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AST Sixpak 286 config problems

RWallmow

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Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
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Location
Anoka, MN USA
I have an AST SIXPAK 286 I am not able to get it to recognize more than 2mb ram, even when populated to 4mb, and config jumpers set for 4mb (same jumper positions for 2 or 4mb per link above). Anyone have any ideas, does it need software to config ram maybe?
 
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This is what little documentation I have found so far. It agrees with your memory jumper settings for the 4MB and references some jumpers not mentioned in the link you posted that will identify how many of these cards are in your system. It also talks about a configuration utility you can run for auto configuration and a jumper to clear the auto configuration if you (presumedly) change the memory on the card. Maybe someone has the configuration utility readily available? From what I understand the card does not require the configuration utility.

Anyways, just to get the ball rolling here is what I got.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

SixPak 286 AST Part Number 202344-001

The AST SixPak 286 board offers flexible and powerful memory enhancement for
the AST Bravo/286, AST Premium/286, AST Premium Workstation, IBM PC/AT and
compatible computers. It offers complete software compatibility with Expanded
Memory Specification (EMS) 4.0 software.

The SixPak 286 SmartSwitch configuration software eliminates the need to set
board switches. The software can make the optimal settings for your computer
automatically, or you can select your configuration from easy to use menus.
The SixPak 286 board retains your selected configuration even when your
computer is turned off.

You can upgrade your SixPak 286 board's memory to a maximum of four megabytes
(MB) with single inline memory modules (SIMMs) that snap in and out of your
board socket's. Optional I/O Pak 286 (AST P/N 500560-002) piggyback boards
add one serial port and one parallel port to your SixPak 286 board.


JUMPER SETTINGS

To set the board Identification jumper (E9 through E12): If this is the first
SixPak 286 board in your computer, place the jumper on E9. For the second
board use E10, the third board, E11 and the fourth board, E12. In addition, to
use automatic mode after adding or removing memory, you must set the default
configuration jumper (E8 ) to the alternate position. This clears the old
configuration. For example, if the jumper is on pins 2 and 3, move it to pins
1 and 2. Also,the jumper on (E7) should remain installed to enable parity
error reporting. Jumpers (E1 thru E5) tell the SixPak 286 the amount of memory
on the board, for 512K and 1MB the jumpers should be in the 1-2 position, for
2MB and 4MB the jumpers should be in the 2-3 position.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is also a text schematic of the jumpers that I can't get to show correctly, you can look at it here
http://home.earthlink.net/~russellbaker/6PACK286.txt
 
Are you sure that all the SIMMs work in the first position so no PS/2 SIMM or failed SIMM slipped through? Could go mad chasing the wrong problem.
 
@RJBJR I have card jumpered for CARD1, I have also tried the "clear config" jumper, it fails to recognize ANY extra RAM when I switch positions of that jumper. About all I can figure is that some software is needed to config it, unfortunately I don't have that software, and have been unable to find it.

@krebizfan I am not 100% sure all simms are good, but I have tried 3 different sets of 4x 1mb simms, so I would call it like 95% sure, pretty unlikely all 3 sets would be bad at the exact same addresses, PC ALWAYS counts to 2560kb total no matter which set of simms I have installed.
 
@RJBJR I have card jumpered for CARD1, I have also tried the "clear config" jumper, it fails to recognize ANY extra RAM when I switch positions of that jumper. About all I can figure is that some software is needed to config it, unfortunately I don't have that software, and have been unable to find it.

@krebizfan I am not 100% sure all simms are good, but I have tried 3 different sets of 4x 1mb simms, so I would call it like 95% sure, pretty unlikely all 3 sets would be bad at the exact same addresses, PC ALWAYS counts to 2560kb total no matter which set of simms I have installed.

I just re-read that info I posted. It looks like the software for the card is needed as it mentions either using the menu or letting it do auto configuration.
 
I just re-read that info I posted. It looks like the software for the card is needed as it mentions either using the menu or letting it do auto configuration.

I kind of figured as much, I have been searching trying to find the software, I have found some AST SixPak and Rampage software's but nothing specific to the "SixPak 286", and none recognize/configure this card, any help there would be greatly appreciated,if someone has the software laying around for this it would be awesome to get a copy and also make it available here for future reference for someone else.
 
Maybe the Rampage Plus 286 software will work? It has the menu and config utility, maybe it does multiple cards......
http://members.dodo.com.au/~slappanel555/misc/FASTDISK.zip

That is from member modem7 in a previous post
http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?10638-AST-Rampage-286-Plus-setup-disk



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º °²± AST RESEARCH INC. °²± º
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º º
º The following files pertain to AST's "paged" memory products: º
ÇÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄĶ
º º
º INSTALL.COM A menu driven program which allows you to º
º install SuperPak and enhanced memory software º
º drivers in your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT º
º files. º
º º
º SMART.COM A utility program which configures the º
º RampagePlus 286 board via a menu driven º
º screen. This utility provides for automatic º
º or manual modes of intervention. º
º º
º º
º º
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Yeah, I have tried that, Fastdisk and SuperPak software do not configure it, fastdisk at least sees it and would let me use the 2mb it sees as a ramdisk, but it wont config the card.
 
SMART wont configure this card, see below...
IMG_20110709_123439.jpg

This card must need some software specific to it, or maybe it needs a newer version of smart, but I haven't had much luck finding anything.
 
I have still had no luck finding the right utility to configure this SIXPAK 286, anyone out there have any other versions of ASTs software, maybe a version newer than 1.02 would detect this card?
 
Hate to bump my own thread, but I have still not been able to find any utilities for this card, does anyone have one have a newer version than 1.02 of the smart switch software that might work for this, or the proper config utility for this card possibly lying around on disk? It would be nice to see the full 4mb instead of just 2mb.
 
Hate to bump my own thread, but I have still not been able to find any utilities for this card, does anyone have one have a newer version than 1.02 of the smart switch software that might work for this, or the proper config utility for this card possibly lying around on disk? It would be nice to see the full 4mb instead of just 2mb.

No luck here. Someone on the forum has to have one of these installed considering the popularity of the AST memory products.
 
Hate to bump my own thread, but I have still not been able to find any utilities for this card, does anyone have one have a newer version than 1.02 of the smart switch software that might work for this, or the proper config utility for this card possibly lying around on disk? It would be nice to see the full 4mb instead of just 2mb.

I believe this is the config utility. The utilities are in the zip within the zip.
 
I believe this is the config utility. The utilities are in the zip within the zip.

Got busy, didn't have a chance to test this till now, but I am glad to say it is now seeing the full 4mb that is installed on the card!!

Thanks Russ!!

-Ryan
 
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