Re: Q: Disk drives for //c...

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article CUTjefbla@bconnex.net (Jeff Blakeney) writes...

>On 21 Dec 1997 01:03:17 GMT, buggie@musca.unm.edu (stephen e buggie)
>wrote:
> 
>>FOLLOW-UP:
>>
>>I checked in my ROM 3 IIgs to see whether I might be controlling the
>>Duodisk with an interface card.
>>
>>NO === the DuoDisk is daisy-chained behind two platinum 3.5 drives.
>>
>>So my original post was accurate ---- The DuoDisk _is_ compatible with Rom
>>3 IIgs!
>>
>>My Duodisk has the bugged resistors and capacitors clipped out, as they
>>should be.  Also, I installed twin 3-way write-protect BUGG-SWITCHES.  But
>>these features are irrelevant to the compatibilityissue.
>>
>>LONG LIVE DUODISK!
> 
>What I think the Apple docs were trying to get across was that there
>is compatibility problems with certain hardware configurations on the
>ROM 3.  They specifically say that they could reproduce the problem if
>the had a Profile controller card in slot 7 with the DuoDisk daisy
>chained off of the SmartPort.
> 
>From what I've gleaned from your post in the past, I don't believe you
>have a Profile controller in your ROM 3 IIgs.
> 
>Basically, what I think Apple is trying to say is that they cannot
>guarantee that the DuoDisk will work with a ROM 3 IIgs.
> 
>If it works for you, great.  If it doesn't then don't say noboby
>warned you.  :-)

    In my situtation, the DuoDisk will not operate if daisy-chained
or connected directly (as the only device on the Smartport). The 
only difference between my ROM 3 and others is the state of two 
bytes in Slow RAM when you cold boot, and the only affect this has 
are the programmer CDA's are always installed in my Desk Accessories 
menu. My ROM 3 has the official/public release of the ROM 3 firmware
but there are several systems floating out there with the beta ROMs.
I wonder if that makes a difference (David Empson disassembled those
beta ROMs awhile back, though I'd have to look them up again to see
if there was anything that would affect the Smartport).

    My memory is a little fuzzy, but I remember when the DuoDisk was
connected my ROM 3 wouldn't boot up. The drive would just constantly
keep spinning, even if I pressed Control-Reset. The only thing I did
not try was removing all my internal slot cards. And yes, I did do
all the modifications to the drive though they should have no affect.

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca