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Re: RAM Disk

In article <1995Feb17.173804.16080@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu>,
Peter C. Kulupka <pckulup@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu> wrote:
>     Okay, here's what's up.  I've tried to follow the thread on RAM Disk in
> Slot 7 and I'm lost.

You're not the only one.  I'm also involved in that thread, and I still
don't know what the original poster is trying to achieve.

> I just bought a AE RAMCard with 3megs, do I understand correctly that
> I can load GS/OS onto this by putting it in a different slot and 
> keeping my original memory exoansion card in place?

What type of AE RAM card is this?  I assume it is a GSRAM+ (or a newer
one such as the GS RAM III), since AE doesn't make a standard slot RAM
card with more than 1 MB (unless you add a piggyback card).

You cannot put IIgs memory cards into any slot other than the RAM
expansion slot.  The same goes for all types of cards - they can only
be used in the type of slot they were designed for.  The slots have
different purposes, different numbers of pins and the pins in common
have different signals.  At best, a card will not work if you put it
in the wrong type of slot (or put it in backwards).  At worst, you
will seriously damage the card, other cards and/or the motherboard.

So, if you put an AE GSRAM-type card in the machine, it will have to
go in the memory expansion slot, replacing your existing memory card.

There is one special case: there is one brand/model of IIgs RAM card (I
forget which one) which can accept a piggypack RAM card (it has an
extra slot connector attached to the card).


What you can do with a IIgs memory card is to set up a RAM disk (RAM5)
which can contain an installed copy of GS/OS.  You can then boot from
the RAM disk, which will save you boot time (at the expense of wasting
a significant amount of memory and the time required to install the
system software on the RAM disk).

I can't see much point doing this unless you are doing frequent
reboots due to crashing software (which is likely to corrupt the
RAM disk anyway) or you want to install some extra options that won't
fit on an 800k floppy.

If you want to do it anyway, here are the necessary steps.

1. Get into the Control Panel CDA (Ctrl-Apple-Escape then choose
Control Panel from the menu).  Go to the "RAM Disk" page.

2. Set the size of the RAM disk to the amount of space you will need
for the system disk.  The lowest useful size for this is 800k.  If you
want to install a moderate number of extra options, go for 1440k or
thereabouts.  You need to keep an eye on the total free memory - don't
use more than half of the RAM for the RAM disk (and preferably less
than that).  If you have a ROM 1, make sure you set the "minimum" and
"maximum" parameters to the same value.

3. Exit from the Control Panel, shut down GS/OS (if necessary).

4. Insert your GS/OS system disk into the 3.5" drive (which I assume
is your boot volume).

5. Start the self-test, using Ctrl-Apple-Option-Reset.  This forces
the IIgs to resize the RAM disk.  Once the test has started, you can
reboot using Ctrl-Apple-Reset.  (Alternatively, you can avoid the
self-test by turning the computer off, waiting at least ten seconds,
then turning it back on again.)

6. Once you get into Finder, select the RAM5 icon and choose the
"Initialize" command from the "Disk" menu.  Initialize the RAM disk
using the ProDOS file system.

7. Shut down GS/OS again.  Insert the System 6.0.1 "Install" disk and
boot from it.

8. If you are installing a minimal GS/OS system disk, you can use the
Easy Update button (make sure "RAM5" is the selected volume).

Otherwise, click on "Customize".  Make sure "RAM5" is the selected
destination volume, then install "*System 6:Hard Disk or FDHD".  If you
want to install any other features, you can do this after the system
software has been installed.

9. Once the installation is complete, go to the Control Panel, then to
the "Slots" screen.  Change the startup slot to "RAM Disk".  Exit from
the control panel.

10. Shut down and reboot.  The IIgs should now boot from the RAM disk,
using the newly installed copy of GS/OS.

> And if it is possible do I have to leave the computer on all the time
> then so that this RAM disk doesn't lose GS/OS?

Yes.  If you turn the computer off, the RAM disk will be wiped and you
will have to go into the Control Panel and change the startup slot back
to "Scan" or "Slot 5" before you will be able to boot a disk.

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