Re: ZIP on GS (was: question on Standards for files)

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Pim Blokland writes ...
> 
> In article <387FDB70.1537FF31@swbell.net>, rubywand@swbell.net wrote:
> 
> >  New PC Zip disks are usually formatted; but, to use as ProDOS or HFS
> > volumes on a IIgs, they need to be partitioned-- which takes about 30
> > seconds
> > or so.
> 
> Not for HFS; the GS can read and write HFS volumes greater than 32MB.
> The disk I used to test with was just one of the HFS disks I use with my
> Mac.

     Okay; but, new PC disks are not formatted for HFS.

 
> >  Don't know about Zip disks pre-formatted for Mac. Although they may be
> > ready to go as HFS on a Mac, it seems likely that you will need to
> > partition them for IIgs ProDOS or HFS (even if you have just one HFS
> > partition).
> 
> Not sure what you're trying to imply here... Should there be a
> difference between HFS on the Mac and HFS on the GS?

     Again, I do not know. Since partitioning, even if you have just one large
HFS partition, is a way of validating that your IIgs OS is happy with a Zip
disk and since it takes less than a minute, doing it seems like a good idea. 


> >  Since we normally boot from a Focus 'Hard Card' drive (an IDE drive not
> > on the SCSI chain), the normal power-ON procedure is to power-ON the Zip
> > first, insert a Zip disk, and power-ON the computer.
> 
> Yes, that's what I had been trying all that time. But it didn't work.
> Only powering up the ZIP drive after the computer is switched on works.

     Then, that is the way to go. Your controller may be different.

 
> >  For the drive or disk icon to dim when a disk is ejected via a button on
> > the drive is the normal, correct response of GS System.
> 
> Yes, and I said the icon did *NOT* get dimmed. And also that if I drag
> the disk to the Trash, it did not get ejected.
 ....

     Perhaps you are having one of the common SCSI setup problems:

1- no termination: The SCSI chain is supposed to end with termination
resistances. You can, probably, leave your Zip Drive termination ON wherever it
is on the chain-- it seems to be a fairly light load.

2- no termination power: Many Apple High Speed SCSI cards do not supply
termination power. Some device on the chain needs to supply termination power.
(Zip drive's do not supply termination power.)  There is a simple mod for the
HSS card to let it supply the power.

3- conflicting SCSI ID number: Zip Drives give you a choice of two ID numbers.
Whichever you pick must not be the same as another device on the SCSI chain.


     For more information on this stuff, see the FAQs: 

http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2HDNSCSI.html
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2ZIPTF.html .



Rubywand