---
title: "Sinclair 8K ROM Problems?"
type: "article"
slug: "sinclair-8k-rom-problems"
url: "http://localhost/article/sinclair-8k-rom-problems/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/article/sinclair-8k-rom-problems.md"
published_at: "2020-10-27T17:18:45+00:00"
modified_at: "2025-07-23T01:23:05+00:00"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20230809-041332.jpg"
excerpt: "How to check for defective 8K ROM."
category:
  - name: "SYNC"
    slug: "sync"
    taxonomy: "category"
    url: "http://localhost/category/periodicals/sync/"
post_tag:
  - name: "1982"
    slug: "year-1982"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/year-1982/"
  - name: "Sinclair Research Ltd."
    slug: "sinclair-research-ltd"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/sinclair-research-ltd/"
indiv:
  - name: "Nigel Searle"
    slug: "nigel-searle"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/nigel-searle/"
publication: "Sync"
publication_r:
  id: 10243
  title: "SYNC"
  type: "periodical"
  url: "http://localhost/periodical/sync-magazine/"
authors: "Nigel Searle"
volume: "2"
issue: "1"
issues_articles:
  - id: 26641
    title: "SYNC v2 n1"
    type: "issue"
    url: "http://localhost/issue/sync-v2-n1/"
pages: "9"
pubdate: "January/February 1982"
archive_link: false
volumeissue: "v2n1"
---

# Sinclair 8K ROM Problems?

In SYNC Notes {SYNC 1 :5) we gave a test to check whether you had received a defective ROM. The following letter from Nigel Searle will clarify this matter further:

Dear Customer:

The recent mention in Sync magazine of a possible bug in our 8K BASIC ROM could be misleading.

The correct value of 2^32 is 4,294,967,296. This is rounded to 8 significant digits and displayed as 4,294,967,300. 2^32-1 is 4,294,967,295 which, when rounded to 8 significant digits, is also displayed as 4,294,967,300.

This is the appropriate result for a computer of finite (8 digit) capacity.

The bug referred to in Sync will give 1,288,490,200 when 1 is subtracted from 2^32 (4,294,967,300). Only if your ROM has this problem should you return it to us for replacement.