Hey guys, this is my first topic, so thanks for replying!
I'm a computer-and-coding type of guy. I code in like 6 different proggramining languages, but I thought, hey why not try to get my hands on one of those old Apple IIGS that we all used to love. So, I've been doing lots of research and creating a whole document with the parts I'd like to buy and use. Do you guys have any feedback on things I should/shouldn't get?
Here's the parts:
- Apple IIGS Woz Limited Edition (With ROM 01)
- AppleColor RGB Monitor (A2M6014)
- Apple Extended Keyboard II (M3501/M0312)
- Apple Desktop Bus Mouse (G5431)
- Floppy Emu Model C Deluxe Bundle
- CIRTECH Apple II Series SCSI Interface
- ZuluSCSI V6.4 Rev. 2024a w/ 4-pin Moxel to Berg (floppy style) and SanDisk 8GB Industrial SD Card
- Apple Disk II 5.25"
- Apple 3.5" Disk Drive
- AppleSqueezer GS V2
- Universal PSU v1.3 for Apple IIGS by ReActiveMicro
- Kesnigtom System Saver for Apple IIGS
- Apple IIGS 3.5" Floppy Disk Games, Lot of 68
- Apple IIGS System Boot Floppy Disk (GS/OS 6.0.1 for ROM 01)
- Apple IIGS System Boot Floppy Disk (GS/OS 6.0.4 for ROM 01/03)
- WiModem 232 Pro
- Apple 8-Pin Mini-DIN to DB25 Male Modem Cable
- Apple IIGS Owner's Guide
- Apple "A Touch of AppleSoft BASIC" Book
- Kraft KC 3 Precision Joystick
May want to avoid the Woz system, and look at a ROM3 system mods for sound, more RAM and more toolbox in ROM. No real need for modem and IMHO the KC3 is not the joystic, for that just CH Mach 3.
So I actually revamped a lot of it, and bought it today, so no real going back. I was wondering why the CH Mach 3 is better (I don't know many joysticks, so please enlighten me)? Also, I already got the ROM 01 Woz Edition, not a ROM 03 b/c all the ROM 03s are waaaay to expensive. Any other feedback for possible future upgrades.
Also, I have not yet bought a modem, or joysticks.
I suspect that the ROM03 is harder to find because so many have been destroyed by leaking batteries (a problem the ROM01 does not have as much, although leakage is still possible).
Joysticks are a matter of taste: CH and Kraft were the top manufacturers and they have proprietary internal designs that have a different "feel" from each other.
Unless you have a need to access existing SCSI devices, I would look into alternative storage options like the Dan II card or the wDrive. There's little point in SCSI if you're just going to use it to access an SD card.
The keyboard is also a matter of taste, but I think the original ADB keyboard (A9M0330) is a better match than an M3501.
Also, as you probably found out, the correct 5.25" drive is not called "Disk II". It is called the Apple 5.25" Drive (A9M0107).
The Disk II was the original Apple floppy drive from 1978.
The Apple 3.5" Drive is A9M0106: the floppy controller built-in to the IIgs is limited to 800 KB diskettes, but high density drives and controllers also exist.
An alternative to a System Saver, which takes up less space, is to simply connect a 12V fan to the header on the board. There is a spot next to the PSU where the fan can be mounted.
I recommend the ROM-1, it's got wider compatibility.
Also, ditch the SCSI interface. Buy a MicroDrive/Turbo.
It will be way faster and more reliable as a hard drive solution. But since it works best in DMA mode it will incompatible with the AppleSqueezer so...
Buy a Transwarp GS from ReActive Micro. Not that much more money.
Get an Uthernet II card. It can substitute the Wimodem-232 and give you internet connectivity.
Run GSOS. This is the way on a IIGS.
Unfortuanely, I have already bought a SCSI interface, and I don't think I'll be getting any accealtorts for a bit now, but is the Uthernet II really better than the WiModem 232?
One of the most curious things for me in the IIGS design... fan holes on the the supply, fan power header on the motherboard and not once was a fan standard equipement.
Have you ever seen a fan mounted in person? I know people added 'em, but I've never seen on myself. I also don't know, does the motherboard fan header exsits on the ROM03? I'd expect it's there but it's also $0.0025 saved by leaving those two pins off the board so totally possible it got dropped leading to tens of dollars saved in the long run! LOL
I acquired one IIgs with the power supply fan. I took it off as I didn’t believe it was all that useful. Not sure if I still have that one, I may have tossed it.
An Apple representative showed up at a meeting once with a new fan in the box to give away. Said he’d found it in the back of their storage. I’m sure I kept hat one. The ROM 3 has the fan header.
Yes, the ROM03 has the fan header.
Not in person, but I've seen enough pictures of fans in IIgs. It was common for internal hard disks like the Vulcan and also for systems loaded with many interface cards.
You can use a standard 60 mm fan with a 3D-printed bracket; there are files online if you search for "IIgs" "fan" "STL".
In short, yes.
It will allow you to connect to BBS systems as you could with a Wimodem232. Provided you're using Spectrum under a properly installed GSOS with the appropriate drivers.
And then all the other connectivity bonuses that come with it, like accessing remote and local file servers, and the ability to transfer files to other compatible computers on your network, as well as being able to print to network connected printers. There are other functionalities too. The Uthernet II card might be the most useful peripheral for the GS.
As for your SCSI card - I'd sell it and use the proceeds to buy either a CFFA-3000 or a MicroDrive/Turbo. And a Floppy Emu as a supplemental disk image handler if you use a MicroDrive.
Also, as we learned from this thread: https://www.applefritter.com/content/apple-iigs-rom1-and-applecolor-monitor-100
The Apple Color RGB Monitor might not get the results you desire. It needs a dedicated IIGS RGB monitor for best results or some other VGA type solution.
The "Apple Color RGB Monitor" (A2M6014) is the dedicated monitor for the IIgs.
Huh? I swear that the AppleColor Monitor (A2M6014) is the IIGS monitor...
I think I'm fine. I'm not going to use the hardrive too much, unless you guys give me some suggestions on the best uses for it (I already have a Floppy Emu & disk). What are some good uses of the hardrive on a IIGS?
Without a hard drive it's damn near impossible to run GSOS properly and access the apps you can install on it.
You could do it with a hard drive image using Floppy Emu in HD20 mode, (others have done it with a 32 mB ProDOS image using a BootiHD) but it would be pretty slow.
For the low cost of a MicroDrive/Turbo the question I'd ask is "why wouldn't you want a hard drive with a IIGS?"
There is also the "what is the IIgs games launcher", which is sort of like Total Replay but for IIgs games that would require a hard drive. I downloaded it to use with my BlueSCSI and Apple HS SCSI card, but never got around to testing it out.
https://a2central.com/2023/07/what-is-the-apple-iigs-launcher/
Oh... I bought 3.5" disks for GS/OS 6.0.4 install. Is that bad?
It's not bad - 3.5" drives come in handy. But a running GSOS install consists of 8 3.5" floppies (or disk images).
They are:
Install.po
System.Disk.po
SystemTools1.po
SystemTools2.po
SystemTools3.po
Fonts.po
Fonts2.po
synthLAB.po
Plus you'll want drivers for any peripherals you have. Like printer drivers, and if you installl an Uthernet II card, you'll need it's drivers, TCP/IP stack, and utilities like Treehugger if you want to take advantage of printing to a modern network-attached laser printer.
Expect it to use about 2 megabytes or so of hard disk space when it's all installed.
Okay, I'm getting confused - could someone explain?I have the 8 disks as physical 3.5" floppy disks. Once I get a monitor, I intend to pop these, one-by-one, into my Mirror Magnum 800 3.5" floppy disk drive. Where will they install (RAM or SCSI hard drive -- can I choose?) and do they make it so GS/OS boots upon power up?
You aren't going to want to install GSOS on a ram drive. It won't persist between power offs. So you'd have to reinstall it each time.
You'll want to create a 32mb (largest size supported) ProDOS drive image on your Zulu scsi. Technically, you can make a 128mb drive image with 4 32mb ProDOS partitions. But just start with a single 32mb image for now. Then you can install GSOS onto your virtual scai drive.
Once it's installed, I would back up that drive image before you do anything else. So if you ever decide to start over for some reason, you'll have a clean GSOS install ready to go without wasting time installing.
I'm still kind of confused - do I install it on the SD card or do I install it still with the floppy disks?
Your Zulu SCSI provides virtual hard drives that the IIgs sees using drive image files. You will place a blank 32mb ProDOS image file on your Zulu SD card (however Zulu wants it named, I don't own one, can't help with that). Then boot the IIgs using the first/install GSOS floppy. From there, the installer will copy all the required files onto the "hard drive", which is really the ProDOS image file on your Zulu SCSI.
It's just like installing MacOS from a CD or USB stick or Windows onto the hard drive of your computer. There is no conceptual difference.