Re: another newbie ADT quest

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

cjyo@my-deja.com writes ...
> 
> Thanks for all the help everyone!  Thanks to all your advice, another
> look at the FAQ and a trip to Radio Shack, ADT is working great now.
> 
> Since I had the DB25-DB25 cable already (which I also hope to use with
> my Hayes 9600 modem), I picked up the 25-pin null modem connector and a
> 25-pin to 9-pin convertor.  I also picked up some DS/DD 5.25" floppies
> $2/10pc at Radio Shack.

     Not a bad price on the diskettes.

     Since you have a NULL modem adaptor, you might try setting the SSC
Jumper Block for Communications (modem) operation (arrow points Up) and
inserting the adaptor in your cable. This may give more reliable operation,
at least for some telecom setups.


> 
> I have two 9-pin serial COM ports on my PC, but the 9-25 connector is
> too bulky to plug in alongside my mouse, so I moved that to the ADB
> (lookalike) mouse port.  I ended up using Procomm to initially transfer
> ADT over to my DOS System floppy (copy).
> 
> It's hit and miss with the disk image files so far.  Many won't run on
> the 64k ][+.  I got a couple games working (Lode Runner, Karateka),
> along with an image of CopyII+.

     Actually, that's a pretty good start. There are some very good DOS and
ProDOS utility disks in .dsk form on Ground. Check out ...

ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/useful.stuff/Disks/  .


> The ProDOS and Prosel images I
> transferred don't run on the ][+.  Other disk had errors and would not
> start up at all.  I'm not sure if the floppies are bad, the image files
> are bad or they just don't run on the ][+.
 ....

     Any disk image which boots DOS 3.3 or ProDOS which does not require 128k
and has the DOS 3.3 sector ordering a .dsk file is supposed to have should
transfer okay.

     There are a number of things would could cause problems. Of course, a
few disks may boot and start programs which require 128k-- they definitely
won't work on a 64k II+. A few images with the .dsk suffix are actually
ProDOS order images-- they _should_ end with .po-- these will not transfer
correctly with ADT.

     As you mentioned, you may have some bad or 'weak' floppies. One check is
to start Copy II+ and do a VERIFY-- DISK and a VERIFY-- FILES (for all of the
files on the disk). If the disk passes these checks, it's probably okay.

     Some disk images use an annoying DOS 3.3 variant which tries to show
Track and Sector during booting and initial loading. This DOS tends to screw
up. If you can CATALOG a transferred non-ProDOS disk and see the files, you
could try copying the program files to a newly INITed DOS 3.3 (or EsDOS or
Prontodos) diskette-- except do not copy the HELLO and/or "turbo loarder" (or
whatever it's called). Then, boot the diskette and see if you can start the
program you want via a RUN or BRUN.

     A few disk images are defective. From time to time users have uploaded
fixed, working versions of these to assorted archives; but, there is usually
a delay in replacing the bad .dsk files. (What are the names of some of the
files you downloaded which did not transfer and work correctly? Maybe I could
check a few to see if they are defective.)

     There is a small chance that your copy of ADT contains a defect. You can
check your copy of ADT using ADT CHECK. For info about this see
ADTcheckJUL2000.txt at ...

http://www.grin.net/~cturley/gsezine/GS.WorldView/v2000/Jun/MiscNew/
or
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/upl2000/Jul/ .
     


Rubywand