Re: Identify Apple II vrs Apple II+ Serial Number #, Date Code, Vintage Apple II

[gcsimon@cox.net (Simon)]

Thx Wayne for the great info!!!

Wayne Stewart <waynes@intergate.ca> wrote in message news:<3CEB0CB9.74FA9607@intergate.ca>...
> Simon wrote:
> > 
> > Okay, I have been collecting Apple IIs for a short while and want to
> > clarify what I understand the difference between an Apple II & Apple
> > II+ is...  I have also done a lot of reading in this newsgroup and
> > others, and nobody has decoded the early Apple II serial # for me.  I
> > need the oldtimer, smart Apple II guys to correct me where I am wrong,
> > here goes:
> 
> I'll give an opinion, no guarantee that everything I say is right 
> though :-)
>  
> > A2S1-10966 = Apple II Serial #
> > ?- Does this mean (A)apple, (2)II, (S)series, (1)rev 1 motherboard -
> > 10,966 machine manufactured
>  
> Don't know but I have a Rev 4 that has the # A2S1-37232. I'd check 
> others but most early stuff is packed away.
>  
> > 7801= Date Code
> > ?- Handwritten number on the left top of the motherboard = Date Code,
> > Year 1978, 1st week in that year.
> 
> That's my understanding
>  
> > Rev (0) vrs. Rev (1)
> > ?- Single Pin by the Video, would mean that it is a Rev (1), not Rev
> > (0) because the pin is there
> 
> Rev 1 or later but earlier than the RFI machines which had 2 pins
>  
> > ?- Power Key light, not flush, looks like the other keys,but is a
> > false key, means Apple II, not II+
> 
> I believe all of those were IIs
> 
> > ?- Copyright Apple 1978, would suggest it's an Apple II, not II+
> 
> There were II+s with that copyright date but most were IIs.
> The change from II to II+ wasn't a hardware change. It's really 
> deciding when during production they started installing the Applesoft 
> ROMs in the machine. All II+ means is that Applesoft was in ROM 
> instead of Integer Basic.
>  
> > ?- No Autostart in the ROMs, would suggest it's an Apple II, not II+,
> > IE I turn the machine on and a bunch of "?" appear and it dumps into
> > monitor mode with the "*"  I have to type 6 [cntrl] p enter, to boot
> > the disk-- These are all signs of an Apple II, not II+
> 
> I believe that's the case as long as it's the original ROM. Some 
> hackers and programmers didn't like the autostart ROM and swapped in 
> the older ROM.
>  
> > ?- Missing the 'Programers Aid' ROM chip, would suggest it's an Apple
> > II, not II+
> 
> Having the Programmers Aid would guarantee it has Integer Basic ROMs 
> not Applesoft. Applesoft Basic and the autostart ROM used up all 6 ROM 
> sockets, there was no place left to install the Programmers Aid in
> the II+.
> Integer Basic and the monitor ROM only used up 4 sockets. 
> 
>  
> > ?- The 16/16/16 printed on the motherboard, left of the RAM, would
> > suggest it's an Apple II, not II+
> 
> I don't recall it being printed on the motherboard on any version.
> If you're referring to the 3 memory select blocks then not necessarily.
> I believe the change from II to II+ was while the Rev 4 was in 
> production. I've seen a number that were II and some that were II+
> In the Rev 4s they soldered in the Memory Select blocks. 
>  
> > ?- Is there an Apple II motherboard that has a Copyright 1977, or did
> > the motherboards on the Apple IIs start with Copyright 1978?
> 
> The early ones had �1977
>  
> > ?- Is there an Apple II copyright 1977, Rev (0) that's older than the
> > Apple II copyright 1978, Rev (1)s?
> 
> Yes
> 
> The very early Rev 0 also had green slots. One of our User Group members 
> has # 92, supposed to be the second one sold in Canada. I think it was 
> 3 years ago he brought it out to a meeting. Really wish someone had 
> brought a camera. I got a few screen shots from a camcorder but they're 
> pretty poor.
> 
> 	Wayne