Remote Booting a IIgs
The IIgs can remote boot over localtalk from a Mac running AppleShare File Server versions 2 or 3. There are a couple of resources online for how to do this, the two best I've found are here and here. Between the two, I managed to get my ROM01 IIgs booting successfully. Unfortunately, neither one was sufficient on its own, so I'll combine the two and document what worked for me.
Preparation
I needed 5 DSDD floppies. As noted elsewhere, don't use 1.44MB floppies and cover up the hole. It doesn't work very well and there is a *lot* of floppy swapping involved if you only have 1 drive on the IIgs.
Retrieve the IIgs System 6.0.1 software from Apple: Older Software Downloads
I required Install, SystemTools1, SystemTools2, and Fonts to be written to floppy. You'll also need a blank/scratch floppy. This need to be actually blank or in a format the IIgs can't recognize, otherwise the install will likely fail with a "not enough space" message. I formatted the blank/scratch floppy on the Mac as an 800K ProDOS disk prior to starting the process.
You'll need AppleShare File Server 2 or 3. I used version 3 so that's what this document will refer to. It is not a free download on Apple's site, and it isn't for sale from Apple anymore. Version 2 runs on System 6, version 3 runs on System 7. I'm using System 7.6.1.
Retreive the AppleShare 3.0.3 patch from Apple's site as well.
You'll also want to make sure your Mac is connected to the IIgs via LocalTalk. You can do this with a printer cable plugged into each machine's printer port, or if you've got phonenet-like adapters you can use RJ11 phone cables. Make sure the LocalTalk is plugged into the printer port (absolutely required for the IIgs).
The Mac setup
- Install AppleShare File Server, during the installation click customize and include the Apple II Setup. Patch it to version 3.0.3. Additionally install the software from the IIgs disk "Apple II Setup" (disk 7). AppleShare File Server 3 comes with version 2.2 of Apple II Setup. Installing from the System 6.0.1 disk will bring it up to version 3, which is required for remote booting ROM01 IIgs'.
- In AppleShare Admin (Located in the System Folder), go to Server->File Server Preferences, and enable Apple II Startup Service.
- Launch AppleShare File Server (also located in the System Folder).
IIgs work
- Boot the IIgs off the "Install" disk.
- You'll see an installer screen when the system finishes booting. Select Customize.
- Scroll down and select "Network: AppleShare, 3.5" Disk". Don't click install yet.
- Insert your blank/scratch disk. Make sure it is selected in the upper left corner of the screen. If it is not, click the "Disk" button until it is. This is telling the installer what disk to install to. We're creating an AppleShare enabled System 6.0.1 boot disk that we can use to install our netboot image later.
- Click the Install button. There is going to be a *lot* of disk swapping on a 1 drive system. I believe it was ~30mins of constant disk swapping for me.
- After installation completes successfully, enter the IIgs control panel (control-openapple-escape). In the control panel, go to the Slots option, and set Slot 7 to "AppleTalk". Apparently on newer IIgs' it's Slot 1. Save the change.
- Reboot the machine off the newly created disk.
- This brought me to a Launcher screen. Press cancel.
- From the Apple menu, select Control Panel.
- In the Control Panel open AppleShare
- This brings up a Chooser interface. Log into your AppleShare File Server using a privileged account.
- Quit the Chooser and the Control Panel.
- Insert the Install disk.
- Run the Installer application from the Install disk. If necessary, choose the Launch item of the File menu to do so.
- You should see the same install screen you saw before. Once again, click Customize.
- This time, we're selecting components to be installed into the netboot image. I selected "Network: Server Startup", "Server Quick Logoff", "Network: AppleShare", and "Fonts: All". Use open apple to select multiple items.
- Click the Disk button until the AppleShare File Server share appears in the upper left corner of the screen. We need to make sure we're installing onto the file server.
- Click Install and insert the battery of disks as requested.
- When the install completes successfully, open up the IIgs control panel again with control-openapple-escape.
- Go to Slots again, and set the Startup option to AppleTalk. Save the setting and reboot.
- Hopefully you now see it booting off the network. On the initial boot ROM screen, it should have dots indicating progress which switches to a progress bar when that's done, and when the progress bar completes you'll be prompted to log into an AppleShare. Log in with your credentials and it should boot to something.
Back on the Mac
You should go back to AppleShare Admin and select the user you're using when booting the IIgs. Under the Startup menu, select "Set Apple II Startup Info". Set the StartupApp to Finder instead of BASIC.System.
This should cause it to boot into System 6.0.1 finder instead of a BASIC prompt.
Notes
I've found the remote boot does not work on a machine using LocalTalk Bridge with the AppleTalk control panel set to Ethernet. The serving Mac must have AppleTalk set to LocalTalk.