Re: Help! New to Apple ][

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

In article <49v9vc$4o3@oveja.u-net.net>,
Steve McWhan <ste@mac.u-net.com> wrote:
> I have just been given an apple 2 europlus with twin drives and a
> monitor, I dont have any disks for it, If i remember correctly you
> need one to boot the machine and the other drive runs the software.

It depends which operating system and programs you are using.

If you are using a standalone self-booting program (e.g. a game), the
second drive is probably not used.

If you are booting DOS 3.3 (the last version of the original Apple II
operating system), then the operating system and startup program (if
any) are loaded from the first drive.  After booting, the disk can
usually be removed, and both drives used as required for program or
data storage (depending on the programs being used).

If you are booting ProDOS (the current main Apple II operating
system), the process is similar.

Apple II Pascal requires that the system disk remains in the first
drive nearly all the time.  The second drive can be used for data
storage.

> How much ram does this thing have 128k?

It will have at least 48K.  If there is a "language card" in slot 0,
then it has 64K.

It might have a higher capacity RAM card, either in slot 0 or in
another slot.  Any such card is probably limited in the set of
programs that can use it, and it will be most useable as a RAM disk.

> Please help in anyway as it looks a good machine!

The Apple II "europlus" is just the European (PAL) version of the
Apple II Plus.  It is the second oldest version of the Apple II, and
is rather limited in what it can run.  Most 8-bit Apple II software
released in recent years requires at least an Apple IIe (or a IIc or
IIgs), and will not work on a II+.

If you are only interested in running older software that is specific
to the II+, then it is certainly a good machine.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand