Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!peregrine!ccicpg!cci632!rit!ultb!clf3678 From: clf3678@ultb.UUCP (C.L. Freemesser) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: 1040ST Memory Upgrades Summary: Lots of stuff to talk about Message-ID: <1143@ultb.UUCP> Date: 13 Aug 89 01:04:02 GMT References: <1233@cs.rit.edu> <1089@ultb.UUCP> <974@psc90.UUCP> Reply-To: clf3678@ultb.isc.rit.edu.UUCP (C.L. Freemesser) Distribution: usa Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology, Information Systems Lines: 56 >>I really don't suggest you get a memory upgrade for the 1040st. >[very general reason why not] >Could you be more specific ?? Sure I can. The power supply in the 1040ST was only meant to supply power for 1 meg of chips. Of course, there is a little extra output in the supply (a safety margin of sorts). But since nothing is perfect, and we live in a non-perfect world, not every power supply in every 1040 has the same output. Some have more, some have less, some have the intended output. Ergo, a memory upgrade MAY OR MAY NOT strain your power supply. If Atari had given us a LARGE safety margin, then probably every 1040 could be upgraded. From what I know of the 1040, a 2.5 meg upgrade should be ok. However, your power supply may not be able to handle a 4 meg upgrade. This is why I discourage upgrading the 1040 to more RAM. You just don't know if it will work or not. This leads into the next question...... >>Of course, you could rig a PC power supply to the ST....... >HOW !!!!! I've thought about it but what kind and where would it go ?? The Atari 520ST requires the following voltages: +5V, +5V, +12V, -12V, and two grounds. A standard PC power supply offers: +12V, -12V, -5V, +5V, +5V, +5V, and four grounds. Since the PC supply offers the needed inputs, you can hook one up to the ST. I do NOT know the requirements for the 1040, 520STFM, and Mega, but I would assume they are the same. However, the built-in power supply is probably hard-wired, not having the connector I have on my 520 (external power supply). The HUGE advantage of the PC supply is the increased power it supplies. My 520 power supply offers something like 15W, where a PC supply can be as high as 250W or so. This allows you to hook up your disk drives, hard disks, and even your monitor (you plug it into the monitor port on the PC supply using an adapter). Theoretically, you could have EVERYTHING on one power supply. >WHile I'm here ---> Has anybody tried to shove a 1040STf into a tower >style case ?? They usually come with a pretty hefty power supply.... >Before I spend any money I'd like to know. > ANdy :-) I don't believe it possible. The design of a tower case doesn't give you enough room to put in a motherboard. The disk drives would be in the way. Chris Freemesser, Rochester Institute of Technology | What I like : BITNET: %clf3678@RITVAX GEnie: C.FREEMESSER | 1) My Atari ST USENET: Just reply and hope it gets through | 2) My '77 Mercury | 3) Coke Classic