Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.

On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:

Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.


Do you know if the hard disc drive is a RLL or a MFM or IDE interface?

If its IDE, you can get IDE to USB adepters..... like this one:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SATA-PATA...8440f5e9618c83

Do you know if you can swap the 5.25 inch internal drive for a 3.5 inch
internal drive? if you can, you can use a set of 3.5 inch floppies to
copy the data to and then use a USB based external 3.5 inch floppy disc
drive like this one:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/27416181431...f17c870d162afb

On 06/09/2020 22:48, No Name wrote:

On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:

Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.


Do you know if the hard disc drive is a RLL or a MFM or IDE interface?

If its IDE, you can get IDE to USB adepters..... like this one:


It's an ST506 interface using MFM.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SATA-PATA...8440f5e9618c83


Do you know if you can swap the 5.25 inch internal drive for a 3.5 inch
internal drive?Â*Â* if you can, you can use a set of 3.5 inch floppies to
copy the data to and then use a USB based external 3.5 inch floppy disc
drive like this one:


I haven't got a 3.5" with the same connectors.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/27416181431...f17c870d162afb

On Sunday, 6 September 2020 22:52:55 UTC+1, Grumps wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:48, No Name wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:

Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.

Laplink was standard fare in the win 3.1 days.


Do you know if the hard disc drive is a RLL or a MFM or IDE interface?

If its IDE, you can get IDE to USB adepters..... like this one:

It's an ST506 interface using MFM.

oh boy.


NT

Grumps wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:48, No Name wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:
Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.

Do you know if the hard disc drive is a RLL or a MFM or IDE interface?

If its IDE, you can get IDE to USB adepters..... like this one:

It's an ST506 interface using MFM.


Good luck with the drive. It's like a floppy drive in terms
of control concepts. But obviously, the signal coming off
the head, isn't nearly the same.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ST506/ST412

"drive was derived from the Shugart Associates SA1000 interface,
[4] which was in turn based upon the floppy disk drive interface,
[5] thereby making disk controller design relatively easy."

http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/shugart...nual_Dec80.pdf

*******

You'll be using serial port.

Good luck getting a program onto the old machine.

Kermit is now licensed under a BSD license
(as part of being abandonware).

http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/index.html

http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/cable.html

*******

Google isn't of much use these days, so don't expect help.
I tried to see if any parallel port recipes were
floating about, but don't see any.

You could put parallel ports on PCI Express machines. I have
a card with an OxSemi chip on it, which is a perfect little
parallel port card. But OxSemi was bought out and crushed,
so no more cards. There are still various cards available,
but the foreign maker is a mystery. I don't know if the
remaining cards are as flexible or not. The OxSemi card
shows up in I/O Space, if your OS is crusty enough and
needs that.

Paul

I seem to recall that the Amstrads had the ability to use ide drives, so if
you have an old one lying about, copy to that then use that to do the attach
to the newer machine.
Other than that, I seem to recall dos had a terminal program that could
emulate xmodem.
If you got a usb to serial adaptor, I'd have though a more modern terminal
and an old null modem lead might work albeit slowly.
Brian

--
--
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Paul" wrote in message
...
Grumps wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:48, No Name wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:
Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question
then!
Ta.

Do you know if the hard disc drive is a RLL or a MFM or IDE interface?

If its IDE, you can get IDE to USB adepters..... like this one:

It's an ST506 interface using MFM.


Good luck with the drive. It's like a floppy drive in terms
of control concepts. But obviously, the signal coming off
the head, isn't nearly the same.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ST506/ST412

"drive was derived from the Shugart Associates SA1000 interface,
[4] which was in turn based upon the floppy disk drive interface,
[5] thereby making disk controller design relatively easy."

http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/shugart...nual_Dec80.pdf

*******

You'll be using serial port.

Good luck getting a program onto the old machine.

Kermit is now licensed under a BSD license
(as part of being abandonware).

http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/index.html

http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/cable.html

*******

Google isn't of much use these days, so don't expect help.
I tried to see if any parallel port recipes were
floating about, but don't see any.

You could put parallel ports on PCI Express machines. I have
a card with an OxSemi chip on it, which is a perfect little
parallel port card. But OxSemi was bought out and crushed,
so no more cards. There are still various cards available,
but the foreign maker is a mystery. I don't know if the
remaining cards are as flexible or not. The OxSemi card
shows up in I/O Space, if your OS is crusty enough and
needs that.

Paul

On 07/09/2020 08:30, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:
I seem to recall that the Amstrads had the ability to use ide drives, so if
you have an old one lying about, copy to that then use that to do the attach
to the newer machine.
Other than that, I seem to recall dos had a terminal program that could
emulate xmodem.
If you got a usb to serial adaptor, I'd have though a more modern terminal
and an old null modem lead might work albeit slowly.
Brian




Or one of these:
https://www.lo-tech.co.uk/wiki/Lo-tech_ISA_USB_Adapter

On 07/09/2020 08:30, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:

I seem to recall that the Amstrads had the ability to use ide drives, so if
you have an old one lying about, copy to that then use that to do the attach
to the newer machine.

You could certainly add a multi io card to an ISA slot and get an IDE
interface that way.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 06/09/2020 22:52, Grumps wrote:

On 06/09/2020 22:48, No Name wrote:

On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:

Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.


Do you know if the hard disc drive is a RLL or a MFM or IDE interface?

If its IDE, you can get IDE to USB adepters..... like this one:


It's an ST506 interface using MFM.


Many Amstrads had the HDD installed in a "hard card" arrangement - i.e.
an ISA card with disk controller and space to mount the physical drive
on the card.

If yours is like that, then an intermediate stage would be to find a
machine with ISA slots and stick the card in there, then copy directly
to some other storage medium.




https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SATA-PATA...8440f5e9618c83


Do you know if you can swap the 5.25 inch internal drive for a 3.5
inch internal drive?Â*Â* if you can, you can use a set of 3.5 inch
floppies to copy the data to and then use a USB based external 3.5
inch floppy disc drive like this one:


I haven't got a 3.5" with the same connectors.


3.5" drives have different connectors - however all you need is a cable
with the appropriate ones on (many at one time had a pair of 5.25"
connectors and a pair of 3.5" ones). You can even crimp a 3.5" style IDC
header onto an existing 5.25" style drive cable.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 06/09/2020 22:48, No Name wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:
Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.

Do you know if the hard disc drive is a RLL or a MFM or IDE interface?

The original 1512 came with a Xebec 20MB MFM drive and a proprietary
controller card. It made a strange "whoop whoop" noise when the head was
stepping between tracks.

Many 1512 were bought with only twin floppies and a hard card was the
popular upgrade option. This was a normally a Western Digital WD1003 and
a 20MB MFM 3.5in drive on a frame that was full length. Later versions
were 32MB RLL. When 40MB discs were available typically you had 2x 20MB
dirves, C: and D:

Then the floodgates opened and disc capacity increased exponentially.

The hard disc controllers had a few jumpers that set the capacity. If
you had a bigger disc than the controller understood you used have a
2-3MB partition that contained DOS and soft disc controller program
that would allow bigger disks. I used one with a Newbury Data 60Mb Penny
drive on a 1512.

On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:
Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.

(note I have not tried this, but it sounds plausible!)

You could use Rufus[1]

To build a USB DOS boot disk, and then run a suitable version of laplink
for the era (e.g. Laplink III/IV/Pro) on a modern machine.

[1] http://rufus.akeo.ie/


or, (and I have tried this) a bit of serial comms software on the old
machine (like Telix / QuickLink2), and something that can run ZModem on
the modern one (Like PuTTY, with the ExtraPutty add on that gives it
Zmodem compatibility). The just upload files from one, and download on
the other.

(let me know if you need the software)

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 07/09/2020 02:25, John Rumm wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:
Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.

(note I have not tried this, but it sounds plausible!)

You could use Rufus[1]

To build a USB DOS boot disk, and then run a suitable version of laplink
for the era (e.g. Laplink III/IV/Pro) on a modern machine.

[1] http://rufus.akeo.ie/


or, (and I have tried this) a bit of serial comms software on the old
machine (like Telix / QuickLink2), and something that can run ZModem on
the modern one (Like PuTTY, with the ExtraPutty add on that gives it
Zmodem compatibility). The just upload files from one, and download on
the other.

+1

Basically a terminal emulator on each end with an error correction
protocol on top for file transfer. Set it off and leave to run.

You might have to buy a USB to serial port adapter for the modern
machine though since most no longer support legacy IO. I know that some
of these are more equal than others if your hardware uses any funny
tricks on the various control lines.

Another option would be to read the 5 1/4" floppies on a machine of
intermediate age that also have a 3.5" or USB capability.

(let me know if you need the software)



--
Regards,
Martin Brown

John Rumm wrote:

serial comms software on the old machine (like Telix / QuickLink2), and
something that can run ZModem on the modern one (Like PuTTY, with the
ExtraPutty add on that gives it Zmodem compatibility). The just upload
files from one, and download on the other.

I can't remember if procomm/telix/etc can do a recursive copy of a whole
drive in one go, but kermit can ..

On 07/09/2020 09:36, Andy Burns wrote:
John Rumm wrote:

serial comms software on the old machine (like Telix / QuickLink2),
and something that can run ZModem on the modern one (Like PuTTY, with
the ExtraPutty add on that gives it Zmodem compatibility). The just
upload files from one, and download on the other.

I can't remember if procomm/telix/etc can do a recursive copy of a whole
drive in one go, but kermit can ..

But how do you get anything (kermit) ON to the PC 1512?


--
Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the
gospel of envy.

Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.

Winston Churchill

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

But how do you get anything (kermit) ON to the PC 1512?

Ask nicely someone who's got a machine with a 5¼" floppy drive.

On 07/09/2020 09:45, Andy Burns wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

But how do you get anything (kermit) ON to the PC 1512?

Ask nicely someone who's got a machine with a 5¼" floppy drive.
Who could then read thw 15i2 floppirs ANYWAY...?


--
When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over
the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that
authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.

Frédéric Bastiat

On 07/09/2020 09:39, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 07/09/2020 09:36, Andy Burns wrote:
John Rumm wrote:

serial comms software on the old machine (like Telix / QuickLink2),
and something that can run ZModem on the modern one (Like PuTTY, with
the ExtraPutty add on that gives it Zmodem compatibility). The just
upload files from one, and download on the other.

I can't remember if procomm/telix/etc can do a recursive copy of a
whole drive in one go, but kermit can ..

But how do you get anything (kermit) ON to the PC 1512?

One advantage of going the laplink option is that it allows remote
install so you run it on the new machine, then send it via the serial
link to the old one.

Failing that there may already be some serial comms software on the
Amstrad. Otherwise, you will need to stick it on a floppy.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 07/09/2020 14:34, John Rumm wrote:
On 07/09/2020 09:39, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 07/09/2020 09:36, Andy Burns wrote:
John Rumm wrote:

serial comms software on the old machine (like Telix / QuickLink2),
and something that can run ZModem on the modern one (Like PuTTY,
with the ExtraPutty add on that gives it Zmodem compatibility). The
just upload files from one, and download on the other.

I can't remember if procomm/telix/etc can do a recursive copy of a
whole drive in one go, but kermit can ..

But how do you get anything (kermit) ON to the PC 1512?

One advantage of going the laplink option is that it allows remote
install so you run it on the new machine, then send it via the serial
link to the old one.

Here is the full procedure including links to download a suitable
version of laplink, and instructions for running the new end in DOSBox
rather than using a DOS boot image directly:

http://www.minuszerodegrees.net/tran...3/laplink3.htm


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

My best guess here is that if the drive is IDE, get a usb to IDE dongle and
psu, and do it that way. I'm fairly certain that windows 10 can still read
old fat discs, as many ram sticks come formatted that way. You may need to
move a jumper on the hard drive if you want to see the drive, Otherwise, I'd
not hold out much hope. I guess you could if they exist or can exist, on
floppies do the same trick with a floppy drive on the win 10 machine, but
they may be too big and you may also lose the will to live. Another thing
is, what is the format of these files? If its really old works or something
like that, I'm not sure if there is any way to open them these days.
Brian

--
--
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Grumps" wrote in message ...
Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files that
I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.

On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:
Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.

So a huge hard disk! I would install the FlashFloppy software on a GoTek
drive. Pop it in instead of the 5.25" floppy and then you can create
floppy images on with the stuff on the hard disk.

If you have serial ports on both machines you could use the old Phil
Karns KA9Q or NET software to make an FTP link but then you would
probably need the flash floppy to get the software onto the PC1512.

Dave

On 07/09/2020 10:23, David Wade wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:
Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.

So a huge hard disk! I would install the FlashFloppy software on a GoTek
drive. Pop it in instead of the 5.25" floppy and then you can create
floppy images on with the stuff on the hard disk.

If you have serial ports on both machines you could use the old Phil
Karns KA9Q or NET software to make an FTP link but then you would
probably need the flash floppy to get the software onto the PC1512.

Dave

Or see if you can find some one local with a machine....
.... and of course none of the software on a PC1512 will work on a 64-bit
windows/10 machine. You will need DOSBOX and possible Windows/3 or some
other 16-bit emulation environment. If its GEM apps you will need this

http://www.deltasoft.com/downloads-gemworld.htm

let me know where you are...

Dave

On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!

You might manage something with Kermit instead of laplink. This provides
transport-independent file-transfer software via serial ports for a wide
variety of hardware platforms.

A copy of MS-DOS Kermit on the Amstrad should be able to talk to Kermit
95 running on Windows 10. Your challenge would be to find some way of
putting a downloaded copy of MS-DOS Kermit on to a suitable floppy
compatible with the Amstrad.

http://www.kermitproject.org/index.html
http://www.kermitproject.org/mskermit.html
http://www.kermitproject.org/k95.html

On Monday, 7 September 2020 11:35:46 UTC+1, Mike Clarke wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!

You might manage something with Kermit instead of laplink. This provides
transport-independent file-transfer software via serial ports for a wide
variety of hardware platforms.

A copy of MS-DOS Kermit on the Amstrad should be able to talk to Kermit
95 running on Windows 10. Your challenge would be to find some way of
putting a downloaded copy of MS-DOS Kermit on to a suitable floppy
compatible with the Amstrad.

http://www.kermitproject.org/index.html
http://www.kermitproject.org/mskermit.html
http://www.kermitproject.org/k95.html

when I moved to pc years ago I found no software to read the file format, and used a text extractor to get everything in plain text. The source machine claimed to be able to convert its files to pc format for export, but when time came to do so it turned out it couldn't.


NT

On 07/09/2020 11:45, wrote:
On Monday, 7 September 2020 11:35:46 UTC+1, Mike Clarke wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are
files that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment -
Win10. The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a
parallel port. The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible
with Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that
the older machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of
the question then!

You might manage something with Kermit instead of laplink. This
provides transport-independent file-transfer software via serial
ports for a wide variety of hardware platforms.

A copy of MS-DOS Kermit on the Amstrad should be able to talk to
Kermit 95 running on Windows 10. Your challenge would be to find
some way of putting a downloaded copy of MS-DOS Kermit on to a
suitable floppy compatible with the Amstrad.

http://www.kermitproject.org/index.html
http://www.kermitproject.org/mskermit.html
http://www.kermitproject.org/k95.html

when I moved to pc years ago I found no software to read the file
format, and used a text extractor to get everything in plain text.
The source machine claimed to be able to convert its files to pc
format for export, but when time came to do so it turned out it
couldn't.

A PC1512 *is* a PC - very cheap and cost reduced in true Amstrad style -
but a PC none the less.

(not to be confused with the 8256 and 8512 Z80 CP/M based word
processors with their "odd" 3" disks, or the home computer CPC range of
machines)


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Monday, 7 September 2020 14:42:48 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 07/09/2020 11:45, tabbypurr wrote:
On Monday, 7 September 2020 11:35:46 UTC+1, Mike Clarke wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:

So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are
files that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment -
Win10. The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a
parallel port. The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible
with Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that
the older machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of
the question then!

You might manage something with Kermit instead of laplink. This
provides transport-independent file-transfer software via serial
ports for a wide variety of hardware platforms.

A copy of MS-DOS Kermit on the Amstrad should be able to talk to
Kermit 95 running on Windows 10. Your challenge would be to find
some way of putting a downloaded copy of MS-DOS Kermit on to a
suitable floppy compatible with the Amstrad.

http://www.kermitproject.org/index.html
http://www.kermitproject.org/mskermit.html
http://www.kermitproject.org/k95.html

when I moved to pc years ago I found no software to read the file
format, and used a text extractor to get everything in plain text.
The source machine claimed to be able to convert its files to pc
format for export, but when time came to do so it turned out it
couldn't.

A PC1512 *is* a PC - very cheap and cost reduced in true Amstrad style -
but a PC none the less.

(not to be confused with the 8256 and 8512 Z80 CP/M based word
processors with their "odd" 3" disks, or the home computer CPC range of
machines)

I never played with the Amstrads. The CP/M Z80 I used had 2x 8" floppies to run a whole network.

I also remember being mightily impressed with a 70M HDD. Couldn't imagine ever filling all that space up. And later 10M networking - what possible use was such wild speed?


NT

On 07/09/2020 21:47, wrote:
On Monday, 7 September 2020 14:42:48 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 07/09/2020 11:45, tabbypurr wrote:
On Monday, 7 September 2020 11:35:46 UTC+1, Mike Clarke wrote:
On 06/09/2020 22:34, Grumps wrote:

So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There
are files that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern
environment - Win10. The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial
port, and a parallel port. The old PC also has Laplink
v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is
compatible with Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me
(online chat) that the older machine has to be Win7 or later.
So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!

You might manage something with Kermit instead of laplink.
This provides transport-independent file-transfer software via
serial ports for a wide variety of hardware platforms.

A copy of MS-DOS Kermit on the Amstrad should be able to talk
to Kermit 95 running on Windows 10. Your challenge would be to
find some way of putting a downloaded copy of MS-DOS Kermit on
to a suitable floppy compatible with the Amstrad.

http://www.kermitproject.org/index.html
http://www.kermitproject.org/mskermit.html
http://www.kermitproject.org/k95.html

when I moved to pc years ago I found no software to read the
file format, and used a text extractor to get everything in plain
text. The source machine claimed to be able to convert its files
to pc format for export, but when time came to do so it turned
out it couldn't.

A PC1512 *is* a PC - very cheap and cost reduced in true Amstrad
style - but a PC none the less.

(not to be confused with the 8256 and 8512 Z80 CP/M based word
processors with their "odd" 3" disks, or the home computer CPC
range of machines)

I never played with the Amstrads. The CP/M Z80 I used had 2x 8"
floppies to run a whole network.

and probably 90kB of storage on each :-)

I also remember being mightily impressed with a 70M HDD. Couldn't
imagine ever filling all that space up. And later 10M networking -
what possible use was such wild speed?

I remember a certain feeling of buyers regret having splashed out for a
storage caddy that held 10x 5.25" floppies. I thought I might have
wasted my money since I could not imagine ever filling it up!


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Grumps wrote:
Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.


You could try another approach.

Instal VBox. This allows you to host another OS on, in say, Win 10.

Use VBox install an old dos (eg 3.3) but with a shared drive on Win 10
machine.

Install lap link on the VBox dos machine. Link the machines, transfer your
files, pop them in the shared drive, where your Win 10 machine has access.

VBox is free.

On 07/09/2020 13:24, Radio Man wrote:
Grumps wrote:
Hi
So I have a really old Amstrad PC1512 with 20MB HDD. There are files
that I'd like to retrieve into a more modern environment - Win10.
The old PC has a 5 1/4" floppy, a serial port, and a parallel port.
The old PC also has Laplink v3.00a.

Is there anything that'll run on a Win10 PC that is compatible with
Laplink? Laplink themselves just told me (online chat) that the older
machine has to be Win7 or later. So DOS3.30 is out of the question then!
Ta.


You could try another approach.

Instal VBox. This allows you to host another OS on, in say, Win 10.

Use VBox install an old dos (eg 3.3) but with a shared drive on Win 10
machine.

Install lap link on the VBox dos machine. Link the machines, transfer your
files, pop them in the shared drive, where your Win 10 machine has access.

VBox is free.

Thanks. Interesting.

And thanks to everyone else and your comments.