If you have other optional peripherals, such as mouse, printer, loudspeakers, plug them in to the appropriate connectors. Plug the lead from your monitor (Apple style monochrome, or IBM RGBI CGA colour, or multisync) into the rightmost 9 pin D socket, and switch on the power to the monitor, and any other peripherals such as printers, but not the computer. Switch the power on to the computer. Starting the system The Applix 1616 will start without a disk in a drive, but it takes longer, and limits what you can do to only those commands described in this manual.
You will be limited to using the inbuilt ram drive /RD to store files, and the contents of the ram drive are destroyed whenever you turn off the power. If available, you should use a 1616/OS version 4 boot disk (you received a suitable disk labelled ‘User Disk’ with the 1616 disk co-processor card) in any disk drive (it is traditional to use /F0 - this is the one whose light comes on first when you switch on the power - as many non-Applix computer systems are unable to boot from any drive except their first drive). Those with disks from older versions of the operating system should note that version 2 disks will not work as boot disks.
Using a non-boot disk will stop you from starting the Applix; if you are not sure you have a proper boot disk, just start up without a disk in a drive for your first time. Insert the disk in the first disk drive, with the shutter on the disk at the front. As you push it into the drive, it will click into place. If the disk will not fit correctly and does not click into place, you are probably putting it in upside down. Never force a disk into a drive. Switch on the power for the display, and then for the computer (the switch is on the rear, towards the left hand side). The disk drive light will flash for a while.
You should see a number of messages on the display, including one about ‘booting from /F0’. Finally, you will have a prompt on the display, showing either /RD or /F0 . Your prompt may also show that you are in a particular sub-directory, such as /F0/BIN/ . After the prompt you should have a flashing cursor. If you do not have such a prompt, and are using disks, re-read the more detailed note that accompanies 1616/OS Version 4, on starting the system. In newly updated systems, the most likely problems are not using a Version 3 or 4 boot disk, having the jumpers for your eproms wrong, or having installed new eproms incorrectly. Page 14 User Tutorial Manual First Steps