Re: SST back to real apple?

["Rubywand" <rubywand@swbell.net>]

"Jon Co" writes ...
> Thanks for all the help.

     You're welcome.


> I am now able to transfer any disk images to
> my IIGS.  I created a ramdisk a bit larger than 800k, put asimov 2.0
> and some comm program in it.  Run comm program... transfer 2mg file
> (just 1 at a time) quit.. run asimov 2.0, convert image back to disk.
> quit... delete disk image... run comm program... repeat over and
> over...

     Got that done pretty quick!


> Ok.  I guess a harddisk would help immensely, the 3.5 drive's speed
> (or lack of it) is beginning to get on my nerves.  besides the focus
> drive from alltech electronics, what other options do I have?  I do
> not live in the U.S. so mail ordering would be a problem.

     One alternative is Jerry Kendall's "Flashboot" utility. On startup it
can
load GS-System plus whatever else you want to include (from one or
more prepared Flashboot-format diskettes) to RAM disk and launch
GS-System. Takes a minute or so to load in and start a decent Sys 6.0.1.
With System stuff being in RAM, it's very responsive, plus your disk
drives are freed up.

     If you could get hold of an Apple HS SCSI card or, better, a recent
RamFAST SCSI card, you could use a SCSI Zip drive.


> Some time
> ago I did see a site or two describing some homemade IDE interface.
> anyone here ever made them? any suggestions would be welcome.

     Check http://rich12345.tripod.com/ . Good info with details.


> Oh before I forget, I was also able to transfer the "protected" images
> back to real disks too, the disks werent really protected, they were
> just using some non-standard volume number.

     Nice that the transfer worked out. Wish one of the emu gurus would
add Volume Number detection for .dsk files. (Could do it with VN info
included in the file name.)


> And with regards to my smartport problem, well I guess it is broken..
> anything you stick into the 2nd drive is not detected (doesnt show on
> desktop, and doesnt tell you to initialize unrecognized disk)

     If you plug in just two 3.5" drives (no 5.25" drives), is 3.5" Drive 2
still
ignored? Suppose (with power OFF) you swap around the 3.5" drives.
Does that make any difference?

     If the above doesn't get anywhere and your Video Controller (VGC)
IC is in a socket, you could (with power OFF) try scootching up and
re-seating the IC.


> While I'm at it, anyone got the specs of the memory expansion slot?
> would it be possible for me to make my own memory card?  I currently
> have an apple made memory expansion (full at 1mb).. I would like to
> have more memory,  make a rom disk, and other stuff.

     Don't know if anyone has an Expansion Mem diagram posted anywhere.

     A IIgs diagram which includes the Mem Expansion Slot is at ...
http://www.apple2.org.za/gswv/a2zine/Docs/IIgsMotherboardSchematics/ .

     There's some info at ...
http://web.pdx.edu/~heiss/technotes/iigs/tn.iigs.021.html
http://web.pdx.edu/~heiss/technotes/memx/tn.memx.1.html


Rubywand