New Agian

[alexh]

STOP dont buy a tower or anything like that.

All you need is a 2.5" IDE hard drive, and you could get away with the 3.5" one you already have. You'll need to take the computer to bits a little to fit it, but if you are happy to do that, all you will need are one or two things.

To use a 2.5" drive all you will need is a 40-pin IDE cable.

To use a 3.5" drive you will need a cable which converts the 40 pin 2.5" IDE connector in the Amiga into a 44 pin 3.5" IDE connector AND A floppy disk power splitter with Molex connector. 2.5" drives get their power down the ribbon cable, 3.5" drives need a power connector.

Also you will need to get hold of a copy of Workbench disks (especially the installer disk). Check to see which kickstart you have (3.0 / 3.1) and then get the right one off ebay or wherever.

To start with, the best tool for you is Amiga Explorer

http://www.amigaforever.com/ae/

It's available on it's own or as part of Amiga Forever.

Once installed on the Amiga, using the serial cables you already own, you'll be able to write your ADF files back by simply dragging them files to the DF0: icon in windows.

(It will take a long time 10mins+ to make a single disk using just a serial cable)

To get Amiga Exporer onto the Amiga you'll need to be able to boot to Workbench 3.0 and use a 720kbyte dos floppy disk in windows. You must have done something similar to get AMI-PC to your Amiga.

[alexh]

You running the Amiga Explorer program at the Amiga end?

You've definately got a "lap-link" serial cable (crossover) and not a straight through?

You've not connected the Serial Cable at the Amiga end into the wrong port? There are three ports on the back of an Amiga parallel port,  serial port, floppy port and they are all  25-pin D socket, two are even the same gender!. I always used to get them mixed up.

[alexh]

"Amiga Explorer can self-install to the Amiga over the serial cable without requiring any additional software, but the Amiga must be able to boot first (e.g. with a Workbench disk)"[/b]

Wow I didnt know that... so if you have a REAL Amiga Workbench floppy disk, stick it in the Amiga and boot to workbench.

Get Amiga Explorer is installed on the PC.

Dunno if you need to tell Amiga-Explorer to self-install on the PC GUI before you can use it, or if it just does it when you use it?

[alexh]

Silver_FBi wrote:
Error writing to COM port.

Ahh... It looks like you have the wrong com port selected in Amiga Explorer on the PC.

"To address the COM port number selection and speed issues, right-click on the Amiga Explorer icon on the Windows Desktop, and select "Properties". Then select a different COM port and/or speed."[/i]

[alexh]

Open device manager.



Select COM port, properties, Port settings.



Play around? Try setting 19200 as in the help guide to Amiga Explorer.

Make sure that COM port is enabled in your BIOS?

[alexh]

Silver_FBi wrote:
nope it fails on the 2nd part of the part were u type     rx ram:setup amiga says "command returned 5/1: program not found

What "2nd part"?

"If you are going to use Amiga Explorer over a null-modem serial cable, right-click on the Amiga Explorer icon on the Desktop, select Setup, and follow the instructions to have the files automatically copied over the serial cable."[/i]

I've not actually done this so I have no idea what "instructions you get" is that what this 2nd part is? Talk me through it.

It seems like you are getting further, the Amiga and PC are now connected but the files are not making it to the RAM disk of the Amiga.

You can always copy these files on 720kb floppies to the Amiga.

"f you have Amiga OS 2.1 or higher, or if you otherwise have a DOS file system such as Dos-2-Dos or CrossDos, you can copy the files to the floppy disk on the PC, and then read them on the Amiga. The "Copy to Floppy" command in the Amiga Explorer application folder in the Windows Start menu, or, in Amiga Forever, the equivalent "Copy to Floppy" option of the MenuBox launcher automatically copy the Amiga files to the PC floppy. After the files have been copied, it is important to make sure that these file names are restored, if they were modified by the copy process (if the Amiga does not support long DOS file names). Some Amiga computers do not support the PC's high-density floppy disks, in which case you need to use an Amiga floppy disk, and format it on the PC at 720 KB (not 1.44 MB)."[/i]

[alexh]

It seems that the Amiga cannot find the program "rx"? I think that program was part of Workbench since v1.2

If that is the case try typing "c:rx ram:setup"

If that doesnt work, you may have booted using the wrong disk?

I would just use a 720k floppy disk!

If all you have is regular 1.44Mb cover the hole on one side (not the right protect tab, other side), use a bit of paper and cellotape, or if you are like me chew up the paper and stuff it in the hole.

Stoopid Windows XP removes the ability to format 720k disks, so you have to open an MSDOS window (run cmd) and type

format a: /t:80 /n:9

Copy the files over and you should be fine.

As the readme says, if they've been stoopid enough to put files that are bigger than the 8.3 you can use you may have to restore them to their real names after copying (Cross Dos that comes with AmigaOS doesnt support long filenames)

[alexh]

As I edited in above. Try to see if you've booted off the wrong disk. If I remember workbench 3 has lots of disks and not just 1 like WB1.3 or WB2.04. Try booting off a different one, or typing "c:rx ram:setup"

[alexh]

If you _ARE_ going to buy the entire kit (ROM's, hard drive, cables etc.) it might be worth considering AmigaKit. It's not a really bad price (perhaps 30% more than normal PC oem retailers) but the level of service, and the Amiga help is beyond what you would get elsewhere (that's what you are paying for).

When you get back, tell me what workbench disks you have (exactly what is written on them and perhaps we'll get closer to running Amiga-Explorer).

If you DO buy a hard drive from AmigaKit, see if they can supply you with a 2.5" to 3.5" adapter so you can plug your drive into an ordinary PC. That is the fastest / best way to install Workbench and transfer data (especially 17Gig!) to the Amiga drive is to mount the drive in UAE.

Or use ADFView http://www.viksoe.dk/code/adfview.htm or even better.

[alexh]

Microdirect 40Gb 2.5" IDE = £45.59

Scan 40Gb 2.5" IDE = £43.89

Dabs.com 40Gb 2.5" IDE = £45.12

Ebuyer 40Gb 2.5" IDE = £44.75

AmigaKit 40Gb 2.5" IDE = £57.99

£57.99 - £43.89 = £14.10 / £43.89 * 100 = 32.13%

But I congratulate you on an amazing webshop. If there is anything AMIGA specific anyone needs I would recommend you without a doubt.

[alexh]

did i get this right u can useing uae format install WB

I believe so. Never dont it myself though.