Re: Help: Trying to boot IIGS

[nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates)]

In article <545pus$cpk@nwestmail.nwest.mccaw.com>,
Trey Valenta <trey.valenta@attws.com> wrote:
>I've tried making disk images of software from the Apple ftp sites, but they 
>only come up with the 'Cant load ProDOS' messages.

   Are you using DiskCopy on a Mac to write these 800K disks? If so,
you've probably been bitten by the same problem reported by many
others: many modern Macs have substandard (i.e. cheap, defective, etc)
800K disk support.  Take the Mac back to the dealer and demand a
replacement that works with _all_ Apple 800K disks. [The only thing
more aggravating than not supporting something is not supporting it
reliably, in my opinion.]


> The hard drive he has is 
>installed with GS/OS and the machine would'nt boot due to lack of memory. 
>When I installed the RAM card he has, the machine won't even power up; all I 
>get is purple and black/blue stripes.

   Bad sign. The video display uses RAM on the GS motherboard (stuff
copied out of bad expansion ram can make it look broken, but the
initial bootup screen is 100% out of ROM), and the "Apple IIgs"
message at the top of the screen should always come up. I'd recommend
removing all cards, and making sure all chips on the motherboard and
cards are reseated-- push down on them; there may be some creaking.


>so... a) Does anyone have a DOS 3.3 or ProDOS boot disk they could send me a 
>disk image of? I do have access to a Mac but no other Apple II.

   The disk images at Apple are reported to be just fine (I have no Mac
or easy access to one to verify this, though), so it's probably the mac's
800K disk support that's at fault. 

>and b) Is the RAM card most likely toast? Is there any connectors on the 
>motherboard that go loose? Is the motherboard more likely the culprit? I've 
>removed all RAM chips from the daughterboard, but the think still won't boot.

   If the bare RAM board still causes problems, then it's probably at
fault. I'd still recommend pushing down on all socketed chips, though.
You might also try and put only the RAM card in (no SCSI or anything
else) to see if it's some interaction, but that's very unlikely unless
it's full of cards and the power supply is flaking out.

Nathan Mates

--
<*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/      <*>
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