Re: More dumb newbie questions.

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

dwatkins@swlink.net (Dan Watkins) wrote:

>Thanks to help from people on this n.g., my newly acquired GS is
>up and running. I'm still having a couple of problems, however. Any help will 
>be appreciated.
>
>Problem 1:
>
>I bought a nice, new shrink-wrapped copy of the Apple II GS system 5.0.2.
>I would like to make a back-up copy of the system disk, but so far haven't 
>been able to. When I try to use the back up, I get an error message that says 
>"Can't load ProDos 3.3" or words to that effect. I have tried to make the 
>back-up just by dragging the files from the original system disk to the copy, 
>as I would with an older Mac. Am I doing something wrong here?

Did you format the disk in Finder?  Some programs, like AppleWorks,
format the disk without the boot blocks increase storage (several k
worth)...this will prevent the disk from booting no matter what files are
on the disk...sort of like a Mac HD without the driver partition.

Here's the right way to do it...boot 5.0.4, eject the disk WITH THE
DISK DRIVE EJECT BUTTON; NOT BY DRAGGING IT TO THE
TRASH.  If you do it this way, the disk's icon will still be on the
desktop but dimmed.  Insert a new 3.5" disk (and format it if it is
not formatted).  Now you have two disk icons on Finder.  Drag the
dimmed 5.0.4 icon ON TOP OF the icon of the NEW disk.  Now the
Finder will prompt you to swap disks.

System 5.0.4 will not eject the disks automatically while copying
...you should really use System 6.0.1, which will behave more
like Macintosh.

>Problem 2:
>
>The computer has two 3 1/2 drives and one 5 1/4 drive (no HD).  The two 3 
>1/2's mount up and work fine, but the computer can't "see" the 5 1/4 drive. I 
>installed it using disk tools, but it still doesn't work. It is apparently 
>getting power all right- the little red light on the drive flickers when the 
>computer powers up- but the computer still doesn't access it.

You need to install the Apple 5.25" driver in the drivers folder...this
folder is within the System folder...

No driver = no access.  The Apple IIGS drivers are stored in a folder
unlike the Mac which stores them in an invisible partition.  To install
the driver, run the install disk and select the option from the menu.

>Many thanks for any help you can give.

The best thing for you to do is get a hard disk and more memory.
System 5.0.4 will not get you running all the newest and best
software like Wolfenstein 3D for the GS, Marinetti (TCP/IP for the
GS), innovative software like FAX products, etc.

Go to http://www.allelec.com/ Alltech Electronics and look for a
cheap hard disk and some memory...

It will accept IDE or SCSI hard drives.  For an SCSI controller, look
for the Ramfast card at Sequential Systems http://www.sequential.com/
For IDE, which is cheaper, contact Alltech...who sells the Focus hard
drive...and IDE hard drive on a card...

The place you want to contact to get software for your Apple IIGS is
Alltech Electronics.  Their web site is http://www.allelec.com/ ...
this web site hosts Mac and PC hardware too, so you will have to do
some digging.

When you get on the web site, click on the Apple II link and then
click on "hard drives" and get yourself a Focus hard drive for your
IIGS.  The benefits of this drive are that it contains the complete
Apple IIGS operating system, GS/OS at System 6.0.1.  You need this
to take advantage of the best GS specific software.  The drive
also contains many sharewares and freewares, so for your investment
(starting at about $50 U.S. dollars) you can start building your
software library.

Also click on "Apple II Software" for software like AppleWorks GS
(a graphical version of AppleWorks...much like Microsoft Works
for an old Macintosh).

To run most GS software, you need AT LEAST 2MB of memory (you can
start many with just 1.5MB, but do ANYTHING like PRINT and it
will run out of memory).  4MB to 8MB is comfortable for most
functions.  Click on "Apple II Memory" and get the Sirius RAM
card.  You can get it with 2MB now and populate it with 1MB SIMMs
(once standard for Macs, PCs, and Amigas) up to and including
8MB.

So, to summarize:

1) Link to http://www.allelec.com/
2) Click on "Apple II" to enter the A2 area
3) Click on "Memory" and buy a Sirius RAM card with 2MB to 8MB
   (2MB model is expandable to 4MB later or max 8MB with 1MB
    SIMM).
4) Click on "Hard Drives" and buy a Focus hard drive (these
   start at $50 and contain freewares and sharewares and also
   pre-installed System 6.0.1 -- you know, Finder and stuff).
5) Click on "Apple II Software" and buy a copy of AppleWorks GS
   or any other GS software you like.
6) Download freewares and sharewares from the A2 web site at
   http://ground.isca.uiowa.edu/ if you want more.

Now assuming you don't want to spend this money on an old
computer like the GS...you should STILL take a look at these sites
just to see what kind of computer the IIGS is and what it can do...