FlexRAM board & AltMon ???

[Walt Perko]

Hi,   

I did a RAM test from AltMon …  T 0000 FFFF

 Every test shows an address, a byte and another byte = FF 

 Wouldn’t FF imply an incorrect response in RAM?  

Should the first BYTE = the second BYTE?  

.

[Patrick Linstruth]

Yep.

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[Walt Perko]

Hi, 

Now  I need to know ... does this mean the RAM chip is BAD?  or is it something else?  

.

[Joseph Corda]

Walt

What other cards do you have in the system ? for example if you have the FDC+.. you need to make sure its configured properly

Easy way to test remove any cards not required and run your RAM test. ..a "minimal setup"

Now Run the RMA test again

• If it passes  you know there is a conflict with one of the other boards:
• Next add a single board back in at a time and re-test each time till you find which board might be conflicting and then research the setting on that board.
• If it fails:
• Swap out RAM chip with another to see if your get same results

The important thing is to start off with a "minimal setup" and be sure to only make change 1 thing at a time between your RAM tests.

Good luck

Joe

On Mon, Feb 23, 2026 at 2:30 PM Walt Perko <r4r...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi, 

Now  I need to know ... does this mean the RAM chip is BAD?  or is it something else?  

.

On Monday, February 23, 2026 at 10:56:32 AM UTC-8 pat...@deltecent.com wrote:

Yep.

On Feb 23, 2026, at 1:49 PM, Walt Perko <r4r...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi,   

I did a RAM test from AltMon …  T 0000 FFFF

 Every test shows an address, a byte and another byte = FF 

 Wouldn’t FF imply an incorrect response in RAM?  

Should the first BYTE = the second BYTE?  

.

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[Walt Perko]

Hi, 

No FDC+ in the computer.  OTOH, working with Patrick, we determined the FlexRAM board 001 is faulty.  Swapping out the RAM chip didn't fix the problem.  

We also tested FlexRAM board 002 as faulty too, but swapping that RAM chip out the board is working now and so the whole computer seems working properly now.  

.

[Patrick Linstruth]

Check solder joints at U1 pin 5 and SW1 pins 7 and 10.

On Feb 23, 2026, at 8:45 PM, <wpe...@brainless.org> <wpe...@brainless.org> wrote:

Hi,  

 

On SW1 7 to U1 I have continuity to PINs 4,6, and 7  …  and to U7  PIN 9  

 

That’s the test we did on the ZOOM and then swapped out U1 with the other board.   

 

 

 

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From: Patrick Linstruth <pat...@deltecent.com> 
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2026 5:07 PM
To: Walt Perko <r4r...@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Altair-8800] FlexRAM board & AltMon ???

 

Walt, on the board that still isn’t working, with SW1-7 closed (D800), check for continuity from that switch to U1-5 and U7-9.

 

If that looks good, for grins, swap out U1.

On Feb 23, 2026, at 2:30 PM, Walt Perko <r4r...@gmail.com> wrote:

 

Hi, 

 

Now  I need to know ... does this mean the RAM chip is BAD?  or is it something else?  

 

<20260219-OakZAltair8800c FlexRam SN 0001-R2K.jpg>

 

 

 

.

On Monday, February 23, 2026 at 10:56:32 AM UTC-8 pat...@deltecent.com wrote:

Yep.

On Feb 23, 2026, at 1:49 PM, Walt Perko <r4r...@gmail.com> wrote:

 

Hi,   

I did a RAM test from AltMon …  T 0000 FFFF

 Every test shows an address, a byte and another byte = FF 

 Wouldn’t FF imply an incorrect response in RAM?  

Should the first BYTE = the second BYTE?  

 

 

.

 

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<20260219-OakZAltair8800c FlexRam SN 0001-R2K.jpg>

[Walt Perko]

Hi,

Yesterday, after the other three chips failed on the FlexRAM board, I thought about swapping the one known good chip over, but at that point, the computer was up 'n running and I figured one out of six chips didn't seem realistic.  

I tested all the RAM chips with my  XGecu TL866 II Plus and they all test "Normal" ... 

Now I'm wondering if there is a problem with the machine sockets I used on the boards ???  


.

[Walt Perko]

Hi,  

Patrick got it right again!  I reflowed the solder points on the board and now it seems to be working correctly!  

Now I only have one more computer to build (ZAltair Z80c #2 w/mini-Front Panel) and I should be done.  

.

[Patrick Linstruth]

Wonderful!

On Feb 24, 2026, at 7:01 PM, Walt Perko <r4r...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi,  

Patrick got it right again!  I reflowed the solder points on the board and now it seems to be working correctly!  

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/Altair-8800/0c2679d5-ccd4-4b1c-89d8-0176548d4e25n%40googlegroups.com.
<BOOT2CPM SN0001.jpg>

[Walt Perko]

Hi,  

.

[Walt Perko]

Hi,  

I think I jumped the gun here ... 

.

[Joseph Corda]

Great news Walt ..  good job Patrick!

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/Altair-8800/A8C57278-1AA5-4561-A3EE-F73C5B9F9ADD%40deltecent.com.

[Joseph Corda]

Oh I missed your last post .. well kept working  it I’m sure you will fix