IDEA!

Post by **Skyone** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:05 am

I've never seen so many people frustrated over such a innocent question. Calm down.

Thanks for the datasheet Marshall, I've never been able to find the part number to the on-board RAM. Having that said, having the datasheet to the 4MB chip would be nice as well.

The 2x 2MB chips deliver 9-bit words, so unless you could find a 4MB chip that also worked using 9 bits, then it'd be more difficult to interface obviously. But I doubt Nintendo went about reprogramming their 4MB systems, so I'd assume the 4MB RAM worked similarly to the 2MB RAM.

In any case, keep us updated, haha.

lovablechevy · Post by **lovablechevy** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:56 am

Gordon1 wrote:Also, will a game that only uses 4mb of ram still work with the expansion pak in? it may sound dumb, but I don't know if it will.

umm... yes. it would be stupid to have to switch back and forth between the jumper and expansion paks all the time.

eurddrue · Post by **eurddrue** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:41 am

Yes games 4mb games will work with the expansion pak in. I actually never take mine out. I lost my tool that came with dk64 so I never bothered taking it out and I just switch n64s when I want to play prefect dark or dk64.

sorry lovablechevey beat me to it, worthless post.

DK · Post by DK » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:47 am

eurddrue wrote:Yes games 4mb games will work with the expansion pak in. I actually never take mine out. I lost my tool that came with dk64 so I never bothered taking it out and I just switch n64s when I want to play prefect dark or dk64.

sorry lovablechevey beat me to it, worthless post.

Not worthless at all, always wondered how to get the expansion pack out of my N64. Got it second hand so never knew about the "tool". What did it look like btw?

eurddrue · Post by **eurddrue** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:52 am

Installing the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak

Make sure that the power switch on the Nintendo 64 Control Deck is in the OFF position and that the power cord is unplugged from the wall outlet.

http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/images/mempak.gif
Remove the Memory Expansion Cover located on the top of the Nintendo 64 Control Deck and remove the red label. It is okay to remove the existing Jumper Pak when you are replacing it with the Expansion Pak.

Insert the Jumper Pak Ejector Tool into the back of the Jumper Pak and push downward, ejecting the Jumper Pak out of the connector. If you do not have a Jumper Pak Ejector Tool, you may use a small spoon to remove the Jumper Pak. You will need to press firmly.

Insert the Expansion Pak into the Memory Expansion compartment, making sure that it is not loaded backwards. The text on the Expansion Pak should face towards the front of the control deck.
Replace the Memory Expansion Cover on the control deck.
Important Expansion Pak Notes:
Once the Expansion Pak is installed, it is normally not necessary to remove it from the control deck. If you do remove the Expansion Pak, you will need to re-insert the Jumper Pak for your system to operate.
To prevent dust, dirt or other foreign material from falling into the expansion pak compartment, be sure to replace the Memory Expansion Cover after installing the expansion pak.
The N64 Expansion Pak is designed to work with all Nintendo 64 Game Paks, even those which do not use the Expansion features.
The Expansion Pak will become hot while the control deck is on. This is normal. Do not touch any part of the Expansion Pak when the control deck is operating. Wait one hour after turning the control deck off before touching or removing the Expansion Pak. Do not attach any label or sticker to the Expansion Pak which could block the cooling vents.

the link is the best pic I could find DK
And this is an article that I copied off of support.nintendo.com

mothatrucka · Post by **mothatrucka** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:55 am

HazmatB wrote: I just thought eurddrue, mothatrucka, and you were not communicating well, and being quite childish with your comments. I suppose that is just my opinion though.

No, I wasn't bickering. I don't bicker with idiots, I only fight people who actually use the brains in their heads.

And in answer to the question about expansion packs and 4mb games: Yes, the expansion pack can be left in. I've never used anything but the pack, since I got my N64 used and it was included.

Post by **marshallh** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 3:29 pm

The N64 boot OS has a function for checking the existence of the Expansion Pak - it's a function called by games which support it. Basically, the 4MB internal memory and 4MB expansion memory are mapped contiguously. The test function simply writes a preset value somewhere in the upper 4MB, if the expansion pak is there, then it will read the exact same value back from memory. Otherwise it will just read garbage.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:55 pm

So this would work then? My understanding of it so far is that you take an early n64 and replace the 2mb rambus ram x2 with 4mb rambus ram x2 from somewhere else (possibly 2 later-revision n64s?)

ShockSlayer · Post by **ShockSlayer** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:08 pm

totokan wrote:So this would work then? My understanding of it so far is that you take an early n64 and replace the 2mb rambus ram x2 with 4mb rambus ram x2 from somewhere else (possibly 2 later-revision n64s?)

Actually, since they are both manufactured by nintendo, and for the same system, and probably programmed to do the same thing in my mind that spells compatibility!

SS

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:13 am

.

Now that I understand what the idea is here... Im still skeptical. Things like addressing wont magically work themselves out.

Basically, what marshall said.

lovablechevy · Post by **lovablechevy** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:22 am

i don't understand why you would want to try this. you are going to be using 3 boards to get 1 for a portable? i know n64s are cheap, but rendering 2 boards useless after this mod...? seriously?! not to mention that messing with surface mount components can prove to be much trickier than simply relocating the expansion pak.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:37 am

DK wrote:always wondered how to get the expansion pack out of my N64. Got it second hand so never knew about the "tool". What did it look like btw?

I used a big flat head screwdriver to pry my jumper pak out when I got an expansion pak.

lifeisbetterwithketchup · Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:53 am

vskid wrote:
DK wrote:always wondered how to get the expansion pack out of my N64. Got it second hand so never knew about the "tool". What did it look like btw?
I used a big flat head screwdriver to pry my jumper pak out when I got an expansion pak.

I use the top of the bottom part of my folding wire music stand to get it out. Whatever works.

Metroid fan · Post by **Metroid fan** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:58 am

lifeisbetterwithketchup wrote:
vskid wrote:
DK wrote:always wondered how to get the expansion pack out of my N64. Got it second hand so never knew about the "tool". What did it look like btw?
I used a big flat head screwdriver to pry my jumper pak out when I got an expansion pak.
I use the top of the bottom part of my folding wire music stand to get it out. Whatever works.

Ah! Confusion! The top of the bottom of a music stand!

I prefer a screwdriver or a spoon myself.

eurddrue · Post by **eurddrue** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 12:16 pm

Actually guys the easiest thing for me to get it out was the lid that covered the exp pak, and I don't even have to go upstairs to grab a tool to get it out.

also what games even use the expansion pak, and you could use two of the boards, just one would take some jimmyrigging.