Re: CP/M card in A2 Platinum

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

gen_hp_gooberman@my-deja.com wrote:

>I pulled a Digital Research CP/M card out of an A2+, and moved
>it over to my IIe Platinum, which I am turning into a kind of
>"ultimate" IIe. (My plans are to use only stock equipment, to
>make it as good as possible, that means no accelarator chips,
>those are for the IIgs)  Anyway, I was wondering if I have

Actually, the Zip Chip (8Mhz) for the IIe was a purely IIe
product that does not work at all with the IIGS.  In order
to make the IIe the best IIe possible, the chip is a virtual
necessity.  I understand that you want to make this a
GEOS system.  Berkely Softworks actually recommended
the 8Mhz Zip Chip.  And when the IIc Plus, with its built
in Zip Chip licensed circuitry came out, there was a "for
IIc Plus" GEOS bundle sold by Berkely Softworks which
included a mouse and GEOS.

If a CP/M card and a clock card can still be considered
stock equipment, why would a Zip Chip (8Mhz) be any
less stock equipment?  And vice-versa.

>to use the DR CP/M disk to boot CP/M on the A2.  I have a couple
>of CP/M A2 disks, but one just keeps rebooting the system
>every 5 seconds, and the other one can't be read.  Do I have
>to load CP/M off of ProDOS?  Or do I just need the right
>boot disk.

The IIe controller cannot read the 13-sector II+ format
without a special program on the DOS 3.3 System Master.
Unfortunately, this was a long time ago for me and I no
longer have this program.  I don't even remember the
name...MUFFIN, maybe, but I can't be sure.

>I have put a clock card, Z-80 card, Serial Card, I/O card, IRQ
>Card, Mouse Card,

As I wrote in the other thread, pull the IRQ card.  The
mouse card generates the same IRQ as the IRQ card.
The IRQ card is for mouseless systems.

>and 64k/80col card in the IIe.  Besides a
>SCSI card, is there anything else I might want to put in it?
>I used to have a 1 meg RAM card, but swapped it for the clock.
>That, and I don't think it had 80 col built in, which I need for
>GEOS.  I have also put a color monitor on the system.  I would

There are 80 column/1MB cards.  Believe me, a good
RamWorks III card (80 columns and 1MB plus optional
RGB all in the AUX slot) makes a world of difference
with GEOS.  No more swapping disks in and out!

>like to do email on it.  What is the fastest modem I can hook to
>the Serial card?  Oh yes, I have a DuoDisk, and a pair of 3.5"
>floppy drives for it too.  Any help on the CP/M card, or any
>suggestions for my pet "ultimate" machine would be appreciated.

For the Super Serial Card, a 14.4k modem is ideal.  I'd
consider finding a Laser brand Universal Disk Controller
(UDC card).  I used to run my DuoDisk and 3.5" drives
off one card...the UDC, when I still used my IIe.  This
would save you a slot.  The UDC is only available used
now.

I'd definitely add 1MB back.  128k is just too little for
power software.

I'd also add an 8Mhz Zip Chip.  This was recommended
hardware for GEOS.

With 8Mhz and 1MB, the IIe running GEOS will feel
quite efficient running the little monochrome GUI.  If
you've ever used a Mac SE/30, that's what a ZipChip
plus 1MB GEOS system feels like.  Nothing at all
like GEOS on the C64 or GEOS on a stock A2.  It was
the way GEOS was intended the run.