On 22 Apr 99, at 13:07, Dreamer's Den wrote:

> I'm new at this so forgive me my ignorance. I have an old 286
> computer that I want to set up for the kids so they are able to
> type their homework. I would like to have win 3.1 and Write
> available for them to use. (Sometimes Dad's work takes priority.)
>
> I have been told by a local (loco?) teen that the base memory for
> this unit is inadequate for the task and not to bother installing
> win. Can anyone verify this for me? What are minimum memory reqts
> for win 3.1?

  Windows 3.0 ran in two basic modes:  "real mode" (640K base memory) and
"16-bit protected mode" (extended memory, possibly 2MB minimum but 4MB
preferred).  Along the transition from 3.0 -> 3.1 -> 3.11, "386" (32-bit
protected mode) got added, and real mode got dropped.  I'm a little fuzzy
on the timeing, but it *was* a decade ago, after all.
  It was also somewhere in this era that support for pre-VGA video adaptors
got left behind.  This system probably can't take better than an EGA.

> 286 modular bios ver 3.03 c Award Software
> 640k base memory
> motherboard number PCC77AT05E Taiwan
> 40 meg harddrive

  I believe DOS and a shareware editor called PC-Write (I have no idea whether
this is still available) will fit more comfortably on this machine than any
version of Windows 3.x, and be more than adequate for homework.

  [I've still got a couple of 40MB drives around from that era, but I routinely
deal with daily log files that are that size....  I guess that's progress.]


> Also I have what I believe to be a memory card that would fit in
> the unit. The card is two layers and contains 54 ic's (set in
> sockets) with the following identification ...
>
> MSK4164ANP
> 85A17G-15
>
> It also has a bank(?) of 8 dip(?) switches. 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8 are
> on. 3, 5, and 6 are off. Sorry but the card has no other
> identification visible.

  There are several things this could be....

> When I install the card I get the following error...
> memory parity error at 4000:FFFC found FF40 expected FFAA

  ... but it looks like a 384KB expansion card (54 = 6x9, 6 banks of 64KB with
parity), beginning at 256KB (40000H, or 4000:0000).  Designed to bring an XT or
AT (does it have one tab to fit in the slot, or two?) up from 256KB to the 640KB
maximum conventional RAM allowed by the BIOS.  The error you report is because
the machine already has 640KB of RAM installed, so the board overlaps with it.

  There were other sorts of memory expansion boards in those days that would
work with this system.


David G

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