Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!codas!karthur
From: karthur@codas.att.com (Kurt_R_Arthur)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: memory expansion
Message-ID: <1437@codas.att.com>
Date: 17 Dec 87 14:33:47 GMT
References: <96@psc90.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T, Altamonte Springs, FL
Lines: 41

In article <96@psc90.UUCP> tos@psc90.UUCP (Dr. Thomas Schlesinger) writes:
> 
>    ...bunch of questions about the IBM PS/2 model 30.
>

The first thing to remember is the IBM PS/2 model 30 has the exact same bus as
the older PC, which means any board for the PC will work in the model 30 (with
the possible exeption of older (or cheaper) boards unable to keep up with the 
PS/2's faster timing and (slightly) modified BIOS). Electrically and physically,
though, the busses are the same.

For memory expansion, you're in luck, the market has become more focused now theEMS version 4.0 has been released.  This permits both data and code to be in
memory about 640K, which will permit an environment like DesqView to work well.
The things to look for in this area are:  Hardware support for memory paging,
fast chip speed, maximum memory per board, and software bundled (spooler and
RAM disk are pretty much always included, but sometime diagnostics aren't).  
Another thing to look for (which won't be important in this case, but maybe in
others) is the ability to set the memory as any combination of backfill (under
640K), extended (above 640 but not paged in), or expanded (above 640, paged in).
With the rumors of DOS 3.4 supporting EMS natively, I recommend staying with a 
name brand to assure your hardware is recognized.

Desqview will assist your TSR troubles because although they will still crash
when loaded together, DesqView will load them in separate tasks (keeping them
apart logically).  If you do go with a multitasking enviroment, buy a fast hard
disk (if you don't have one already), because most swap to the disk (and at a 
minimum require lots of storage for themselves).

Accelerator boards are available, and many of these come with their own (much
faster) memory, which might make at least part of the memory board problem go
away.  My (personal) opinion is that accelerators are NOT the way to go, due 
to many problems that can arise due to these "brain transplants" (plus there's
no way to guarantee they'd run OS/2, if that's your direction).

Good luck!

Kurt Arthur
Software Services of Florida, Inc.
-- 
						Kurt Arthur
						karthur@codas.att.com