Apple IIgs RAM disk

[casa@unm.edu (Jim Pittman)]

I don't know why the following appeared in comp.sys.apple2...

> > Sounds like you need to increase your memory partition given to
> > netscape. Select your Netscape Icon (one click), then go to
> > Get Info under the file menu... give it 10000-12000 K of memory.
> > That should fix your problem.
> 
> I'd recommend, if you can stand the loss of carryover cache, that you
> use a RAM Disk for your netscape cache. It has spared me all netscape
> crashes. netscape can screw up the HFS on your disk, causing problems.

... but it prompts me to say that I have discovered RAM5 on my IIgs
and it's great! I never had a permanent RAM disk before (did not want
to deprive GraphicWriter III of any precious memory, don't you know)
but when I added 2 more megabytes to the 4-meg CV-RAM card on my ROM 3
I started getting what appeared to be DMA problems, even though my
SCSI card is a RamFAST.

I thought I'd set up a RAM disk to prevent the DMA problems, and now I
think I'm addicted to always having a permanent RAM disk!

So I recommend to everybody that they get an 8-meg card from Sequential
or Alltech and make the memory above 4 megs a permanent RAM disk.

If I understand the mysteries of DMA correctly, a ROM 01 can have an
8-meg card with 4-megs devoted to a RAM disk (leaving 4-meg of DMA-
capable memory for programs to play with) and a ROM 3 can have a 7-meg
card with 3-meg for a RAM disk (leaving 5-meg of DMA-capable memory
for programs to play with). Is this correct, DMA gurus? Can a ROM 3
machine have an 8-meg card and devote 4-meg to a RAM disk?

(By the way, Swatterdisk is great for quickie temporary RAM disks.)

My ][ cents. - Jim Pittman - AppleQuerque Computer Club - casa@unm.edu