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I picked up an old IBM SureOne POS Terminal for a whopping 50 British Pennies!

I have never owned a computer from this era, and because of the lack of documentation online, I have had it for months and only just managed to work out how to open the case (I hate hidden screws).

I have found a few things with this machine which are different to more modern machines I use, and I need some confirmation on three specific points relating to RAM and the expansion card slot.

1-What type of RAM is this? Here are the two sticks which were installed: enter image description here enter image description here

2-Is this an ISA card slot? (I am showing the right angle adapter because it was easier to take a picture of than the actual computer): enter image description here

3-This is some RAM I ripped out of an old TV Internet box thingy. It looks like the stuff which was in the computer and fits the RAM slot perfectly, but is it the same? And because I ripped it out of what wasn't a computer should I trust it to have the same pinout and to work safely? enter image description here

DevelopedLogic
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2 Answers2

1

What type of RAM is this?

133MHz, SDRAM PC133, 168p DIMM, 3.3v

enter image description here

Is this an ISA card slot?

No

Source

Ramhound
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  1. What type of RAM is this?

Ramhound cites the SureOne data sheet to conclude that it's 133MHz, SDRAM PC133, 168p DIMM, 3.3v, but I think that data sheet may be for a later SureOne model.

Looking at those sticks I would say that they're both 72-pin SIMMs. The first SIMM seems to be 70ns speed, judging by the "-7" on each chip. There's a data sheet for the M5M44400CJ DIMM here, which identifies it as a 5-volt, 1Mx4 chip. Put eight of them together, and I'd say you have a 70ns 4MByte SIMM.

The second SIMM also seems to be 70ns speed, judging by the terminal "70" on the Goldstar GM71C4400BJ70 DRAM chips. This appears to be a 1Mx4 chip, so eight of them will again deliver 4MB of RAM.

  1. Is this an ISA card slot?

Ramhound says "No", but it looks like a 16-bit ISA slot to me. Also this IBM technical reference makes clear the 4614-1xx/Axx IBM SureOne models had Partial Length PCI/ISA slots. If you can provide a SureOne model number, you may get a more precise answer.

  1. Is this TV box RAM the same?

This appears to use the 72-pin SIMM form factor, like your two sticks from the original POS machine. The chip on the right side marked HY5118164C is a 1Mx16 Hyundai CMOS DRAM with 60ns access time and a 1K refresh. Assuming the left-hand chip is the same, I would say this is also 4MB SIMM. As to whether it's parity or not, EDO or not, I can't say.

Rupert Clayton
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