Re: A few (more) IIgs questions.

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

labelas@hotmail.com (Labelas Enoreth) wrote:

>supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer) wrote:
>
>> If you have ROM version 1.5 or better, you can upgrade.  Max
>> speed depends on the card.  Mine goes to 12.5Mhz where it has
>> been going strong since I upgraded.
>> 
>> ROM v1.5 or greater is the rule rather than the exception.  ;-)
>
>Cool. Very cool indeed. So none of that accursed 'so where can I find one
>of those, um GAL thingies?'

Nope.  Actually, no TWGS card needs replacement GALs
anymore.  Not since the new CPUs from WDC came out.
If your card were below ROM 1.5, you just needed a new
ROM 1.5 or better, so the GALs are indeed a thing of the
past (luckily).

>> 
>> >Arrgh. I just discovered that GS/OS will no longer boot from my HD20SC...
>> >
>> >It says 'unable to load START.GS.OS Error $0046' or something like
>> >that...why, oh why...Is this a problem with the TWGS and the Apple HS SCSI
>> >card? or the drive?
>> 
>> Perhaps.  Try turning DMA off on the Apple card.  It is not
>> supposed to conflict, but let's do it for the sake of troubleshooting.
>
>Hmm. which switch is that on?

On the Apple High Speed SCSI card is a DIP switch block.
Flip switch 1 to the up (open) position to turn off DMA.

>> Most likely, though, based on your description, the ribbon cable
>> from the TWGS to the motherboard has gone bad.  Like I wrote
>> before, this cable is notoriously fragile.  There have been
>> magazine articles devoted to replacing it with a more sturdy
>> cable.
>
>Hmm. Well, the cable in mine is a fairly sturdy looking cable, like the
>type you'd connect to the back of an internal SCSI drive. Gray and
>plastic-y. And the part that plugs into the CPU socket is a fairly solid
>piece of plastic too. The only complaint I have is that it is so short,
>you can only use it in the one slot I have it in. Or is that the fragile
>cable? or was there one that was more fragile...?

Not sure.  I know that original equipment TWGS cables
had problems if repeatedly plugged and unplugged many
times over.  At least the earlier ones.  But yours is
probably a later model without the problem.  If so, then
the ribbon cable is most likely OK.

>> I've never moved my TWGS since it was upgraded.
>> 
>> Normally, I'd also suspect the CPU since some of them go bad
>> after 10+ years, but you did say it was working in the dirty GS.
>> On the other hand, it may have just been working INTERMITTENTLY.
>> 
>> If you suspect the CPU, you might want to get a new, faster
>> unit for it.  Trevor Mahan has been gathering people who want
>> one.  He lives 15 minutes from WDC.
>
>Well, the thing was...in the dirty GS, I just booted it up, played with it
>for a second, but didn't run anything or boot GS/OS (the drive in it seems
>to be dead)
>
>But, upon putting it into my IIgs, I had problems. I suspect now that I
>may have put the GS-RAM III in backwards <blush> but I'm not sure. But the
>bizarre sporadic HD problems...those bother me...especially when they are
>even occurring when the Trasnwarp is set to normal. Hmm.

Ok, now we're getting somewhere.  It sounds like the TWGS
is bombing in 16-bit mode but working fine in 8-bit emulation
mode (running IIe stuff or BASIC).  That is THE characteristic
symptom of a failing 65C816 CPU (of the older design).  A
CPU change SHOULD fix things (not to mention give you
increased speed and add value to the TWGS).

>Hm. What is his email address? How much would one cost?
>oh, and thanks...

tjmahan@earthlink.net is his email address.

Good luck!