HINTS-33

Z88 RAMs, ROMs, etc

The great majority of Z88 computers have an internal 32K RAM and OZ3 ROM
but yours might have a 128k RAM and/or an OZ4 ROM.  The RAM is memory; the
OZ is the operating system.

Although the internal RAM is small, and only about 20k of it is available,
one would usually have a 128k RAM in slot 1.  So, for all normal purposes,
there is plenty of memory and one need not upgrade the internal RAM.

Besides,  unsoldering/soldering  this  chip  is  not a  job for the faint-
hearted or the ham-fisted !

The OZ chip plugs in so this does not present  a  soldering  problem.  But
first  you need to know what OZ you have in your Z88.  Press the HELP key,
then the left arrow key and read the top line. It will almost certainly be
version 3.0 .

What are the advantages of changing this to a version 4 ?  Cambridge Comp.
claimed  - 1) it prevents "in use" errors in the Filer. 2) It switches the
machine on if the front flap is opened - a precaution in case  you  intend
installing  or  removing  a  ROM card. 3) Updating the Printer Ed will not
cause a FAIL. 4) The PrinterEd has another 28 "translations" 5) Files left
in RAM.- will not cause any problems. 6) a machine is "expanded"  wherever
a RAM larger than 32k is located, in version 3.0 the larger RAM had to  be
in slot 1.

I do not have an OZ4 ! Every time I've tried one I got more trouble in one
day than I'd had in many months !

Now  you  may  be wondering "what is an expanded machine ?" Well, one that
allows the use of a larger Basic workspace, and permits a larger map space
in Pipedream.

I  never  bother to use the map so I set "No" againgst "Map" in the Panel.
One can, so the manual says, set its size (i.e. its width) to  92  but  if
you want a greater width than that - up to 200 - you need to fit an OZ4.

                     --------------------------------

I've  said  that  one would normally have a 128k RAM in slot 1.  Of course
this could be a 512k RAM if you feel the need.  But remember that anything
and  everything  you have in RAM has to be backed-up on EPROM or disc.  If
it's EPROM then you need as much EPROM as you have RAM.

An EPROM goes in slot 3 so that leaves slot 2 vacant.  You could  have  an
additional  RAM  cartridge  in  here or you may want a ROM - probably a PC
Link or a Spellmaster. These are the most common but there are others.

An alternative to the EPROM is a FlashEPROM, a recent addition to the Z88.
This has a capacity of 1 Megabyte.  Saving to, and loading from it is very
fast and at only £59.00 it is comparatively cheap.  Whilst one can use the
Z88  away from your second computer, or your disc drive, to which you have
saved all of your files, you cannot  -  realistically  and  practically  -
carry  this  storage media around with you.  It's either too clumsy or too
"fiddly".

     Jack Lawrie  15,Sycamore Grove, Southam, Warwickshire.  CV33 OEY


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