Re: making a boot disk on iigs

[Roger Johnstone <rojaws@orcon.net.nzXXX>]

On 2004-02-08 12:54:56 +1300, "John K" <john@kristelli.com> said:

> forgive my newbie questions....
>
> I just got a iigs and want to copy its system disks.  I can copy the 
files
> easily enough but the disk doesn't boot.  What do I have to do to a disk 
to
> make it bootable?
>
> I have 20 years experience with PCs but the terminology & function of 
apple
> systems are completely new to me!
>
> John

How are you copying the disks, and what happens when you try and boot them?

You should be able to just erase the disk to ProDOS format using the Finder 
or a disk utility and copy the files to it, or use a disk copier to copy 
the entire disk.

When you boot a ProDOS disk the program stored in the boot block looks for 
a file called PRODOS in the root directory. If it can't find one it should 
produce the error message "UNABLE TO LOAD PRODOS".

On a ProDOS 8 disk (8-bit OS for any Apple II) the file PRODOS is the 
operating system. After it loads it looks for the first file of type SYS 
and ending in .SYSTEM and runs it e.g. BASIC.SYSTEM.

On an Apple IIGS System disk (using ProDOS 16 or GS/OS) the file PRODOS is 
just a second stage loader which loads the real operating system contained 
in the folder called System. Inside the System folder is a file called P8. 
This is the old 8-bit ProDOS.

--
Roger Johnstone, Invercargill, New Zealand
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~rojaws/
________________________________________________________________________
"There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home"

  Ken Olson, President of DEC, World Future Society Convention, 1977