Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!gatech!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!mcsun!ukc!harrier.ukc.ac.uk!zodiac.ukc.ac.uk!cur022
From: cur022%cluster@ukc.ac.uk (Bob Eager)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware
Subject: Re: harddrive & memory question
Message-ID: <22212.2805883c@cluster@ukc.ac.uk>
Date: 12 Apr 91 10:13:16 GMT
References: <70155@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>
Organization: Computing Lab, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK.
Lines: 33

In article <70155@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>, det@acsu.buffalo.edu (donald e tranquillo) writes:
>    1) I have a PS/2 50z, with a 30 meg harddrive. I have (of course)
>       decided that I need more room.  I was thinking about replacing the
>       drive (rather than installing another card, etc as has been dicussed
>       before). My question is what type of harddrive do I need to go with
>       my current controller (ESDI?). I've tried all kinds of diagnostic
>       programs, but the only hint as to what type of controller I've got
>       is 'IBM Fixed Disk Adapter'. Any insight?

There are lots of third party possibilities. One is to replace the existing
drive with a larger one. Another is to put a second drive in the second
floppy bay (Core sell drives that do the latter, and probably other vendors
do as well).

>    2) I have 1 meg RAM, is it possible to expand that on the system board
>       of a model 50z? (even if only to 2 meg?)

This machine is NOT the same as a model 70 with respect to memory. You need
a 2MB SIMM card (IBM specific, but lots of third party ones are around;
I recommend Kingston). This card is (I think) IBM part num,ber 6450614,
this info can be useful when ordering from a third party. Unfortunately
it REPLACES the 1MB board inside the machine. Installation takes about 10-15
minutes and involves removing the case, the floppy drive, the floppy T-board,
the hard disk, the hard disk T-board, and the plastic subchassis. Full
instructions are in the manual that comes with the machine.

The 1MB board will work in any IBM expansion board you buy later (well, the
ones that take 2MB SIMM cards, anyway). 2MB is as much as you can get on
the motherboard (planar) in a 50Z.
-------------------------+-------------------------------------------------
Bob Eager                | University of Kent at Canterbury
                         | +44 227 764000 ext 7589
-------------------------+-------------------------------------------------