[geeks] bootstrapping and Apple IIe over serial link

[Charles Shannon Hendrix]

Mon, 14 May 2007 @ 21:11 +0100, Mike Meredith said:

> On Mon, 14 May 2007 15:31:31 -0400, Charles Shannon Hendrix wrote:
> > The basic scheme is to hook an Apple SuperSerial card to a host
> > machine, and the host sends ROM monitor commands to load DOS or
> > ProDOS, and boot the machine.
> > 
> > Does anyone know of a way to do this without ADTPro?
> 
> kermit ? It should be powerful enough to send the monitor commands;
> whether it is good enough to send in response to prompts I don't know.
> 
> Probably better methods out there, but it's a start.

I think I've got it now.

The Apple IIe has decent firmware really, since it is designed to do I/O
from any device capable. 


The basic operation is to pick an interface, usually a Superserial card,
and tell the Apple to take input from it.

On the UNIX side, you send a file of ROM monitor commands to load data
to a certain address, and then send the code in HEX.  

BRUN <location> on the Apple and the OS is up.

You can also just stream the data direct to a floppy.

The trick is getting the right bits on the UNIX host and getting the
commands right.

I was thinking I had to write some assembly, but the ROM already has the
needed routines in it.

Imagine trying to do this with a modern system.  About all they support
is ethernet booting, and it is a PITA.

Of course, an Apple II's entire OS is only about 130K... :)



-- 
shannon           | Work for something because it is good, not just because 
                  | it stands a chance to succeed. 
                  |        -- Vaclav Havel