• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

Quadram memory expansion question

M

mk553

Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2009
Messages
44
Location
Dallas, TX, USA
Fellow vintage enthusiasts,

While working on some upgrades for my IBM XT 5160, I bought a Quadram memory expansion card off of eBay for a couple of bucks. No docs or software was provided, so I'm a little in the dark.

It's supposed to be a 768k board (not sure if that really means 768k+640k=1.4mb, or really just 128k additional over the system 640k for a total of 768k).

Anyway, I placed it in an available expansion slot, but am not sure what to expect, as I've never seen one of these. Is it supposed to recognize the 'ems' during the memory check, or is it just something that requires something like an emm386 driver?

Continuing that line of thinking, I found a file containing quadram-specific software/drivers called QUADRAM.ZIP on some website (listed from vintage-computers), but it doesn't specify what to do with the software. Plus, mine is simply memory expansion -- no RTC or anything like that. Not sure if it's a I, II, or a III, so I'm stumbling through this.

Any ideas on how to proceed?

Thanks for any advice!

Mike
 
More details about the card would help, but my guess is that it's a 512K board intended to add to the 256K on a standard PC motherboard.

But Quadram made a ton of different models with different RAM capacity, ports, clocks and more.
 
I think identification of the board is the first step. A photo will be good.

On your board, does it have "QUADRAM CORP" in lower-left corner on component side, and chips U33 to U41 along the bottom of the card?
 
Thanks again for the replies.

Modem7: yep, that's exactly right. I'll attach a photo for good measure, but it's got the Quadram Corp name on the lower left, with chips designated U33 thru U41 along the bottom.

Didn't think their setup would be unique. Any idea has to how to get it going?

Thanks!

Mike
 

Attachments

  • 100_1878.jpg
    100_1878.jpg
    92.1 KB · Views: 4
Consult with you XT tech ref. You need to set the sw1 and sw2 on the XT mo brd. for the matching RAM...THEN there must be a Quadram manual on line that will then explain the OS stuff that'll be needed to use the RAM (himem.sys and so on). In short there are two parts to the puzzle.
bd
 
Thanks Bill, but the sw1 and sw2 on the XT mobo is for POST and 8087 support. HIMEM.sys, etc., doesn't work on an 8088, otherwise that'd make it too easy... :)

I'm searching around for manuals in the meantime...

billdeg said:
Consult with you XT tech ref. You need to set the sw1 and sw2 on the XT mo brd. for the matching RAM...THEN there must be a Quadram manual on line that will then explain the OS stuff that'll be needed to use the RAM (himem.sys and so on). In short there are two parts to the puzzle.
bd
Click to expand...
 
mk553 said:
Thanks again for the replies.

Modem7: yep, that's exactly right. I'll attach a photo for good measure, but it's got the Quadram Corp name on the lower left, with chips designated U33 thru U41 along the bottom.

Didn't think their setup would be unique. Any idea has to how to get it going?

Thanks!

Mike
Click to expand...


I have the same card, and found no documentation for it.

So being an adventurous fool, I filled all the sockets with 256 meg chips 100ns chips.

Fooled with the dip switches until my computer reported 640k, it's an XT with 256 on the motherboard.

I'm told this card will give you 768k?

Since I have no docs for it, I have no idea how to access the extra memory.

One thing this card does have going for it over AST 6PAK.

With a Orchid 286 Tiny Turbo installed, there is no errors when it's switched on, the AST 6PAK refuses to work in turbo mode, the Qudram card works no problem..
 
Last edited:
mk553 said:
Thanks Bill, but the sw1 and sw2 on the XT mobo is for POST and 8087 support. HIMEM.sys, etc., doesn't work on an 8088, otherwise that'd make it too easy... :)

I'm searching around for manuals in the meantime...
Click to expand...

OK OK...ignore the "himem" comment I should not have referred to this, but you're incorrect about the SW1 and SW2 switches. You use these to set how many drives there are, monitor type and specify the total RAM on the system (motherboard plus RAM cards).

Bill
 
mk553 said:
Thanks again for the replies.

Modem7: yep, that's exactly right. I'll attach a photo for good measure, but it's got the Quadram Corp name on the lower left, with chips designated U33 thru U41 along the bottom.

Didn't think their setup would be unique. Any idea has to how to get it going?

Thanks!

Mike
Click to expand...

It looks like all of the RAM has been removed from the card.
 
I went looking through all of my RAM cards, including that one. You do need RAM to be populated, but you can poss. have banks unpopulated if you do it in the correct order (you'd need the manual for that info). Most of the time you would want the card completely populated. Also, the motherboard needs to know how much total RAM (system plus add-on) to expect.
 
billdeg said:
I went looking through all of my RAM cards, including that one. You do need RAM to be populated, but you can poss. have banks unpopulated if you do it in the correct order (you'd need the manual for that info). Most of the time you would want the card completely populated. Also, the motherboard needs to know how much total RAM (system plus add-on) to expect.
Click to expand...

Do you have any docs or software for this card?
 
I found the Quadboard Operation manual. It comes with a disk called QuadMaster, which I have not found yet.
 
Last edited:
My Board

My Board

My version of the board:

quadram.jpg


The 64 bit chips were replaced with with the same
as the other chips, 256-10. The board is in an
IBM XT, the computer reports full memory to 640,
the XT also has a Orchid Tiny Turbo which works
with the memory card, other memory cards I've
tried would not work with the turbro card switched on.
 
billdeg said:
I found the Quadboard Operation manual. It comes with a disk called QuadMaster, which I have not found yet.
Click to expand...
The Quadram Quadboard is a different board - full length with RAM/RTC/parallel/serial.
This board just has RAM.
My version of this board has "SHORT RAM" on the sticker and so the board is possibly known as the 'Quadram Short RAM'.
 
Does the 'RTC' do what it sounds like -- does it actually remember the date and time so I don't have to supply it each time I turn it on?

Now that might be worth getting next time! :)
 
Yes, but it's not an AT-compatible clock chip, so you need the Quadram drivers. The board also has serial and parallel I/O (hence the "quad" bit). I've got one and don't need it--PM me if you'd like it.

(it's only 256K, however).
 
Quadram SHORT RAM

Quadram SHORT RAM

I spent a few hours today on my Quadram SHORT RAM board.

I inserted 256K chips in the row of sockets closest to the edge connector, and 64K chips in the other two rows.
That matches a SHORT RAM board shown for sale on eBay presently.

I tried the switch settings that gerrydoire discovered worked for him, on/on/on/off/on/off/on/on.
I found the same - board provided 384K of RAM starting at address 256K.

I then did quite a lot of experimentation, changing switch settings and switching banks around. The only determination I came up with was that switches 6/7/8 control the starting address in the same way that a similar card, the KR-513A does, per:

Start 6/7/8
-----------------
64K: on/on/off
128: on/off/on
192: on/off/off
256: off/on/on
320: off/on/off
384: off/off/on
448: off/off/off
512: off/on/on

I don't plan to spend any more time on this board.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top