NeXT Computers

Rooster · Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 7 Location: Canada

What kind of RAM should I be looking for to expand to 32meg?
Parity, Non-Parity?
60NS?

Sorry for thre newbie questions but I'd like to load this Dimension card to its peak upgrade.

gtnicol · Joined: 27 Dec 2005 Posts: 531 Location: Rhode Island, USA

4mb 72 pin FPM memory, 80ns or less.

FWIW. I've tried 8mb as well.

Andreas · Joined: 27 Dec 2005 Posts: 355 Location: Germany

brams · Joined: 27 Dec 2005 Posts: 511 Location: Blackburn, England

gtnicol · Joined: 27 Dec 2005 Posts: 531 Location: Rhode Island, USA

My experience has been that it makes some things faster... video display for example.

Rooster · Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 7 Location: Canada

andreas_g · Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 442 Location: Austria

I have a question that possibly fits here. It concerns emulation and therefore i also posted it here.

As i read from this thread it is definitely possible to run a NeXTdimension board with 64 MB of RAM. The emulator (Previous) also supports up to 64 MB. But there seems to be a timing problem using that much memory. The power-on memory test of the NeXTdimension takes too long so that the 68k CPU board does not see a ready NeXTdimension board on start-up.

It is not a big problem, but this causes the ROM Monitor and boot animation to not show up on the NeXTdimension screen, even if configured to do so.

So now my question is: Did someone experience this problem also on a real NeXTdimension board with memory sizes beyond 32 MB?

chrisrot · Joined: 24 Dec 2015 Posts: 17

My dimension has 48 MB and works without obvious problems.

andreas_g · Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 442 Location: Austria

chrisrot · Joined: 24 Dec 2015 Posts: 17

ok, sorry, I think I misunderstood you.
I see the boot console on the B&w screen. I only get a picture on the dimension after its server is started.

andreas_g · Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 442 Location: Austria

Thank you for checking! This is interesting. Do you know how your screens are configured in the multiple screen preferences? Is the login screen icon on the Dimension or on B&W?

chrisrot · Joined: 24 Dec 2015 Posts: 17

The login promt is on the dimension screen, on the b&w the boot log remains.
I think i configured it to use only the dimension screen, but i have to check.
btw it's NS3.3

andreas_g · Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 442 Location: Austria

Very interesting! This matches the behavior on the emulator when using 48 MB of memory (Clarification: In case you set the Dimension to be your main display in the preferences). If I reduce memory on the Dimension to 32 MB or less the boot log is shown on the Dimension screen.

chrisrot · Joined: 24 Dec 2015 Posts: 17

In preference the dimension is set On, the megapixel is set to off.
When I turn both on the boot screen is still on the b&w display but disapears when the login promt is displayed.

andreas_g · Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 442 Location: Austria

Thank you for checking! I think this ultimately confirms that there is a timing bug in the ROM causing that Dimension boards with more than 32 MB RAM are not detected by the ROM.