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Re: Parallel port cables

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Clocky <notgonna@happen.com> wrote:
> Good ol' laplink. I set up Windows 95 on a IBM PS/2 386SX16 with 4MB RAM 
> once over a laplink connection (no disks, no CD and not enough HDD space 
> to transfer the install files to the HDD and install from there and the 
> drive was incompatible with the other system).
> 
> It worked, and yes, Windows ran on that configuration.
> Just.

  I did a similar thing. My old desktop/towers (386DX/486/Pentium)
didn't have a CD-*writer* (and for some reason, I couldn't get
networking to work). I used the 'Laplink' cable to transfer everything
to a small Windows 95 laptop, which could be network-connected and that
way, I could copy everything to my XP laptop, which did have a
CD-writer. Just yesterday, I browsed the CD which I burned! The content
of all three systems on *one* CD! :-)

[...]

> > [1] That's why I keep my - somewhat broken - XP laptop, so I can still
> > read 3.5" diskettes. (Yes, I know I could buy a new drive with USB.)
> 
> I keep a an old PC for that reason and have 5.25", and DD and HD floppy 
> drives. I rarely use them but they come in handy when recovering 
> software/files. The last time I used it was with a 360kb drive to read 
> some TRS-80 Model 1 disks if memory serves.

  I also still have PCs with 3.5" and 5.25" diskette/floppy drives, but
am about to toss them after recovering some 5.25" floppys. The strange
thing is that the two 5.25" drives in two systems aren't recognized (as
drive B:) but all (four in 4 systems) 3.5" drives are recognized (as:
drive A:). I've swapped everything around, but can't find what's wrong.
The spindles rotate when the floppys are inserted, but the drive access
light doesn't light up.

  Then I remembered that very old systems need DRIVPARM or DRIVER.SYS,
but these systems are - only the MS_DOS part of - Windows 95.

  Anyway, this is another 'project' for when I've some more time and
space.

> USB drives aren't much chop for that because the controller can't be 
> accessed directly by the PC and the drives are generally not 
> configurable and only read one format. Neither one I have will even read 
> or format a DD disk and there isn't a way to connect a 5.25" floppy.

  I still have two 3.5" diskette drives with a parallel connector which
I can use on my old (somewhat crippled) XP laptop. Such drives can
handle (MF2)DD and I just formatted some of these for the MSX computers
which I just 'sold'.

  It's fun fiddling with and talking about this old stuff. Mostly
totally useless, but fun! :-)

[...]

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Parallel port cables Stubbo of Oz <stubbo@invalid.invalid> - 2016-03-11 10:37 +1100
  Re: Parallel port cables "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-03-11 11:07 +1100
  Re: Parallel port cables Xeno <xenolith@optusnet.com.au> - 2016-03-11 16:12 +1100
    Re: Parallel port cables SolomonW <SolomonW@citi.com> - 2016-03-11 19:32 +1100
      Re: Parallel port cables Xeno <xenolith@optusnet.com.au> - 2016-03-11 23:09 +1100
  Re: Parallel port cables not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2016-03-12 00:56 +0000
    Re: Parallel port cables Xeno <xenolith@optusnet.com.au> - 2016-03-12 14:52 +1100
  Re: Parallel port cables hereford <takecarebeware@gmail.com> - 2016-03-18 23:03 +1100
    Re: Parallel port cables Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2016-03-18 20:54 +0000
      Re: Parallel port cables Clocky <notgonna@happen.com> - 2016-03-20 14:41 +0800
        Re: Parallel port cables Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2016-03-20 09:15 +0000
          Re: Parallel port cables Clocky <notgonna@happen.com> - 2016-03-21 07:46 +0800
            Re: Parallel port cables "SG1" <lost@the.races.com> - 2016-03-21 10:15 +1000
            Re: Parallel port cables Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2016-03-21 19:01 +0000
              Re: Parallel port cables Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2016-03-26 18:23 +0000
                Re: Parallel port cables Clocky <notgonna@happen.com> - 2016-03-27 08:45 +0800
                Re: Parallel port cables Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2016-04-09 17:18 +0000
      Re: Parallel port cables hereford <takecarebeware@gmail.com> - 2016-04-10 00:52 +1000
        Re: Parallel port cables Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2016-04-09 15:30 +0000
          Re: Parallel port cables Xeno <xenolith@optusnet.com.au> - 2016-04-10 11:34 +1000
            Re: Parallel port cables Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2016-04-10 10:21 +0000
      Re: Parallel port cables felix <me@nothere.invalid> - 2016-04-10 09:26 +1000
        Re: Parallel port cables Xeno <xenolith@optusnet.com.au> - 2016-04-10 11:30 +1000
          Re: Parallel port cables not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2016-04-10 01:46 +0000
            Re: Parallel port cables Xeno <xenolith@optusnet.com.au> - 2016-04-10 15:11 +1000
              Re: Parallel port cables not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2016-04-10 09:09 +0000
                Re: Parallel port cables Xeno <xenolith@optusnet.com.au> - 2016-04-10 20:00 +1000
            Re: Parallel port cables felix <me@nothere.invalid> - 2016-04-10 15:59 +1000
          Re: Parallel port cables felix <me@nothere.invalid> - 2016-04-10 12:32 +1000

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