04-06-2023, 12:01 PM
Greetings,
I am vintage PC Enthusiast and am working on a HP Vectra VL800.
This elderly machine is a sports a 80486 (socket 423) and uses RAMBUS memory (sometimes known as RDRAM)
To me, the best analogy to describe RAMBUS is to think of Betamax of video tape players.
RAMBUS, like Betamax has the superior technology, but for various reasons was not successful in the commercial world.
The issue I am struggling with is the the Vectra VL800 has 4 memory slots, two banks or a pair a RAMBUS memory sticks.
The Intel 850 chipset supports a total 2 gigabytes of RAM, which would be 4 pieces of 512meg ram modules.
However the HP BIOS will only recognize 256meg sticks, for a total of 1gig.
I have tried 2 pieces of the proper 512meg sticks with two terminators and the machine does count up to 1gig.
I will boot and seem to run okay.
The power light is also a diagnostic light and blinks reds all the time there 512meg sticks in the box.
My desire is to tweak the BIOS to accept 512meg sticks of ram.
I have never alter a BIOS before.
I am writing to ask for some help!
I do not even know where to start.
Could someone point me the right direction? Show me a Beginners HOW TO Guide?
Your patience is much appreciated.
Bryan Smith
Fort Wayne, Indiana
I am vintage PC Enthusiast and am working on a HP Vectra VL800.
This elderly machine is a sports a 80486 (socket 423) and uses RAMBUS memory (sometimes known as RDRAM)
To me, the best analogy to describe RAMBUS is to think of Betamax of video tape players.
RAMBUS, like Betamax has the superior technology, but for various reasons was not successful in the commercial world.
The issue I am struggling with is the the Vectra VL800 has 4 memory slots, two banks or a pair a RAMBUS memory sticks.
The Intel 850 chipset supports a total 2 gigabytes of RAM, which would be 4 pieces of 512meg ram modules.
However the HP BIOS will only recognize 256meg sticks, for a total of 1gig.
I have tried 2 pieces of the proper 512meg sticks with two terminators and the machine does count up to 1gig.
I will boot and seem to run okay.
The power light is also a diagnostic light and blinks reds all the time there 512meg sticks in the box.
My desire is to tweak the BIOS to accept 512meg sticks of ram.
I have never alter a BIOS before.
I am writing to ask for some help!
I do not even know where to start.
Could someone point me the right direction? Show me a Beginners HOW TO Guide?
Your patience is much appreciated.
Bryan Smith
Fort Wayne, Indiana