Need advice on how to put adfs on amiga FDD

[dword]

Hi as mentioned in my other thread I eventually bought an amiga 1200 after moaning initially about the price , I like to do that lol

Because my thread was initially unrelated and because I didnt think I would be buying an Amiga I will link it here

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=37950

Its not meant to double post as this thread is just to ask is it easy enough to put adfs from the PC onto a PC floppy disk and then put the floppy disk in the amiga?

I imagine I would need to:

put a PC disk in the amiga FDD , format it with the amiga filesystem somehow
put the PC disk in the PC FDD
Next use some software to put the adf on the floppy

Any advice on this would be appreciated, I have also been thinking about how I would go about using my spare 1gig PC HDD as an amiga HDD in the PC then installing the amiga OS on the PC HDD with appropriate formatting tools + software

Any info on how to do this would be appreciated, Its just so many people use differant setups so theres so much varying docs.

Thanks

[TCD]

Hmm interesting, two threads with nearly the exact topic within an hour and a half
Have a look here : http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=37957

[dword]

Thanks Im just checking all that out and hoping that the grey cable I have will do, it has a connection similiar to an ethernet connection on one and and I think a comm port connection on the other end. It was used to reset my unex router when it went haywire, will this kind of cable do?

[jimbob005]

use pcmcia cf card you get more adf's at one time no disk swaping i use cd's and adfblitzer the best way for me .

i tryed useing disks but got fed up with it

james

[cosmicfrog]

I would`t think so well not without an adaptor for the "similiar to an ethernet connection" end, sounds like a terminal connection lead for ya router

[dword]

Im actually looking for a real picture thats of good quality just so I have an idea what these things look like,

edit:

Dam just checked those leads on ebay , I dont have one, just typical I have boxes fullof all sorts of cables I never use but no null modem cable, typical hehe

And Im guessing its not possible without 1?

Ive looked out an old 56k modem + cable Im guessing that wouldnt work either? I also have an external usb drive, is there no way I can plug that into the amiga or something?

Ok just checked around I have ripped out some contraption from one of my PCs it has a sim card reader + CF I/CF II/MD SLOT is that what the user was refering to who mentioned pcmcia

One other thing the guy that sold me the amiga includes an external floppy drive , Im hoping its a catweasal drive, Im kinda worried now because I need to transfer roms from my PC to amiga and am kinda struglling to pay out even more, I didnt expect it to be any hassle to transfer from PC to amiga I really hope those extras include anything that will enable me to do this

Could someone Link me a null modem cable thats cheap and decent on ebay UK? (May need to get one of those)

[cosmicfrog]

If your A1200 has HD in it would be easier to put that in pc and run winuae to copy stuff,
might need to get a lead for HD though depending if its 2.5"

[dword]

Thanks for your reply

Yeah I dont think he includes an HDD see my other thread that shows what the package includes. He does provide an external floppy drive so Ive mailed him to ask if its one of those catweasal ones or if the extras include a null modem cable but he hasnt got back to me so Im thinking that means No

Kinda annoyed about that tbh but its my own fault, wasnt prepared to pay $80+ for a legacy machine though , I hope I can sort something out or it has kinda been a waste dow! If anyone could help me with my initial question in my first post it would be appreciated, i.e I want to use a folder on my ubuntu install as a vartual hardrive for euae so I have more space for save games from adf run files.

Thanks again

[amigakit.com]

You could use EasyADF PCMCIA Transfer Kit to copy large amounts of games/data from the PC to the Amiga quickly and easily. No hard disk required on the A1200.

User reviews of EASYADF:

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...roducts_id=440

[dword]

Thanks for your reply , just a quick look at the link provided, I think that will be right up my street. Excuse my dumb question but Im assuming theres no internal HDD with the a1200 , and it just reads from amiga floppys, however thats neat if that package means I dont need a hard drive in my amiga!

No null modem cable nor catweasal drive with my A1200 , just got confirmed though , Its not the guys fault either as hes selling the amiga with ALOT of games so it is in itself a very good deal, I just should have checked in adavnce but in my defense I expected the amiga filesystem to be mastered by this time. (In such a way that software could put adfs onto an msdos disk and be read from teh amiga.

BTW I have workbench 3.0 floppy included , lets say I copy an adf file to a dos formatted disk , is there not any tool on workbench 3.0 that I can use to read the adf from the dos floppy disk to an amiga disk (BTW I have an internal amiga FDD and an external original Power Computing, model PC880B FDD) So Im trying to think of some free way to do it using that hardware + workbench 3

Ok Im going to order that stuff amigakit reccomended in 5 mins , sorry for all the questions but are there any guides related how to use that stuff(I will probably manage to figure it out when I get it as long as it has ALL connections)

Im also checking out an amiga PCIMA network card

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...4d553f80efa7c9

I already have my pc network on a router and Im just wandering if its possible to get my amiga integrated into my home network and transfer files through my cat5 cables? Im not hopeful with this for what Im trying to achieve but just trying to fathom my options

Heres a usb connector thing as well would this make it possible to connect my external lacie USB drive to the amiga?

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...bb82920c90aaea

update: Ok I checked the pins on my card reader +it says CF I/CF II MD in print so Im thinking , connect the easy adf transfer kit thing provided to the PC CF II slot, transfer the adfs to the flash card, plug the flash card into the amiga.........now Im gonna buy but Im unsure , will my amiga 1200 definatly have a slot for the flash card? The kit says it includes cables so Im gonna risk it. I cant afford any more than whats asked for anyway so its my only option thats gonna be the least hassle IF it happens that the amiga side has the proper sockets

[amigakit.com]

PMail sent.

Call us on 02920 564676 and we can answer any questions you may have and provide any support for our products.

[dword]

BIG thanks all! I think Im set now! I bought

www.amigakit.com 1-Serial Transfer Cable (25-pin to 9-pin)** AND
1-EasyADF PCMCIA Compact Flash Transfer Kit*

That way with buying 2 things well say my flash reader doesnt work any more well I have the null modem connection

Also sent another PM AmigaKit, thanks for recommending that.

I know how people can tire of seeing the same questions over and over and Im guessing this one has been asked a million times but I just like clarification when Im going to buy stuff. In a funny sort of way that is crazy that the amiga FS cant be read by modern floppys! While its annoying I dunno I kinda respect it in a way that it is unique enough that people still havent managed to support it, more likely the hardware manufacturers chose not to on the basis that its less money for them if they do.

Anyway cheers! Im away to chill on an emulated game until my amiga comes and at least I know I have a fighting chance to get adfs to my amiga now!(actually lol, this is the last I will say in this post but , nastalga big time here , you see me and a friend as kids well on my amiga I had this game Hemidall 2 and for its day it had astounding graphics and what seemed to us at the time massive scope but being kids we didnt get very far with it but we would always say ........I bet that game would be awsome if you knew how to play it properly , thinking back I think it got brutal when you tried to go to certain islands, also cannon fodder on the amiga was great graphics, I played a PC port and it didnt seem knowhere as crisp as the amiga version - graphics wise, wings 2 was another great title, hehe they are flooding back now but I digress!, populous 2 )

[amigakit.com]

Many thanks for the order - much appreciated

[fc.studio]

If you have only a basic A1200, without hard drive or serial transfer cable, you need a PC 720 KB formatted disk where to copy your ADF file from your PC. Your Amiga is able to read this (up to this size, not 1,44 MB).
Windows 98 or your Amiga can format to 720 KB, Windows XP can use this size but can't format it.

1) To format with your Amiga a disk to PC 720 KB standard you have to load Workbench disk and activate the PC0 icon in Devs/DosDrivers or in Storage/DosDrivers drawer.
2) Type from WB/execute command: FORMAT DRIVE PC0: NAME PC-DISK or another name for "PC-DISK".
3) Put in the Amiga drive a disk to format and proceed with this operation on pressing the return key. At the end you'll have, if it is not damaged, a PC 720KB formatted disk.
4) Put this disk in your PC floppy drive and copy on it the ADF file you desire. (Before I suggest you to rename the file to a max 8+3 lenght, (xxxxxxxx.adf). On the same disk copy the file TransADF. You can find it on decrunching (with tool like IZarc or similar) the TransADF.lha file from Aminet.
5) Put this disk in your Amiga floppy drive with Workbench loaded and the PC0 icon above already activated (CROSS DOS).
6) open the PC disk icon on the Amiga desktop and you should find the file you just copied from PC. If you don't find it you have to activate the Show All Files option from the Workbench Menu.
7) Now you should view the TransADF and xxxxxxxx.adf files. Move both to Ram Disk icon.
8) Replace the PC disk in the drive with an Amiga pre-formatted disk.
9) Type from WB/Execute command: RAM:TransADF df0: RAM:xxxxxxxx.ADF W V

At the end you will have your Amiga disk installed with ADF image and ready to be run directly from your Amiga (if this is compatible with your A1200).

TransADF should work with ADZ files too.

All these operations can be optimized. You could put the TransADF tool directly to your copy of Workbench disk. The best option is to have an hard drive with TransADF installed (or similar like ADFBlitzer) and a PCMCIA Compact Flash driver activated. So you could copy easily many ADF files from your PC and access this Compact Flash from Amiga (by a cheap adapter) without the need of a very limited size PC formatted disk.

It's true that, if you had an hard drive, you would use WHDLoad installed games and you would not desire anymore to put ADFs on your floppy disks.

[dword]

Thanks so much man , I think Im starting to get buyers remorse lol, nothing wrong with the store its just the whole adf kit I was under the impression that apart from the CF reader which as of 5 mins ago I have verified I have and works that all I would thereafter need was the adf package, however I also though that I would be able to copy files using that kit but Im starting to think I am going to need to buy storage now and on top of that some adaptor?

Im gonna sleep on it Im maybe just getting the jitters its just when I checked the site and read the description it said the cables were included and no HDD was needed and the floppy doubles as a bootable hdd or something(words something like that) + small print no 1 and 2 said that pc may need a cf reader(which I have) so I kinda assumed I was all set.

It should be fine but I am still a bit worried , so I really appreciate your reply as another alternative

edit:

theres another slot on my card reader whicdh I just tested by taking a small slim as hell 1gb sd card out of a digital photo frame and putting it in a slot next to the reader slot and wham it worked so I am just hoping IF there is no way for me to transfer 1 adf at a time via this kit to my amiga then create a floppy from the amiga without anything extra other than the kit that the small sd card I have will work

Ahh cool the site specifically says

Simply plugs into the PCMCIA port on the side of your Amiga and permits your Amiga to read and write to Compact Flash cards

So I shouldnt need some fancy adapator to fit the amiga end right? Its just it doesnt say anything about needing an adaptor at that end?

[fc.studio]

I don't own the EasyADF PCMCIA Transfer KIT, however it is surely easier to use than my step-by-step procedure.

[Fingerlickin_B]

Don't worry, you have bought everything you need (except a CF card, but they are cheap).

The kit you bought comes with a PCMCIA to CF adaptor, the PCMCIA adaptor just plugs into the side of your A1200...yes, no further adaptors required.

I understand that without having the actual hardware in front of you it all seems a bit daunting, but trust me, when your A1200 and the gear from Amigakit arrive you'll see just how easy it will be

PZ.

[fc.studio]

However if you want really enjoy your A1200 with games you need:

- an Hard Drive. I suggest you to get a 2 GB Compact Flash with a cheap 2,5" IDE to CF adapter to use as Hard Drive (no noise, speed, power request near to zero). You'll find enough info in this forum. You will have to install on it your Workbench or a pre-configured and optimnized pack like ClassicWB or AmigaSYS (search for them in this forum) (All for euro 15-30).
- to transfer files from/to PC get a Compact Flash card (64 MB is already enough but surely you'll find larger) with its adapter for PCMCIA port. (all for euro 5-20)
- install WHDLoad tool and try Killergorilla pack with games installed for HD. (WHDLoad is shareware with small limitations or full for 20 euro)

You have alreay enough to enjoy your Amiga and play many games (easier and faster than floppy drive).

Then if you want to play 99% of games with WHDLoad you need at least a 4 MB RAM memory expansion. However I suggest you to jump here and search for my post:

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?...light=1220%2F4

[Fingerlickin_B]

Originally Posted by fc.studio

However if you want really enjoy your A1200 with games you need:

- an Hard Drive. I suggest you a 2 GB Compact Flash with a cheap 2,5" IDE to CF adapter to use as Hard Drive (no noise, speed, power request near to zero). You'll find enough info in this forum. (all for euro 15-30). You will have to install on it your Workbench or pre-configured and optimnized pack like ClassicWB or AmigaSYS (search for them in this forum)
- to transfer files from/to PC a Compact Flash card (64 MB is already enough but surely you'll find larger) with its adapter for PCMCIA port. (all for euro 5-20)
- install WHDLoad tool and try Killergorilla pack with games installed for HD. (shareware with small limitations or full for 20 euro)

You have alreay enough to enjoy your Amiga and play many games (easier and faster than floppy drive).

Then if you want play all games with WHDLoad you need at least a 4 MB RAM memory expansion. However I suggest you to jump here and search for my post:

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?...light=1220%2F4

Let him get started slowly and settle in first...I remember people saying stuff like that to me when I first starting using Amigas and it freaked the sh*t out of me...I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about!

PZ.

[dword]

lol Thanks so much folks , yeah I really appreciate all the help btw from EVERYONE , Ive even had someone offer to let me add them to msn to speak to me as well! Yeah I totally agree with whats said above I was freaking out a bit and it is a bit daunting I think I am going to try and sort out a loan with the family to get a 1gig flash card, Im going to see if amiga kit will link me the exact type from his site, both the 128meg one and the 1gig one.

I dont feel so bad now knowing help is there for sure, just checked ebay for a 1gig flash card , 13.99 bid , this is getting expensive fast! Away to check out amiga kit and see what they sell for and link the product

BTW once I get the BASIC stuff I need I will put everything in a simple list with what I paid , that way anyone thinking about going this route who reads the thread knows what they need for starting out

Cheers all

I was checking this out

http://www.memorybits.co.uk/categori...pact-flash/762

would that work with the kit?

Amigakit if that card on the page will work and you can beat the price I will buy

Ahh hang on theres a option box under the kit that says compatible memory cards and it has a 1gb one so I think Im going to buy that now , also is there ANY other adapters I will need ? Heres what I have:

CF Card Reader
Null modem cable
ADF Kit
Going to order 1gig CF card

My amiga ONLY has 2 Floppy disk drives at the momment and no HDD and yes Im beating a dead horse here but I and scared like a little kid lol