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Re: Hi everyone, New here with an Apple IIGS [message #105 is a reply to message #95] Thu, 06 October 2016 14:48 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
RCJim is currently offline  RCJim
Messages: 1
Registered: October 2016
Location: Midwestern River City
Poster
Hi Tony,

About your question on putting/moving programs and/or disks from 5.25" disks to 3.5 disks, that varies, depending upon what Apple II operating system any programs require to operate.

On Apple II's, the main programs are DOS 3.3 (Disk Operating System - the second or so OS under which disks for Apple II's would be formatted - I won't get into 13-sector DOS, which others can correct me, but I think were DOS 3.2 maybe), and ProDOS (see Dr. Steve Weyhrich's page on DOS and the Disk ][ drives - aka Disk II drives - here: apple2history.org/history/ah15/

Big differences are, under DOS 3.3, a disk that was formatted has the boot code to start up an Apple II (and some have startup programs which will then run (sort of like a PC hard drive under Windows that may have a program on it which autostarts if it's the boot drive). Under ProDOS, the disk doesn't automatically have any operating system on it; those disks will show an error message about being unable to load the ProDOS.SYSTEM file (or other System file -, another ProDOS difference from DOS 3.3).

Actually, Dr. Steve's site (Apple II History -apple2history.org - can fill you in and answer a lot of questions about Apple II's, Apple II disk drives of various forms, and a lot more. He has an excellent book version of the site as well, if you'd prefer an "analog" version... Wink

Short version is that on Apple II's, as on PC disks, you can have 'data' disks, as well as disks with operating system(s) on them (aka 'boot' disks). To boot up, you need (using ADT2Pro, as was already mentioned) to transfer an Apple II version of ADTPro from another computer (a PC in your case, right?Wink across the cable to the Apple IIgs, and then that Apple II (ADTPro) program can help move the operating system and/or disk contents over the cable to your diskettes on the IIgs (whether 3.5 or 5.25 inch size). The other members also are accurate in mentioning that having a CFFA or IDE MicroDrive or a (SCSI) hard drive will be something well worth the time and money. Ask someone here about the good ol' "Floppy shuffle"... (where you need to run a program or - worse yet - make a copy of a disk - with only ONE (5.25 or 3.5 inch) disk drive. Teeeedious!!

ADTPro would be the way to go, and if you can get a second 3.5 inch drive (and that extra RAM others mentioned) or hard rive, that/those will help a bunch! You will thank yourself multiple times for putting the money toward the second (or digital) drive and the RAM upgrades.

Do take a look at Dr. Weyhrich's Apple II History site (or just buy the book), though.

Hope that helps some for you,

River City Jim
 
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