Help with Apple .DSK Files

.DSK files are compressed disk image files.

You have several options. You can transfer the file you want to use to an emulator on your powerbook, like Virtual ][ (http://www.xs4all.nl/~gp/VirtualII/) and play it.

Mutant_Pie

Yes, an AppleIIgs is an Apple II.

The .DSK file is an image of the entire diskette - it's not usable unto itself on the Apple.

If you want to check out this file and play with it, as suggested above you could use an emulator. If you want to use the real hardware, you'll need your AppleIIgs to be equipped with a 5.25" diskette drive and either a serial cable for the GS serial port, or a Super Serial Card or an Apple Serial Card.

Check out this page: http://apple2.org.za/gswv/a2zine/Sel/dos33dmp.htm That is, unless you already have DOS 3.3 running on the machine.

Download ADT. Many versions available here: ftp://ftp.apple.asimov.net/pub/apple_II/utility/
adt121 or adt122 are pretty well documented, but not useful for a Mac person - you'll want to download MacADT from this same location. If it's confusing to figure out how to use it, try checking out the other DOS/Windows ADT sets and see if they have any more hints for you, even if their tools aren't useful. Or do a google search on the keywords "CSA2 FAQ" and start digging.

I have no knowledge about the Apple IIgs I have. I have a floppy disk frive for it, and a bigger 5 1/2 floppy disk drive for it, both with system disks. When I turn on the Apple it makes a noise and looks for a disk, and when there is no disk in the drive is tells me to check to see if there is one. The IIgs has a Printer and a Modem port on the back along with a serial port (PC style). I don't know how to transfer files or anything, it's all a blur to me. All I want to do is open the .DSK file as like a folder on my PowerBook so I can put it on a 3.5 disk and let the Apple read the disk (which would have the .DSK files on it).

I guess I need to do some complicated things to do this eh? Too bad Disk Utility won't open it!

All this just to play a game of Zork on the Apple II, yeah I know it's for OS 9 but I wanna play it the old school way.

EDIT: Also when I use an emulator I can load the disk image but I don't know how to start the game on the disk...

In this case, mutant_pie's reply would better suit you. Sooner or later though if you want that IIgs running, my reply will become useful. Read the docs on your emulator to see how to boot the DSK image, or try getting it launched up with the DSK file loaded and try typing "PR#6" at the "]" prompt.

Thanks to you I know how to run the game in an emulator

Can you tell me (as you would tell a child) how to get the Apple II to read this .DSK file? I mean I guess I would have to network computers or something. But i'm not that smart with Apple II's.

*dunce*

A support guy worth talking to would never call any question "dumb."

To get this going, which I think you would want to do eventually - is to connect the gs to another computer that can feed it stuff. The links I posted earlier contain resources for doing this, but here's the real story, and what you'll need to know or learn to do it successfully:

1. Learn a lot about RS232 stuff. You'll need to work out how to get the two machines talking on a serial connection, so knowing how one works is essential.
2. A copy of DOS 3.3 is what's needed next - if you have the serial connection working, the link I posted earlier makes it a snap if you don't already have it. You'll need a blank 5.25" diskettte, of course.
3. Finally, ADT will get you the rest of the way. There are some programs there for "dumping" it across the serial cable, but aren't very reliable unless you make sure the serial port is crawling as slow as you can make it go. Mostly because once the dump sends a return, the Apple Monitor parses the line for a half second or so.

I've skipped a couple of in-between steps. But this is kind of advanced stuff, so if you're serious, take it a piece at a time - the three steps above have lots of little steps inside them.

One more comment, I've heard that it's possible to set up an AppleTalk connection in such a way as to be able to boot GS/OS across the connection, even if it is painfully slow. I would consider that pretty advanced stuff, but it may be physically simpler to do than figuring out how to do all this RS232 stuff if you're a beginner at it.

For the historical record, Gerard Putter's Virtual ][ page moved to:
http://virtualii.com/

pardon me... could you please explain to me how to run game in emulator... i am not so smart as you :-)

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edit by eeun - this user is a forum spammer. link removed

Try this site:
http://www.virtualapple.org/

You won't even have to download anything.