DEC3000/300X memory? - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

14 Mar 2002

From: Roger Merchberger &lt;zmerch(a)30below.com&gt;
...
 Rumor has it that Zane H. Healy may have mentioned
these words:
   Does
anyone know a good, inexpensive source for the proprietary 32MB 
 DEC3000/300 memory SIMMS.   
Are they in fact proprietary?  I thought that it used the same as a
DEC3000/300LX.  With the 300LX, if I remember correctly, all you need is 
72-pin True Parity SIMMs. 
AFAIK, it's standard parity memory as well...  

Well...proprietary might be too strong a word, but no, regular 32MB parity 
memory does not work in a 3000/300.  The 32MB SIMMs have an extra resistor 
on them that the machine uses to detect that they are different.  See 
http://www.bucks.edu/alpha-osf-managers/Jul1998-59.html, among others 
(google if you need more). 

I've also got dozen or so regular 32MB true parity SIMMs out of PeeCees that 
I've verified don't work... 

Now...any old 70ns, true parity 8MB SIMMs will work, and I've got 8 of those 
in their already.  Oh, yeah...FYI...the 3000/300 takes 8MB or 32MB memory 
only. 

Ken 