PC Transporter fun

[me2@nowhere.org (Bart)]

Here is a short epistle on some of my latest tinkerings...

A PC Transporter on a IIGS.  An interesting combination. In this case a 
IIGS-IIe upgrade system, and, this is the way to go for running a PCT  The IIe 
case is longer and better accomodates the card.  Such a beast running Windows 
3.0 is a challenge.  1st is the problem of compatability with hardware and 
software,  2nd is the sheer mechanics of Getting it there!

One major consideration is video drivers.  What video setting do you use with 
an Analog Apple RGB 
monitor inthe 15MHz refresh range talking via the included PCT color switch 
board?  {{BTW, install tip for the color switch on a IIe style case:  Install 
it in the backplane slot over the power supply using something flat and 
nonconductive as an insulator under it (I pryed the metal off a 3.5 floppy and 
used that.}}
  
To get an EGA capable Windows ver 3.0 setup over to my PC Transporter equipped 
Apple IIgs I had to do some rather bizzare shuffles:

First,  I do not have any 386 or 486 class machines that have 1.2meg 5.25 
drives installed. And you need a 1.2 meg drive  to install Win 3.0; the 5 
install disks are in that size.  I guess you could copy them to a 1.44 and use 
a Supredrive and Superdrive card, but I am fresh out of those, or use the Blue 
Disk(?) from Joachim Lange (on my wish list too) but these options are not 
currently avaialable  So...
 I had to boot a PII 333 (my one remaining machine with a 1.2 meg 5.25 drive) 
into Comand Prompt and install Win 3.0  there. Tried it too for grins.  man oh 
man!  Windows SCREAMS on a PII!)  I then moved the directory to a 486 that has 
DOS 6.0 and Win for Workgroups  3.11 (16 bit TCP/IP installed) via TCP/IP.  
This machine does not have an EGA monitor so I needed to move it on.  I used 
Novell IPX to move the directory to a 386 with an EGA monitor.  This machine 
does NOT have a 1.2meg 5.25 floppy drive so... to get the correct drivers 
I..ran SETUP.  It asked for  disks 1 -3 of the setup so I mounted floppy on 
Pentium and copied needed files from PII -> 486 -> 386 as it asked for them. 
Had to do this as  PII-> is a TCP link, 486-> 386 is IPX. Then rebooted (386) 
and had it.  EGA mode Windows 3.0 worked. 

Zipped the resulant directory, created a zip self extractor, and copied it to 
my main PIII which runs COPSTALK (Appletalk compatable protocol)  and  passed 
across to a Mac.
Then I used the GS to snarf the zip via regular Appletalk from the target Mac. 
Last I used the PCT Transfer progy to get it into the DOS "Disk".  From 
here... well all that shuffling left the file (Zip self extractor) damaged so 
I copied PKZ204g.exe over to the PCT via the TranDrive 360k (it is a 220k 
file) and installed pkzip on the Apple.   I then ran PKZIPFIX on the file, 
then unzipped it.  
It is now in the process of writing the files one at a time (you don't KNOW 
the difference tween a modern box and a old 8088 till you watch one run a 
decompression; MAN that's sloow!  Ah HA! GDI.EXE doesn't pass crc so, copied 
another to a 360k ..  two more files, similar problem.  Ok. That is done, now 
the acid test.  Humm reboot the PCT to be sure and..
A Windows logo on my Apple IIgs in a IIe Case. 

 Poor poor computer.  How could a cruel human do that to you!  Well it boots 
and sees my Apple mouse as a Microsoft one.  Recognizes the IIe keyboard AND 
the old style 96 key Zeinth plugged in too.  I just launched Solitare.  humm 
red queen on the black... uh well that's it ;)
-Bart