Portable RAM Card 1MB -> 3MB by adding 658128ALFP chips. Is the B revision acceptable?

David Cook

Active Tinkerer
Jul 20, 2023
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As we all know, the Macintosh Portable is most limited by the lack of RAM upgrades available today. If you only have a 1 MB card (or nothing at all), the computer can't effectively run System 7. While I wait for some genius's modern solution, I would like to try upgrading Apple's 1 MB card for the 5126 backlit model.

As you can see, this card was designed for a 1 MB or 3 MB configuration.

820-0662-B Portable RAM Card.jpg


Theoretically, I can just add 16 more 658128ALFP chips (8 on each side). However, I am having difficulty locating these chips at a reasonable price. It seems like the B variety (658128BLFP) are readily available. These are fully static, rather than pseudo-static. Fortunately, the refresh pin is NC on the fully static B chip. Otherwise, the pinout and operation seems identical.

Has anyone had any experience upgrading these cards? Has anyone tried the B chips?

Thank you,

David
 

Garrett

Tinkerer
Oct 31, 2021
171
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South Carolina
When upgrading PowerBook 1xx RAM expansion cards, I've found that you can intermix PSRAM and SRAM on the same board. Everything just works. I don't know if that bit of info helps in your case, but it may be worth a shot just to try!
 
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David Cook

Active Tinkerer
Jul 20, 2023
251
325
63
When upgrading PowerBook 1xx RAM expansion cards, I've found that you can intermix PSRAM and SRAM on the same board. Everything just works. I don't know if that bit of info helps in your case, but it may be worth a shot just to try!

Thank you. That's good to know. I've ordered some of the static RAM chips and I'll update this thread after trying them.
 

Froggy814

New Tinkerer
May 6, 2026
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Squaw Valley, CA
Well, I would give it a try. Only because logical reasoning says: The non backlit can only take SRAM but the backlit can take SRAM and P-SRAM, so I would think it would be okay...