Re: Uprgading IIgs

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Randy Shackelford writes ...
> 
> In article <33A141EC.337F@swbell.net>, Rubywand  <rubywand@swbell.net> wrote:
> 
> [snip]
> 
> >     The main advantages of the ROM-03 GS are a bit more base memory,
> >more system in-ROM, and a bit less noise on the Slot lines. The main
> >disadvantage is incompatibility with a number of GS wares. Since
> >relatively few ROM-03's were produced, very few pieces of software have
> >been designed to require a ROM-03.
> 
> A bit more base memory? Make that 4.5 times as much.

     This would apply only for the minimum, glorified IIe, no-expansion 
configuration. Fully expanded, the comparison for system RAM is 4.25MB to 5MB. In 
terms of running virtually all GS wares, it is not an important difference.


> More system in ROM? They have twice the ROM space.

     Nice; but, when you're booting a full System6 from hard disk, the advantage 
of the larger ROM is minimal. 



> Less noise? You betcha. As far as compatibility goes,
> any crappily written software which won't run on a ROM 3 is all but assured
> not to run under system software 5.0 or later either, making that a moot point.

     Not exactly. If a game boots and runs from its own, original diskette on a 
ROM-01, then, the ROM-01 user will be able to play the game. If it will not boot 
and run on a ROM-03, then, unless the ROM-03 user can obtain a cracked 
and/or modified version of the game, he/she will not be able to play it.


> There are plenty of advantages to ROM 3s. If you use your IIgs on a network,
> the slot flexibility on a ROM 3 alone makes it the better choice. I'd have
> some trouble fitting my SCSI card, superdrive card, slinky card, and Appletalk
> all together in a ROM 01.
>

     Good point.

      
> >     If you load up any GS-- e.g. add 4MB Expansion RAM, 10MHz or faster
> >accelerator, RamFAST SCSI interface, two 3.5" and two 5.25" drives,
> >Focus Hard Card hard disk, ...-- you may find that audio noise,
> >glitching, and crashes are a problem. It will, then, be necessary to
> >fatten the +5, +12, and GND power supply leads and add power leads on
> >the bottom side of the motherboard going to Slots 3 and 7. A ROM-03 is
> >slightly less likely to require this mod.
> 
> I have the cards I mentioned plus a 4 mb memory card in my ROM 3. It never
> crashes.
>

     Okay. On the other hand, some ROM-03 users have complained of glitch problems 
when attempting to use boards which worked fine in other ROM-03's. Clearly, 
however, the ROM-03 is, in general, less glitch-prone than an un-modified ROM-01.

 
> >     On the whole, if you were stuck on a desert island with a complete
> >collection of ][ and ][GS software, a fully loaded GS, and, say, a solar
> >power unit, you would want the GS to be a ROM-01 model.
> 
> I dunno, you might have fatal error $0911 show up some on a desert island
> since ROM 01s don't like heat too much.

     Definitely something to consider. Actually, the 0911 problem is due to 
heating up through a relatively cool range of temperatures. (Heating the ADB IC is 
one standard 'cure'.)

     Even so, if you wanted to use your GS on those cool desert island mornings, 
you would want to make sure that your ROM-01 was a later model release or an 
earlier version which had demonstrated its reliability. 



Rubywand