Re: //GS, SCSI, Focus Drive & AE RAM Card

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

John writes ...
> 
> Ok...  I finally took the plunge and ordered a FocusDrive from AllTech
 ....
 
> As far as the FocusDrive goes, definately looking forward
> to getting that but
> here lies another question or two (maybe more, just depends on how much my
> brain starts thinking this evening)...
> 
> I currently have an Apple HD20SC drive connected to a Rev C Apple SCSI card
> that is located in slot 7.  Right now, I have no other cards in any slots
> (except for the RAM card) and was curious if I need
> to relocate the SCSI card
> to another slot.

     A good Slot for the SCSI card is Slot 2. Set Slot 2 to "Your Card" in the
Control Panel. (Press OpenApple-Control-Escape and select "Control Panel".
Then, select "Slots".)

     This will disable access to modem firmware; however, most popular telecom
software does not use the firmware.


> I have two 3.5 floppies 
> and one 5.25 floppy for the machine
> right now though will probably abandon the 5.25 floppy after I get the new
> hard drive installed and get the floppies that I want to rescue the data off
> of from my old days in high school
 ....
> 
> I guess that brings up the next logical question.  Am I actually going to be
> able to read these 5.25 disks on the //GS running GS/OS? They are in DOS 3.3
> format.

     GS System will let you CATALOG DOS 3.3 diskettes (unless they are
formatted for more than 35 tracks). You will be able to move files to hard disk
or 3.5" diskette, too; _but_, for transfers to any ProDOS disk, file names will
be modified to fit ProDOS.

     Basically, DOS 3.3 is tied to 5.25" diskettes or images formatted for DOS
3.3. A fairly good workaround is DOS3.3 Launcher. It will convert many non
copy-protected DOS 3.3 disks to disk image files which can be saved on hard
disk and launched under DOS 3.3 Launcher.

     You can get DOS 3.3 Launcher from Uni-kl.de at 
ftp://ftp.uni-kl.de/pub/apple2/gs/utils/files/ . For more info, see
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2DOSMM.html#022 .

     In any case, getting rid of your 5.25" drives will make it impossible to
access lots of software which will run only from 5.25" diskette.


> 
> (SEE, I told you that there might be more than one or two questions)
> 
> The files on the HD20SC are all GS/OS or ProDOS programs,
> at least so far as I
> know.  Is there anything special I need to know to re-locate these files and
> programs to the Focus?  Is it like the MAC days of old when you could just
> drag a folder for a program to another disk and it would then run from that
> disk or are things going to be like on a Windows machine where you have to
> figure out where any number of given places the installer program puts the
> files?
 ....

     Most of your stuff should run okay. Some older GS software may not be
compatible with System 6.0.1.




Rubywand