Re: Problems transferring DOS3.3 from PC to IIe :(

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

"Jim L." writes ...
> 
> >Dunk writes ...
> >>
> >> On Mon, 22 May 2000 12:34:25 GMT, "Paul R. Santa-Maria"
> >> <paulrsm@ameritech.net> wrote:
> >>
> >
> <snip>
> > There is one more thing to make sure of: your II+ needs to have at 
> > least 48K of RAM installed. The transferred DOS 3.3 will not work on
> > machines with less than 48K.
> >
 ....
> 
> OK Rubywand, I think you've hit on something here...
> 
> (If we've forgotten, I've been having the same problem as Dunk - null-modem
> transfer at 300, no line feeds, etc. all according to plan - the Apple
> 'freezes' at the end of the transfer)
> 
> On my ][+ when I use the FRE (0) command in 
> Applesoft Basic, my machine returns
> the number 30710.  This doesn't seem to be enough
> memory to perform the DOS 3.3
> transfer.
>

     Wow! This stuff is going back to the dim beginnings of Apple ][ times.
(Still remember when 16K of memory was a big deal.) When we ordered the ][+,
my dad decided to 'go for it' and get the whole 48K installed; so, I've never
messed with smaller A2 configs.

     When you turn ON an Apple II with Applesoft in ROM (i.e. most Apple
II's) and do not boot any DOS, the memory is set up for entering a program
starting at $803.

     PRINT FRE(0) after powering up with no DOS boot returns the number of
bytes 'between' the top of motherboard RAM and location $803-- e.g.
$C000-$0803. (If the number is greater than 32767, the displayed result is
negative-- -18435 with 48K installed. Doing 65536 -18435 gives 47101 as the
number of bytes.)

     A result of 30710 is about what you would expect (30717) for an Apple II
topping out at $8000-- i.e. with 32K installed. As you say, this system would
not be able to transfer and use dos33.dmp to get DOS 3.3.

     Having a bad or missing RAM IC in the last row of 16K RAM chips (the row
closest to the Slots) might result in the last 16K being ignored-- not sure
about that. Just a minute ...  Okay; when (with power OFF) I pull out the
Language Card (which also removes the left-most RAM IC on the last row) and
turn ON the computer (no boot) and do a PRINT FRE(0), the result is 30717.


 
> Now I would like to ask the group these two questions -
> 
> 1)  How do 'activate' my language card?  From what I
> understand it contains 16K memory.

     Yes; the Language Card has 16K. The LC is dedicated to allowing blocks
of RAM to be swapped in for the range $D000 - $FFFF under software control.

     To install the LC, the last row of RAM must be filled up (i.e. have the
other 7 16K RAM chips plugged in).  The LC is intended for use only in
systems with 48K on the motherboard. 

     LC RAM is not useable for holding regular BASIC programs; and, it will
not substitute for any RAM missing in the motherboard 48K RAM area.
Installing the LC will not increase 'available bytes' for Applesoft as
indicated via PRINT FRE(0).

     Part of LC RAM will be used when ProDOS is booted and starts
BASIC.SYSTEM. Part of LC RAM is used whenever Integer BASIC or some other
Apple language is loaded in.

     A number of games and other programs use LC RAM for various purposes.
Usually, these products are labeled "For 64K Apple II" on the diskette and/or
box. (Later models of Apple II's include RAM which acts like an LC; so, even
on a IIgs, the RAM space is still referred to as "Language Card" RAM.)


     As mentioned earlier, the LC uses an IC-type plug that needs to go into
the left-most RAM socket in the last row.

Note: The IC-type plug goes in with the cable side-- the side of the plug
where the cable goes into the plug-- facing toward the middle of the
motherboard. From the front of the computer, it looks something like this

 ____
|    |____////
|    |____///
|    |____// <--- ribbon cable going to Language Card
|    |____/       plugged into left-most RAM socket
|____|


     Since installing the LC requires pulling out the RAM chip in the
left-most socket, a replacement RAM chip for the socket is included on the
Language Card (which is why it has 9 RAM chips.)

     The LC also substitutes its ROM for the F8 ROM on the motherboard. The
new ROM is the "AutoStart ROM" (the one included on later model ][+'s). If
your ][+ already has the AutoStart ROM on the motherboard, you will not
notice any difference in operation.


> It is in slot 0 and has no dip switches on it.

     Right. You just plug in the cable as shown above and plug the card into
Slot 0.
   

> 
> For reference here are my cards, top down -
> slot 6 - Apple disc II interface with 2 drives

     Forgot to mention-- this interface must have the ROMs to support
16-sector disks in order to use DOS 3.3 and in order to use the LC. (A
standard LC kit included the two new ROMs for the Disk Controller card.) 

     According to the Language Card manual, the two new ROMs for 16-sector
operation are labeled ...

P5A and/or 341-0027-xx
P6A and/or 341-0028-xx

     Unless it's a pretty early Disk Controller board, yours probably already
has the right ROMs. (BTW, these are 20-pin IC's.)


> slot 5 - microsci inerface card no drives

     Might as well pull the board for now.


> slot 4 - Apple Parallel interface that I have no idea how to use

     Don't know about this card. For now, while you are trying to get DOS
going, it's probably a good idea to pull it.


> slot 2 - Applied Engineering Serial Pro

     Probably a serial interface intended for use with a modem.


> slot 0 - Tiawanese copy of expansion/language card
> 
> 2)  The RAM section on the motherboard is full, should I therefore have 48K
> already?

     As long as _all_ of the sockets (all 24) are filled, yes.


> There are 24 chips labelled MCM4116BP20 QQ8209.  Do these need to be
> cleaned or re-seated?
 ....

     Since the last row of chips (closest to the Slots) seems to have a
problem, the chips there should be at least scootched up an reseated. Then,
power ON and do a PRINT FRE(0) to check available memory.



Rubywand