Uncreative Labs

Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 5

Dear friends,
I'm glad to write for the first time in this forum area.

I'm restoring an old IBM XT machine. I installed a SIGMA DESIGN MAXIMIZER CARD for memory upgrade up to 640 Kb.
Refer to http://stason.org/TULARC/pc/io-cards/S-T/SIGMA-DESIGNS-INC-Multi-I-O-MAXIMIZER.html for board layout.

This card have a RTC integrated circuit, with an own battery. Unfortunately, I haven't the device driver disc of this card.

Please, does anyone can send me a disc image or the utility to use the clock of this card and to retrive the clock data for system clock automatic setting ?

Thank you for any help or suggestion on how use this clock card.

Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 594 Location: Western NC

This may (or may not) be it:

ftp://ftp.sigmadesigns.com/bbs/misc/maxtime.exe

Appears to be from around 1982, so that would correspond with the XT.

Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 5

Thank you T-R-A, it seems to be the right driver pack.

I still wonder how to use those files, because there is not a reference on parameters for the two commands....

I tried to execute them with standard help request (/?) but there is no feedback.

Hope someone still remember how to use them or still has a SD Maximizer quick reference guide for further suggestion.

Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 594 Location: Western NC

Have you tried contacting S-D (e-mail)? You'd be surprised what some old techies hang onto...

Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 5

As you suggested, I wrote the request to the SD tech support...

I'll let you know if they are able to help me on the old card.

Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 5:44 am

Let me know how that goes. I just came across a 1984 XT an earlier one too, in REPC, it was an old boeing computer, the last time it was opened up was in 1992 then in 2006 when my buddie cracked it open to clean it, that never happened. I found a sigma maximizer, 40mb RLL hdd *circa 1990* original ibm mono/printer card, AND it's a 64-256kb system board, floppy drive from 1983 still works, branded IBM too 60hz belt drive, and THAT i pray to god it doesn't fail. This XT does a different floppy startup noise than my 256-640kb one does. It sounds more like the PCjr when it does it's thing, and the memory count is slower too. Is the 64-256kb board based more on 5150 code than the newer xt's are? Let me know how that email to sigma designs goes too

Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 5

Of course I'll write it, as soon as I'll have an answer. Just by now they ask me the 53-xxxx code on board....

Try to take a look inside of autoexec.bat in your hard drive, if it contains a command like xtime or stime....this should be helpful.

Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:02 am

I too sent them an email - i explained the card doesn't have a 53-xxxx on it, but i sent them its serial number though. that should get somewhere, the hard drive in question was formatted, my buddy dug the computer out of the bottom of a pile for me. When i get a reply i'll post it if you haven't done already

Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 5

I had no further answers from S.D.. After some experiment I found that :
- stime.com save date and time from memory to maximizer card
- xtime.com retrieve date and time form maximizer card to memory
This at least seems to be true, because the battery of my maximizer is empty and needs to be replaced.

Please k2x4b524p, try you too this and let me know.

Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Posts: 488 Location: pennsylvanai

it is possible to upgrade a genuine xt mb to 640k
normally they are 256k
and not until the end of production did they sell 640k systems
but the "feature" was built-in to the design.

the info may be in one of the text files on this site.
there was one description that had a "confusion" about the pin count when adding a junmper to a socketed chip
( no solderinmg) you just twist a single crand from a lamp cord around 2 pins, add a chip and the 2 rows of 256k chips. BUT the board should be removed from the case.

I do not think this applies to clone xt mb
They may SEEM to accept 640k but will scramble hd contents and lotus will not run.
these board also came in 256 & 640k flavors
a few rare ones could take 4 rows of 256k chips
but few things could be used beyone 640k.

this does NOT apply to the ibm pc mb. (5 slot)
they came in 64k and 256k versions
and they were what they were.
the ONLY upgrade was changing the bios so a hd or ega/vga card could be used
I have a box of these pc boards somewhere and a box of assorted AT mb.

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:10 am

for this card, i did get the maxtime deal to work. For the dead battery, mine has a cylinder cell, break it off noting where + and - are on the battery so you know how to orient it, the de-solder the legs theselves and push a new one through, what i did was make an improvised pin socket and used an old cordless phone battery. You can also use a small cell phone battery that is from 3.4 to 3.7 volts, the board i used it on doesn't care much. the battery has to be small though. but find a cylinder battery if you can, around 3.6v cylinder battery is sufficient for this.

Joined: 20 Dec 2012 Posts: 2 Location: Melbourne, Australia

Hello,
my apologies for replying to a very old post but this topic is right on the money.
I recently picked up a Compaq portable which has an SD Maximizer installed but no relevant software for the RTC.

it seems that SD no longer host a site which some of you suggested as a source for the files.
all that aside, does anyone have a copy of stime.com and xtime.com +any other relevant files for this card?

Id like to use this card rather than swap it out for an AST SixPakPlus for which I do have software for.

Thank you in advance.

David

Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 594 Location: Western NC

Quote:

it seems that SD no longer host a site which some of you suggested as a source for the files.
all that aside, does anyone have a copy of stime.com and xtime.com +any other relevant files for this card?

Have you tried these?:

http://cd.textfiles.com/bthevhell/400/366/e/

Joined: 20 Dec 2012 Posts: 2 Location: Melbourne, Australia

I'll give that a bash!
Looks to be the right files