Re: Apple IIGS Network HOWTO

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Steven N. Hirsch <shirsch@adelphia.net> wrote:

> Support for cold-boot from network is another story, however... The
> Apple 2 network bootstrap protocol is not documented in enough detail
> to code support into netatalk.  It's probably possible to run an
> appletalk packet sniffer against a //gs booting from Appletalk Server
> on a mac, but I haven't had the motivation to do this myself.
> 
> Is anyone left at Apple Computer, Inc. who might be able to supply the
> protocol? 

The protocol isn't the problem: it is basically just an ATP transfer of
bootstrap code (single request frame, up to eight response frames).  The
problem is that this code is copyrighted by Apple, and you would have to
write your own version of it.

Worse still, the downloaded code then does a further bootstrap stage,
downloading yet more code, which is similarly copyrighted.

The end result is the operating system (GS/OS or ProDOS) gets loaded.
In the case of GS/OS, this would be far enough to have the following
code pieces:

- Full AppleTalk stack (at least enough to use ASP/AFP)
- Boot file (equivalent to PRODOS) which supports loading files from the
system folder on the server
- Boot driver for accessing the file server

The boot file could then take over, loading and launching START.GS.OS,
which handles all subsequent steps.  It would probably be necessary to
be logged onto the file server (as a guest) for this stage.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand