My One Attempt At Modification...

[Steve B]

I Have long been a vocal critic of modifying the old chess computers
ANY modification ..no matter how small...was verbotin

Well...someone in an other thread made a request to buy more memory for his Fidelity EAG
this reminded me that i have a broken V2 sitting in my basement with two perfectly good 64 kb memory modules
now i know that Fidelity only offered memory upgrades for the EAG from 128kb to 512kb to 1024kb
never from 128kb to 256KB..i guess the extra cost of the memory(very expensive back then in the 1990's) was not worth the small increase in strength

so i decided to give it a whirl
i removed the two 64kb memory cards from the defective V2 and installed them into my working V2..so now my V2 has 256kb memory

very strange result
the V2 (when out of book) will not develop its Knights to C6 or F6
only A6 and H6??
everything else seems normal to me
makes absolutely no sense

this is what i get for futzing around..

Not So Fond Memories Regards
Steve

[Dave C]

I Have long been a vocal critic of modifying the old chess computers
ANY modification ..no matter how small...was verbotin

Well...someone in an other thread made a request to buy more memory for his Fidelity EAG
...
so i decided to give it a whirl
very strange result

Not So Fond Memories Regards
Steve

Yes, a strange result. Did you try a variety of openings to check the response? I would think the increased memory would primarily be used for additional hash storage and not effect the logic of move selection early in a game.

So this is how the modifying drive begins....a little extra memory here, next a slight increase in speed there...where will it ever end? A V12?

Slightly modified...regards,
Dave

[chesspcmac]

Sorry Steve, how did you come up to that conclusion maybe c6 and f6 are blunders?? LOL!!
Anyways I feel your pain Im always having problems with my chess gear

Thats why I dont even to try to upgrade my Montreux....Regards

[Steve B]

Well Guys...
i notice that the bizarre N developing moves seem to occur less at longer time controls
but at 5 and 10 min Blitz games the V2 will not move to C6 OR F6 unless in book
same is true when playing as white...no F3 OR C3

i wonder...if i were to remove 1 memory module ..leaving the V2 with an unusual 196 KB..would the V2 develop normally with one N at not the other??

Merry XMAS to all and to all....
A Good Knight Regards
Steve

[Cyberchess]

Well Guys...
i notice that the bizarre N developing moves seem to occur less at longer time controls
but at 5 and 10 min Blitz games the V2 will not move to C6 OR F6 unless in book
same is true when playing as white...no F3 OR C3

i wonder...if i were to remove 1 memory module ..leaving the V2 with an unusual 196 KB..would the V2 develop normally with one N at not the other??

Merry XMAS to all and to all....
A Good Knight Regards
Steve

Holiday Greetings Steve!

While I’ve never effected repair nor modification to a dedicated chess computer, I’ve effected an untold number of PC repairs/modifications over the years, and recall that memory upgrades must be of a type/module size recognized by the system’s installed BIOS version, and must always be installed in pairs. In fact, it’s not uncommon to perform a BIOS flash just to enable recognition of a formerly unavailable memory module.

Otherwise...

Dancer, Prancer and Blitzen May Get Confused Regards,
John

[Steve B]

memory upgrades must be of a type/module size recognized by the system’s installed BIOS version, and must always be installed in pairs. In fact, it’s not uncommon to perform a BIOS flash just to enable recognition of a formerly unavailable memory module.

Thanks John for that possible explanation
of course technical info like that is waay above my pay-grade but i think i get the gist of it
i am not ashamed to admit i kinda like knowing in advance that the V2 will develop its N's to the edges of the board
i have developed a strategy whereby i exchange off the N's with my B's saddling the V2 with doubled A and H pawns
i then trade down and go in for an endgame exploiting the weakened pawns
my win percentage Vs. the V2 has increased dramatically

Ruthless Regards
Steve

[Cyberchess]

i am not ashamed to admit i kinda like knowing in advance that the V2 will develop its N's to the edges of the board
i have developed a strategy whereby i exchange off the N's with my B's saddling the V2 with doubled A and H pawns

Ruthless Regards
Steve

Ah – you have saddled the schachcomputer with a new pair of RAM modules and a pair of doubled pawns.



Dan and Kathe are...

Befuddled Regards,
John

[Steve B]

In fact, it’s not uncommon to perform a BIOS flash just to enable recognition of a formerly unavailable memory module.

John...

I was thinking about your comments regarding PC memory..which jogged my memory.. that the V2 has a feature where you can clear out the Permanent Learning stored currently in memory..the V2 stores positions where the evaluation of the position nose dives after a move it made..it will try not to repeat that move in the future
kinda like learning from its mistakes
anyway...i cleared out all of the memory and now the V2 seems to no longer make those goofy N developing moves
need to play more games to be sure..

i am left with ambivalent feelings about this
i am happy the V2 is playing normally but now my win ratio has plummeted

Thanks For The Memories Regards
Steve

[Cyberchess]

John - I was thinking about your comments regarding PC memory..which jogged my memory.. that the V2 has a feature where you can clear out the Permanent Learning stored currently in memory..the V2 stores positions where the evaluation of the position nose dives after a move it made..it will try not to repeat that move in the future
kinda like learning from its mistakes
anyway...i cleared out all of the memory and now the V2 seems to no longer make those goofy N developing moves

Greetings Steve!

It’s great that you were able to locate the original manual and perform the necessary keystrokes to clear the EEPROM chip:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EEPROM

My Novag Diamond also had this “learning feature” whereby the machine would change its move just before its evaluation dropped, as well as the usual Novag programmable opening book, and both utilized static sensitive CMOS EEPROM. I found that using these features on the Novag without attaching the included serial interface to a PC and backing up the data was a total waste of time, as the data would soon be lost to static buildup – especially in the dry winter months. I’ll never forget how I stayed up late playing out a very bizarre and interesting game with the Novag Diamond, having a very hectic workweek, then by the weekend, when I went to retrieve the game for show and tell, it had already been garbled.

As for the RAM upgrade, I am reminded of how, in an effort to have people bring in their machines for an upgrade, I.C.D. once published a chart equating RAM capacity doubling to predicted ELO rating increases for a given unit. As with Steven Schwartz’s other rating estimates for newly released machines, these predicted ELO increase amounts were always hotly contested.

In any case, congratulations on getting the machine oiled up and...

Dan and Kathe are Smiling Regards,
John