• Hello MLAers! We've re-enabled auto-approval for accounts. If you are still waiting on account approval, please check this thread for more information.

Need help with boot order on my Apple IIGS

A

agent_js03

6502
Hi all,

I recently got a Floppy Emu for my Apple IIGS and I have been having issues with boot order. I am using the floppy emu in smart port (hard drive) mode. So basically what I have been seeing is that if I plug the floppy emu directly into the floppy port then it will boot up just fine, but if I plug my external floppy in and then plug the floppy emu into that, it will not boot. I have even set my startup slot to scan and have tried that. Nothing doing. I notice that there is a "1" on the floppy drive, I assume this means that it is drive 1, the boot drive. I wonder what I can do so that it will boot from the floppy emu instead and then I can still have to other drive, as I want to copy software from it onto the GS/OS drive on the floppy emu.

Thanks in advance!

 
In the control panel go to "slots". From there go to "startup", and choose the device you want to use to boot from.

 
Oh, just re read. I don't think you can daisy chain the HD20 floppy emu to the 3.5 drive. Just doesn't work, sorry.

Also, any external labing on the floppy drive doesn't matter. Whether it is number 0, 1 or 999,999; it doesn't matter. The computer will determine its own drive numbers based on where the drive is in the floppy chain.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Themk said:
Oh, just re read. I don't think you can daisy chain the HD20 floppy emu to the 3.5 drive. Just doesn't work, sorry.

Also, any external labing on the floppy drive doesn't matter. Whether it is number 0, 1 or 999,999; it doesn't matter. The computer will determine its own drive numbers based on where the drive is in the floppy chain.
Click to expand...
Would I need to install a separate floppy card or something in order to use both at the same time?

 
Unforunantly the disk controller cards are somewhat harder to find. If you are just looking for 5 1/4 access, you can use a Disk II card. Those are fairly easy to find.

 
So far as I'm aware you *can't* work around the problem by adding an additional controller card if you still want to have 3.5" access. Both Smartport and 3.5" access are fairly hard coded to live in Slot 5 while (bootable) 5.25" drives want to be in Slot 6. The built-in controller in the IIgs basically pretends to be in both slots. You *can* add a "dumb" 5.25" controller in Slot 6 to hang those drives off of and leave your Smartport-mode Floppy Emu connected to the built-in port and it'll all map out correctly, but so far as I've seen it doesn't really work to try to add a Smartport-aware controller in another slot to hang the Floppy Emu on while saving the built-in port for the 3.5" drive; you get Smartport functionality on *one* port and that has to be shared.

If you really need a 3.5" and a "hard disk" on a IIgs the go-to solution is, unfortunately, either a real hard disk solution or something that emulates one via a slot, like the CFFA3000, an Apple SCSI card, whatever.

 
Yeah, Gorgonops is correct, it doesn't work that way. Best option for the IIgs is a card for Slot 7. Also if you have AppleShare server, you can boot over LocalTalk (which is what I do), which will use eithet Slot 1 or 2 (you choose), leaving you to use slot 5 for 3.5 drives.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Themk said:
Also if you have AppleShare server, you can boot over LocalTalk (which is what I do), which will use eithet Slot 1 or 2 (you choose)
Click to expand...
Is your machine a ROM3? I boot my ROM1 from Localtalk (which I do instead of using the floppy emu as a hard disk because of the aforementioned limitations with boot order and chaining) and in a ROM1 it uses slot 7.

(Booting from Localtalk *is* genuinely a worthwhile option to consider if you want to just casually dip your toes into GS/OS; all it takes is a Localtalk->Ethernet bridge and the patience to set up A2Server, which if you've had *any* experience with Linux is a piece of cake. Downside of netboot is the Localtalk drivers take up enough RAM that to do anything "serious" you probably want a four or eight megabyte memory expansion card. The stock 1MB-ish of a ROM3 or ROM1+fully populated Apple card is really tight for GS/OS 6.)

 
I have a ROM3 machine. You are right, on ROM1 it is installed into slot 7. Personally, I like that it can be installed to slot 1 or 2, as then you can use slot 7 for your SCSI or CFFA card- and LocaTalk uses one of the serial ports that would be otherwise mapped to slot 1 or 2, so you might as well install the "LocalTalk Card" to slot 1 or 2.

I agree booting from LocaTalk is really worth trying. On my ROM3 I have around 2MB of RAM, and it runs great. If you have really any old mac with a built-in serial port, for the cost of an ImageWriter cable, you can give your IIgs mass storage capabilities. Please do continue to run your software from 3.5 disk, it is slightly faster than LocalTalk.

(Also, first post back from being on vacation--typing on an IBM/Unicomp buckling spring keyboard is sooooo nice again)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Themk said:
I agree booting from LocaTalk is really worth trying. On my ROM3 I have around 2MB of RAM, and it runs great.
Click to expand...
Slightly off-topic, but since I can't remember if I mentioned it before I will: if anyone reading this needs more RAM for their IIgs I bought one of these on a whim a couple months ago and it seems to work fine. I agonized a bit if I should pony up for the 8MB version, but 4MB makes a *huge* difference in the amount of free RAM (approximately 10x sitting at the Finder with the default driver set installed with A2SERVER's GS/OS distribution), enough so that 8MB is probably overkill unless you're a certified GS/OS junky.

 
I have considered purchasing one of those, would bump me up to 5MB... So dreamy. With an unmodified GS/OS installation, you are limited to 1 program on the screen at a time, so 2MB isn't a show stopper for 98% of things. When I put together my IIgs system, those large memory expansions weren't available as cheaply as they are now, so I had to go with a default Apple IIgs memory expansion.

 
A big win I got from the extra RAM was I was actually able to use the driver included with the A2SERVER distribution that allows you to mount and open disk images inside the Finder. Attempting to use that with just the stock 1.25MB of RAM in my ROM1 would make it wander off into laa-laa land. Considering that most IIgs software is distributed in the form of disk images having that capability makes it far easier to "install" software to directories on the file server by just dragging it out of the images.

 
Oh yeah, I'm sure A2SERVER's driver is amazing! Personally I think I will stick to physical 3.5 drives... they are a little bit faster than LocalTalk. I think I could probably get A2SERVER's driver to load with my 2.3MB of RAM.

 
Wow, looks like I am going to have to sign up for a CFFA3000!!!! ALWAYS WANTED ONE YAY

System 6 definitely seems to want 2 or more MB of RAM.

 
Arrrgh, my message to Dreher regarding my interest was NOT delivered. :(

Now I have to figure out what is wrong with my e-mail server.

(Sorry for being so off topic; fixed my issue BTW)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
What did I do to my Apple IIGS? Pink and green boxes on boot
Replies
11
Views
3K
derFunkenstein
D
Ajaxermd
Apple /// Help
Replies
6
Views
838
bibilit
bibilit
Retronaut
Apple IIe Card: Add Hard Disks, Making Floppy Disks and Much More!
Replies
4
Views
974
Retronaut
Retronaut
Retronaut
Help needed getting A2SCSI card visible on Apple IIgs
2 3
Replies
54
Views
8K
nglayton
nglayton
D
how much RAM is on this IIgs card
Replies
2
Views
1K
derFunkenstein
D
Back
Top