Date   : Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:11:54 +0100
From   : dl.harper@... (David Harper)
Subject: Master 512 & Gem

Mark Usher wrote


> Hi all.
>
> I have just been trying to boot GEM on a Master 512.
> I downloaded the 2.1 set of disks from cowsarenotpurple and transferred 
> them
> across.
>
> First boot disk is fine and boots up DOS as expected. I insert the second
> disk and type
> A>GEM
> Which then proceeds to load
> A>ADDMEM 333
> Additional Memory Allocation = 333
> A>CD \GEMSYS
> A>GEMVDI
>
> Then the screen changes to blank white, disc access stops and the GEM
> desktop doesn't initialise. Tried rewriting the image to another disc but
> still the same.

Which of the sets of software have you downloaded from the site? (Some of 
them contain disk images, and some the original files just zipped together.)

If you are using the disk images (either the whole images (the "Method 1" 
set) or the split images (in the "Method 2" set)) then how are you writing 
them to the disks? Depending on which program you are using, you might need 
different settings for 640kb disks (Disk 1) and 800kb disks (Disks 2, 3 & 
4). In particular, the tracks are in a different order on the two types of 
disk. 640kb disks are like ADFS - all the tracks on one side followed by all 
the tracks on the other. These might best be treated as SSD disk images. 
800kb disks are more like standard DOS - tracks on alternate sides. So they 
are more like DSD images.

If you have got the system going with Disk 1 (as you clearly have), an 
alternative approach for the other disks would be to download the "Method 3 
& 4" package. This contains all the files from the other three disks as 
simple Zips. You could unzip these on a PC then take the files across to the 
512 on 360kb or 720kb disks, or else via the serial port.

Best of luck!

David Harper