Windows 98 / serial / Laplink??

[Twospruces]

Hi,
I have a Pentium 4 box loaded with Windows 98, to act as a tweener.

The W98 box is on my home network, and I want to use it to transfer files from the outside world to my old machines.
I've come across a strange issue and looking for feedback.
The issue relates to serial ports.

I can successfully use serial to communicate between my old XT and W98 box using PROCOMM. No problem, characters back and forth.
If I then switch to Norton Commander on each end point, the old XT and the W98 box again can communicate no problem.

If I take that exact same set of systems, and try to run Laplink (2 or 3), the W98 box fails. It fails regardless of how I run Laplink - in MSDOS mode or from W98 directly.
I get an error message suggesting the COM ports are not available. Laplink tries COM1 , fails, and then tries COM2 and fails.

Very strange!
I'm glad norton commander works, but why might Laplink fail to work?

Another data point. If I boot using DOS 6.22, Laplink fails in the exact same way.

I've checked the BIOS and the serial ports are enabled using the standard ports.
Since it works for PROCOMM and NC, it can't be that the ports are not set up.

any suggestions?

thanks

 

[Agent Orange]

Hi,
I have a Pentium 4 box loaded with Windows 98, to act as a tweener.

The W98 box is on my home network, and I want to use it to transfer files from the outside world to my old machines.
I've come across a strange issue and looking for feedback.
The issue relates to serial ports.

I can successfully use serial to communicate between my old XT and W98 box using PROCOMM. No problem, characters back and forth.
If I then switch to Norton Commander on each end point, the old XT and the W98 box again can communicate no problem.

If I take that exact same set of systems, and try to run Laplink (2 or 3), the W98 box fails. It fails regardless of how I run Laplink - in MSDOS mode or from W98 directly.
I get an error message suggesting the COM ports are not available. Laplink tries COM1 , fails, and then tries COM2 and fails.

Very strange!
I'm glad norton commander works, but why might Laplink fail to work?

Another data point. If I boot using DOS 6.22, Laplink fails in the exact same way.

I've checked the BIOS and the serial ports are enabled using the standard ports.
Since it works for PROCOMM and NC, it can't be that the ports are not set up.

any suggestions?

thanks

I used to use lap link. I would be checking out the lap link cables.

 

[jafir]

Perhaps your cable isn't wired for hardware handshaking and the programs that are working are using software flow control?

 

[Twospruces]

the cable is known good; it works with norton commander! so, that's not it.
I started to remember that Laplink does not like to run on fast machines.
I've been trying various "slowdown" solutions but none have solved the problem just yet.

Laplink can't "find" the serial ports at all, so there must be something deeper here about Laplink uses the serial ports. Procomm terminal program works! Norton Commander works!

 

[krebizfan]

Is either Procomm or Norton loading a TSR that grabs the port?

 

[Agent Orange]

Also, you may want to ensure your lap ling software is compatible. Is there anyway you can check it out on a different system"

 

[modem7]

If I take that exact same set of systems, and try to run Laplink (2 or 3), the W98 box fails. It fails regardless of how I run Laplink - in MSDOS mode or from W98 directly.

What if you boot to a DOS boot diskette (which from memory, is not the same as 'real' DOS) ?

 

[Twospruces]

Good question.
I have msdos 3.3, 5.0 and 6.22. All show basically the same behavior.

I boot from a floppy, then try to run laplink from floppy. No go. Can't connect.

I've also tried to "slow down' the processor using various software solutions. They don't change the basic issue.

Thanks...

 

[modem7]

I boot from a floppy, then try to run laplink from floppy. No go. Can't connect.

Before, you wrote, "I get an error message suggesting the COM ports are not available." What you have just written ("Can't connect") suggests a different error message this time. Correct? What exactly is the error message?

 

[Twospruces]

Hi,
Sometimes I run laplink and I get an actual error message from laplink. I don't recall the exact words, but along the lines of
Tring com1, can't access port. Switching to com2.
Can't access port, switching to local.

Sometimes laplike just hangs.

Sometimes, laplink manages to start up , but it is unable to to link up to the other pc.

So the failure mode varies a bit.

 

[modem7]

So the failure mode varies a bit.

I've also tried to "slow down' the processor using various software solutions. They don't change the basic issue.

Presumably you read what I put at [here].

Old versions of LapLink running on a modern PC ended up being too 'iffy' for me. FastLynx 3.3 was the replacement answer. And the Windows component of FastLynx 3.3 is supported on Windows 98.