Re: Boot Dos3.3 progs/games from .dsk image on HD? (REAL IIgs)?

[n9yty@n9yty.com (Steven Palm)]

a_specto@alcor.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector) wrote in message news:<3b551e58.36885296@newsflash.concordia.ca>...
> n9yty@bigfoot.com (Steven Palm) wrote:
> 
> >My question:  Is there *ANY* way to use disk image files without having to
> >write them to a disk first?
> 
>     Yes, though currently for a few specific filing systems only.
> 
> >I'd love to boot up some older applications, games and the like, but I
> >don't want to have to write them out to disk.
> 
>     John MacLean's DOS 3.3 Launcher is what you want. It allows you to
> create disk-images (custom; not *.2MG or *.DSK) from 5.25 floppy disks
> and store them on any ProDOS device. You can then launch and run
> games and applications by double-clicking images from the IIgs Finder,
> or even over an AppleTalk network.


 Oh, SOOOOO CLOSE.  :-)
  
 How about being able to go from a .DSK image to the DOS3.3 Launcher
system?  Is there any shortcut way of doing this without writing to a
5.25" diskette first?   Otherwise, I guess, you have to write to a
disk, then read it back in.  If that's the case, then the FocusDOS
system would probably work as well.  I was trying to skip this step.


 As for the mentions to SwatterDisk...  Thanks, I looked at that. 
However, under GS/OS, when I put a DOS3.3 disk image on there and get
back to the GS/OS Finder, it will only Eject or Initialize the disk,
becuase the DOS3.3. FST only supports 5.25" disks with that file
system.  <sigh>

It's never easy trying to relive history. <grin>

>     I've never heard of FocusDOS, I assume it comes with the Focus
> Hardrive? Can programs within the images be run?

 Yes.  You access them by volume number  (i.e. S7,D1,Vxxx), where you
can have up to 115 volumes in the "file".   I don't think you can
"boot" into a disk imaged area, however, just brun/exec/whatever.

>     It's always been my opinion that an emulator can never replace the
> feel of the real thing. That's why I'm actively looking to find a C64
> and Amiga to tinker with (I missed out on these machines having 
> gone the path of the Apple II Plus and then IIgs). :)

 From the other side of the coin, I was a VIC-20 / C64 / Amiga person,
and now getting back to the IIgs stuff I missed out on.  LoL.  I use
Macs now, and love MacOS X on my iBook (Dual USB).