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From: mcl9337@harpo.tamu.edu (LOWE, MARK CHRISTOPHER)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: apple memory card
Message-ID: <17104@helios.TAMU.EDU>
Date: 10 Jun 91 17:34:33 GMT
References: <4769@meaddata.meaddata.com>
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In article <4769@meaddata.meaddata.com>, johnt@meaddata.com (John Townsend) writes...
>Ah, but I thought that memory cards, like CP/M cards, don't have any firmware,
>and thus would not collide with the 80-column firmware.  Is the Apple Memory
>Expansion Card an exception?  What about the AE RAMFactor card and other 
>slot 1-7 memory cards?  This question interests me because I have a //e whose
>auxiliary slot is inhabited by a Microsoft Premium Softcard //e (80-col + 64K +
>Z80).  The only slot I have which might be available for memory expansion
>(e.g. for AW 3.0 and as a ProDOS RAM disk) is slot 3.  Thanks for any info!
> 

Apple's memory card DOES contain firmware.  It's got some self-test routines on
there as well as a lot of other stuff I won't attempt to detail.

Anyway, you can test the memory on the card by entering the monitor and typing

     *Cx0AG

     x=slot number - like you didn't know that!

The card automatically detects the amount of RAM installed and proceeds to test
the memory in an infinite loop until a key is pressed.  Very handy if you aren't
sure your memory is working right.

The card is read/written via a single location in the slot I/O address space.
It utilizes an auto-incrementing three-byte counter ALSO in the slot I/O space.

I have had and used this board since about 1985.  If anyone wants more specific
info, I'll provide it.

Mark C. "Bro!" Lowe - KB5III

Sir Briggs