Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!bronze!silver!ntaib
From: ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Nur Iskandar Taib)
Subject: Re: ISA/EISA
Message-ID: <1991Mar30.222106.28919@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu>
Sender: news@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (USENET News System)
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington
References: <1991Feb25.174455.1109@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu> <14111@hacgate.UUCP> <1991Mar28.114156.104@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu>
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 91 22:21:06 GMT
Lines: 32

>ISA is Industry Standard Architecture, which is like what the IBM AT
>had, a bus that could handle 8- and 16-bit cards.  EISA is Extended
>ISA and is downward compatible with ISA cards.  An EISA slot can take
>a 16-bit ISA, or an EISA-specific 32-bit card (the EISA card has a
>special edge). So, the difference between ISA and EISA is the ability
>to use 32-bit EISA cards. (An EISA PC may also have slot(s) for 8-bit
>cards, I forget; but ask the dealer). 


I suppose it would be useful to mention that most 386DX and 
486 computers with ISA buses also have 32 bit slots. These 
slots are usually used for memory expansion, and are pro-
prietary. 

Come to think of it, is there a "standard" 32-bit memory 
expansion card that fits in the slots of large numbers of
clone motherboards, or does EVERY motherboard have its own
proprietary 32-bit card? I suspect there are 3 or 4 widely 
used cards and slots that are shared by several manufactur-
ers. 

(I remember giving a Zenith sales rep a really hard time 
because she insisted the 32-bit slots in their machines 
was ISA).


--
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Iskandar Taib                        | The only thing worse than Peach ala
Internet: NTAIB@AQUA.UCS.INDIANA.EDU |    Frog is Frog ala Peach
Bitnet:   NTAIB@IUBACS               !
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