Can KEGS read actual floppy disks?

[Gorgonops]

Okay.  I know I started this topic a while ago and badly but I'd like to again try to write a 5.25" floppy in ProDOS format.  The problem is, though ADTPro can download ProDOS fine onto my IIe (i.e. its receiver cassette port works fine), the IIe doesn't seem to be able to transmit a request for anything (i.e. problem with the transmitter port), so I can't for instance write disks (it's been a while since I've tested this but that is my recollection).

Are you familiar with the "Apple II disk server" website? If all you're looking for is some DOS/programs for your IIe that has a working floppy drive the .wav files stored there are an absolutely brainless way of generating disks, that only requires a single audio cable between your cassette jack input and your computer. (Or phone/tablet/whatever; I've been using the site with my old Samsung tablet to generate disks for my ][+ and it works *fine*.) Assuming you're fine with one-way data transfer this is a perfectly good way that'll work even if the cassette *output* of your IIe is broken in some way that prevents ADTPro-over-audio from working.

 

[raoulduke]

Right... that's the rub.  I can't believe I logically missed that step yet again - I wouldn't be able to write 800k disks directly anyway etc. sorry.  Can anyone on the list do better than $24 shipped, you think?  Alright so that's the solution.

So back to my previous thought.  And it's been a while since I've used ADTPro, but I'll try to again tonight; after I download ProDOS through ADTPro, or even maybe before that, if I execute the commands for reading cassettes, "Call -151" "800.xxxxR", can I just play audio files via desktop through cable to IIe?  Okay now I remember the issue.  ProDOS downloads.  But to write a disk from it, I need to buffer/load a program into memory through ADTPro, and ADTPro can't make the request.  Here are a bunch of WAV files.  I will try this later: http://www.brutaldeluxe.fr/projects/cassettes

 

[raoulduke]

*Oh sweet.  Gorgonops that's better than Brutal's archive, I think.  For the moment I was looking for 'proof of life,' as you say more or less a one-way manner of creating a few disks.  I only have about 10 usable 5.25" disks to distribute across a bunch of platforms anyway.  But in the longer term I'll get a serial card.  In the shorter term, I just wanted a way to maintain some level of function on the IIe.  I only have AppleWorks 3.0 and I'm not sure what happened to any other disks I used to have as I also had a IIc and IIgs.

 

[Gorgonops]

As I said, I've been using the snot out of the site; on my II+ I have to use the slower-speed .WAVs but as long as I use those and have the volume set right everything's golden.

Re: usable 5.25 floppy disks, remember, on an Apple II you can punch/cut/gnaw/whatever a second write protect notch on the disk, which will let you flip it over and use the back. (The Disk II doesn't use the index hole near the disk hub so just cutting the WP notch is all it takes. Same trick won't work on, say, a Kaypro with single-sided drives.)

 

[raoulduke]

No the problem isn't that; I think all my disks are double sided with the notch.  But I only have 15 disks; two are Kaypro-branded CPM and Basic; I don't think either of them work properly at this point; one is that copy of AppleWorks; one is a copy I made of CP/M for Kaypro I think.  That leaves 11 disks, probably not all of which work, to distribute to one Apple II, one Kaypro 2x, two TRS-80s (III and 4).  So that leaves perhaps 4 disks (or 8 sides depending) for the Apple II, and I'll probably leave 3 for the Kaypro and 2 each for the TRS-80s.  I don't really care about DOS anymore, to be honest (I forgot I do have that Compaq*).

(*Gorgonops, I would like to a) put it back together, and b ) test it systematically.  a) Any idea where I could find really detailed plans (I'm more concerned about the way everything fits inside the case than the boards into the motherboard and other connectors - that's not too difficult)?  I've seen the manual but I don't know if that'll do it.  Just curious.  I haven't really looked yet.  b ) Can I turn the power supply on by itself?  It's really annoying and frankly eventually costly to replace the fuse every time I turn it on.  So I'd like to connect as little as possible starting with the power supply if possible.  Any thoughts?)

 

[raoulduke]

Ugh, this is a retrospective attempt to clean up all the dribble I wrote.  My IIe clearly has a power supply issue.  In the middle of this process (after I had reseated the Disk ][ controller but in fairness also after I had powered it on successfully), the red LED would flicker and it clicked.  This stopped when I reseated the Disk ][ cable on the card itself.  In case anyone has to investigate recapping the PSU I did find this when I figured I'd have to: http://obsolescenceguaranteed.blogspot.com/2014/03/bad-caps-or-recap-kids-apple-iie-power.html

 

[raoulduke]

This server's great.  Thanks Gorgonops.  This is truly cool to watch it work.  Lemonade Stand (the only ][ program I distinctly remember other than Logo) wouldn't boot.  Oregon Trail would.  Ironically I don't recall ever seeing color except on IIgs, meaning that despite my academic knowledge that color was implemented with the ][ in 1977, I never put together the fact that [thus] all ][ models have color.  Funny.  I just never thought of it.

(I got an Error #8 with Lemonade Stand, btw, which as far as I can tell is possibly a Disk I/O error... I may try to make a ProDOS disk and investigate eventually.)

 

[techknight]

that monitor needs seriously adjusted

 

[raoulduke]

Ironic, Techknight, I noticed that when I used the monitor incidentally again today.  But that'll have to wait until I get a IIgs, I mostly use a IIe mono monitor now.

I realized that Apple ][ Disk Server (and I just emailed that guy) probably uses ADTPro and just records output - which doesn't help my issue of not being able to send ADTPro a request to download.  Has/Can anybody record(ed) the actual audio output from the machine to the computer?  If I can fake that, I can just force ADTPro to send my machine the disk images, I think - in fact there may actually not be another way to do it absent someone else/disk server guy just recording the programs individually - which would be insane for me to ask.

 

[raoulduke]

Egan Ford, who curates the Apple ][ Disk Server, suggested his utility c2t.