Re: Needing help upgrading a IIe!

[Tom Zuchowski <cd003508@interramp.com>]

smtrimbl@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (Shawn) wrote:
>Hello all,
>I'm considering upgrading an old IIe and have a few questions I was
>wondering if anyone could help me out with.  I'd appreciate any input or
>suggestions as to the upgrade!
>
>1)Are there any disadvantages to enhancing?  Any ][ programs incompatable
>w. 65c02?

None that I know of, and there are many advantages.  I've been using an 
enhanced IIe for about 5 years now, and I'm a big DOS 3.3 user.

>2)Any advice for adding RAM? (I've currently got a 64k 80 col. card)  I've
>heard (correctly?) that the maximum RAM the ][e can access is 64k or 128k;
>anything else requires software patching.  How exactly do you go about
>doing *that*?  

There isn't really any "patching" involved. Just like your present setup, 
no matter what you do, Applesoft will only have 33K of RAM to access. The 
big RAM cards come with RAMdisk drivers for big RAMdisks. Well-dome 
programs like ProTERM and Appleworks 3-5 automatically find and use the 
extra RAM.

>2a)I'm considering getting a RAMworks card... is there a maximum RAM you
>can access with one of these cards?  1 MB?  (I've heard that the maximum
>memory for a ][GS is 8MB, 12MB patched) 

Depends on what RamWorks card you get, I think.  My IIe's RamWorks III 
takes up to 1MB and has pins for more RAM on a piggyback board.  The 
piggyback board can accommodate 512K-2MB.  I have the whole nine yards for 
a total of 3MB on my RamWorks III. It can be pretty handy when working 
with really huge Appleworks DB's, and there are times when a 1MB ProTERM 
scrollback buffer is very useful.

>2b)Would a RAMworks card conflict with a FAMfast SCSI card? 

Dunno. Don't see why it would.  I've used mine with both the old style and 
high-speed Apple SCSI cards with no problems.

>3)Now, what about an accelearator like the Zip Chip?  What's the maximum
>cache & MHz?  (I'm guessing from what I've read so far that it's either 4
>or 8 MHz & 16k cache...)

As far as I know, the 8-bit ZipChip only comes in one size these days, the 
8mhz one.  I thought it had an 8K cache, but I might be wrong.  Get as big 
a one as you can afford.  I've not used the ZipChip, but I have used the 
3.6mhz/128K cache TransWarp I and 7mhz/8K cache TransWarp II, and the two 
cards are about the same subjective speed: FAST!

>3a)and what exactly is a "gate array"?  I presume its something that
>allows the user to regulate the accelerated microprocessor speed for the
>system.  Would this be required if I got a Zip Chip?

A gate array is a custom chip, commonly used to save space on the circuit 
board. You don't need to know anything about them to use a Zip.

4)What is the maximum (hard) disk space a ][e can use (like the GS's
>theoretical limit of 4GB)?  Now, I know that DOS 3.3 was only intended for
>5.25 inch disks, but does PRODOS 8 have any limits? (I'm almost certain
>that I heard somewhere it did... something like 32MB?)  So, presumably, It
>wouldn't make much sense getting a Hard Drive with more than 32 MB, would
>it?

ProDOS can recognize up to (I think) 8 32MB drive volumes.  It is easy to 
partition a large drive into multiple partitions that look like separate 
drives to ProDOS.  At one time I had two 5.25's, two 3.5's, a 20MB hard 
drive, and a 40MB hard drive partitioned into two 20MB volumes.  ProDOS 
thought I had seven drives, and it all worked swell.

Note that to access this many drives, your IIe MUST be enhanced and using 
ProDOS 2.x. It is this version of ProDOS that has the ability to map extra 
partitions into other slots; if I remember correctly, older versions just 
don't see the extra partitions if there are more than two on the slot.

>4a)I'm presuming I'll need a program selector(?) like Prosel(?) to get the
>drive to work... what is/was the latest version of this (& where could I
>get a copy)? 

Nope. All you need is ProDOS 2.x. However, ProSel is a GREAT disk utility 
and well worth having.  For example, one utility can hunt down marginal 
blocks on your hard drive and put them in a "BAD" file (there are almost 
always a few).  And its recovery utility is the best there is.

>4b)If DOS 3.3 is limited to 5.25 disks, does that mean I'll be unable to
>use these programs altogether with a Hard Drive?

There are programs that let you put DOS disks on a hard drive; I've found 
it more worthwhile to use actual 5.25 drives, myself. And I use ShrinkIt 
do make backups of my 5.25's to 3.5's and the hard drive.

>5)What about modems?  Can a ][e (or a GS for that matter) use modern
>modems (like 28.8 bps speeds), or is it limited to the old 300/1200/2400
>ilk?

A IIe should easily be able to handle a 14.4 modem. You don't lose as much 
as you may think at that speed, as most connections drop to 24K or 21K 
anyway. I find that using my IIe and Lynx at 2400 is almost as fast as  
using Netscape at 24K on my 486.

>6)Someone told be that It'd be more worth my while just to simply find a
>][c+ somewhere... would there be any advantages to having a ][c+ (provided
>I could find one, which I'm told is tough) over a somewhat souped-up ][e?

I don't see any advantage to the IIc+.  Add-ons like large RAM cards are 
hard to locate and expensive, and the IIc+ isn't NEARLY as fast as an 8mhz 
Zip!!!  And you have no slots!  I don't find that a plus in ANY way!

>7)Any suggestions to finding any needed parts (used) relatively
>inexpensively fo the ][e? (besides just keeping an eye on
>comp.sys.apple2.marketplace)
>I'm guessing I'll need
>RAM Fast scsi card (rev C)
>apple superdrive controller card
>apple 3.5 (superdrive)
>etc.
>Anybody want to get rid of their old stuff?

You can use any old SCSI card. Alltech sells one for $39, I guess it would 
work with the IIe.  Any Apple SCSI card works just fine.  If you get an 
accelerator, you lose all the speed of the RamFast and the Apple 
High-Speed card, because you have to turn DMA off.  I ran tests on an old 
Apple rev.B card, and on Apple's High-Speed card, and with accelerator 
installed (and DMA turned off), the old SCSI card is actually faster.  
Believe me, you =DO= want an accelerator!!  My vote says save your money 
on the fancy cards like the RamFast; the IIe doesn't get nearly the boost 
that the GS does. And, believe me, you will be blown away by the SPEED of 
even the slowest SCSI setup, compared to what you have now.

If you want to add a 3.5 drive, you can buy a complete Unidisk setup (card 
and controller) or Laser Universal DIsk Controller setup (disk and 
controller) for what people are selling just the Superdrive controller 
card for.  The Superdrive card is rare and still expensive.  I have the 
Laser card and two GS-compatible AMR drives on my IIe.

>Whew, I know that's a lot, but if any of you have a moment or two help
>answer any (or all), I'd really appreciate it!
>
>Many thanks in advance
>Shawn Trimble
>smtrimbl@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu

Good luck. You are gonna LOVE your rebuilt system!

TomZ