Although TheC64Mini is not the best system to run the GEOS desktop, it is doable, with a little effort. If you'd like to give this milestone in the history of Commodore a try on TheC64Mini, then here's a ZIP file that I put together to help get you started. However, if you are going to give it a whirl, I highly recommend that you have a USB keyboard plugged into TheC64Mini.

Here's how I've configured the disk images in the ZIP file and how you should copy them over to your USB storage device:

Unzip the geos64.zip file and copy the GEOS folder (and it's contents) to your USB drive. Inside the GEOS folder, there is a folder called .THEC64SAVE. Inside that folder, there's a sub-folder called geos64_J1AD. Move this folder from it's current location and put it into the .THEC64SAVE folder that you will find at the ROOT (/) of your USB device. This folder may be “hidden”, so be sure to “show hidden files” in your desktop's file viewer.

Here's an overview of the folder structure and the location of the GEOS disk images:

GEOS
  |
  |-geos64 (the main GEOS disk image)
  |
  |-GeoApps
  |  |-geos64 (the GeoApps disk image)
  |
  |-GeoFile
  |  |-geos64 (the GeoFile disk image)
  |
  |-.THEC64SAVE
  |  |-geos64_J1AD (the save game info you need to move 
                    to the .THEC64SAVE folder at the USB's root)
  
   

To launch GEOS64 on TheC64Mini, go into the GEOS folder (now on your USB device) and select the geos64 file you'll find there. This will start GEOS. To speed up the loading process, bring up the “Save Game” menu and select the first saved game file. This will take you directly to the GEOS desktop.

I have also created two more save states for your convenience; the second save state is for the GEOS Apps disk, which contains GEOWrite and GEOPaint, and the third one is for GEOFile. To restore either of these other two save states, make sure you first load the correct disk image from your USB device. You will find these two disk images in their corresponding folders (see above).

I tried using GeoCalc with TheC64Mini, but had some problems trying to get it to work. So, I didn't include it in the ZIP file.

I hope you find this useful. When TheC64 becomes available, it may make it easier to use GEOS, as it will support disk swapping on-the-fly. But, for now, using it this way, with save states, isn't too bad. At least it will give you a chance to experience a little bit of what working with GEOS was like, back in the day.

For more about GEOS, be sure to check out my "All Things GEOS" page.