Re: PCT Dummy Questions

[dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <Jul.15.12.53.03.1993.24595@trident.usacs.rutgers.edu> scraft@trident.usacs.rutgers.edu (Steve Craft) writes:
> 
> When I had my fat system setup, with my PCT in slot 6, the 3.5" light
> (drive connected directly to PCT, no TransDrives) was always on,
> whether I had a disk in the drive or not.  RAMAEPC was 768k and
> always there. 

The "permanently active" disk drive is normal, if you're in a GS/OS
application which is polling the drive (such as Finder, or any
System-6-aware applications which use the HandleDiskInsert call).

> When I removed my HD, and just had one 3.5" drive, the PCT drive is
> completely inactive and RAMAEPC doesn't exist anymore.

There is a good reason for this.  The PC Transporter contains no ROM.
In order for ProDOS or GS/OS to recognise and support the drives
attached to the card (including the RAM disk), some device driver
software needs to be loaded into the card.

The PCINSTALL program patches the PRODOS file on your boot disk (the
one in the root directory, _not_ the P8 file) to install the driver
code into the PC Transporter before ProDOS gets control.  Once you have
booted using a copy of PRODOS which has been patched in this manner,
the driver will remain installed until you turn the computer off.

It sounds like you used PCINSTALL to patch your hard drive's copy of
PRODOS, but haven't done so on your boot floppy.  You'll have to
install the patch on at least one disk, and boot from that disk when
you turn on the computer.  This will install the driver, and you can
then reboot from any disk.

> I have v2.5 of the PCT utils and stuff, but I heard that the UART
> emulation on the PCT is flaky.  Do I need that patch or some other
> ones to get Telix or BlastFAX PC to work with my 14.4k USR Sportster?

Dream on.  The PC Transporter can only just cope with a 2400 bps modem
on an accelerated IIgs.  There is no way it would be able to receive
data at anything like 9600 or 14400.  It could transmit, but your
effective speed would be no better than 2400.

I don't know of any "patch".  If there was one, it would involve
patching or replacing the "portware" driver for the IIgs serial port
(or the Super Serial Card, if you were using that).

The only problem I've encountered with the PCT's serial ports (other
than speed) is that the flow control lines don't work properly.
  
> Does my TransWarpGS help the PCT in any way?

Maybe.  A ZIP definitely makes a difference to the PC Transporter's
disk access speeds, if you set the PCT's slot to "fast".  I don't
think you can do this on a TransWarp, so it probably won't make much
difference.

> How bad so I need a math co-processor in the PCT? I plan to do some
> light Lotus work (shudder) and some light DBase work (more shuddering).

Major shudder.  Get a real PC.  The disk access speed will be as much
of a problem as the floating point calculations.  A maths coprocessor
will definitely help Lotus.

> I forget what else I was going to ask.  Someone send some answers. :)

Yes.

No.

Maybe.

:-)
-- 
David Empson                                                               
dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz                                                
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand