[SGVLUG] Bad memory in Pentium I, HD too large, PC power use

[David Lawyer]

About 4 years ago I decided to update my Pentium I PC with new
memory.  I got 2@ 64 MB EDO modules and they worked fine.  Then I
stopped using the PC due to excessive RF radiation which I found
several months ago was due to a cheap power supply where they had
omitted filtering components from a PCB of the power supply  (there
are just jumpers on the PCB card where there should have been
capacitors, etc.).  So I installed a used power supply from a 486 PC.
I found the PC was frequently crashing but this stopped when I
replaced the newer EDO memory with slower "fast paged memory) from an
older Pentium I PC.  Then I returned the 2@ 64 MB of memory for
replacement but my first try at this didn't work since I accidentally
returned 2@ 8 MB of memory.  They sent me new memory but it has the
same problem as what I returned:  It frequently crashes.

Except if I also (in addition to the new 2 @ 64 MB) install say 2@ 8MB
of fast paged memory (older and slower then EDO)  everything is OK and
it doesn't crash.  Boot time is perhaps 10% longer.   I guess the
slower memory in bank 2 slows down the newer EDO memory in bank 1 and
thus it doesn't fail and cause crashes.  It this correct?

So now I need some memory for my other Pentium 1 (I'm using as a
backup) due to the loss of 2@ 8MB I accidentally mailed.  Is it easy
to find locally or do I need to ask OEMPC World in San Jose, where I
ordered my replacement memory from, to return it (after I said they
could keep it).  More than 8 MB would be even better.  It can be
either EDO or FPM.  I'll bet people are throwing away PC's with such
memory in them.

Re the HD too large problem, I decided to upgrade my hard drive and
bought a used 40 GB HD to replace a bad 3 MB HD which sometimes causes
the power supply shutdown.  My MB (ATC 5000 from 1999) can't recognize
it and I found complaints about this on the Internet.  Even though the
BIOS has LBA for the HD, supposedly able to access 4 TB of disk,  40
GB is too much for it!   On the Internet, they said that even flashing
the BIOS with an update fails to fix this problem.

My PC is fast on the Inherent with either the Lynx (text only) or
Dillo browsers.  Unfortunately, neither is being updated and they do
need updating,  I'm in favor of low energy PC's, like my 486 that per
the manual uses 16 watts in full power mode and 11.5 watts in green
mode.  Consumer Reports rate modern PC's but doesn't list the power
they use.  They should.