Memory Upgrades and Other Options
Program RAM vs. Sample RAM
9-1
Chapter 9
Memory Upgrades and Other Options
Program RAM vs. Sample RAM
If youÕre creating a lot of your own programs, and using samples loaded from disk, there are a
few things you should be aware of to avoid perplexity. First of all, thereÕs an important
distinction between what we call sample RAM and what we call program RAM. Sample RAM
refers to any SIMMs you may have had installed in your K2600. This RAM is reserved
exclusively for sample storage; nothing else is stored there. Sample RAM is volatile; that is,
when you power down your K2600, the data stored there will ÒevaporateÓ almost immediately.
ThatÕs why you have to load RAM samples every time you power up.
The amount of sample RAM in your K2600 is indicated in the center of the top line of the
Disk-mode page. If the center of the displayÕs top line is blank when youÕre on this page, it
means that there is no sample RAM installed in your K2600 (or that the K2600 isnÕt recognizing
it, in which case you should see your dealer or service center).
Program RAM is where all the other RAM objects you create (programs, setups, QA banks,
songs, keymaps, etc.) are stored. The K2600 comes from the factory with approximately 500K of
available program RAM. The amount of free program RAM is indicated at the right side of the
top line of the display in Song mode and Disk mode. You can add a program RAM (P/RAM)
option to increase your total available program RAM to about 1500K. Ask your dealer.
Figure 9-1 Disk mode page showing Sample RAM and Program RAM
Program RAM is battery-backed, so anything thatÕs stored there will be preserved even when
you power down (as long as your battery is functional). A fresh lithium battery should last for
several years, so youÕll have very few worries about losing your RAM program information.
Nonetheless, we recommend that you back up programs, songs, etc. by saving them to disk.
This offers insurance in case the RAM becomes corrupted. This is unlikely, but still a possibility.
If you create a program that uses a disk-loaded sample, the program information (number of
layers, keymap assignment, output group, algorithm, etc.) is stored in program RAM. All RAM
samples associated with the program are stored in sample RAM. This means that when you
power down, the RAM samples associated with your programs will disappear. The program
DiskMode||||Samples:43008K||Memory:166K|
Path|=|\DRUMS\||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(Macro|on)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CurrentDisk:SCSI|4||||||||Startup:Off|||
||||||||||||||||||||||||||Library:Off|||
Direct|Access,|121MB||||||Verify|:Off|||
TAXMOR|XL3-1001||||1.07|||||||||||||||||
<more|||Load|||Save||Macro||Delete|more>
Sample RAM (SIMMs) Program RAM (P/RAM)
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