Re: PC Transporter configuration

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

Ron Pedelty <rpedelty@mcs.com> wrote:

> Yesterday I found and bought a IIGS CPU with, among other things, a PC
> Transporter and 20 Meg Vulcan drive.  The PC transporter seems to work
> OK on the machine on which it's installed, but when I moved the hardware
> and software to my "good" (accelerated, etc) GS, I continually get
> errors such as
> 
> "Warning:  GS LPT1 Handler: Not GS or not selected"
> 
> and
> 
> "Disk Read Error" or "Non-MS DOS Disk.  Reinsert and try again."

It sounds like you have a different system configuration from the
original machine, so you will need to reconfigure the PC Transporter.

It sounds like you don't have the documentation (all this is covered in
the manual), but in short, you need to use the PC Transporter's own
Control Panel to reconfigure it as required.  The configuration is saved
as a file in the directory along with the PC Transporter software.

There are two ways to enter the PCT Control Panel:

1. While the PC Transporter is running, hold down the SHIFT key and
press CAPS LOCK twice.  You can then adjust settings, resume execution,
reboot the PCT, or quit to ProDOS.  Note: if you adjust settings, you
should at least reboot the PC Transporter (don't try to resume).

2. When launching the PC Transporter via STARTAEPC or AEPC.SYSTEM, press
the Space Bar before the splash screen is displayed.  This will enter
the Control Panel the point when the PC Transporter would normally begin
booting.

Actually reconfiguring the card is not a simple task if you don't have
the manual.  You need to pick the correct driver for each slot (printer
and modem ports, if appropriate, and mouse if you want to use it),
specify which devices you are using as floppy drives, and which drives
are physically connected to the PC Transporter.

You will also need to create a new hard disk image file.  You cannot
safely copy these from one hard drive to another, because the PC
Transporter doesn't seem toolike sparse image files, and ProDOS causes
the file to become sparse while copying it.

E-Mail me if you need any specific help with these items.

(Unfortunately I cannot run my PC Transporter at the moment, because my
IIgs no longer has an RGB monitor connected to it, but I can do most if
it from memory and/or documentation.)

> 1.  Any suggestions?  I <might> have all of the software I need to set
> this up, included on the Vulcan.

If you can boot the PC Transporter, then you can reconfigure it.
However, the "portware" drivers are separate files, and it is possible
you don't have a complete set of those.  Ideally you should have a copy
of all files from the floppy disk in a folder on your hard drive (there
are some files that are supposed to be in a subfolder, to match the
floppy disk organisation).

> 3.  After I try to run PC Transporter, how can I quit to Finder, other
> than rebooting?

You can use the "quit" option in the PCT control panel.  With the last
version of the software (2.0.5) there is an MS-DOS utility program
included which causes the PC Transporter to quit (it doesn't work with
earlier versions, as they added a new feature in the support software).

I forget what this was originally called, as I renamed mine to
"BYE.COM".

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