Re: IIGS question

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

In article <31AB8631.2640@inlink.com>, Doug S. <dougs@inlink.com> wrote:
> I am looking to buy an Apple IIGS.  I have found one that appears to be 
> in very good condition, but the display says 512K.  Am I correct to 
> assume this will be a ROM 01 with an extra 256K added?

Probably.  If you are unlucky, it might be a ROM 00 (original ROM),
which isn't supported by GS/OS.  It would be necessary to upgrade the
ROM to allow it to support most IIgs software written since 1988.

To find out, turn the machine on and observe the initial text display:
it says "Apple IIgs" at the top, and the ROM 01 and later machines
identify the version at the bottom of the screen, along with a
copyright message.  The original ROM just says "Apple IIgs" at the top.

> If so, is it a problem to add memory to it?

Nope - just remove the memory expansion card that is currently
installed (probably an Apple 1 MB RAM card with 256K populated), and
buy a 4 MB RAM card, which costs about US$110.

> ... how usefully is it with 256K 

Completely useless as a IIgs.  It can really only be used as a fast
IIe with a little extra memory available for programs that know about it.

> ... and are the any other major drawbacks to a ROM 01 machine?  

Not really.  The ROM 3 is a little bit faster for some operations,
because it runs a better version of QuickDraw from ROM (which is
faster than RAM in the IIgs due to memory refreshing).  There are
several minor improvements, many of which can be gained by running
recent system software on the ROM 1.  The only other real advantage of
the ROM 3 is the extra RAM (1 MB vs 128 KB of "fast" RAM).
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand