AST Rampage 286 on an IBM XT

[pianoman72]

Hello everyone!

I have a question about the compatibility of using the AST Rampage 286 expanded memory card on an 8-bit slot, in an IBM XT which I have. Can it be done safely and successfully?

I have read that if using its expanded memory driver REMM.SYS, you can include the /M=00 parameter to indicate an 8-bit functionality.

I would appreciate any feedback.
Thank you!

 

[per]

Hello everyone!

I have a question about the compatibility of using the AST Rampage 286 expanded memory card on an 8-bit slot, in an IBM XT which I have. Can it be done safely and successfully?

I have read that if using its expanded memory driver REMM.SYS, you can include the /M=00 parameter to indicate an 8-bit functionality.

I would appreciate any feedback.
Thank you!

If the interface is 8-bit and the driver works with an 8088, it's most likely to work. The only issue I can see for certain cards may be timing of the CLK line, but that shouldn't be a problem whit the kind of card you got.

The only way to find out in your cause is to actually try it out.

 

[pianoman72]

The interface is 16 bit, which suggests the card is meant for a 286 PC and above, but I will try it in my XT and see how it goes. I just hope it won't damage either the motherboard or the card, but I will be careful.

Thanks for the response.

 

[Fallo]

The interface is 16 bit, which suggests the card is meant for a 286 PC and above, but I will try it in my XT and see how it goes. I just hope it won't damage either the motherboard or the card, but I will be careful.

Putting a 16-bit card in an 8-bit slot can't possibly damage the computer, since the extended part of the card isn't connected to anything. The most that could happen is that it locks up.

The Rampage 286 is an extended memory card, but some of that can be set to expanded memory (it has hardware EMS support). The card uses REMM.SYS to manage the EMS, and it also has dip switches that are used to set how much of the memory is XMS and how much is EMS. The XMS as usual is managed with HIMEM.SYS.

There was another driver called REX.SYS, which "converts" the EMS back to XMS, but it was really only there for RAM disks that required XMS. The fake extended memory created by REX.SYS is not compatible with HIMEM or other XMS drivers.

Since you're using an XT and can't have any extended memory, you would set the switches on the card so that all the memory is EMS. However, as the Rampage was intended for a 286, it may not work anyway, and REMM.SYS might contain 286 instructions. You won't know until you try it.

 

[pianoman72]

Will do, and thank you Fallo for such a wonderful and detailed response.
I will swap the card to my IBM XT tomorrow, and will post the results.