AST Six Pack Plus - is there a way to put the ram at 640K ?

[alank2]

Hi,

My system already has 640K on the motherboard. Can the 384K on this board be put at 640K-1MB ? If not, can the memory be disabled?

Thanks,

Alan

 

[Robin4]

As i known 384K on the AST is used to backfill an Ibm 256K motherboard up to 640K

You can use the 384K on the AST if you change the jumper setting on the motherboard to 256k so i does not use the 384k on the motherboard, but then it will use the 384k on the AST as backfill memory.

If you dont want to use the 384K on the AST and there is no switch to do so, then you need to remove all of the DIP memory chips from the AST.

As i know the 384K memory only have use till 640K.. Over the 640K you need a EMS memory board.

 

[modem7]

My system already has 640K on the motherboard. Can the 384K on this board be put at 640K-1MB ?

User manuals for the various versions of the SixPakPlus are at [here].
What does the user manual for your version indicate ?

If not, can the memory be disabled?

If you dont want to use the 384K on the AST and there is no switch to do so, then you need to remove all of the DIP memory chips from the AST.

That will only work if the RAM chips on the SixPakPlus are directly 'driving' the motherboard's data bus.

 

[alank2]

That will only work if the RAM chips on the SixPakPlus are directly 'driving' the motherboard's data bus.

There is an option in the manual to set the banks installed to NONE. Does anyone know if this alone would disconnect the memory from the bus, or do the chips have to be physically pulled?

 

[clh333]

Referring to the SixPack Plus manual, section 2.1.1, it states: "The SixPackPlus card must be properly configured to indicate the amount of memory installed below it, or in other words, what its starting address should be. ..." Switches 1, 2 and 3 address this configuration; the highest starting address is 512K (1, 2 and 3 all = ON). The manual further states "Notice that the SixPackPlus automatically begins limiting the amount of usable memory on the card when its starting address is configured at 320k or higher. The sixPackPlus can be addressed only within the first 640k of the PC, and its starting address can be no higher than 512k."

From this one might conclude that no, you can not use the memory on board the SPP for anything other than conventional memory, and only that portion of conventional memory that your PC has not already populated.

In other words: No free lunch.

-CH-

 

[Stone]

I have a 256K board that can be set to start at 640K and comes with software to enable up to 896K DOS memory.

http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?56857-256K-RAM-Expansion-card

 

[krebizfan]

AST's version of the Six Pack designed to support EMS was called the Six Pack Premium.

Disabling the memory on a Six Pack Plus can be done by setting the jumper to indicate zero memory installed. Removing chips is not necessary. Though if doing that, swap the card with a RAM less I/O plus clock card and send the card on to someone with a RAM limited system.