Amiga Explorer and Null modem HELP! PLEASE!!!

[paulcan]

Please help guys, you lot were excellent before, and any idea's would be cool.
(Data transfer from pc to amiga)

Old Amiga 500 been dusted off, just got it all working again and been playing a few of my original disks anyway it's a 1.3 kickstart, it's not a 500+ just to confirm. I'm using Amiga explorer 2007 (part of the amiga forever package)

Even though me and my parents clubbed in to buy this £400 ish pound amiga when i was about 12-13 (now nearly 30) i am probably a novice user compared to you lot, although i can get by on a amiga and pc, i've been a electronic/electrical engineer for 5 years (back in 1995-2000) now moved on to cars and only got a soldering iron and a multimeter about a year ago and now build / fix arcade machines in my spare time, in no way was that meant as some kind of a brag, or showing off, just wanted you to know i'm not a complete F**KING idiot timewaster who's not gonna have a clue what your suggesting.

I'm sure you've had questions on this before, sorry if i'm posting in the wrong section, but i cannot find a description that relates to my exact problem!

First i tried one null modem cable, bought from a link from an amiga site to buy a null modem cable for this purpose, couldn't get it to work (can't remember the site) then purchased one from maplin later to find that the maplin one is only 3 wire and wired 2-3 ,3-2 part no. L72BT. Also ripped open the first lead i bought, it was almost wired up the same as Amiga forever's site but not quite!

So went back to maplin and got a 25 pin connector and a 9 pin connector and wired the F**KING thing up myself carefully this evening and tested each connction with a multimeter, but still i get the same problem! Please let me describe the exact section i get stuck at...

Right mouse on amiga explorer on the desktop gone to setup followed instructions for 1.3 blue screen etc... typed the line...
Type SER: to RAM:Setup then pressed enter, then clicked ok on pc end, then file looks as if its being transported to the amiga, then when told pressed ctrl + c to break the shell command then pressed ok
it does the **BREAK* as it should then if i type RAM:setup as per instructions it says "file is not an object module"
If i do List RAM:Setup it is ALWAYS!! under 45000 as per the instructions on amiga forever no matter what buffer/packet/speed setting i change on amiga and pc, and i tries keeping them the same and different to see if that helped.
this is the quote from amiga forever!

"An error message like "Unable to load Setup: file is not an object module" during the initial Windows-to-Amiga software installation usually indicates that the transfer did not complete properly due to a cable wiring problem. This initial part of the installation consists of a plain serial file copy, rather than being controlled by Amiga Explorer, so exact error messages cannot be issued. You can run "List RAM:Setup" instead of "RAM:Setup" in the Shell to verify the size of the Setup file, which should be at least 45000 bytes. If the problem persists, be sure that you have verified the cable as described above."

I swear to you all this cable is exactly wired as per the diagram on their site, am i going MAD?? this is the third cable i have tested.

On some settings the file (setup file) is 2000 bytes, or 8000 sometimes 30889 ish, sometimes 40098 - ohhh soooo close!

It did this exactly the same before no matter what lead i use first one or homemade one!! It's like it's a setting / speed issue but i don't know what combination to try and it will take the rest of my life to get it right!!

Please stop me from pulling my hair out, any suggestions i will be near this computer and will try anything.

Because i can't get amiga explorer setup on amiga side cannot transfer anything, could i just have it on a disk, has anyone got it? am i even allowed to ask that? sorry if not!

NOTE: I have only installed amiga explorer off the cd's, does this matter?and what do i need to install if it will help??

PLEASE HELP!

[paulcan]

Sorry looking at it that was a huge post!!!

[paulcan]

No tries

[davideo]

@Paul

I had the same problem when I first tried AExplorer

I can't remember exactly what cured it but in my case it was either a duff lead or serial settings on the 2 machines didn't match exactly.

Have you checked the baud rates, that your using the right serial port on the PC, start and stop bits, parity etc?

Edit: The most important bit I nearly forgot to put in the message : The packet size on the PC - mines set at 512 bytes

It's worth double and triple checking just in case

Dave G

[paulcan]

Thanks for reading will check all now!
so packet size on pc to 512 will do.
can you remember where lead came from? or can anyone??

I'm sure i have tried all them settings but will check again
also buffer size on amiga is that the same as packet size? i didn't think it was but i don't know, does it need to be 4096? or more as prog says??

off topic - found my original of striker what a game, playing it now!
kick off 2 was cool but striker was cool, and better than snes version!

[paulcan]

forgot to mention to rule out pc i tried another computer, first xp then vista still same, also the xp comp had 2 x serial ports so tried both, only 1 got as far as i have ever got...

so not that???

will post log after doing it in a mo....

[davideo]

@Paul

My 4000D is set up like this -

RTS/CTS on
Parity None
Bits/Char 8
Baud rate 19200
Buffer Size 4096
Stop bits 1
Default unit 1

My XP PC is set up like this -
From right click on aexplorer icon and properties
Connection type Serial
Port COM1
Speed 19200
Packet size 512
Max retries 50
From hardware tab in control panel/system/hardware
Data bits 8
Parity none
Stop bits 1
Flow control Hardware

My lead was an old one out of the attic I had in storage from years ago using SERNET on Amiga - Amiga to transfer stuff

Dave G

[davideo]

Originally Posted by paulcan

off topic - found my original of striker what a game, playing it now!
kick off 2 was cool but striker was cool, and better than snes version!

I played Worms the Directors cut all the way through Saturday night until Sunday morning. I was knackered the next day but it was worth the nostalgia

Dave G

[paulcan]

Please see enclosed rar if anyone wants to see it...
Contains 2 x amiga explorer log files 1 and 2


Log file 1
512 packet and 4096 buffer ctrl + c didn't work
then ram:setup unable...as before then unable to find com port

then Log file 2 512 packet and buffer at max 16000
break command worked then lost com when setup file coming over

Any help please

Thanks

[paulcan]

Worms directors cut was awesome, ahhhh memories.

Need to get some more games off the bay, just loving the amiga scene again.

I want a scart lead now as I remember the way you get interference from the modulator because it's sooo close to the power lead on a 500! Ha
or is it just mine, or an old rf lead LOL! (still using an ol 21" crt tv at the mo!

Thanks for your settings will check now.

[davideo]

Originally Posted by paulcan

I want a scart lead now as I remember the way you get interference from the modulator because it's sooo close to the power lead on a 500! Ha
or is it just mine, or an old rf lead LOL! (still using an ol 21" crt tv at the mo!

Thanks for your settings will check now.

Have you got a 520 hung out of the back of your 500? Edit Modulator = 520.

Could be your rf lead.

If so you could just use phono leads

Dave G

[paulcan]

"From hardware tab in control panel/system/hardware
Data bits 8
Parity none
Stop bits 1
Flow control Hardware"


Dude, sh*t was an idiot i am, i forgot all about windows hardware settings you may have just cracked it, what a c*ck i am, it's been so long since i done anything serial, so used to usb etc.. doing it all for you.

Can't even remembered the last time i used any kind of dial up modem settings etc..

just had a quick look please talk me through setting on xp where exactly are they, if you have time of course, is it in device manager and then if so where sorry i'm being a donut.

Ta

[davideo]

We all have them days

I guess you've got past the control panel/system/hardware bit

Look for Device Manager tab

Then Open up the + next to Ports (COM & LPT)

Then Right click on Communications Port (COM1) and select Properties

Then Port Settings tab

Everything else you need is on there - speed etc

You may have to restart your PC for the settings to take effect - after all it's a PC

Dave G

[paulcan]

Thought that was it!

But sadly NO.

Have noticed if buffer on amiga is 4096, then ctrl + c break command doesn't work as per instructions


and at 16000 buffer on amiga break works BEFORE the press ok screen so your one step ahead of the instructions, but still when its about to send over the setup file can't communicate with com port.

The file this time was 41001 or something I'm soooo close to 45000 bytes as per amiga forever's "List RAM:Setup file must be at least 45000 or won't work"

Are there any other checks i can do to test com port transfer? even if pc related? just to rule out computer settings on the pc?


What a bitch this is being.

[davideo]

I assume you're using the 1.3WB discs I sent you - it's been ages since I did anything with 1.3

Are you saving the serial preferences on the Amiga side?

Have you tried rebooting the Amiga once you've set the serial port?

Dave G

[davideo]

I've just checked the website help page http://www.amigaforever.com/kb/4-109.html and it says -

Amiga Explorer must be installed on the Windows side (using an administrator account, if Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008), and running on the Amiga side (e.g. with a double-click on "AExplorer" on the Amiga) before data can be transmitted from one side to the other. The exception to this is if you are using the Setup procedure for the initial transfer from the PC to the Amiga using the null-modem cable, in which case you are of course using only the PC side of the software.
If you are running Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 or a newer version of Windows make sure that your version of Amiga Explorer is 4.1 or higher (you can get a free upgrade). If you are running an x64 version of Windows make sure that you installed the x64 version of Amiga Explorer.

Which version are you trying to install?

Dave G

[paulcan]

Yes using 1.3 thanks for them,

No i'm not saving it just clicking use, as wanted to keep workbench disk pure, but will do if you think it will make a difference, i'll wait for your responce.

One thing, may not mean anything, if i go to version at top of WB it says kickstart version 34.5 workbench version 34.34
does my computer have to be higher than the WB version??

Also new log attached! buffer has to be 16000 to get this far...

Also the slightly older version of 1.3 i have i was such a twat and forgot how to use workbench and deleted the serial icon when learning how to use it again and saved it so it's useless for this purpose, i think...
LOL

Which is why i wanted to keep the other copy of WB pure, i've even forgotten how to make a backup, i used to have xcopy pro but cannot find that disk, can't WB make a copy i'm sure it can, but will it copy the WB disk? or do i need something better.

Sorry been a long time since i did all this and alot of beer since then killing brain cells LOL

And no because of not saving this haven't tried rebooting amiga since i did that silly disk icon killing!

[paulcan]

Sorry didn't quite understand, amiga explorer 2007 if thats what you mean!

[paulcan]

just making a copy now found it!
then i can mess with...

[davideo]

Originally Posted by paulcan

Sorry didn't quite understand, amiga explorer 2007 if thats what you mean!

Mine's version 2005 and it works - so that may not be the answer..

If you boot with the WB disc you want to copy. This only works with non-protected discs.

Then once WB has stopped loading - click once on the WB icon

Goto top menu and find copy - select that

It then should read your original disc - ask for a blank disc and write the contents onto it - so making a good copy. You may need to rename it - I think it adds 'copy of' to the front of the disc name on the copy.

Once you've done that I'd suggest changing the serial settings again and save them this time - don't worry about screwing up the discs - If you need another I'll send you one

Dave G