• Upgrading Your 286 Re: All ChargeCard

    From Louis Ohland@21:1/5 to Louis Ohland on Mon Jan 3 09:28:19 2022
    https://ia800805.us.archive.org/29/items/computer-craft-july-1991/Computer-Craft-1991-07.pdf

    Page 16-17 physical

    The All ChargeCard
    All Computers of Toronto developed a clever approach for providing 386 -
    like memory management on 286 systems. The company's 1.9" x 2.8"
    All ChargeCard plugs into the 286 processor's socket, and the 286 is
    then placed onto the ChargeCard.

    Thus the ChargeCard is essentially inserted between the 286 processor
    and motherboard. The ChargeCard can configure existing extended memory
    in different ways to allow application programs to take advantage of it.

    The ChargeCard can backfill the base system memory if less than 640K is
    there andcan convert the remaining extended memory into expanded memory
    for EMS -oriented programs to use. The ChargeCard can also place certain programs into the reserved memory space between 640K and 1M and can
    shadow the BIOS ROM (placing it into RAM for faster operation).

    The All ChargeCard is functionally transparent to the system when it's
    first powered up, but becomes fully functional when initialized by any
    one of several device drivers included with the ChargeCard. The most
    common driver used with the board is ALLEMM4.SYS, the board's expanded
    memory manager. The ChargeCard does, however, also include special
    utilities for using the device with PC-MOS/386 and Multi - Link, two
    multi -tasking operating systems from The Software Link.

    Installation of the All ChargeCard is complicated by the fact that there
    are three different IC packages for the 286 processor and any number of mechanical variations in the system implementations. The 286 processor
    comes in pin -grid array (PGA), plastic-leaded chip carrier (PLCC) and
    leadless chip carrier (LCC) packages. To accommodate these various
    packages, and their associated sockets, All Computers sells two versions
    of its All ChargeCard packages.

    The basic CC2 model includes only the ChargeCard and is designed to
    plug only into a PGA socket, like that found in IBM's Models 50 and
    60 machines. The CC2/A model includes additional adapters for connecting
    the ChargeCard to a PLCC or LCC socket (Fig. 1). The Charge - Card's
    manual also explains how to use the included flex cable adapter to
    install the unit into a 286 socket even when there are mechanical conflicts.

    The All ChargeCard uses onboard circuitry to remap 286 real -
    mode memory accesses (within the first 1M) to various portions of the
    extended -memory space, using paging and address translation. It does
    the remapping quite well, but keep in mind that it isn't the same as
    having a 386 processor in your system. While the ChargeCard will allow
    you to use your system's extended memory as expanded memory for many applications, it won't allow you to run 386 - specific software-software
    that uses the 386's 32 -bit and protected - mode instructions.

    Since circuitry on the ChargeCard needs only monitor and translate
    memory addressing, the ChargeCard doesn't have to synchronize to the
    system clock the way 386SX processor replacement boards do. This keeps
    the circuitry simpler and, in some cases, probably more reliable. In
    summary, with its flexible memory -management capabilities, the $199 All ChargeCard ($299 for the CC2/A model) provides a relatively
    cost-effective upgrade for adding advanced capabilities to your 286,
    although
    it fails to take you all the way to 386 horsepower.


    On 1/3/2022 09:15, Louis Ohland wrote:
    allcharg - Utilities for the ALL CHARGECARD

    https://archive.org/details/Simtel20_Sept92


    On 1/2/2022 20:43, JimBobPS2 wrote:
    "All ChargeCard"


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  • From Louis Ohland@21:1/5 to All on Mon Jan 3 09:38:19 2022
    https://ia903202.us.archive.org/18/items/radio_electronics_1989-11/Radio_Electronics_November_1989.pdf



    Page 75-777 physical.

    MUCH better review.

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