From: mitch2gs@hotmail.com   
      
   scott@alfter.diespammersdie.us wrote:   
      
   >Mitchell Spector  wrote:   
   >>     So, I have a pair of RamFAST Rev C SCSI boards, but the ROM   
   >> firmware isn't the latest. One has version 2.01 (in both U15/U16)   
   >> while the other has 3.01e *but* 2.01 in U16. Will this combination   
   >> work, and support removable storage? (it's been so long I cannot   
   >> remember the specific differences between ROM revisions).   
   >   
   >I'm not sure what firmware version I have, but I can't even get a CD-ROM   
   >drive working with it in a IIGS, let alone a IIe.  I ended up swapping in an   
   >Apple DMA SCSI card, which does work.   
      
       I've had an Apple CD300e Plus not only operating on my IIGS with the   
   RamFAST, but able to play audio CD's as well! From memory I think you   
   requires at least ROM 3.00L or higher to use removable media devices.   
      
       Speaking of the RamFAST-C firmware, I found images of the U16   
   ROM. It's only 8K large (versus 32K for the main U15 ROM), but what's   
   its function AND the final version of it?   
      
   >>     I'm almost a bit hesitant to use a RamFAST in a IIe, but I'm   
   >> guessing its fast ProDOS-8 performance should be comparable to   
   >> what I've experienced with my IIGS's. If not, would I be better off   
   >> using one of my Apple High-Speed SCSI controllers to operate a   
   >> CD-ROM instead?   
   >   
   >In a IIe, ISTR the RamFAST being a good bit quicker.  Even with DMA disabled   
   >so an accelerator can be used, it was faster.   
      
       Definitely! Total Replay boots up instantly, and I can rapidly cycle   
   through the various game listings (it literally feels like it's running off a   
   RAM Disk; rather like the Apple II equivalent of modern day SSD).   
   At some point I'll see if I can't dig up an old SCSI hardisk to connect   
   to the Apple IIe to make things even speedier.   
      
       I tried an Apple High-Speed SCSI a few years back, and I remember   
   it seemed incredibly slow by contrast (even a long pause for just the   
   ProDOS-8 version splash screen to appear!).   
      
   >>     And on a side-note, what is the best way to create a bootable   
   >> ProDOS CD for Total Replay? Anything on the Windows side,   
   >> or will I have better luck using software on my beige G3 Mac?   
   >   
   >You could just burn a hard-disk image (with partition table) to a CD.  If   
   >you don't have such an image to burn, you could (if I remember right) use   
   >something like CiderPress to populate a ProDOS filesystem image with files,   
   >and then prepend a partition table.  As long as the first partition has a   
   >file named PRODOS, it'll boot.   
   >   
   >To create a partition table, I knocked together a little tool a while back:   
   >[snip]   
      
       Thanks! I'll check that out. Meantime I'll try using Toast on my biege G3   
   Mac, I remember using it to burn bootable ProDOS CD-ROM some years   
   ago, and why I ended up hanging on to the machine. It has a Zip drive   
   too, so I should be able to create a bootable CD version of the Zip cart.   
      
       At this point a CD-ROM disc on the Apple IIe would be counter   
   productive compared to the faster (r/w) Zip disk. Or SCSI hardisk,   
   but it'd be fun to try just to see if it can't be done. I'm quite sure it   
   will work, after seeing the RamFAST attempt to boot a GS/OS   
   CD-ROM on the IIe.   
      
   Mitchell Spector   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)