Re: IIgs RAM drive question

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

apple2pd@ground.ecn.uiowa.edu (ground.ecn AppleII Librarian) wrote:

>David Empson <dempson@actrix.gen.nz> wrote:
>
>>Supertimer <supertimer@aol.com> wrote:
>>
>>> apple2pd@ground.ecn.uiowa.edu (ground.ecn AppleII Librarian) wrote:
>>> 
>>> >Ah!  That is my problem.  I have a superdrive controller in Slot 5, with
>>> >the control panel set to 'your card'.  Now I know why p8 can't use /ram5.
>>> >I thought it was a generic gs/os - p8 problem.  I guess my system is a
>>> >special exception.
>>> 
>>> Nope.  My system has a Superdrive controller in slot 5 too.
>>> In fact, I'm pretty sure David's does too.
>
>OK, I'm confused.  I thought I understood David's explanation, but
>Supertimer seems to say otherwise.  I have NO /Ram5 volume in p8, but
>I do in GS/OS.  David explained why, but Supertimer does seem to have
>/ram5 in p8 with a similar setup.  How do you get it?

David is right, I don't have a /RAM5 under ProDOS 8.

The "Nope" in my followup was referring to "my system is a special
exception" (I just wanted to say I also had a Superdrive card in
Slot 5 and that David has a Superdrive controller too) not "I know
why p8 can't use /ram5."

Sorry about the confusion.

>This hasn't entered the discussion yet, but it might be helpful to add.
>What if I put a Ramfactor (1Meg) into the GS, slot ? (I'm guessing slot 1
>since that already is set to 'your card', but is 'your card' neccessary
>for a slinky /ram disk?).  I know there is a special driver in GS/OS
>for an apple2 memory card.  With Ramfactor, will I keep access to /Ramx in
>both p8 and GS/OS?   Catch 22, I'm running a stock IIe powersupply in a
>IIe case with Rom1 GS upgraded motherboard, ZipGS, 4Meg RAmGS, 2 drive
>controller cards: will a RamFactor drive me over edge, power-wise?  This
>system is rock solid in its present configuration, but I do need a new
>powersupply every couple years.

There is an Apple Memory Expansion Card (the IIe slinky slot card
from Apple) driver for GS/OS in System 6.0.1.  Just plug your
RamFactor in a slot (in your case, I recommend slot 4, see below
for reason), install the GS/OS driver, and you are set.  Naturally,
P8 will always see the RamFactor.  Actually, you don't need the
driver in GS/OS, but it offers more features (such as the option
of formatting the 1MB card as 800k so that you can extract
those .shk disk images otherwise called .sdk files).

I recommend putting the RamFactor in slot 4 and setting the
slot to 'your card' and the reason I do so is because you have
a ROM 3.  One of the features of the ROM 3 is access to the
mouse under GS/OS even if slot 4 is set to 'your card.'  You
can thus use your RamFactor in slot 4 without losing your
mouse.