SOLVED - apple iie ADTPro boot disk problem - help please :)

9 posts / 0 new
Last post
Offline
Last seen: 12 years 10 months ago
Joined: Feb 9 2011 - 12:42
Posts: 19
SOLVED - apple iie ADTPro boot disk problem - help please :)

Hi everyone!

Here is my first technical problem with my Apple IIe! I have set up my apple ][e and using my laptop with ADTPRO over audio cable to transfer ADTPRO to a 5.25 disk that is in my disk drive. I use ADT Pro to format the disk and then write the ADTPro-1.1.8.dsk to the floppy. ADT Pro writes 280 blocks (40 block intervals) to the disk. After the 280 blocks are written to the disk it returns to the main ADT Pro screen which I assume means the file has complete, the ADTPro java app also shows the transfer is completed.

Here is where my problem starts, then I reboot the apple ][e with the 5.25 (loaded with ADTPro I think) disk loaded and the apple ][ just boots normally and brings me to the black screen with green Apple ][ text at the top. In the demo on the ADTpro site it seems that the disk auto loads and runs but mine does not.

I have cleaned the head on my drive and set the disk to be right protected with a piece of tape, still no success. I tried it multiple times with and without tape and have burnt 2 floppies now.. still no success.

Anyone know why my apple ][e isnt reading the floppy disk at boot??

Thanks all,
sotu

amauget's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 week 4 days ago
Joined: Jan 3 2011 - 11:34
Posts: 339
Re: apple iie ADTPro boot disk problem - help please :)

Hello sotu,

I have no experience with the audio transfer but with the serial one, you have to press a key after the writing process has finished. Maybe that's not so important.
Anyway, you can try to create another disk on the Apple II with a disk image you have previously tested on an emulator.
Don't hesitate to make several disks of the same image, just in case. Then, try to boot the disks to see if it is the disk or the drive who fails.
I suggest you transfer the Computer Inspector from MECC. It includes a disk drive test.

Offline
Last seen: 2 weeks 3 hours ago
Joined: Nov 21 2008 - 17:41
Posts: 52
Re: apple iie ADTPro boot disk problem - help please :)

There are other posts here that go into greater detail, but the audio client is very hit or miss, through no fault of ADTPro. Modern computers run the mic and headphone jacks through filters and equalizers that don't play well with data transfers. Also volume levels are a factor. And often you really need to dig around in your PC/Mac's control panel/system preferences to find them and figure out how to minimize them. Also I believe ADTPro doesn't perform data integrity checks (I could be mistaken,) and one misplaced bit in the right place might make ADTPro appear to be working when it isn't. I used the audio client twice before moving on, then bought the USB cables from Retro Floppy. Well worth it if you have a Super Serial Card or other interface card. It transfers a whole disk in thirty seconds!

Michael

Offline
Last seen: 8 years 5 months ago
Joined: Apr 10 2006 - 20:01
Posts: 1013
Re: apple iie ADTPro boot disk problem - help please :)

Here is where my problem starts, then I reboot the apple ][e with the 5.25 (loaded with ADTPro I think) disk loaded and the apple ][ just boots normally and brings me to the black screen with green Apple ][ text at the top.

Is there any chance you're using HD disks - instead of DD?

Offline
Last seen: 5 years 7 months ago
Joined: Jul 5 2009 - 23:18
Posts: 44
Re: apple iie ADTPro boot disk problem - help please :)

Hi

I had some problems with latest (1.1.8) images, but everything worked ok with 1.1.7 (I still used 1.1.8 to bootstrap and transfer them). I'm using serial cable and Apple IIc+

You may give a try to the older images.

Stefan

Offline
Last seen: 12 years 10 months ago
Joined: Feb 9 2011 - 12:42
Posts: 19
Re: apple iie ADTPro boot disk problem - help please :)

Hi everyone thanks for the help here!

amauget - I appreciate the recommendation on the Computer Inspector, that looks like a useful tool to add to my bag of tricks.. which as of now contains only Computer Inspector :), one question though should the Apple ][e simply recognize the disk is installed and "boot from disk"? This is the way it seems to perform in the ADT set up video, but I want to confirm if any additional configuration is needed to do this. Thank you!

gmontag451 - Thanks for the info on the MIC/Audio transfer, it was very informative. I suspected that maybe it was having issues with this and will try the Super Serial Card (which I will need to purchase, possibly via ebay or here on the forum if one is available). Do you have any recommendation on a online store that sells these? Thanks!

stefan88 - I will test the older image, I think it would be neat to get it to work with the Audio Connection transfer and seeing how I do not yet have a Super Serial Card I will have to try this until I can find and order one.

Thank you guys for the comments, very helpful in confirming what the issue could be.

I will move on to using Serial Connection to see if the problem still occurs with serial (I suspect it wont) but I will also test my drive with amauget's suggestions and will try an older version of the ADTPro dsk file. FYI, I am using an MSI Wind Netbook for data transfer. I'll report back on whether my tests this evening work so that the info is here on the forum for you to see!

Cheers, hope you 3 are having a good day at work/retirement/vacation Smile

sotu

Offline
Last seen: 2 weeks 3 hours ago
Joined: Nov 21 2008 - 17:41
Posts: 52
Re: apple iie ADTPro boot disk problem - help please :)

My Super Serial Card came with my IIe, so I'm afraid I don't know who to recommend. Keep in mind when shopping around that the cards didn't come with a cable originally, so you may need to pick one up. I bought mine for $5 on eBay from "mcpricebreakers," I believe they are newly manufactured and it worked perfectly.

I picked up the null modem cable and USB adapter on David Schmidt's RetroFloppy site. He's the creator of ADTPro (Thank you David! I can't even begin tell you how much fun it's been. My Apple is so happy! My wife on the other hand....)

Michael

Offline
Last seen: 12 years 10 months ago
Joined: Feb 9 2011 - 12:42
Posts: 19
Re: apple iie ADTPro boot disk problem - help please :) - SOLVED

david__schmidt you were right on the money.. I guess its a novice mistake but I used the wrong disk type as you mentioned! Lucky for me I live right around the corner from the people who own www.floppydisk.com and they was able to get the correct disks and try it out yesterday. Just loaded my first ROM/DSK with Puck Man Smile

I dont know if any of y'all have seen Scott Pilgrim vs The World, its a movie that came out a little while ago and is targeted at probably teenage to late 20s crowd but has some fun nintendo style cinematography, anyways the lead in that movie is always talking about how they changed the name of Puck man to Pac man to prevent vandalism making PUCK into you know what Smile

Anyways all is well in with my apple][e.. I am still on the hunt for a new keyboard though!

Cheers all and thanks!!

Mario

Offline
Last seen: 8 years 5 months ago
Joined: Apr 10 2006 - 20:01
Posts: 1013
Re: apple iie ADTPro boot disk problem - help please :) - SOLVED

david__schmidt you were right on the money.. I guess its a novice mistake but I used the wrong disk type as you mentioned! Lucky for me I live right around the corner from the people who own www.floppydisk.com and they was able to get the correct disks and try it out yesterday.

Good deal. Glad you got it going. Tom's a good guy.

Log in or register to post comments