• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

Help setting up Apple IIe cards

MrDOS

Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
12
Location
Tifton, GA
I recently purchased an old Apple iie.
After tinkering around with it for a while I have it up and running again.

When I tried to run one of the games I received with it
I got an error saying that it must be loaded from slot 6.

I am wondering if some of the cards are in the wrong slots.

Here are the cards I have:
Disk II Interface Card 650-X104
Practical Peripherals GRAPHICARD
Hayes Micromodem IIe
TACKLER PPC-100
SUPER SERIAL CARD II
Applied Engineering MEMORYMASTER IIe


Can these cards just go anywhere or do they need to go in certain slots?
 
While they will function in any slot, it's best to follow the conventions of the II world that most software expects. When booting the machine, the computer starts scanning at slot 7 and works it's way down, looking for a bootable disk. Traditionally, the disk drive has always been in slot 6.

You also have two printer interface cards, you probably only need one. Similarly, are you really going to use the modem? Traditionally, comms cards go in slot 1 and 2.

The MemoryMaster can only go into the AUX slot, as it's an 80 column/RAM card, and the connector is bigger.

Always leave slot 3 empty. The firmware for the 80 column card is mapped there (even though the 80 column card goes in the AUX slot). This is for compatibility with older II+ systems where the 80 column card actually did go in slot 3. All sofware for the II series addresses the 80 column board like this.

Strictly speaking, the modem can go in any other slot - but I'd stuff it in slot 4. Slot 5 is used by ProDOS to map a virtual RAMdisk into.

So, here's what I would do:

Slot 7: empty
Slot 6: Disk II
Slot 5: empty
Slot 4: MicroModem (if you plan on using the modem, if not, leave it out)
Slot 3: empty
Slot 2: SSC
Slot 1: printer interface (pick one, you don't need two)
AUX: MemoryMaster IIe

Alternatively, you could put the modem in slot 1 or 2, and omit/move one of those other cards.

-Ian
 
I found a Apple iie Owner's Guide online. The list is similar to your recommendation.
Here is pretty much what it says:
Slot 1 = Printer
Slot 2 = Modem
Slot 3 = Empty
Slot 4 = Memory Expansion (especially if using software written in Pascal)
Slot 5 = Mouse
Slot 6 = Disk Controller
Slot 7 = co-processor or AppleTalk

I also found on this page: http://www.apple2info.net/hardware/a2ssc/a2ssc.htm
The Super Serial Card will work in slots 1 through 7, but is usually placed in slot 1 for use with a printer, slot 2 for use with a modem, or slot 3 for used with a teminal. These are the slot assignments expected by Apple Pascal and most other Apple II software.

I was planning to use the SSC with ADTPro.

I want to use a null modem cable so I will put the SSC in slot 2 as you recommended.
However, I need to set the Super Serial card's block to point upward and I don't want to break anything.
How do I switch it to point upward?
 
Last edited:
I want to use a null modem cable so I will put the SSC in slot 2 as you recommended.
However, I need to set the Super Serial card's block to point upward and I don't want to break anything.
How do I switch it to point upward?

Pull it out, turn it around, and plug it back in. Use a little screwdriver to lever it up from the socket if it won't pull out easy.

Having it pointing the wrong way won't break anything. All that does is allow you to change the pinout of the serial port to be either DCE or DTE, swapping the RX and TX lines, eliminating the need for an actual null modem cable. So, if you're using a straight through cable, point the jumper block at "Terminal". If you are using a null modem cable, point the jumper block at "Modem".

-Ian
 
Back
Top