Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!apple!motcsd!king.csd.mot.com!brian
From: brian@king.csd.mot.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Re: NEC NOTEBOOK non-volatile RAM
Message-ID: <3843@motcsd.csd.mot.com>
Date: 2 May 91 22:51:46 GMT
References: <1991Apr30.130612.356@lighthouse.com> <5278@network.ucsd.edu>
Sender: usenet@motcsd.csd.mot.com
Lines: 42

nbeck@weber.ucsd.edu (Nathaniel Beck) writes:

>I originally posted this to comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware before I knew
>of this group. As a newcomeer to this group I apologize if this is
>a FAQ. 

It's becoming a FAQ I think...

>I am looking at the NEC Notebook PC-17-2 which has as its mass
>storage device 2M of non-volatile RAM (this is the total ram on the
>system). All I/O is via modem or laplink (or keyboard).

>Does anyone have any experience about just how non-volatile the ram
>actually is. Would you trust this machine to keep two weeks worth of
>precious library notes until you got home.

The ramdisk operates off of a non-removable battery, and the rest of
the machine runs off of a removable battery.  The ramdisk battery needs
to be hooked up to a charger every five days or so whether or not you're
using the computer.

I would trust the machine to keep precious notes just about as much as
I would trust a laptop hard disk.  In other words, I'd back it up as
soon as I could.  You can get an external 3.5" floppy for the UltraLite
for $199.  So far, I haven't heard of anyone losing any data from their
ramdisk, though.

>I would alos appreciate any other pros and cons on the machine. The
>size and weight are right and so is the price from DAK (about $900).

Funny you should ask.  If you'd like to join a mailing list about the
NEC UltraLite, aka PC1701 and PC1702, please send your request to
ultralite-list-request@csd.mot.com.  You'll get brought up to date
with the forty or so postings which have traversed the list in the
six weeks since the list was started.  I think that it will answer most
of your questions and give you a good forum in which to ask more!

--
-Brian Smithson
 Motorola Inc., Computer Group, Commercial Systems Division
 10700 N. De Anza Boulevard, Cupertino, CA 95014 USA, (408)366-4104
 brian@csd.mot.com, {apple | pyramid}!motcsd!brian