Re: Need Help Making GS/OS System 6.0.1 Disks

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

ict@ccess <gids.rs@sasktel.net> wrote:

> Tempest wrote:
> > My Apple IIgs hard drive decided to take a dive, so I need to
> > reinstall GS/OS.  However my only set of GS/OS disks have been loaned
> > out to a friend who seems to have lost them.
> >
> > I know you can download the disks from the web, but I need a way to
> > turn them into physical disks.  At my disposal I have a Macintosh SE/
> > 30 with a CD drive, so if I can figure out how to unzip the images I
> > might be able to write them to disks.  I also have a G3, but the disk
> > drive seems to be wonky and doesn't want to write the images.
> >
> > Can someone give me some instructions on how to do this?
> 
> Some SE/30's  had the 800 kb drive and some the high density drives.

MacTracker begs to differ, as does my memory.

The original SE and Mac II came with an 800K drive, with an "FDHD"
upgrade option added later. There were also a late model "SE FDHD" which
came with the high density drive preinstalled.

The Mac IIx came with a high density drive as standard, as did the SE/30
which was released a few months later.

If you "upgraded" an original SE to an SE/30 e.g. by replacing the
motherboard, it might still have an 800K drive.

> I, myself have not had very much luck with with writing to a 800 kb
> Prodos disk with the built-in hd drives.

Depends on the generation of drive. In my experience the early FDHD
mechanisms made by Sony with motorised disk insertion were fine (which
would include the built-in drive in an SE/30), while later drives from
the PowerMac era with manual disk insertion are less reliable when
writing to 800K disks.

> 800 kb external drives are quite readily available and are much more
> stable writing to Prodos disks with both the SE/30 or G3.  You might even
> have one plugged into your GS that will work with Mac computers.

Never tried that. I assume later Macs were still compatible with the
Apple 3.5 Drive (800K). I know that Apple dropped support for 400K disks
and MFS in Mac OS 8.0, and G3s all came with at least that version.

Since Macs after the IIsi, Classic and Classic II don't have an external
floppy drive port, it is somewhat of a moot point.

> I also find that "Bernie to the Rescue" emulator has better luck
> writing to Prodos disks than the Mac OS operating system.   Bernie is
> a free down load and is pretty much glich free on my G3.  You wouldn't
> have to copy the images, just format the disk to Prodos and then copy
> the files from the image.  Bernie can open .2mg and .dsk files with
> drag and drop onto the disk window.

Good thinking.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz