Then it might be the card. I have one like that... Ati Mach64 VRAM ISA. It has 8 chips and should be total of 2MB. But every program and even Windows 95 show only 1MB of memory. I'm looking for 2MB upgrade card for it to get at least full 2MB of memory.

I wonder what it means... memory IC's need to be reflowed? A faulty chip somewhere?

I recently found the ATI Mach64 ISA 2 MB upgrade module. Came off a 2 MB PCI card (not the one I'm having issues getting proper memory readings from).

I didn't realise the memory modules from PCI to VLB were interchangeable!

I'm guessing that there may be various types of modules, and the right one should be used otherwise it may end up either not working or worst case, end up with memory corruptions etc?

386_junkie wrote:

I didn't realise the memory modules from PCI to VLB were interchangeable!

I'm guessing that there may be various types of modules, and the right one should be used otherwise it may end up either not working or worst case, end up with memory corruptions etc?

Yes, that is what I've heard. The tricky part of finding the matching module is that more modules than just those asking for a particular part number will work. Finding all those which will work is a difficult research task. If a database exists, it should be posted.

For example, my Mach64 ISA asks for memory module upgrade with numbers A, while it will also work with modules with numbers B, but not necessarily with numbrers C, although they may have the same connectors. I am using A, B, and C arbitrarily.

I think modules with the same chips configuration might be compatible.

They are, even with different latency.

Do you have 1st hand experience? Can you show some examples what would be compatible with Mach64 VRAM ISA - like this one:

I think boards with this part # should work:

100-26401-00
109-26400-10

kixs wrote:

Do you have 1st hand experience? Can you show some examples what would be compatible with Mach64 VRAM ISA - like this one: […]
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Do you have 1st hand experience? Can you show some examples what would be compatible with Mach64 VRAM ISA - like this one:

I think boards with this part # should work:

100-26401-00
109-26400-10

I have the VLB card of this and the module which this is with is 109-26400-10.

I have not seen the other one, or if it differs any, i'm sure if it has the same IC's and is connected to the same pins etc then it will be fine.

That is a nice card, I didn't know the ISA version also came in 4 MB version.

That is a photo of my card. But somehow it only shows 1MB of memory. I'd be happy with default 2MB 😉

Do you have 1st hand experience?

Only with PCI Mach64.

386_junkie wrote:

I didn't realise the memory modules from PCI to VLB were interchangeable!

I'm guessing that there may be various types of modules, and the right one should be used otherwise it may end up either not working or worst case, end up with memory corruptions etc?

It looks like the modules don' t even have to have the same capacity.

Today I took 8 256kb memory modules from working Cirrus Logic CL-GD5430 PCI card (This card has 4MB RAM in total, in 16 modules).
Miro Crystal 8S VLB (S3 805 chipset) has 8 module holders and it supports up to 2MB (1MB onboard + 8x128kb chips).
I installed 256kb modules into these slots and... What a surprise! 256kb modules are working perfectly 😀 they are detected as a 128kb though, but still... An easy way to upgrade VRAM to 2MB.

Maybe 5430 supports 4MB of memory. But I've yet to see one with more then 2MB installed. Do you have a photo?

The rest of memory is working now in my S3. I could move this VRAM to one bank, but the jumper used to change memory size was soldered by manufacturer so it only works as a 4MB card.

Hmm... did it actually boot with 4MB? Although I can't see the marks on the chips - it would seem these are 256k x 4bit. So one chip is 128KB. 8 = 1MB and 16 = 2MB.

My bad, I just refilled one bank and indeed, Sysspeed shows that these are 128kbit modules, so this is 2MB card. Now I notice this description of soldered jumper: "4MB DRAM CONFIG. OR 5430".
Still, It' s a good news that it is possible to increase video memory this way. Now I'm thinking about buying some cheap Trident 9000's with 512kb ram as a source of memory chips...

By the way, am I missing something or 9440AGI VLB is actually cut down version without 24bit color support? Or is it improved version?

I'd really like to know what all the differences are between the Trident versions. I always assumed the AGI was somehow better than a regular 9440, but I've never compared the two. Why do you think it's cut down?

Wiki mentioned 16-bit DAC.

It says it as a "16-bit DAC interface". I don't think that's the same as having a 16-bit colour DAC. Many DACs with an 8-bit interface can do true colour. The only way to know for sure is to test one.

Oh well, did some tests with a 9440-3 PCI card (with 35ns memory no less) and it's really horrible experience. Performance is somewhat okayish in 8-bit modes (even good in Build games), but amount of glitches and horrible 16-bit modes kinda killed my interest to pick any other Triden cards. I think I'll just stick with 2mb 5428.