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Media for original Apple ][

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kb2syd

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A friend has an original Apple ][ with a very early disk controller. It doesn't boot automatically. Instead you have to hit control-B then PR#6 to get the floppy to boot.

Will ADTPro allow me to write a disk image for him on my Apple ][e or am I out of luck? It works great for my ][e.

What software will this configuration support? Should he look for a new disk controller? Does the ][ ROM need an update to allow more stuff to run?

Thanks,
Kelly
 
There are two things at work here. The motherboard ROM is an early version, and the disk controller might be as well. Early disk controllers had 13 sector PROMs, and can't boot or read 16 sector disks. What are the part numbers on the Disk II PROMs in that computer?

The Disk II card is quite possibly the most common circuit board on the planet, so if you've got the old 13 sector PROMs, just grab a newer Disk II board and swap it out - you can always plug the old one back in if you want "original".

As for the motherboard ROMs, I forget exactly the differences, but it sounds like you have the Integer BASIC ROMs, not AppleSoft. If you have a language card, then AppleSoft can be loaded from disk at boot time and overlayed, so you can get the functionality.

Do you have 48k of RAM?

-Ian
 
I'll have to get my hands on the machine again, or have the owner send me some pictures.

It is Integer Basic, and there is no language card.

I do think it has 48k of RAM, but again I'll need to get my hands on the unit again, or at least get some pictures. This is a very early machine. The owner was looking into moving from a mini to some other platform in the late 70s. The Apple ][ just couldn't cut it. Stuck with the mini for years. At the end, he was running a version of the mini that was ported to a 16 bit ISA card. Now everything is in Visual FoxPro with the main FORTRAN modeling routine still in a dll loaded at runtime.

I have several of "minis on a card" (called the Ten/X), and the TI mini itself is now at InfoAge.
Kelly
 
kb2syd said:
A friend has an original Apple ][ with a very early disk controller. It doesn't boot automatically. Instead you have to hit control-B then PR#6 to get the floppy to boot.
Click to expand...

That Apple II is probably of some value to a collector, especially if it's in nice condition.
 
a2fan said:
That Apple II is probably of some value to a collector, especially if it's in nice condition.
Click to expand...
It is in very good condition. Had to fight with the wierd velcro that holds the top on. It was in that good of shape still. I mean this thing is beautiful.
 
RetroHacker_ said:
The Disk II card is quite possibly the most common circuit board on the planet, so if you've got the old 13 sector PROMs, just grab a newer Disk II board and swap it out - you can always plug the old one back in if you want "original".
Click to expand...

I think this is the easiest approach...without looking at the system. Heck, I've got a pile of Disk II cards and would send one for the cost of the stamp.
 
One other thought. There is no "language card" in this machine. Should I suggest he get one of these also? It is a stock Apple ][ with integer basic and all on board memory populated and an original disk interface card. No other cards installed. I see that the language card also has to plug in to the motherboard somewhere. Is it obvious where this is plugged in?

The owner would really like to be able to run some stuff on this olde beastie. Not that he is being impatient.
 
Most "language cards" require that you remove the first RAM chip in the first bank and put it on the card itself. There is a headered ribbon cable that goes from the card to the socket that you removed the chip from. I don't recall any special software being required to run the additional 16K, just programs that can access it.
 
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