Re: Another IIgs-related question

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

In article <2tcg34$8nm@hermes.unt.edu>,
Phillip "Ty" Young <tyoung@jove.acs.unt.edu> wrote:
> Actually 2.
> 
> (1) Someone posted something about the consequences of using a non-rev. 
> "C" SCSI card (apple) in the IIgs -- what were those ?  I haven't looked 
> yet (scared!)  If I DO have an "A" or "B" (exist?) is there a free upgrade?
> Or can I do it myself with help from Alltech or another chip vendor ?

The original Apple SCSI card (released in 1986) had three ROM
revisions: A, B, and C.  GS/OS only supports this card if it has the
Revision C ROM.  This ROM has several bug fixes and new features (e.g.
CD-ROM support).

The Apple High-speed SCSI card is a completely different card,
released in 1989.  It has never had a ROM upgrade.

> (2) What would be the use of including an Apple I/O card if there's a 
> built-in disk port on the IIgs?  The machine I just picked up at a garage 
> sale has one in, I think, slot 6.  

The only advantage I can think of is that it saves you from making or
buying an adaptor cable if you want to use Disk ][ drives with a IIgs.

A big disadvantage: if the card is included in the slots scanned at
boot time, the computer will hang waiting for you to insert a disk
into the (the built-in IIgs firmware will skip to the next slot after
a few seconds if the disk cannot be booted or there is no disk in the
drive).
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand