?

 

[abigbadzebra]

Well, I didn't want to open it cause I just got the last computer I messed with all put back together and things setup in my office here, but you guys made me feel guilty so I pulled the card out. Only to find the manual a few minutes after that with all the info I needed..

I got 640k on board and an IK KR-513A 384k RAM Card.

Thanks!

 

[modem7]

I got 640k on board and an IK KR-513A 384k RAM Card.

I presume you mean 256K on the motherboard and 384K on the KR-513A, for 640K total.

 

[modem7]

While researching this I came across one post that said you'd see it during the POST.

I thought all the 5150s did a count of installed memory on boot so you should see it then as well.

Yes for 5160s, no for 5150s.

 

[bettablue]

I thought all the 5150s did a count of installed memory on boot so you should see it then as well.

Actually, no. The 5150 doesn't display the memory count, but the 5160 does. The 5150 will only give a blank screen until the boot process is complete, or the system throws an error.