Re: RamFast Card

[George Rentovich <grent@home.com>]

william strutts wrote:

> I purchased a RamFast card today from a dude who had a bag
> full of Apple II cards.  He didn't realize that the II had a SCSI
> adapter available for it.  He was selling the cards for $5 bucks
> a piece.  I found a RamFast 256K SCSI adpater Rev C and
> a Q-RAM Memory expansion card with 2 meg on it.  My question
> is how do you configure the RamFast card and does it require
> a setup program?  When I turn on my IIgs with the card, it
> now says "Scanning SCSI bus for SCSI devices.  This may
> take 45 seconds."  Not having any SCSI devices yet, it then
> goes to Slot 6 and looks for a floppy.  I can not set up the
> get to the Control Panel with the card installed.  When I
> hit Opt Ctrl Esc, it doesn't do anything unless I run a program
> and then it will let me into the Control Panel.  However,
> it won't let me configure a RAM disk anymore.

     Hold down the zero key when booting to access the the RamFast Rom
programs. This should also tell you
        Which revison  it is on the ROM. The  C card will work in the
IIe and IIgs. The D card will only work with the IIgs.  If I remember
correctly it was smalller and used less power.

>
>
> To get a HD, I will need to get a SCSI drive, a SCSI case
> and power supply plus a 25pin to 50 pin cable to connect
> it to the IIgs.  Is there a good source for these parts or
> are we now limited to hit and miss on ebay?  Can you still
> buy external SCSI drives?

Yes, but most of  these are used. With a HD, you can use ZIP/jazz and
Syquest drives Drives.
  But they all must be SCSI -1 . SCSI-2 will not work .  Right around
500 meg things started to change to SCSI-2 . There are 1 gig drives out
there that are scsi-1 but they may be harder to find..

>
>
> On other question, how do you tell what version of the
> firmware is on the RamFast?  I keep hearing that it is important
> to have a certain version of the firmware for large HD
> compatibility.??  Is there a way you can poke the ROM on
> the card to get the version number?

Hold down the zero key when booting

>
>
> --
> --
> William R. Strutts - wrstrutts1@home.com - Whatever!
>
> C'est moi!  http://www.facelink.com/wrstrutts
>
> Just hacking away...