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From: dross@ub.d.umn.edu (david ross)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: some Amstrad enhancement questions
Message-ID: <2748@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU>
Date: 12 Sep 89 20:42:15 GMT
Sender: root@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU
Reply-To: dross@ub.d.umn.edu (david ross)
Organization: University of Minnesota, Duluth. Information Services
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My brother-in-law has an 512k Amstrad XT clone (I think the PC512)
with 2 5.25" drives.  He wants to enhance the machine a bit, and
recently asked my advice about hard disks, memory expansion, and
speed-ups.  Since he's rather distant (in CA), I haven't had a chance
to open his box and check out the slot arrangement (if memory serves, 
th Amstrad has 3 8-bit slots free).  I also recall something about
the Amstrad BIOS being in-house and somewhat strange.  So, I address
these questions to the Amstrad-owning community:

1)  Has anyone had any special trouble/success fitting a hard card into
    the Amstrad?  (He's thinking of getting a cheapie, like the ones from
    HDI or CompuAdd)

2)  Has anyone successfully run an EMS board (e.g., an Everex) in the
    creature?  Will it fit alongside a hard card in the slots provided?

3)  Will the Amstrad tolerate a NEC V30?

4)  If he decides to splurge, and get an Inboard 386 (in lieu of #2 and #3),
    will this fit in the machine alongside a hard card?  More to the point,
    will it work?  How about other accelerator boards?

Please e-mail to conserve bandwidth; I'll summarize if there's either
something exceptionally interesting or if other Amstrad owners ask me to.