Does the GS/OS 6.0.1 require a hard drive?

[Huxley]

Well, my thread subject kinda gives away what my question is, but now that my GS is actually working (and happily transferring Apple II games via ADTPro), I'm interested in exploring its native OS. I have very fuzzy memories of using a GS in grade-school that must've been running GS/OS, but I don't remember any sort of hard drive on that machine. If I can create a set of 6.0.1 floppies (since Apple is giving that OS away now), would I be able to use it? Of course, I'm already on the lookout for a SCSI card (or CF/SD adapter, or BlueFlash, or...) to get some form of mass storage going, but it'd be fun to get a sample of a true GUI in the meantime.

On that topic, since the GS uses ADB for its keyboard, will an ADB mouse work as well?

Thanks!

Huxley

PS I just thought of another question - will ADTPro also work with Apple IIGS software, or is it limited to 'regular' Apple II disk images?

 

[Academician]

The GS/OS from Apple actually has to be burned on a Mac, then ran on the GS to create the actual GS/OS disks that you can boot from. At least that's what I can gather from the instructions I've read.

I have heard that w/o 4Mb+ of RAM GS/OS 6.0.1 is unruly, but don't take my word for it. I'm sure someone will post either a correction or confirmation.

Where to find an earlier GS/OS is another question, which I have yet to find an answer.

As for the ADB question, yes, any ADB keyboard and mouse will work on the GS. Though you won't have the use of the function keys on later models.

As for ADT, no clue, I haven't had the chance to use it yet. I'm still trying to transfer images from my Centris to my GS via a DIN8 serial server-client connection.

-Academician

 

[luddite]

GS/OS can run off a single 800K floppy, if you're just curious about it... if you actually want to use it for anything you'll probably want more RAM and some kind of mass storage.

GS/OS 5.x is available if you look in the right places, but it's not good for much IMHO.

Incidentally, the original GUI that shipped with the IIgs was Apple II Desktop (AKA Mouse Desk), which is actually an 8-bit desktop.

Personally I've always found GS/OS to be a really slow, ugly and annoying copy of the Mac OS... you'll be miles ahead using ProSel 16.

 

[Huxley]

GS/OS can run off a single 800K floppy, if you're just curious about it... if you actually want to use it for anything you'll probably want more RAM and some kind of mass storage.GS/OS 5.x is available if you look in the right places, but it's not good for much IMHO.

Incidentally, the original GUI that shipped with the IIgs was Apple II Desktop (AKA Mouse Desk), which is actually an 8-bit desktop.

Personally I've always found GS/OS to be a really slow, ugly and annoying copy of the Mac OS... you'll be miles ahead using ProSel 16.

That's great info - thanks! I've never heard of "Mouse Desk" - I'll have to look that one up...

By the way, I notice that my GS has some sort of RAM expansion card in the memory slot, but I'm in the dark as to how I might check to see my total amount of system RAM. Can that be done from the ProDOS CLI, or would I have to get a copy of GS/OS running from floppy to find out?

Thanks!

Huxley

 

[david__schmidt]

PS I just thought of another question - will ADTPro also work with Apple IIGS software, or is it limited to 'regular' Apple II disk images?

It'll work with any device ProDOS can read. It doesn't help with copy protected software, though. It uses standard ProDOS reads and writes, so even light copy protection will not work after transfer.

- David

 

[TheNixer]

I don't know if this helps, but you can get a versions of GSOS here for $20 or under:

http://store.syndicomm.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=48

If you're wanting to play around with it and see how it runs on the system you have now, order some disks. If you need more RAM, you'll know it then for sure.

BTW - That link is for 6.0.1 and the site recommends 2mb w/ hard drive. Otherwise bump down to system 5.

 

[magnusfalkirk]

By the way, I notice that my GS has some sort of RAM expansion card in the memory slot, but I'm in the dark as to how I might check to see my total amount of system RAM. Can that be done from the ProDOS CLI, or would I have to get a copy of GS/OS running from floppy to find out?
Thanks!

The easiest way to find out how much RAM your GS has is to select "About this Apple IIGS" under the Apple menu in GS/OS 6.0.1, if you've got GS/OS up and running yet.

Your next option is to turn on the GS and then press Control+Open Apple+Escape. That will bring up a page where you can enter the Control Panel. Highlight the Control Panel and press return. From there highlight RAM disk and press return. This will bring up a screen where you can set up a RAM disk. This page will tell you how much total RAM you have installed.

Hopes that helps,

Magnus

 

[Unknown_K]

I run GS/OS 6 on my IIgs mostly just to dump disk images back to floppy so I can boot from them and play the games.

My system is a basic ROM 1 GS + 1MB RAM card (1.25MB total), Apple rev c SCSI card + 120MB HD, 3.5" and 5.25" floppy, Color monitor, joystock. 1.25MB of RAM is enough to run GS/OS with HFS and networking support plus get shrinkit running to duplicate disks.

All in all unless you have 4MB+ RAM and a CPU upgrade GS/OS is just painfully slow to use.

 

[Charlieman]

All in all unless you have 4MB+ RAM and a CPU upgrade GS/OS is just painfully slow to use.

I disagree about cpu acclerators, because a IIgs with 4MB RAM and a "fast" hard disk is very pleasant to use. The desktop environment is very snappy (and the dialog boxes are very well composed when compared to System 7 or, heavens forbid, Windows anything). Paint, word processor etc programs are responsive, and you only need an accelerator to run the most demanding games.

 

[Academician]

Hey guys

I was wondering if anyone knew where I could grab the disk images for GS/OS 5.4.

My ROM01 (w/ 1.25Mb RAM total) for some reason won't load 6.0.1 =[ It boots up, gets about 90% through the red load bar, beeps, goes to 100% and then freezes permanently D=

I've scoured the net to try and find the images by my google skillz are failing me The only copy I found was in a .sdk file, which I can't even unshrink (tried several programs via the apple II with no joy).

Thanks in advance :O

 

[david__schmidt]

ftp://ftp.apple.asimov.net/pub/apple_II/images/gs/system504.zip

Syndicomm will also sell you a legal copy for eight bucks:

http://store.syndicomm.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=38

 

[Academician]

Disregard, I was able to locate working disk images =]!