Specifications

17 January 1997 – Subject to Change
Upgrading the AlphaPC 164 5–1
5
Upgrading the AlphaPC 164
The AlphaPC 164 can be upgraded in two ways. For higher system speed or greater
throughput, DRAM memory can be upgraded either by replacing SIMMs with those
of greater size, or by widening the memory bus from 128 bits to 256 bits by adding
more SIMMs. For higher CPU speed, the Digital Semiconductor 21164
microprocessor can be replaced with a higher speed Alpha chip. The following
sections describe the upgrade processes.
Note:
When configuring or upgrading DRAM, the following rules must be
observed:
• All SIMMs must be 36-bit and have a 70-ns or faster access time.
• All SIMMs must be of equal size.
5.1 Configuring DRAM Memory
Table 5–1 lists the DRAM memory configurations available. Refer to Figure 2–1 for
SIMM connector location.