Questions about Apple IIGS and ADTPro serial connection

[Shinobi Kenobi]

I wanted to play some games I downloaded for my Apple IIGS, but many of them were in .2mg format, which I was unable to open on my Power Macintosh 7200/75 (400 MHz G3 card) running Mac OS 7.6.1. I saw a lot of posts saying to use ADTPro. From what I read, .2mg files are image files ONLY for the Apple IIGS. I'm still very confused about this whole process.

So is ADTPro supposed to send the .2mg files to the IIGS so that it can write the .2mg file to a floppy? I was unable to get the IIGS and PC to talk to each other with a serial cable connected between them. The round end with 8 pins is plugged into the IIGS modem port, with the parallel end plugged into the PC. I ran adtpro.bat on the PC running Windows 2000 Professional SP4. When I click serial on the PC, ADTPro immediately says it's connected, but nothing happens. I've read that others have had the same problem, but was unable to get it to work.

How can I get this working?

 

[magnusfalkirk]

Have you seen this website: https://adtpro.com/ and read through the explanation on how to use ADTPro? If I remember rightwhen I used it to transfer programs from my Mac to the GS i had to use the printer port on the GS, not the modem port. Read through the website. it's the best source of information on using ADTPro.

 

[Shinobi Kenobi]

Have you seen this website: https://adtpro.com/ and read through the explanation on how to use ADTPro? If I remember rightwhen I used it to transfer programs from my Mac to the GS i had to use the printer port on the GS, not the modem port. Read through the website. it's the best source of information on using ADTPro.

Yes, I referenced the place I downloaded it. Thank you. I tried what I had first, before spending money. So then I guess since I have a different cable, I take it that it won't work.

 

[NJRoadfan]

Make sure the serial cable actually works and is plugged into a RS-232 serial port, not the 25pin female parallel port! Open up HyperTerminal and the serial port your cable is plugged into. On the IIgs from a BASIC prompt, type PR#1, and then start typing stuff, you should get some output on the PC side. It won't look like text (Applesoft sets the 8th bit high) but there should be characters coming across the line.

 

[Shinobi Kenobi]

Make sure the serial cable actually works and is plugged into a RS-232 serial port, not the 25pin female parallel port! Open up HyperTerminal and the serial port your cable is plugged into. On the IIgs from a BASIC prompt, type PR#1, and then start typing stuff, you should get some output on the PC side. It won't look like text (Applesoft sets the 8th bit high) but there should be characters coming across the line.

I can't, since I don't have that cable. I will just have to give up for now. I've read that the 25-pin parallel port can be used for things besides parallel communication, including serial, so I tried what I had first. I tried that because my Mac laptops don't have the round serial port.

I have the round serial cable that would fit in the IIGS and a Mac. I have a spare Mac in the closet, but I don't have anywhere to set it near the IIGS, since space is limited. Too bad this is so complicated. I'll keep trying to find IIGS software that ISN'T in 2mg images, since my 7200 can write 800K ProDOS floppies. That will be the only way I can get software on my IIGS.

Thank you for your effort to help.

 

[NJRoadfan]

You can convert 2MG files to Disk Copy 4.2 compatible images if needed.

 

[Shinobi Kenobi]

I tried that using CiderPress last night. The Mac sees the converted .DSK file on the floppy, with a "PC" icon. Then I copied it to the Mac's hard drive. Then I started Disk Copy 4.2, and DC doesn't see the file when I try to open it.

 

[AichEss]

To use ADTPro you can connect a USB-equipped Mac to your IIGS with a Keyspan USB-to-serial adapter and a crossover MiniDIN 8 serial cable. I have more info if you think this would be the way you want to go.

 

[Shinobi Kenobi]

@AichEss Awesome, thanks for that information. I should buy one. I've had numerous occasions when I could have used it. I guess I just have always preferred to use original or vintage hardware for fun, and also out of stubbornness from refusing to use an easier, more modern solution.

 

[billbucks060]

Hi,
I have the same issue, I want to copy images to an Apple 2GS.
I'm trying to get ADTPro to work. I already tested it with an Apple 2e using a USB to DB9 serial cable. Works great.
For the 2GS, I bought a USB to miniDIN 8 but nothing happened. On the video, they used the phone/modem miniDIN port.
Finding the "Apple IIgs, IIc+, LC III null modem" cable on https://retrofloppy.com/products/#SerialCables from Amazon or AliExpress is tricky. I bought a mini din 9 that doesn't match. If anyone has a link, I'm interested ! I could plug it to my USB to DB9 cable
For those who managed to get ADTPro to work with the Apple 2GS, what port and cable did you use?

Alternatively, is it possible to format a floppy disk using a Mac SE that'll work on the 2 GS ?

 

[billbucks060]

Would this cable connected to a USB to DB9 work?

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EyGdV4U

 

[djc6]

I have a ROM03 IIGS and ADTPro is fantastic. I use it to make floppies sending the images from my 2018 mac mini which is my daily driver computer. What I found most interesting is how easily you can bootstrap making the IIGS ADTPro floppy - https://adtpro.com/bootstrap.html

I used a home-made MiniDIN-8 to DE-9 cable and a USB adapter to connect my IIGS to my modern mac mini - the instructions are on this page.
ADTPro - ADTPro Serial Cabling

I cut up a old MiniDIN-8 cable I had. I used a DB9 breakout board https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D6MSPTS?

The cable is wired as a null modem cable per the diagram on the above page, or what Apple calls a "printer cable".

I used this 6ft long USB to serial adapter, which is handy because then I don't need to two computers to be near one another (since the adtpro cable is also 6ft long): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QUZY4JC

I noticed the above USB adapter is out of stock, I would pick another one that uses FTDI chipset (drivers are built into macOS): https://www.amazon.com/s?k=6ft+usb+serial+FTDI&crid=245V37XPA0IP4&sprefix=6ft+usb+serial+ftdi,aps,124&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

If purchasing a serial cable, get a MiniDIN-8 to DE-9 (may be called DB-9) cable that is wired as a null modem cable. If you can't find such a cable, then add a null modem adapter - just make sure to get one with the proper genders to plug into your serial cable and usb serial adapter: https://www.amazon.com/female-slimline-transfer-serial-adapter/dp/B075XHWVSJ

Or just buy it from retrofloppy

 

[AichEss]

Would this cable connected to a USB to DB9 work?

Y'know, I went thru' all the hoops trying to get the ADTPro Mac-to-IIGS connection made with the modem port. It finally worked twice but as of now again no joy. It has occurred to me that just maybe a more conventional connection route would be better. With a serial card in the GS the magic of the serial cable and getting the modem port to do something for which it was not intended would not be necessary. The tedious work of rebuilding cables, etc would go away and the beverage intake could be used in celebration and not drowning frustration.