Re: New to the group, have questions about a IIe and cards...

["Charlie" <charlied@NOSPAMbboard.com>]

"William R. Walsh" <newsgroups1@idontwantjunqueemail.walshcomptech.com> wrote
in message news:Ijn%9.142157$6G4.16303@sccrnsc02...
> Hi!
>
> I'm new here and looking for some answers to questions I have about an Apple
> IIe. I hope that's not too direct of a statement and that someone here could
> help me out. I have done some moderate to minor research on the web but I
> cannot answer all my questions from the info I have picked up.
>
> While I've had the IIe and a decent collection of software for long enough
> to run some titles and make use of most of the installed cards, I'm not
> technically familiar with the machine or how to upgrade it.
>
> My first question is about an Applied Engineering Vulcan IDE card. I
> salvaged this card from a computer scrapyard, and while the card seems OK
> visually (and it passes the power-on test) I have been unable to make it
> work. I know that sounds like a broad statement...but more specifically:
>
> The original hard disk/power supply combo is ruined. The PSU circuit board
> is shattered into many pieces and the hard drive is not exactly able to sit
> flat any more. Looks like someone either jumped on or ran over it. I tried
> separating the hard disk to see if it still ran, but it does not spin nor
> have I been able to make it spin. So I wired up a standard power connector
> to my IIe's PSU, cabled up an older 85MB Conner IDE drive to the Vulcan card
> and tucked the drive safely under the keyboard area. This all seems to "work
> fine" visually speaking, with the drive spinning up at each power on and the
> card's onboard LED blinking in unison with the drive making access sounds
> for a few moments prior to the machine booting from the DuoDisk drives.
>
> Long story short, I'm wondering if I can in fact substitute a hard disk like
> that? Will the controller still see it? How do I prepare the disk for use?
> (It has an IBM DOS file system on it now and I know that will have to go,
> but I am wondering if it can be erased from the Apple?)
>
> I'm also wondering about whether I would need a certain program to be able
> to use the card and hard disk. So far I have been unable to "do" anything
> with it and it doesn't show up as listed as anything but "empty" in any slot
> when using a ProDOS User's disk. Any other info like documentation or at
> least a description of what the switch bank on the card does would also be
> nice.
>
> Another card I have happened upon is something called a "PC Transporter"
> seemingly also from Applied Engineering. From what I have been able to
> gather just by looking at it, it seems to be a complete 8086-based PC on a
> card. I seem to have the complete selection of internal wiring for it,
> specifically, two lines to intercept the system speaker and a piece that
> "intercepts" the keyboard as it plugs into the mainboard.
>
> I would love to use that card, but I have read in various places that I'd
> need a special disk drive that plugs into it. If anyone has a disk drive for
> this that they could part with or pinouts...I'd love to know about them.
> Does this card require any special software to work?

You are correct the PC Transporter is an 8086 based PC on a card.

The following site has some of the information that you need:

http://osites.tripod.com/transport.html

There is information on the site explaining how to use regular PC drives with
the PC Transporter.  It requires some hardware modifications.
An Apple 3.5" (800k) drive (not a Unidisk) will also work with a PC
Transporter. This is particularly nice because you can use it to read/write
MS-DOS 720k disks (not 1.44M) and then using the Transfer program that comes
with the PC Transformer you can move the files back and forth between the Apple
and PC worlds.
The Apple 3.5" drive can still be used when running the Apple.
I use this method myself only with an Apple IIgs.
The only drawbacks are that the 720K MS-DOS disks used for transferring files
should be formatted on a regular PC not the PC Transporter and when using the
drive on the Apple the drive runs slower than it would when attached to an
Apple controller.

Charlie

>
> Finally, I'd like to ask about the Diamond Trackstar 128 card. I have one of
> these in a Tandy 1000SX, and it is complete from the hardware point of view.
> According to what I've been reading on it, I need software to make it work.
> It seems that this software was copy protected and therefore the only way to
> get it is to have original disks. I'm wondering if anyone here has a set
> they could sell or a way to get around the copy protection and make copies
> of the disks.
>
> Thanks in advance for any and all answers, and apologies if I've asked too
> much or violated guidelines here in the group. If needed, my reply-to is
> valid after some minor corrections...remove the dots surrounding and the
> "idontwant...." bit to reply.
>
> William
>
>