Re: How to get a IIGS going without disks...

[Jeff Blakeney <CUTjblakeney@sympatico.ca>]

On Thu, 05 May 2005 00:34:13 GMT, Rob Greene
<nospam-greener@charter.net> wrote:

>Wow, this has been quite an adventure!  I'm out of the woods but file 
>transfers still suck (as defined by needing the source computer, a 
>translation computer, and the destination computer).  PC -> Mac -> Apple 
>IIGS.

Yes, it can be quite a task getting things up and running from
scratch.  There are lots of ways to do it depending of what software
and hardware is available to you.  I've often thought of creating a
web site that you could answer some questions about what you have
available and it would give you a list of ways that you could get
things up and running.  Who knows if I'll ever get to it, though.  :-)

>I figured out how to hack out the resource fork.  Just in case others 
>get stuck like I did:
>
>1. Locate the file by scanning the directory, the storage type is $5 
>(presumably indicates the resource fork).  This is the high nibble of 
>the first byte (just before the filename - the lower nibble is the 
>length of the filename).
>
>2. Go to the block identified as the key block pointer (offset $11/$12).
>
>3. This block does not list other blocks as expected:
>   a) I think the first byte is the "real" storage type.
>   b) The 2nd and 3rd byte are the real key block. Double-check it.
>
>4. Patch the real key block into the directory entry and change the 
>storage type back.  Note that the storage type can be $1 (1 block file), 
>$2 (2-256? blocks) and $3 (257+ blocks).
>
>Yes, there are dangling blocks after this (at least two), so you'll have 
>blocks that won't ever get freed.

You could actually fix this using the block editor as well but it
would probably be more effort than it is worth.  Just using a RAM disk
or floppy that you can reformat like you mention is going to be
quicker and easier.

>Hint: Save files in the root directory and it'll be on blocks 2-5.
>
>Another hint: Use an 800K floppy you'll be fine reformatting multiple 
>times (because of the dangling blocks).
>
>Strategy hint: Decode GSHK first since it handles the resource forks!  
>From there on out you're good with ShrinkIt archives.  Probably the 
>first file after that should be the UNFORKIT...

Great work figuring out how to get around your resource fork problem.
It is probably a little more involved than some people would like but
it does do the job.  Besides, some of us like doing weird things like
this.  :-)

>Thanks - I've got a copy of ProType and I'll give that a whirl too. The 
>best bet is to get rid of the Mac in the middle, so I'm chasing that 
>around a bit too.

Well, another way you can use the Mac now that you got some software
transferred to the IIgs is to setup AppleTalk file sharing on it and
have the IIgs connect to it.  However, with only floppy drives on a
IIgs, this could be more trouble than it is worth.

>Question about GS/OS: I don't have a harddrive (yet).  Is there some way 
>I can make a bootable GS/OS disk that loads GSHK and have it fit on an 
>800K floppy?  I only have one 800K drive and I end up swapping disks 
>quite a bit.

Delete the file called either "Start" or "Finder" (it will be about
183KB) from the "System" directory of your boot disk, then copy GSHK
to the root directory of that disk and rename it GSHK.SYS16.  Booting
from that disk should now boot directly into GSHK for you.

>I think the only thing that would have helped me out more would be to 
>have a serial converter (whatever the GS serial connector is to a DB-9 
>on the PC end).
>
>On that thought, has anybody tried AP2222PC?  I tried between the GS and 
>my PC but the PC end kept quitting (no error message either).  However, 
>I was using a DB25 cable with a DB25-DB9 converter on the IIGS side... 
>so I have a hunch that the wires are in a different order.  I'm also not 
>certain what the IIGS pinout is compared to the Apple II/IIe for which 
>AP2222PC was developed.
>
>Even so, I think the serial connector would be a lot easier.

Doing null-modem transfers using serial cables and communications
software is great as long as you have the proper cable(s) and software
to do so.  I almost always have a null-modem cable connected between
my IIgs and my PC so whenever I want to transfer files I just start up
HyperTerminal on the PC and Spectrum on my IIgs and away I go.

I'm hoping to be able to start using that same cable to have Marinetti
use my PC's DSL connection to get onto the internet with my IIgs
again.

>Thanks for all the help!  I know I'll keep coming back with questions... 

You're welcome.  I've been having a great time in the past few weeks
(since I lost my job) dealing with Apple II related stuff again so
I'll keep an eye out for more questions.  :-)

-- 
 Jeff Blakeney - Dean of the Apple II University in the
                 Apple II Community on Syndicomm.com
 CUT the obvious from my address if you want to e-mail me