RAM Upgrade
The 486XL User's Guide, the small setup and upgrade book that came with
the computer spells out more about user upgradeable options than PB currently encourages.
After going over the setup and use chapters, I would read over and over the
chapters on enhancing my computer. Chatter in NVN's (NVN? Stood for National
Video Text, my early online service/Internet provider, no longer around) Windows forums
was that more RAM will improve Windows' performance. 8MB was the rule. Sounds simple,
the Users Guide showed both a table of allowable RAM combinations, adding Bank 0's
on board 4MB to the bank 1 & 2 slot. Book called bank 1 & 2 one bank, filled with one SIMM.
I waited until I worked some overtime, saved up $75 and went back to my city's
best priced computer store, Costco.
Picked up both a 4MB SIMM and a case of TP. What a store.
By now I need wing nuts on the PB case. Off with the cover, and look down
in that spot where the the User's Guide shows the SIMM socket. Uhh, gee, there are
two, count 'em two identical SIMM sockets where the book shows only one. I stop and
re-read the book (so cautious in my early days!). Shrug once and pick any socket. Snap the
SIMM in, hit the power switch and watch in delight as the memory check runs past the
usual 38something kb and warns me of an obvious difference in installed memory. Go
to BIOS setup, notice that the RAM figure increased all by itself. Save and Exit setup,
and enjoy a better performance in Windows, and now can play some games
that would not run with 4MB.
RAM Upgrade II
As with most of my upgrades, Windows95 brought on a second
wave of need for more power, more this, more that. Rowdy activity from my
hard drive was not nice to hear. Advice on the 'net said more RAM. Man! this stuff's
expensive! Remembering my User's Guide, if I wanted the minimal 16MB, I'd
need to buy a 16MB SIMM, and remove the 4MB one. 16MB was over
$500 then. I then had a brainstorm to ask the tech support on Compuserve just
what that 2nd undocumented socket was for. Well guess what, it could be
added to, and even in different amounts. Yippee, 4 on the board, 4 in the
first socket, and an 8MB SIMM in the second socket adds up to the blessed
16MB. Only $175 then for a 8MB SIMM, this time from a coworker's
recommended vendor-Spectrum Upgrades. One fast open the box and plug it in
operation, and WHAM! Guess what, the hard disk quits thrashing.
Never mind what the book says, here is the allowable combinations on the
PB430.
SMT is RAM that is permanently soldered to the motherboard.
SIMM 2 is the socket closest to the front of the board.
SIMM 1 is the socket behind SIMM 2.
| SMT | SIMM1 | SIMM2 | Total | Base | Ext. |
| 4MB | None | None | 4MB | 640 | 3200 |
| 4MB | 4MB | None | 8MB | 640 | 7296 |
| 4MB | None | 4MB | 8MB | 640 | 7296 |
| 4MB | 4MB | 4MB | 12MB | 640 | 11392 |
| 4MB | 8MB | None | 12MB | 640 | 11392 |
| 4MB | 8MB | 4MB | 16MB | 640 | 16488 |
| 4MB | 16MB | None | 20MB | 640 | 19584 |
| 4MB | None | 16MB | 20MB | 640 | 19584 |
| 4MB | 16MB | 4MB | 24MB | 640 | 23680 |
| 4MB | 4MB | 16MB | 24MB | 640 | 23680 |
| 4MB | 8MB | 16MB | 28MB | 640 | 27776 |
| 4MB | 16MB | 16MB | 36MB | 640 | 35968 |
| 4MB | 32MB | None | 36MB | 640 | 35968 |
| 4MB | 32MB | 4MB | 40MB | 640 | 40064 |
| 4MB | 32MB | 16MB | 52MB | 640 | 52352 |
| *4MB | 32MB | 32MB | 64MB | 640 | 64640 |
*NOTE: When two 32 MB SIMMS are installed, the SMT memory needs to be disabled.
This is done by jumping J41 (On Board Memory Disable).
Packard-Bell is a trademark of Packard Bell/NEC. This author and the service provider are not affiliated with Packard-Bell/NEC in any way