Why won't SS work for me

[Paul Schultz <pschultz@med.wayne.edu>]

(This is being posted to SS-mailing list and to comp.sys.apple2)

Well,

I turn to this SS developer list for help. Even though this mailing
list has been rather dead recently I hope that there will be someone
out there who can help......

I first bought a SS in August. It wouldn't work in my system with its
full complement of add-on cards.

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** Specifically: here is my system:

ROM 01 IIgs
System 6.0.1
4Mb RAM card (GS Juice Plus - Applied Ingenuity)
RamFAST rev. D, 256K, 3.0.1ez
ZipGS 1.0.2 12/64 (new 74HCXX installed, 15ns SRAMs, 14MHz CPU, very stable!)
RoadRunner 80 SCSI hard drive. (basically, a 2.5 inch drive mounted on an
interface card. It installs in a slot from which it gets power.)

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** Here are the symptoms:

Computer won't boot with SS installed.
Computer doesn't even get to the opeing 'Apple IIgs' screen.
At power up the screen is garbled (usually text mode, either
40 or 80 columns, text color and background is not what is set in
control panel. The garbled text sometimes is positioned where the
opening screen text would be. But, there are many cases where the
screen is a real mess!)

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** Here is one thing I can do to make the SS work:

If I remove either the RamFAST (and boot from a floppy) _OR_ I
remove the ZipGS (and re-install the original CPU) I can get it to
boot and operate whith the SS installed and the SS works. (At least for
the short period of these tests). SO IT IS AS IF THE COMBINATION OF THESE
CARDS IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM!

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** Here are some of the many things I have tried (none of which has worked):

I removed the RoadRunner 'HardCard' and used an external HD (in case the
RoadRunner was causing noise on the IIgs bus).
I tried a different IIgs memory card.
I tried new SRAMs in my ZipGS.
I tried a different CPU in my ZipGS.
I tried a slower oscillator in my ZipGS.
I verified my 5V line on my GS was actually carrying 5V.
I RETURNED MY SS AND GOT A REPLACEMENT -- Same results!!

So, at this point I'm at my wits end!

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Here are some questions and thoughts:

Could it actually be the combined effects of the RamFAST _AND_ ZipGS?
Could the two cards (RF & Zip) cause problems on my M2B0 line (slot 3, pin 35)?
Could my Power supply be involved in some way (as an aside - it fried today!
in a puff of smoke!)?
Is there any way to test the M2B0 line for proper functionality?
Is anyone else with a ZipGS with the 74HCXX installed successfully using a
SS?

-----------------------------------

Does anyone have a clue as to what might be going on??

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Paul.
pschultz@med.wayne.edu
Paul Schultz