Re: Troubles booting my new GS

[nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates)]

In article <32398F7A.56EF@pogo.wv.tek.com>,
David A Johnston  <davejohn@pogo.wv.tek.com> wrote:
>  After 10 or 15 seconds, it beeps and puts this at the top of the
>screen:

>02/0020: 02 02
> A=0200 X=0000 Y=BAEA S=BAED D=00C0 P=01
> B=00 K=02 M=00 Q=9E L=0 m=0 x=0 e=0

   That's a crash (normally) caused by running into non-executable
code. Question: Is there a (functioning) ram card in the system?
(That'd be in the slot in the front right corner of the computer when
opening it up). If there's no ram there, the GS tends to fill the
memory with the bank number (02 here). 

   I'd recommend trying out a Self-Test for starters. Hold down the
control, open apple, and option keys, then press and release reset
(the key marked with a left-facing triangle). Release the first three
keys once the test (patterns on the screen) starts. What does the self
test report?

   Next, the GS's self-test doesn't adequately test any ram on the ram
card(s). Which brand ram card is it, and did it come with some form of
diagnostic test disk (most did). Run that if possible.

   [ProDOS 16 requires a ram card to even finish booting; if there
isn't one in the system, that's the problem.]

>  Does anyone know what the problem could be?  I've found several other
>disks among the ones I recieved with the computer which do the same
>thing.  The guided tour disk works fine, as do the multitude of IIe
>games that came with the computer.

   Bad Ram or lack of ram are the two most likely causes if you have
multiple disks which do the same thing. (Assuming they're not all
copies of the same buggy software). The tour and the //e games don't
use that part of ram, so they're not going to be affected by any
problems there.

>  Also, I'm confused, because the guy I bought this computer from said
>it only has Prodos, but the manuals that came with it include one called
>"Apple IIGS System Disk Users Guide", which is talking about GS/OS.  The
>guy I bought it from, though, has only had it for six months, and isn't
>even close to an expert.

   ProDOS 16 was a temporary solution until the arrival of GS/OS. If
you had any disks with GS/OS on them, they'd identify themselves with
a cooler graphical bootup screen and thermometer. If you have more
than 1MB of functioning ram, you can boot GS/OS.

   For locations on where to get GS/OS, other Apple II info, even more
troubleshooting info, and the like, I urge you to check out the
Comp.sys.apple2 FAQ, which details a LOT of collected info on all
sorts of things. Take a look at
http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/faq/index.html

Nathan Mates
--
<*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/      <*>
# What are the facts? Again and again and again-- what are the _facts_?
# Shun wishful thinking, avoid opinion, care not what the neighbors
# think-- what are the facts, and to how many decimal places?  -R.A. Heinlein