I have a bit of a bias, but for me the solution is clearly networking:
- FTP provides a standard way to move files around from a variety of systems On DOS you can use either an FTP client or server.
- HTGet lets you download a file over HTTP from a web server.
- SAMBA works if you want Microsoft-style file sharing, although it eats a lot of RAM.
- EtherDFS does file-level sharing that is lighter than SAMBA
- mTCP NetDrive is less about file movement and more about adding storage to a machine over the network.
Just for clarification what isa tousb board are you referring to?
Make sure to use FreddyV driver at https://github.com/FreddyVRetro/CH375-USB-DRIVER instead of the driver provided on the discI ordered the USB adapter yesterday and I picked up last in stock NIC from Tindie. Thanks for the heads up!
By the way, for those who need a 3d-printed slot cover for their CH375 card: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6204804ISA card to U disk Industrial Control Card ISA to USB Computer Expansion Cards | eBay
Support hot swappable U disk, easy to use, U disk can only be plugged in when needed. It is used to back up important data to the industrial computer / embedded system.www.ebay.com
Fwiw, here is what I do.
I have a tweener PC running W98 that is able to run laplink via Parallel. The tweener has a network share that allows Laplink to access files from my main storage. The tweener also has old floppy drives if needed.
For me, it's a 2Mb machine, so I tried an 8 bit card, but WFW doesn't like 2Mb of memory and won't run up far enough to connect the network and run windows. Otherwise that would have been my plan.
Then I realized I am very unlikely to find a larger computer since even a 386sx/2Mb has huge specs compared to the rest of my collection.... But it is crippled with a plasma display, so it's quirky enough to fit my tastes.
I could serial-network, but would need to implement a SLIP line to my server, which while a long term objective isn't something I've implemented yet.
Now I'm looking towards some XT era tech, and got the ZIP, which works OK, but is a pain to move files from floppy to zip... Let alone if I needed to back up a zip disk.
So the USB suggestion earlier is a great one.
I've never done this myself, I only use it with FreddyV's driver loaded from config.sys, but it seems that it can be done with a specific BIOS ROM:Can this card boot from USB?
I'm having trouble understanding this. If it's a 2MB machine then don't run Windows on it. But an 8 bit Ethernet card is an entirely orthogonal matter, and DOS networking code will work fine in 256K. (And even better, depending on what you use it's only in memory while you use it.)
I've never done this myself, I only use it with FreddyV's driver loaded from config.sys, but it seems that it can be done with a specific BIOS ROM:
Can this card boot from USB?
I would recommend using HakFoo's BOOT ROM BIOS for booting from USB Flash drive, https://gitlab.com/hakfoo1/ch37x-biosI've never done this myself, I only use it with FreddyV's driver loaded from config.sys, but it seems that it can be done with a specific BIOS ROM:
It's a pre-ESDI dual cable.... (separate data and control cables)Small file floppy drive, larger files Ethernet or ZIP drive. I find burning CDs just for moving files wasteful. You can also just pull the HD and use an IDE dock to move files.
I tried running network under DOS, but couldn't get TCP/IP running at all, and none of the machines I have could see it under MS network, though that could be either because I didn't set it up right, or because windows10 has a user identity fetish so that Microsoft can more accurately sell your data to people who shouldn't have it. Installing network drivers under windows was no problem, but windows would bomb out when I tried to run it so I could configure the network.
Are there any websites that detail the process of getting an older card up and running? I'm somewhat familiar with command line net configuration, but it's been so long since I did it, and there is so little instruction available to check it would be great to see how others have done this. Better still if I can get it running with an IP stack under DOS without having to run windows to configure it.
Thanks
David
3C589PD.COM 0x60 5 0x300
DHCP
FTPSRV
I would recommend using HakFoo's BOOT ROM BIOS for booting from USB Flash drive, https://gitlab.com/hakfoo1/ch37x-bios
NOTE: A long time back the Chinese ISA-USB card was being tested by some members of this forum and it was found that the ' BOOT ROM socket ' did not work in some cards.
I think you are over-complicating it.
FreddyV's DOS driver's work well, Much better than the Chinese driver. https://github.com/FreddyVRetro/CH375-USB-DRIVERYeah I figured out I'll need to flash and put in a ROM.
Good to know venues exist. Right now I'll use it as a supplement to move files.