Ydee wrote on 2021-04-07, 07:48:BIOS reports 8 MB of memory, right? The manual states, that you can upgrade memory up to 36 MB using 8 slots and 4 MB modules. This means, that 4 MB of memory should be soldered on board as a basic configuration with empty SIMM slots. So if you have 4 MB on the board and the system reports 8 MB with 4 slots filled, there are probably 4x1 MB modules in the slots.
Ydee wrote on 2021-03-28, 10:38:
As indicated in the manual, the computer has the option of upgrading to 36MB memory using 4MB modules. I.e. if there are 8 slots of 4MB, then there must be 4MB on the board. Your other 4 slots are busy, so probably 4x1MB modules. The modules have 9 chips, i.e. a parity SIMM. If you use another 4 modules of 4MB, you will have a total of 24MB of RAM - if 4 of 1MB, then 12MB.
You're spot on! The RAM is even visible in the photos.
And in the service manual you can see it is connected to the main RAM slots and not part of the VRAM (that's underneath the HDD in the ebay picture).
The manual also tells me the chips' locations are U65-U68 and U71-U74. Looking them up in the Main Board Parts List they are listed as "IC-DRAM : 44C1000A ,1M*4".
Eight chips of 4mb each. This perfectly fits the mysterious 4MB.
Everything is fine with the RAM, there are no 2MB modules and likely no 4MB modules either. No modules have been removed after the seller took pics, nothing is broken or bugged and only showing as 8MB. There's actually 8MB of RAM installed. Case closed. 😉
BTW, OP: Instances like this are why the document is not the "worse manual ever" but actually a really helpful tool. You just tried to read it as a user's manual, while it's really a service manual. It is not intended to help the end user set up his computer, it is meant to help a service technician or advanced user to understand and troubleshoot this machine. You even get schematics and a complete component list. If a resistor or capacitor on the board fails and you can't read the markings just look it up. No guessing needed.
All this in depth information is overwhelming to a novice so no wonder it is confusing to you. Still there is really no reason to damn it. I wish a service manual was still included with most complex electronic devices because it really aids in repairing your stuff.
Actually if we had something like this for a later Socket 3 board it would be really easy to just make a clone.