Re: wherefor art thou, senior PROM?

[Mike Maginnis <maginnis@computist-project.net>]

On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:09:00 -0700, "Michael J. Mahon"
<mjmahon@aol.com> wrote:

>Mike Maginnis wrote:
>> On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 16:42:44 -0700, "Michael J. Mahon"
>> <mjmahon@aol.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>>jonnosan wrote:
>>>
>>>>In reading through back issues of Hardcore Computist, I've come across
>>>>ads and other references to "The Senior PROM" which from the
>>>>descriptions seems to be ROMs modified with utilities useful for
>>>>coding, debugging & cracking.
>>>>
>>>>I'd love to have a play around with this - are there any copies
>>>>floating around online?
>>>
>>>I'v also been looking for this for awhile...  ;-)
>>>
>>>-michael
>>>
>>>NadaNet file server for Apple II computers!
>>>Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/
>>>
>>>"The wastebasket is our most important design
>>>tool--and it's seriously underused."
>> 
>> 
>> The Senior PROM is a hardware device that replaces the standard ROMS
>> in an Apple IIe. Specifically, it's a NMI card with some extra
>> features built in.  I have one, though the ROMs on mine are designed
>> to work with an unenhanced IIe and it gets a little wonky when
>> installed in an enhanced unit.  I'd be willing to lend it to someone
>> for reverse-engineering, if there's any interest.
>
>Interesting...I thought that the original Senior PROM was exactly
>that, an EPROM that plugged into a ][ or ][+ that offered a variety
>of hacking/cracking tools upon Reset or NMI (which used to be done
>without a card.  ;-)
>
>I guessed that it was a 2732 that had a switch to bank-select it.
>
>It would be interesting to capture the image of the ROM...
>
>-michael
>
>NadaNet file server for Apple II computers!
>Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/
>
>"The wastebasket is our most important design
>tool--and it's seriously underused."

I should have been more specific.  It's not a card like the Crackshot,
in that it doesn't take up an expansion slot.  It plugs directly into
the CD and EF ROM sockets.  I've got a couple of pictures up at my
site:

http://computist-project.net/scratchpad/SP

There were several versions and minor revisions of the thing.
According to the documentation I have, the SP came in 2.0, 3.0 and
3.01 versions for the IIe and IIc.  Two revisions, Rev A and Rev B
came out for the 3.01.  3.0 and 3.01 were available in "standard"
(unenhanced) and enhanced versions.

There were probably versions for the II and II+, but my documentation
doesn't mention them.

Mine is the Senior PROM IIe 3.01 Rev B. with the Standard ROMs.

Mike Maginnis
maginnis@computist-project.net

The Computist Project
http://computist-project.net