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WTB: DRAM SIMMs, up to 32 MB for 386

JNZ

Experienced Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Messages
167
Location
Utah
I have a 386-33 in of a motherboard with no SIMMs currently. It can support up to 32 MB in 8 slots. Does anyone have some extra memory you're willing to part with? 16-32 MB would be an idea configuration for a 386, I'd think, but the more the better.
 
If you are just gaming 4MB is more then enough. Windows 3.1 runs fine on 8MB.

Is there no advantage to 32 MB? Running something like Netscape Navigator, which looks like it starts at 8 MB.

I have a 486 DX 33 as well, which also needs RAM, and a Pentium 133 board, but I suspect that latter one will take a different type of memory.
 
Netscape on a 386 is buggy as hell, expect nothing but crashes that require reboots. I think you can only have up to 16MB per app on Win3.x. I have a few 386 systems with 32MB of RAM but I run stuff like Desqview/x and OS/2 as well as the more common DOS and Win3.

486 systems use 30 pin or 72 pin depending on the date of manufacturing (72 pin is more common on PCI boards).

Pentiums should be 72 pin or DIMMs if you are on a late era board or SS7.

I just posted a reply because people go out of their way to buy RAM they do not need if they just want to play games.
 
Of my 486 boards, one is 30 pin and the other accepts both 30 and 72 pin. The Pentium board also looks like 72 pin, not a more modern DIMM.

Good to know about what to expect from the 386. The last time I used it I had only done gaming on it, and probably didn't have Win 3.1 on there even.

It sounds like I need 8 MB then, but I could still use that extra RAM in the 486 boards.
 
1mb sticks are the easiest and cheapest to find. Just make sure they are either 3 chip or 9 chip (parity) unlike the 2 chip and 8 chip non parity that work in Macs.
 
1mb sticks are the easiest and cheapest to find. Just make sure they are either 3 chip or 9 chip (parity) unlike the 2 chip and 8 chip non parity that work in Macs.

Parity memory is not required and wouldn't benefit his setup at all. Any module will work, bar the system specific modules like IBM made.
 
Just because you came across them with parity memory installed, doesn't mean they require it. I've had numerous 386 systems which didn't care if parity memory was installed or not, you could even mix parity and non-parity modules.

Parity memory modules were more expensive back in the day and weren't often used outside of servers or high end workstations. There wasn't any benefit to using parity memory other than detecting bit errors (assuming chipset and BIOS support), it could not correct errors like later ECC memory. Often all you got when a parity error has happened is a black screen with white text "PARITY ERROR, SYSTEM HALTED", leaving you to figure out which module went bad.
 
I have plenty of 72 pin SIMMs I'd be willing to part with for your 486 / Pentium machines. I also have plenty of PC66, PC100, and PC133 DIMMs I wouldn't mind selling, if your Pentium machine uses that.

Also, does your Pentium board use COAST modules? I have a 256K module laying around if you need.
 
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