Re: Pascal file system and Superdrive on IIgs

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

Tim Haynes <timhaynes@alumni.NO.SPAM.PLEASE.uwaterloo.ca> wrote:

> "David Empson" <dempson@actrix.gen.nz> wrote:
> Sounds reasonable.  I didn't know of this built-in self test!  Is it only
> invoked by jumping to a memory address, or is there some startup key
> sequence that gets you there, too?  Just curious...

You have to jump to the entry point.  I see that Peter Watson has
mentioned $Cn0A in another followup, and that tallies with my
recollection.

> > The most likely issue is the slot in which the SuperDrive card is
> > installed.  If the card is in slot 4, 5 or 6 then Pascal knows to treat
> > it as a disk controller.  (Pascal 1.3 will be able to use the SuperDrive
> > card, but earlier versions will ignore it because it doesn't look like a
> > 5.25" controller.)
> 
> It's actually in slot 5.  I have my slot 5 turned to "your card".

In that case, it is more likely to be an issue with an older version of
Pascal which doesn't support anything other than 5.25" drives; it is
probably assuming that the card is a 5.25" controller and is attempting
to call directly into the sector read code in the firmware.  The only
solution (other than moving the card to slot 7) is to set the slot back
to "SmartPort" when you want to boot from that version of Pascal.

You could possibly try putting the card in slot 1 or 2 instead of 5, but
that could trigger different problems.

> Another weird thing about this configuration is that one of my 5.25"
> drives has it's drive light continually on.

Is this a drive connected to the built-in disk port, or to a 5.25"
controller card in a slot?  (If the latter, it must be in slot 4, 5 or 6
in order to work with Pascal.)

> I'm not sure if maybe my AppleTalk is doing that, though - it seems to
> flicker along with the lights on my Gatorbox (but only when my drives are
> daisychained into my Superdrive controller).

Eh?  You can't connect 5.25" drives to a SuperDrive controller.

> > Pascal ignores slot 7 unless you are running special drivers, so you
> > could put the SuperDrive card there if you want to completely ignore it
> > in Pascal.
> 
> That would screw up my AppleTalk, though, right?  (ROM 01)

Yes, so that doesn't seem to be a practical solution.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz