New with Question

[zeke1312]

Hi:

I'm new to the Amiga world and I'm using WinUAE on my PC. I have a question concerning the use of the "virtual" floppy drives. I have some adf files I'm attempting to load into a floppy drive.

Here is what I understand. In order for me to use one of the floppy drives, even though it shows an icon when reviewing I/Os under "System", I need a driver or some kind of software interface to allow the WinUAE to see and use a floppy drive. I've been directed to web sites that have some software that purports to enable this but so far I have not been able to. One piece of software requires me to make changes to the "startup" file. I'm not sure where to include the code lines in the file and more importantly, I don't want to mess up the file and crash the system!

The second solution looked more promising but when I unarc the file and opened the file drawer icon, northing was there. Oh, one last comment. The reason for doing this I want to be able to download adf files such as demos, games, etc., and use them. I understand if I "insert" an adf file into a floppy drive, it will "read" the "floppy" and I can run/execute the program, demo, etc.

Can you assist me in finding a resolution?

Thank you

[zeke1312]

OK. I should have mentioned I'm using AmiKit from Amiga Forever.

When I attempt to drag an adf file to a "floppy drive" (not a real one) I get an error on cylinder one.

If I look at the floppy drive under "System I/Os and click on the disk icon is says "not available".

[zeke1312]

Here are the steps I take to attempt unpacking of adf file.
Download zipped adf file to "download cabinet" desktop icon

Drag to ram desktop icon. It unzips file

Click on unzipped file it shows 2 icon disks

Click on disk icon begins unpacking adf image

System asks "where to mount, rad0,rad1,dfo,df1

Select any and error "cylinder zero" error asks to mount?

Tried mounting...get error.

[zeke1312]

OK. How do I add the adf file to WinUAE?

Please, step by step....I'm gettin' old.

Thanks :-)

[zeke1312]

OK. I'm back to square 1. I take it you have a true Amiga and not emulating one on a PC?

As far as I know at the point, WinUAE does not have a menu to look at.

I've been trying to do this for the last few days...frustrating :-?

The solution is "zooming right over my head". Gosh. I wish there was an Amiga (WinUAE) where I live....Pix (handholding) is worth a thousand words :-)

[zeke1312]

Thank you. That brings up a "properties" window with WinUAE tree displayed. When I click on floppy, it displays  floppy 1 and 2. A drop down box allows me to select where I want to load from.

Well, how is the WinUAE configured so when I download an adf file it runs without going through several steps. I'm still confused. Sorry.....

[zeke1312]

I have printed help files from the WinUAE config screen. Very much info there! I'm off to work and will try your suggestions when I'm back. Thank you

[zeke1312]

I'm still pursuing this problem of mine. One item of interest (at least for me), when clicking on "Help" on the configuration screen, you'll see a  wealth of information that covers each item on the tree.

OK. My goal is to load files of any type, be it games, demos, audio, video and business to my WinUAE/AmiKit PC from the internet and use. What do I need to accomplish that?

I've been led to believe certain or maybe all file formats need to be converted by some mechanism be it unarc, unzip,etc type program. As an example ADF files, since they are images in a format that are written or read by a floppy disk, need to be "read" by the virtual "non-hardwre" floppy drive(s) that can be configured within the WinUAE framework. This will allow ADF files to run on the WinUAE platform.

At this point I'm no further along in my effort to resolve this problem of mine.

Is there anyone out there that currently has a working WinUAE/AmiKit PC based machine that does what I' trying to do? If so(and since I'm dense) please if you would, give me a step by step process of how I configure my machine so I can implement what I'm trying to achieve.

Thank you

[zeke1312]

OK, do understand WinUAE is an application that runs on a PC based hardware platform and emulates the Amiga environment.

I have downloaded files such as .adf, .zip, .iha. I believe they are all of the type that when unpacked, unzipped, can  then be run in the WinUAE environment.

Now, step by step this is what I have done in this area. For an example, I select a file from an internet site, let's  say it is in .adf file format. When that type of file comes from the internet, it needs to be unpacked/unzipped before use(?)

Next, when the file is downloaded by me, it ends up in a drawer/cabinet/ labeled "Download" that is displayed on the Workbench.

Next (this what I've been doing), I drag the file from the "download cabinet" to another icon on the workbench that says "ram" where is "automatically" unpacked.

From there, I can read the text file (usually without problem but not always). I can run/execute maybe 1 of of 100 (well you know what I mean), files.

Now this is where I get confused. Some say I need to move the unpacked .ADF file to the pseudo floppy drive in order to read the file, and in the case of games as an example, it is read by the "floppy drive".

So this is where I get confused. What do I do and how do I do it when the file is now on/in the WinUAE platform?

How do I set up the environment in my WinUAE ("floppy drive" (non hardware type) so I can do this?

What is DiskImage? Where do I get it? How do I install it? Is there and can I use whatever "make a floppy disk drive" software that is included with the WinUAE software. Is it, as an example within AmiKit?

When I try to mount an .ADF file in a disk drive, it gives me a cylinder 0 error. Looking at system/devices/rad1,rad2, d01,d02, etc I see "not available". How do I make available? Once these files are unpacked, read by a floppy disk drive, where do they go? In a folder? Which one? On the Workbench as an icon?

Thank you
 :-?

[zeke1312]

WB3.1= Workbench 3.1? I'm using AmiKit 1.4.1 and WinUAE 3.9. I just have to keep reading and playing with thing until I understand the WinUAE emulation and the Amiga. Yes, I'm new at  the Amiga world.