a2heaven RamExpress II+ User manual

Apple IIc RamExpress II+
User’s Guide
Copyright © a2heaven.com

RamExpress II+ User’s Guide © a2heaven.com, 22 Nov 2016 ersion 1.01 P a g e | 3
Table of Contents
Description ...........................................................................................................................................................4
Contents of Package .............................................................................................................................................4
Ram Express II+ Installation ..................................................................................................................................5
Determine Logic Board Compatibility ..................................................................................................................5
Diagnostics and Troubleshoting ...........................................................................................................................7
Using Build in Clock ..............................................................................................................................................9
Boot the Disk ........................................................................................................................................................9
Set the time ..........................................................................................................................................................9
About the RamExpress II+ Battery ..................................................................................................................... 10
Frequently Asked Questions .............................................................................................................................. 12
Where to find further help ................................................................................................................................ 12
About a2heaven.com ........................................................................................................................................ 12
Warranty ............................................................................................................................................................ 13
Some other a2heaven products ........................................................................................................................ 14

RamExpress II+ User’s Guide © a2heaven.com, 22 Nov 2016 ersion 1.01 P a g e | 4
Description
The RamExpress II+ Memory Expansion Card adds extra random-access
memory (RAM) and Real time clock to your Apple IIc computer. The standard
memory expansion card comes ith 1024K (1Megabyte) RAM.
The RamExpress II+ Memory Expansion Card can be used ith any Apple IIc
and Apple IIc+(Plus) hich has a logic board containing the memory expansion
connector. The clock keeps track of the year, month, day of the month, day of
the eek, and time, right do n to 1/10 and 1/100. An on-board lithium
battery maintains the RAM content and current date and time even hen the
computer is turned off.
Contents of Package
RamExpress II+ – Apple IIc RamExpress II+ PCB

RamExpress II+ User’s Guide © a2heaven.com, 22 Nov 2016 ersion 1.01 P a g e | 5
Ram xpress II+ Installation
Apple IIc computers ith model number A2S4100 and A2S4500 contain the
connector and circuitry necessary to install a RamExpress II+ Memory
Expansion Card.
Apple IIc computers ith model number A2S4000 not have memory expand
connector and not support RamExpress II+ board!
Determine Logic Board Compatibility
1. Turn off the po er to the IIc and disconnect the po er cord and any
attached peripherals.
2. Open IIc Plastic case.
3. Remove Keyboard (You cannot unplug connector only flip up keyboard)
4. Compare the logic board ith Figures 1 and 2. If the logic board looks like
the one sho n in Figure 1 then a logic board is compatible ith
RamExpress II+ .
Fig 1. Fig 2.
Expansion Connector

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5. Insert the pins of the RamExpress II+ connector follo the direction into
the IIc RAM expansion socket and press in until the card is completely
seated.
6. Reassemble the Apple IIc.
7. Turn ON Computer and check if boot up properly.
Mounting Example

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Diagnostics and Troubleshoting
1. Connect a video display to the IIc.
2. Plug the po er cord into the po er socket and turn on the computer.
The ords Apple IIc ill be displayed at the top of the screen.
3. Simultaneously press the <CONTROL> and <RESET> keys.
4. Enter CALL -151 and press <RETURN>.
The machine language monitor prompt (*) ill appear.
5. Enter C40AG and press <RETURN>.
6. The follo ing display ill appear. Verify that the card size hich appears
is the actual size for the card installed (in our example, a 1024K Memory
Expansion Card is installed). The dots appear on the screen as the card is
tested. The test ill repeat until either the <ESC> key is pressed or an
error is encountered.
MEMORY CARD TEST ESC TO EXIT
TEST WILL TAKE 180 SECONDS CARD SIZE = 1024K
…………
…………
…………
…………
PASSES = 0001
CARD OK

RamExpress II+ User’s Guide © a2heaven.com, 22 Nov 2016 ersion 1.01 P a g e | 8
NOTE: A complete card failure is indicated if the internal diagnostics ill not
run. In that case, remove the RamExpress II+ PCB check if you mount
property on socket or not have bended pins mount on PCB and try again ith
test.
Error Code Interpretation
If an error is found during the internal diagnostic it ill be displayed in one of
the follo ing formats:
DATA ERROR XXYYYY – ZZ (indicates a RAM or card failure)
ADDRESS ERROR XXYYYY - ZZ (usually indicates a card failure)

RamExpress II+ User’s Guide © a2heaven.com, 22 Nov 2016 ersion 1.01 P a g e | 9
Using Build in Clock
ProDOS does not automatically recognize the clock. Ho ever, the ProDOS
compatible drivers on the RamExpress II+ disk allo ProDOS to recognize and
use the clock information. When a ProDOS startup disk is booted, the
operating-system file, PRODOS, is copied from the disk to a protected area of
the computer's memory. The program, DCLOCK.SYSTEM, ill install the
required clock driver to the image of ProDOS in memory. When executed, the
DCLOCK.SYSTEM program ill first check for the presence of a clock and, if
found, install the clock driver. Then it ill execute the next system program (file
type of SYS and a filename suffix of .SYSTEM) in the disk's directory.
Boot the Disk
Boot the RamExpress II+ disk. You should see the message DClock Copyright
(c) 19— Applied Engineering in the upper left corner of the screen,
DCLOCK.SYSTEM installs the proper drivers to the image of ProDOS in
memory and then runs the BASIC program. The BASIC program sends the
message. Loading drivers... and brings up the Time Utilities Menu.
"Cannot find clock" Message
If you ever get the message Cannot find clock, it probably means that the
clock has been discharged or is improperly installed. If the clock has been
discharged but is properly installed, the program ill find it and set the time
and date to zeros. Set the correct time and date as described belo , then
choose the option install clock driver in memory.
If the program does not find the clock, check the clock's installation then try
booting the RamExpress II+ disk again.
Set the time
Select the option. Set the Time. Follo the on-screen directions to set the date
and time in the format:
Month (01 - 12)/Day (01 - 31)/Year (00 - 99)
Hour (00 - 23)/Minute (00 - 59)/Second (00 - 59)
❖ Note: To enter PM, add 12 hours to the corresponding

RamExpress II+ User’s Guide © a2heaven.com, 22 Nov 2016 ersion 1.01 P a g e | 10
Press Return to set the time or use the ESC key to return to the Clock Utilities
menu ithout changing the clock.
If you enter a value outside the range of a particular setting (ex: Month = 13),
you ill receive an error message and be returned
Load the Driver to Your ProDOS Boot Disks
To automatically install the proper clock driver each time the computer is
booted, install DCLOCK.SYSTEM on your ProDOS
•Note: DCLOCK.SYSTEM requires 4 blocks of disk space.
To patch any ProDOS boot disks to recognize the clock, insert the rite-enabled
disk to be modified into any disk drive and choose the option Install clock driver
on disk. The installation program ill scan the system and display a list of
volumes currently on-line and their location. Select the target volume and press
the Return key. The DCLOCK.SYSTEM file ill be inserted as the first system
program in the patched disk's directory. Each time the modified startup disk is
booted, DCLOCK.SYSTEM ill be executed, displaying DClock Copyright (c)
19— Applied Engineering in the upper left corner of the screen; then the next
system program file in the disk
Whenever you create or modify ProDOS files under the modified operating
system, the files ill be automatically tagged ith the current date and time.
Also, any application programs hich read the time and date directly from
ProDOS ill no be .
About the Ram xpress II+ Battery
W at it is
The RamExpress II+ battery is a 3 volt, 20 millimeter lithium battery type
CR2032 ith a life of about 1-2 years. You can order these batteries directly
from your local computer parts store or camera supplies store.
Replacing
To replace the battery, remove the memory expansion board. Remove the
battery by pushing on the top edge of the battery ith a flat blade scre driver.
Do not bend the clip up. The battery should pop out the bottom of the
connector.
Insert the ne battery, positive (+) side up.

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No reconnect the RamExpress II+ memory card (refer to the directions in this
manual). Boot the RamExpress II+ disk to set the correct time.

RamExpress II+ User’s Guide © a2heaven.com, 22 Nov 2016 ersion 1.01 P a g e | 12
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who makes the RamExpress II+?
A. The adapter as designed and built by Plamen Vaysilov from a2heaven.com.
This includes the soft are(VHDL design)/firm are, circuit design and the PCB.
Q. Can I use RamExpress II+ on other computers?
A. Almost certainly no, you can use RamExpress II+ only on Apple IIc and
Apple IIc+ (Plus) ith build RAM Expansion slot .
Q. Ho much does the RamExpress II+ adapter cost?
A. At the time of riting this document (Late Nov 2016), the price as
US$69.99 hich includes shipping to any here on the planet.
Q. I Want to Add more that 1MB RAM is this is possible?
A. No , this card not designed to support more RAM.
Where to find further help
P one: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https:// .facebook.com/a2heaven/
About a2heaven.com
A2Heaven is a small company that implements ne technology for use on
vintage computer hard are.
About this User Guide
This User Guide as ritten by Martin Crockett and Plamen Vaysilov, use
materials of RamExpress User Manual from Applied Engineering.

RamExpress II+ User’s Guide © a2heaven.com, 22 Nov 2016 ersion 1.01 P a g e | 13
Version 1.01, 22
th
Nov 2016, 1
st
public release.
Warranty
A2Heaven.com arranties the RamExpress II+ adapter for 6 months or 180
days, from the date of purchase. This arranty assumes the RamFactor8M
adapter has not been tampered ith in any ay.

RamExpress II+ User’s Guide © a2heaven.com, 22 Nov 2016 ersion 1.01 P a g e | 14
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