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Program to Transfer Files from Modern Machine to PC

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Great Hierophant

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Now that I know that my 20MB ST-225 hard drive works properly on my IBM PC 5150, I want to put files on it. My main computer is a modern system using the XP operating system. I have a 8250-based Serial Card and a unidirectional Parallel Card on the PC side and the XP system also has a Serial and Parallel Port. Is there a program I can use to transfer files directly from one to the other?
 
My friend used to run XP and I put a handful of DOS utilities on there and they seemed to run just fine. I haven't tried it, but it would seem reasonable that the interlnk.exe program from MS-DOS 6.* would run. Since it needs to access the hardware directly, perhaps not, but it's worth a try. If you're not familiar with it, there's a refresher on my recent post here.
 
You can use:
1. On the modern PC, the HyperTerminal program supplied with XP.
2. On the old DOS based PC, a DOS program such as Telix.
3. Connect the PCs using a null-modem cable (Tx and Rx swapped, with ground line).

In HyperTerminal, set Flow Control to 'None'.
Set both programs to common serial parameters (e.g. 2400,N,8,1)
You then transfer the files specifying a protocol such as Zmodem. Zmodem is good because you can send multiple files in a single transfer operation.

Telix (DOS version) is at http://members.dodo.com.au/~slappanel555/software.htm

I've used this technique before but it is slow. I instead utilise an intermediate computer, one that has both 3.5" and 5.25" drives.
 
Filelink.exe from DRDOS should work over the serial line (parallel's faster but it's not reliable if the two computers run at very different speeds).
 
XP Dos file transfer

XP Dos file transfer

Well, this is a bit clunky, but if you can lay your hands on a parallel-port Iomega Zip drive, Iomega has a driver for parallel-port drives on XP, and then you can just swap the drive between pc's.
Interlnk, unfortunately, won't work. I don't think the version of DOS that XP emulates supports the neccessary int 21 calls to let interlnk work.
Hope this helps

patscc
 
I use LapLink 3 on my XT, however it doesn't really seem to like fast PCs. I usually LapLink it to my 486 DX4-100 de-turbo'd down to 33MHz, which I then use to transfer over the network. Works great :)
 
Re: Program to Transfer Files from Modern Machine to PC

Just out of curiosity, you don't happen to have a network adapter in it or for it, do you ?
patscc
 
The parallel port Zip drive is a great idea. There are other parallel port storage devices that will work as well. (Floppy drives, IDE hard drives and even Compact Flash adapters.)

SCSI devices can be put on the parallel port too, which opens up even more possibilities. You need an adapter like the Adaptec 3xx series to do that.

Lastly, for the best speed I would find a parallel port to Ethernet adapter and use netcat or FTP. The Xircom PE3-10BT has a good packet driver and works with all of the older DOS networking software. Unlike other network adapters, it hangs off the parallel port so it is easily portable. With a single floppy disk and the adapter you can have a high performance file transfer solution that blows the doors off of the serial port, and is far more reliable.
 
Lastly, for the best speed I would find a parallel port to Ethernet adapter and use netcat or FTP. The Xircom PE3-10BT has a good packet driver and works with all of the older DOS networking software. Unlike other network adapters, it hangs off the parallel port so it is easily portable. With a single floppy disk and the adapter you can have a high performance file transfer solution that blows the doors off of the serial port, and is far more reliable.
Click to expand...

But would it work with a unidirectional parallel port, or does it require a bidirectional port? Also, would this essentially allow the PC to run programs directly off the modern machine?
 
Zip & Other on unidirectional parallel port

Zip & Other on unidirectional parallel port

Typically works. A unidirectional pp isn't really unidirectional, it just doesn't transfer data on the data lines. Most drivers for zips,nics, and other stuff on the pp sort of cheat, and if it's a unidirectional pp use the communication lines to transfer data, so basically what you get is 8-bit transfer to the device, but only 4-bit transfer FROM the device.

If you set up your network properly, sure. The DOS client can be found here. ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/clients/msclient/
You'd also need to ensure that your XP box accepts LM passwords. On XP, this would be Local Security Settings->Local Policies->Security Options->Network Security: LAN Manager authentication level.
It can be a bit of a chore, though.
patscc
 
The best way I've found to transfer files is to use a Backpack CDRom
which attaches to the parallel port on my 5150/5160. I keep all my
files for the older PC's on a couple of CD's.
 
I've been meaning to put my DOS collection on CD. That sounds like a quick way to build up a new system. I guess it's a matter of habit. Having gotten used to interlink which is quite fast for DOS sized files, I usually don't put a screen and keyboard on a new box until I've got it set up. Part of my procedure is refining my setup from box to box. Otherwise one could have a complete system on CD and just transfer it in one fell swoop. Actually come to think of it, that would work in any case. Like I said, preferences are much a matter of habit.
 
Great Hierophant said:
But would it work with a unidirectional parallel port, or does it require a bidirectional port? Also, would this essentially allow the PC to run programs directly off the modern machine?
Click to expand...

The Xircom adapter works fine on the standard parallel printer port that IBM shipped with the original PC. Obviously bi-directional, EPP and ECP are faster, but even the most simple parallel port work work.

Most parallel port devices will detect the presence of a standard, bidirectional, EPP or ECP parallel port and use what is appropriate automatically.


Mike
 
Great Hierophant said:
Now that I know that my 20MB ST-225 hard drive works properly on my IBM PC 5150, I want to put files on it. My main computer is a modern system using the XP operating system. I have a 8250-based Serial Card and a unidirectional Parallel Card on the PC side and the XP system also has a Serial and Parallel Port. Is there a program I can use to transfer files directly from one to the other?
Click to expand...

Before I had network cards with packet drivers in my classic PCs, I used to use FastLynx with a parallel-port cable (or serial if I couldn't find one). I even had marginal/spotty success running FastLynx from a DOS window in XP, but for very large files and a very impatient user I would reboot to DOS (my modern machine's drive has multiple partitions) and do the transfer.
 
Terry Yager said:
One glaring exception being the aforementioned Trantor/Adaptec SCSI adapter, which requires EPP, IIRC.

--T
Click to expand...

Not true.

There were three adapters in the series - the 338, 348, and 358. All of the adapters will work on a bi-directional parallel port, and probably a standard parallel port too. The later adapters will work better with EPP and ECP, but that is not a requirement.
 
Confusion

Confusion

Confucious say...
Iomega had something called the Traveller it used to ship with some Jazz drives which is essentially a parallel port to fast-scsi adapter to let you run the Jazz drives off a pp. I wanna say it didn't work on unidirectional, but I'm not sure. I've got one around here somewhere...
patscc
 
patscc said:
Confucious say...
Iomega had something called the Traveller it used to ship with some Jazz drives which is essentially a parallel port to fast-scsi adapter to let you run the Jazz drives off a pp. I wanna say it didn't work on unidirectional, but I'm not sure. I've got one around here somewhere...
patscc
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have one of those little suckers too, along with the cable and I'm pretty sure that it didn't work. I recall the software bitchen about it.
 
Terry Yager said:
One glaring exception being the aforementioned Trantor/Adaptec SCSI adapter, which requires EPP, IIRC.
Click to expand...

I don't think that's a requirement, with either the 348 or 358, Terry. At least I've run it on systems with the old legacy port (not even bidirectional PS/2-style).

Same goes for Microsolutions Backpack drives--they work fine on legacy parallel ports.
 
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