Msg: 5790 *Conference*

05-01-95 18:05:43

From: TRACY ALLEN

To : JAMES TOTH

Subj: REPLY TO MSG #5758 (SUPERROM IN EXTRAM)

Mike Nugent looked into the problem of using THOUGHT in the extRAM.  There is a
programming trick that was used in the Thought module that has a side effect of
writing spurious data into the extRAM, so that you try to open a Lucid file,
there is garbage in the name.  The exact result depends on which version
(unnumbered) of the superROM you have, but all of them show basically the same
problem.  The short program you are referring to simply allows the superROM to
be started and from a BASIC program, and doesn't fix the problem with bad bytes
in THOUGHT.  The XR4 does not have this problem, because the XR4 has built-in
write protection, so it acts like a true ROM.  Some people have worked around
the problem with running THOUGHT in extRAM by imstalling a tiny write-protect
switch on the bottom of the computer next to options compartment.  The switch
connects the extRAM's blue wire to either allow or inhibit changes to the
contents of extRAM.  Let me know if you'd like detailsof how to install the
switch.
  -- Tracy