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comp.sys.apple2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) part 3/3
- Subject: comp.sys.apple2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) part 3/3
- From: nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates)
- Date: 1996/09/01
- Expires: 1 Oct 1996
- Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
- Organization: Vector Internet Services, Inc.
- References: <50atvi$2rv@darla.visi.com>
- Supersedes: <50au7v$2u1@darla.visi.com>
This is part #3 of a 3 part posting. Please make sure you have all 3.
[Administrative note: As this FAQ is now more than 100K, I decided to
split it into 3 files for posting to usenet. Also, there are lots of
changes since last month's posting, and I'm planning a lot more work
over the next month. The latest version will always be at
http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/faq/csa2.html
This is version 4.5.7, dated Aug 31 1996.]
Q#53 Strange problems:
Q#54 How do I get out of Basic (that little "]" prompt and flashing
cursor?
A: Type the word "BYE" and press return. Now get out the Apple manual
'A Touch of BASIC' and read it.
Q#55 What are the problems with GSCII?
A: GSCII is a great program, but has two subtle problems: First, it
won't work correctly if you extract to a HFS disk (so extract to a
ProDOS disk). Also, it won't set the size correctly on S16 files. This
should only be a problem when downloading Shrinkit GS. In that case,
use BINSCII. The rest of the time you will be extracting .SHK files,
which don't care about extra bytes at the end.
Q#56 AppleWorks won't print to my printer. What gives?
A: AppleWorks will refuse to print to a slot that has a disk device.
In the past, this worked well because if you try to print to a slot
that has a disk controller in it, you will re-boot. But now, this can
cause problems when a disk device is 'mapped' into your printer slot
(due to a limitation in ProDos, you can only have 2 drives per slot.
Extra partitions on your hard drive will be re-mapped to other slots).
If you have a RamFast, you can re-map the drives to different slots.
Otherwise, (for AW 3.0) use this patch:
POKE 768,128: POKE 769,10
BSAVE APLWORKS.SYSTEM,TSYS,A$300,L2,B$AE3
If you didn't understand that, e-mail me, or look into John Link's
SuperPatch program, which includes many more patches.
Q#57 My GS control panel keeps resetting to the defaults and/or
forgetting the date.
A: It's probably your battery. If you have a ROM 03 GS, you just pop
it out an get another. On the ROM 01, you will need a Slide-On Battery
Replacement Kit from Night Owl Productions. See address in 'Resources'
section.
Q#58 I'm getting Error XXX. What's it mean?
A: Some common errors and their cause:
A larger list of all error messages, but not always the best
description of the cause is at
http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/faq/gserrors.html.
ProDos Errors:
UNABLE TO LOAD PRODOS - You can't boot a disk unless it has ProDos and a
something.SYSTEM file on it (Pre-1.9 ProDOS)
$27 I/O Error. Possibly a bad disk? Verify it with Prosel or Copy II Plus
$44 Path not found (You gave an invalid directory name)
$45 Volume not found (you didn't type in the right disk name)
$46 File not found (you didn't type a valid filename)
GS/OS errors:
0201 Out of memory
0911 Either your GS is overheating, or the ADB port is having problems
0301 Bad TransWarp
0308 (Also see 8021) Something has trashed critical parts of memory
11xx GS/OS could not successfully load an application or program
8020 Either random TransWarp, or SCSI (try using different SCSI connector)
8021 If you get this at random times and you have a HS Apple SCSI, it's
probably a version conflict. Install the SCSI drivers from your GS/OS
disk, not your HS Apple SCSI disk.
Q#59 Why does my Apple II lose characters when I'm using the modem?
A: Check the following: 1) Your software may need interrupts enabled.
Examine DIP Switch 2-6 on your Super Serial Card. 2) If you have an
unenhanced //e, you need to enhance your //e. 3) If you have a //c, it
may be one of the ones that had a serial port problem. Talk to your
dealer about upgrading it for 2400 baud support.
Q#60 Where do I get support for AE boards now that they are closed?
A: Bruce BABB, ex-AE bench tech, is offering support out of his home
for customer support of AE's boards. He also hints that another
company is opening that will sell many of the Apple II products the AE
made. You can reach Bruce via Email at 76004.1575@compuserve.com
Q#61 Is there a QWK reader for the Apple //e?
A: Yes, it's called 2qwk!. To use 2qwk! you must patch prodos to allow
filenames sent by MS-DOS machines. The Apple II version is now
available via ftp from ground and caltech.
_________________________________________________________________
Q#62 System 6.0 mini-FAQ
Q#63 Common Problems
If you are still using System 6.0, it is recommended that you upgrade
to the latest and greatest version, 6.0.1. It is available at Apple's
FTP site (see section #5 for the address).
If the mouse cursor wipes out evertyhing it moves over, you may have a
software conflict with Closeview. To deactivate it, from within the
Finder, open the 'System' folder on your boot disk, then the
'System.Setup' folder. Find the icon named 'Closeview', and click once
on it. Then, from the 'Special' menu, choose 'Icon Info...'. A window
will open up, with a check box for 'Inactive' in the top right. After
setting it to inactive, reboot. You can do the same thing for any
other Desk Accessory, Control Panel (CDev), or Init (in the
System.Setup folder, should you decide not to want to run it.
Easy Access also can and does cause lockups with programs, especially
on the ROM 01. Deactivate it just like you did with the Closeview
program; it's in the same folder.
Despite the hard work of the Apple Computer programmers, some bugs
slipped through in System 6.0.1. Fortunately, Nathan Mates has found
and fixed a number of them. Get the program 'GUPP' (Grand Unified
Patch Program) from a major Apple II FTP site, or directly from
Nathan's ftp site for his programs:
ftp://ftp.ucgs.caltech.edu/pub/nathan
Missing features of system 6? Perhaps you just used easy install,
which doesn't install all the bells and whistles. Try clicking on
customize and add the nifty things like Calculator, Find File, HFS
FST, etc. You can also read the Shortcuts file on the 'SystemTools2'
disk for some great keyboard shortcuts.
Finder 6.0 icons that match by name and have a leading wildcard
require uppercase letters. For example, a name like "*.txt" never
matches, but "*.TXT" works fine (it matches regardless of a file's
actual capitalization). (This was accidental; the 5.0.4 Finder did not
care about capitalization in icon files.)
Two misconceptions about System 6: The A2.RAMCARD is not for the GS's
/RAM5. It only works with "slinky" (i.e. standard slot) cards. Also,
the DOS 3.3 FST has nothing to do with MS-DOS.
Q#64 Tips &Hints
The AppleShare logon programs have always looked for a folder named
"Mail" inside your user folder whenever you log onto a user volume. If
there's any items in there, they present a dialog that says "You have
mail." Under SSW 6.0, that also sends a SysBeep2 request so you can
get the sound of your choice.
If you don't want to see your icons on boot, set bit 1 (i.e. the 2nd
LSB) of BRAM Location $5F. Be sure not to mess with the other bits.
Use the toolbox calls!
The FinderExtras folder goes in the same folder as the Finder
(generally the System folder).
If you don't like yellow folders in the Finder you can change the byte
at offset +65 in the Finder resource with type $C001 and ID 1. Change
the $E0 to whatever you want (the first digit is the default folder
foreground color, and the low nibble is for the outline color). Only
folders that do not already have a color recorded in a Finder.Data
file get the default color.
Q#65 If you have a RamFast
The RamFast and ProDos 2.0.1 both try to do re-mapping of drives to
unused slots. This can cause problems, mostly when launching and
returning from ProDos 8 applications (crashes or wants you to insert
disk). Solution: Configure the RamFast not to re-map. If you have a
RamFAST with a ROM revision less than 2.01a, you need to get a newer
ROM from CVT. Otherwise, V2.01c allows setting Slot Priority
Allocations to 0 which will let ProDos deal with them. V3.0 allows you
to choose between RamFast mapping (works now) and ProDos 8 mapping. If
you can't wait, you can Patch ProDos 2.0 not to re-map slots. Look for
"10 BF C9 A5 D0 07" and change the $A5 to $00 (should be byte $1A3 in
the 5th block of the file). Hack at your own risk.
Q#66 If you have a Vulcan or AE High Density disk
Due to problems with the Vulcan, when booting, it asks for your System
Disk. Just put the Vulcan driver on your boot disk, boot it, and then
launch the installer. Alternately, put the driver on the installer
disk and boot it. (but you have to delete some of the installer
scripts first) For the AE High Density Drive, be sure to remove
Apple's 3.5" driver when putting on AE's.
Q#67 If you have ProSel
Rename start to something else before running the installer, or else
the Finder won't be installed. Believe me, you don't want to miss out
on Finder 6.0!
Q#68 If you have an AMR 3.5"
If the computer hangs (mostly at the Standard File dialogue box) with
no disk in the drive, try putting one in. What's happening is that GS
is reading the status from the drive, and the drive won't return
anything unless there is a disk in the drive. Just stick a disk in and
all will be fine. If it really annoys you, either deactivate the 3.5"
driver (get IR so you can double-click to re-activate it) or simply
keep a disk in the drive at all times. This is not a problem under
ProDos 8.
Q#69 GSCII+ &HFS Note
There is a problem with the HFS FST, but only GSCII seems to be
affected. When de-binscii-ing files, put the output onto a ProDos
volume, not an HFS one.
[ Mega-thanks to Dave Lyons &friends for these. ]
_________________________________________________________________
Q#70 What to do with an Apple ][? 2/8/95
Q#71 What can you hook up to an Apple ][?
A: Hard Drives, Scanners, Video Digitizers, Laser Printers, Video
Overlay Cards, Tape backups, Inkjet Printers, 24 pin Dot Matrix
Printers, EPROM Burners, AppleTalk Networks, High Density 3.5" drives,
serial cards, parallel cards, audio Digitizers, CP/M boards (Z-80
processor), an IBM-on-a-card, 9600 baud modems, D/A and A/D cards,
joysticks, mice, graphics tablets, touch screens, extended keyboards,
track balls, several Megabytes of RAM, Real-time clocks, (cheap) IBM
disk drives and of course, Users!
This list is by no means exhaustive: This is just what I personally
have done. All of it is available NOW, and can be done on any Apple
//e. In the very near future, you may be able to hook up:
EitherTalk Networks, DSP boards, and cheap FAX modems.
Q#72 What can you do with an Apple ][?
A: As if the above weren't impressive, how about: Optical Character
recognition, Desktop publishing, Integrated Spread sheet, Database and
Word Processing, Interactive fiction adventure games, Arcade quality
games, Educational games, Programming, Telecommunications, Inventory,
Accounting, Money Management, and that's not even scratching the
surface.
Q#73 What can the //e can "borrow" from other computers?
A: GS bitmapped fonts, Mac Disks, MacPaint pictures, GIF pictures,
just about any Mac/PC SCSI device (Hard Drives, Tape backup), Mac
sounds with IISound (sounds are stored in the resource fork), many
archive formats (like uudecode), any serial device (EPROM burners, FAX
modems, mega-fast modems w/ MNP5), etc.
Q#74 What can the GS can "borrow" from other computers?
A: Mac bitmapped fonts, Mac Icons, Mac TrueType fonts (Windows fonts
require converting to Mac format first; the conversion programs
require a Mac or IBM to do that), Mac Disks, Amiga Mod songs, MacPaint
pictures, MacWrite documents, GIF pictures, WordPerfect documents,
just about any Mac SCSI and most ADB devices (including Hard Drives,
Pen Mice, etc), Mac sounds, Many archive formats (.uu, .zip, .arc,
.sit, .hqx, etc), any serial device (EPROM burners, FAX modems, 14.4
to 33.6 modems), IDE hard drives (check out a card called "Turbo IDE".
See http://users.ids.net/~kerwood/shh.html, or email
jlange@tasha.muc.de for details)
If you are interested in doing any of the above, feel free to email me
at nathan@visi.com). Someday, maybe I'll fill in the specific software
or hardware you need to do any of the above. If you have any
additions, let me know too!
_________________________________________________________________
Q#75 Resources for the Apple II 8/31/96
Listed below are some places to get information about the Apple II.
You should also try your local user group (and the user group
library), friends, relatives, library, school, FTP sites, books, and
etc. One good book is "The Whole Internet Users Guide &Catalog" by Ed
Kroll, published by O'Reilly &Associates Inc.
Nathan Mates has a set of WWW pages with all sorts of online
resources, more Apple II FAQs and more; visit
http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/index.html
Q#76 Apple II Groups
You can become an associate in the Apple Developer Program for $350
(for Mac and Apple II) or a mere $150 (for Apple II only) by calling
1-408-974-4897. That gets you Develop magazine, Apple Technical notes,
the Apple Developer CD, discounts on Apple products, and more! If you
want to license Apple Software for distribution with your product you
can get information by calling 1-408-974-4667. (Note: You need a
license to distribute Apple System Software, including ProDOS, and the
Installer.)
USUS (Keith Frederick (Secretary), P.O. Box 1148, La Jolla, CA 92038)
is an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and
influencing software standards to aid in the development of portable
software. They have a large software library including a lot of source
code (for almost every language or computer).
NAUG, the National AppleWorks Users Group used to be a group devoted
to that wonder program, AppleWorks. Joe Kohn and SSII have taken over
distribution of their materials; see
http://www.crl.com/~joko/naug.html
Q#77 Getting Parts &Software
There is a larger set of lists with more WWW links available at Nathan
Mates's set of Apple II Companies pages at
http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/com/index.html
Redmond cable (206-882-2009) makes and sells all sorts of custom
cables.
Scantron Quality Computers, http://www.sqc.net, (800-777-3642 or
810-774-7200, 810-774-7740 Tech Support, 810-774-2698 FAX) not only
sells Apple II products, but maintains a list of user groups and
publishes an informative newsletter geared towards educators (called
Enhance). They also published AppleWorks 5.0! To get a QC catalog and
a free subscription to Enhance, just call! Contact QC (on GEnie),
QualityCom (on AOL) or sales@sqc.net.
Alltech Electronics (800-995-7773 orders, 619-721-2823 FAX,
619-721-7733 Technical Support/inquiries) sells all kinds of
replacement parts for Apple II's. They are also pretty knowledgeable
about the II
Sun Remarketing, http://www.sunrem.com (800-821-3221) also sells used
Apples parts and books.
Parkhurst Micro Products (510-837-9098) sells ANSITerm, a GS-only
communications program that supports X/Y/Z-Modem (plus variants),
Kermit, VT-100, Color ANSI, and offers features like a text editor, a
large scrollback buffer, and macros.
Sequential Systems ( http://www.sequential.com, 800-759-4549 or
303-666-4549, 800-999-1717 tech, 303-666-7797 BBS) has many products,
including GS software that reads some (but not all) multimedia
CD-ROMs, VGA display, Memory, SCSI, and other boards for Apple IIs.
Contact inquiries@sequential.com
Chuck Orem used to distribute a 5.25" disk with modem utilities, a
terminal program (Comm.System 2.5), Shrinkit 3.4, BinSCII 1.0.3, UU
1.1, Sneeze 2.2 and UnShrink 2.1 in ready to run format. Also included
are all the docs for the above programs, plus Zlink (in archived
format). Steve Cavanaugh (stevec1021@aol.com) has now taken over this
service. Send $3 to cover postage and materials to Steve Cavanaugh
1117 Maple St. Wilmington, DE 19805
Digisoft Innovations (digisoft@hypermall.com) has a CD called Golden
Orchard that is full of Apple II-specific programs. 18MB is accessable
from 8-bit //e's, the rest is in HFS partitions that can be accessed
with GS/OS System 6. Cost is around $60.
Edlie Electronics (800-645-4722 or 516-735-3330) is selling "The
ProDOS User's Kit". It seems to be your basic ProDOS operating system
and a manual. I doubt that it's a current version, but it's worth a
look if you need ProDOS on 5.25". Heck, for $1.95, you can't go wrong.
[there is a minimum order, and I have never tried it... Let me know if
you try it.]
Washington Apple Pi (301-681-6136, 301-593-0024 BBS [7 bits, odd
parity]) has an extremely active Apple /// Special Interest Group.
They have 250 PD disks and have funded a new revision of the OS.
Contact Dave Ottalini at 72457.2401@Compuserve.com
Educational Resources (800-624-2926) sells educational programs for
the II.
MECC (800-685-MECC) is a well-known educational software shop.
The Cynosure BBS (410-549-2584 Settings: 8 data bits, No parity 1 stop
bit, up to 14400 bps) has a license to distribute system Apple
software (ProDos and GS/OS). Contact Doug Granzow at
dig@pro-cynosure.cts.com
You can also get system software off of Apple Computer's FTP site (see
above in the ftp sites section (#5). It is maintained by DTS in their
spare time. Thanks guys!
ftp://ftp.apple.com/aii/sys.soft/
The Apple User Group Connection (800-538-9696 ext 500) can tell you
the closest Apple II (or Macintosh) User Group. (Check Quality
Computers too..)
Q#78 Fun hardware add-ons
SSH Systems, http://users.ids.net/~kerwood/shh.html (Write to: SHH
SYSTEME, Dipl. Ing. Joachim Lange, Bergstrasse 95, 82131 Stockdorf,
Germany) is selling a card, the Bluedisk, for your Apple that will
allow you to use cheap IBM drives for storage. Price is around $100.
Contact jlange@tasha.muc.de.
Night Owl (913-362-9898) makes a slide-on battery for ROM 01 GS's. You
need a replacement if the time and system settings go back to their
defaults whenever you turn the computer off.
Conversion Technology (801-364-4171) sells a drive that allows you to
hook up cheap IBM 3.5" and 5.25" disk drives to you Apple II.
Silicon Systems (714-731-7110) makes that 22 pin DIP DTMF decoder chip
that Apple-Cat modem owners are always looking for. Part #: SSI 75T201
- Integrated DTMF Receiver.
Q#79 Periodicals &Books
Scantron Quality Computers (previously mentioned above) also publishes
periodicals, such as II Alive
Shareware Solutions II (166 Alpine Street, San Rafael, CA 94901) is a
new Apple II magazine with the latest scoops, written by long time
Apple II writer Joe Kohn. Mail joko@crl.com for details. You can also
check out his WWW homepage at http://www.crl.com/~joko/ssii.html
Adam Barr (barr@railnet.nshore.org) and Cindy Field (former InCider/A+
editor) thought about starting a new (email) Apple II newsletter, but
nothing apparently ever came of that.
Hyperstudio Network (609-446-3196) is a quarterly newsletter about
HyperStudio. They put out an annual 'Best of HyperStudio' disk of
stacks, and have discounts on HyperStudio accessories. They even do
some teacher-oriented stuff.
Computist (P.O. Box 110846, Tacoma, WA 98411) is a publication devoted
to gathering and distributing information on removing copy protection
from Apple II software.
Softdisk and Softdisk GS (800-831-2694 or 318-221-8718) are monthly
disk magazines containing a variety of software (PD/SW, clip art,
reviews, etc). Softdisk is no longer published, but you may still be
able to purchase back issues on 5.25" or 3.5" disks. Softdisk GS is
available only on 3.5" disks. See http://www.softdisk.com
Q#80 Misc Resources
If you need a IIc upgrade, it used to be free, but that has expired.
Try a few Apple dealers or call Apple to seek help. The number is
1-800-767-2775 (SOS-APPL).
Sequential Systems ( http://www.sequential.com, 800-759-4549 or
303-666-4549, 800-999-1717 tech, 303-666-7797 BBS) have taken over
CVTech's products.
Larry Beyer (312-735-9010) likes to fix InnerDrive hard drives.
Apple has a toll-free customer assistance line for handling sales
questions and user concerns. This toll-free line is not designed to be
a technical support hotline, but instead is an extension to the
comprehensive Apple customer relations effort. The Customer Assistance
Center is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific
time by dialing 1-800-776-2333.
A new ShareWare-Fee payment service has been established for info,
write to:
Some Assembly Required shareware@uwo.ca OR
1132 Adelaide St. N. #719 mhackett@alpha.vaxxine.com
London, Ontario N5Y 2N8
Canada
_________________________________________________________________
Q#81 General guidelines on How To Troubleshoot
Q#82 General troubleshooting
* First, resist the temptation to install all your new toys at once.
Take it one step at a time and test everything after adding each
item. (i.e. Run the diagnostics and try your old programs.)
* Leave the computer plugged in, but turned off when installing
cards. Touch the top of power supply before and often during your
work. Better yet, use a wrist strap tied to ground through a 1
Megaohm resistor.
* When asking others for help, it is essential to know the EXACT
error message you are getting. Also, be as specific as possible.
Saying "It did not work" or "I could not get any farther" is not
helpful. Exactly which screen did it stop at? Does it respond to
any input at all? What had you done up to that point? Is it
reproducible any other way?
* Make sure you have the required components for the program. Does
it require an Enhanced //e? More RAM? A separate boot disk?
* Never use your original disks. Make a backups and store the
write-protected originals in a safe place.
* Be sure to keep your disks away from stray magnetic fields
emanating from phones, monitors and speakers.
* If you have an accelerator, try to disable it or take it out
entirely. It may not be compatible with the new item.
* Is the problem re-producible? If so, what are the MINIMUM actions
to reproduce it?
* Check all your cable connections. Do not disconnect or connect any
cables with the computer on.
* Try pulling out other cards and disconnect your joystick. If you
have a lot of cards, you might consider a Heavy-Duty Power Supply
from A.E. It supplies 6 Amps instead of a measly 2.5 Amps. Test
the power supply with a voltmeter while the computer is on.
* Call the manufacturer to see if there is an upgrade or a fix.
Q#83 Trouble shooting and good maintenance
* Try the system self-test: hold down the Control key, the Open
Apple key, and the Option (or Solid Apple) key. Then press and
release Reset. Lastly, let up on the other keys. Sit back and
'Watchen Der Blinken Lighten.'
* Most RAM cards come with a memory tester. Try running it in
continuous mode for several hours, even if your RAM seems to be
working.
* Write down your configuration when you have it working (for future
reference).
* Verify your disk(s) with Copy ][+ or the Finder to see if you have
any bad blocks.
Q#84 GS Trouble shooting
* Check your control panel settings: What is the startup slot set
to? Is the slot set to "Your Card"? Check your RAM disk setting.
Is it taking up all your memory? Try setting the speed to normal
if it's a non-GS program.
* Take out or disable your INITS, CDAs, NDAs, and CDEVS. (With
System 6, just hold down Shift while booting).
* If you have a hard disk, try booting from a System Disk and/or
re-install the latest system software. Many random problems can be
traced to corrupted or improperly installed system software.
* Never connect/disconnect an ADB device when the computer is on.
* AppleWorks GS comes with a memory tester (try it).
* The TransWarp GS has a continuous test on the CDA (try it too).
_________________________________________________________________
Q#85 SCSI
SCSI is a protocol (method of transmitting data) that lets you hook up
to 8 SCSI devices on a SCSI bus (SCSI devices connected together).
There are Hard Drives, tape drives, scanners, and more available as
SCSI devices.
To get SCSI on an Apple II, you need to buy and install a SCSI card.
At first, there was the Apple Rev 'C' SCSI card (named after the final
ROM version--all previous versions MUST be upgraded to work with
current software). There were several clones from the likes of CMS and
Chinook. Then Apple came out with it's High Speed DMA SCSI card. This
has the ability to do Direct Memory Access to the RAM in your
computer, which speeds things up. This created a lot of problems with
cards that were not DMA compatible.
CV Technologies (bought out by Sequential Systems) also has a DMA SCSI
card called the RamFast. This card has 256K or 1MB of on-board RAM to
make it even faster than Apple's card. It can also supply terminator
power if you drive does not supply it. Both of the new cards support
things like SCSI tape backup units, removable SCSI drives, SCSI
CD-ROM, and of course SCSI hard drives. Both the new cards also
require an Enhanced //e.
You must manually give each device it's own unique ID number from 0-7.
The SCSI card is usually set to 7. On a SCSI chain, there must be a
Terminator (a bunch of resistors) at each end. Some drives have
internal terminators (3 small yellow-orange packs) that can be
switched on and off, and some drives come with an external terminator
(a "plug" to put on the back of the drive). Nothing other than the
ends of the chain should be terminated.
Also, somebody on the bus must supply terminator power (one of the
SCSI lines). If There are any problems (multiple things with the same
ID, too much termination or not enough, or no terminator power), you
may be able to use the drive, but your data will get corrupted. Most
of the time, the computer will refuse to recognize the drive.
There are two types of SCSI cables: the 50 pin Centronics-type (like
on parallel printers) or the 25-pin "D" connector. The 50-pin is the
SCSI standard, the 25-pin is the Apple standard. There are also cables
with the 50-pin centronics connector on one side and the 25 pin "D"
connector on the other.
Q#86 Tips on setting up a SCSI system:
* You can have multiple drives on one SCSI card, just make sure you
remove the termination on all the drives but the last one. This is
because the newer SCSI cards are terminated (and they count as a
SCSI device).
* Always check that the cords are plugged in properly. Never
connect/disconnect anything when the computer is on.
* SCSI ID numbers 0 and 7 tend to have special meanings; the Apple
High Speed SCSI displays multiple copies of partitions online if a
drive has that ID. Use 1-6 instead.
* The computer will boot the hard drive with the highest SCSI ID,
which should be ID 6.
* Try letting the drive 'warm up' for 15 seconds before turning the
computer on. The SCSI cards look for drives only at startup, and
may ignore any drives that are not ready.
* Try turning off DMA. If this helps, you may have a non-DMA
compatible card, such as the early versions of the TransWarp,
early versions of the GS RAM, or any 8-bit accelerator.
Alternately, try setting up a RAM disk for all but 4 MB. Some RAM
cards can only do DMA in the first bank.
* Check that each device has a unique ID. Most drives have a
thumbwheel on the back to set the ID. Your SCSI card (yes, it
counts too) is probably ID 7. Number your drives from 6 downwards
for best compatibility. The IDs have nothing to do with what slot
the card is in.
* Is there a terminator at each end of the SCSI bus? (the DMA cards
are terminated, and some drives are internally terminated.)
* Try the software that came with the card. It may give helpful
diagnostic messages (I.E. the Apple DMA SCSI utilities-- Does it
say "No Apple SCSI card found" or "No SCSI devices found"?)
* Do you get the message "Unable to Load ProDos"? If so, it's
booting your drive but you have no system software on it. Try
hitting Control-Reset, then PR#5 (or PR#6) to boot a floppy. Then
install the system software (i.e. ProDos or GS/OS).
* In extreme cases, try reformatting the drive, repartitioning, and
re-installing the System software.
* If the drive access light blinks in a regular pattern before the
computer is turned on, it is telling you that it has a hardware
malfunction. It needs to be serviced.
* Did you try re-installing the System software? Many times, the
data on a drive will get corrupted if you run the drive with
improper terminators or conflicting SCSI ID's. Sometimes you will
not notice the corrupted data until after you fix the problem. If
re-installing the System software helps, it was probably a
software problem, not a hardware problem.
* The Apple HS DMA SCSI card requires an Enhanced //e. It will not
work on the older //e without an Enhancement Kit.
* To really put a drive through it's paces, copy a LOT of stuff from
one partition to another (copy the entire partition if you can).
If there is a problem with DMA or SCSI ID's, it will probably show
up as a strange GS/OS error. (GS only)
* Make sure you do not have the Apple SCSI drivers installed if you
have a RamFast. It may cause random problems (they leave an
interrupt handler dangling if they can't find their card.) (GS
only)
* Make sure you are booting the right slot. If the card is in slot
7, you can set the startup slot to Scan or 7. (GS only)
* If you boot up and only 1 partition shows up, you need to install
the SCSI drivers. (GS only)
* If you boot up and it says "Drive XXX is already on the desktop"
over and over: Probably a SCSI ID problem. (GS only)
* If you add a CD-ROM, drivers are availiable from Trantor Systems
LTD, 5415 Randall Place, Fremont, CA 94538 (415)770-1400 (GS only)
* At least one device must supply terminator power to the bus (Pin
26). The Apple Cards do not supply this, and some drives don't
either. Result: The drive won't be seen by any software.
* Some CMS Platinum drives had pin 40 disconnected for obscure Mac
compatibility reasons. This can cause problems with the Apple IIs.
* Make sure you use the drivers from GS/OS, and not the ones that
ship with the Apple HS SCSI card. (Doesn't apply to RamFast).
* To low-level format an AE Vulcan drive, go into PART.MANAGER, move
the highlight to "format" and type "AE". Then say yes to all the
prompts.
_________________________________________________________________
Email suggestions to nathan@visi.com. As always, let me know of any
mistakes, updates, corrections, additions, etc.
There are a lot more questions with answers not included directly in
this FAQ; please see http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/faq for more of
them.
CopyLeft 1996 by Nathan Mates (Nathan Mates)
--
<*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/ <*>
# What are the facts? Again and again and again-- what are the _facts_?
# Shun wishful thinking, avoid opinion, care not what the neighbors
# think-- what are the facts, and to how many decimal places? -R.A. Heinlein
--
<*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/ <*>
# What are the facts? Again and again and again-- what are the _facts_?
# Shun wishful thinking, avoid opinion, care not what the neighbors
# think-- what are the facts, and to how many decimal places? -R.A. Heinlein