FRANK@RADC-TOPS20.ARPA (01/14/88)
A couple of friends of mine recently purchased new //GS systems and there appears to be a difference between the two systems but we are not quite sure what it is. Both are minimum systems (256k) but one system came with a very thin booklet type manual while the other system came with a thick spiral bound manual which describes the "finder" and some other additional features. This larger manual is also dated more recently. Is this due to a newer version of Prodos? If so, what would it take to upgrade (cost?)? Also, were there any hardware upgrades too? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Joe -------
gwyn@brl-smoke.ARPA (Doug Gwyn ) (01/14/88)
In article <12366334200.5.FRANK@RADC-TOPS20.ARPA> FRANK@RADC-TOPS20.ARPA writes: >Is this due to a newer version of Prodos? If so, what would it take to upgrade >(cost?)? Also, were there any hardware upgrades too? The Finder manual comes with the newest Apple IIGSes, and describes how to use the System Disk version 3.1, which became generally available a couple of months ago. Unlike the MS-DOS world, you can get a free System Disk upgrade from your Apple dealer. Just take in a blank 3.5" disk and get them to copy the System Disk version 3.1 onto it. Or you could do this yourself since apparently one of your computers must have the disk, since it has the manual. There have been 2 significant IIGS hardware upgrades so far, one to provide an improved ROM (version 2.0) and one to replace defective video generator chips. The VGC upgrade is needed only for IIGSes with serial numbers starting 204 and below, which is unlikely for any recently- purchased IIGS. I forget the exact serial number below which a ROM upgrade is advisable, but if your monitor displays "ROM VERSION 01" at the bottom when booting, you already have the new ROM. Both upgrades are free at your Apple dealer, but they have to order the replacement parts before they can perform the upgrade. If you have a SCSI (hard disk) interface, it too may need a ROM upgrade. Funny that your Apple dealer doesn't answer these questions for you.