#AREAD/WRITE problems
24 messages in this thread
I'm having trouble getting AREAD and AWRITE to work.
Is there any special installation/setup I need to do besides running PCDISK
(I do it from the CLI) prior to attempting to user AREAD/AWRITE?
As soon as I execute an AREAD or AWRITE command the PC side locks up,
fortunately a CTRL-ALT-DEL works but no file xfer.
Are there any other utils that'll do the same for me. It's rather
necessary I get this working.
I've only had my BB for about 5 days so I'm still learning.
Brent,
Are you typing COMPLETE pathnames? I.E., say you want to transfer a
file called MY.FILE on the Amiga disk DF0: to PC disk A:. The proper
commands would be such:
AREAD DF0:MY.FILE A:MY.FILE
You must have PCDisk running (which it sounds like you do) and of
course have the AREAD and AWRITE commands on your boot disk on the PC side,
be it floppy or hard.
J.R.
Yes, I do use full pathnames (with both commands) and I surely have PCDisk
runningg (I checked to make sure it was running as a process with the
STATUS command in AmigaDOS). And I'm sure the AREAD & AWRITE commands are
there or else the computer wouldn't lock up, it would say "Bad command or
file name".
Thanks for checking my steps though, Brent
Brent,
You surely have a strange problem, then. I have had no problem
using the "A" commands…is it possible you are using them backwards? (Just
a thought, I'm sure you already triple-checked THAT one…)
J.R.
Brent,
Sounds like you're mixing some older software with the newer
software. Did you buy the BridgeBoard new…or used? If used, did the old
owner give you the original disks?
If new, did the dealer give you the new Janus 2.0 software package
including the new Janus MS-DOS utility commands such as AREAD and AWRITE?
Don
I bought my BB used from a gentleman that said it was only about 3 months
old. He was fairly certain that I had the latest version of all software
but admitted that he had never tried to do "intersystem" transfers (ie:
AREAD/AWRITE). I have the original disks (GW-BASIC, MS-DOS 3.2 & Amiga
2088 Software for PC Bridgeboard) here but they don't have any kind of
revision numbers on them (besides MS-DOS 3.2 of course) so I'm not sure
what version of software I have.
Yet this may help: At boot up I get Bios Rev. 3.4, Janus Handler Version
2.63, Janus Library Version 3.31. Should I try to get newer versions of
these disks. It is rather important for me to go from Ami to IBM (w/o
jumping through modem hoops etc.)
Thank you, (Perplexed) -Brent
I have BIOS 3.6, but have the same Janus numbers as yours.
AREAD and AWRITE work just fine for me, following the syntax in the
manuals.
My original disks have :
boot disk v2.0, ms-dos 3.3
janus utility disk v2.0
SYSTEM DISK V2.0 (MS-DOS 3.3 and GWBASIC 3.22.
These came with my AT bridgeboard which was purchased in February of this
year.
Betty
It looks like I don't have version 2.0 of the software. You said it came
came with your AT Bridgeboard, does this mean that I can just run down to
my local dealer and pick up the newest version of the software? OR is it
"illegal" to have version 2.0 w/o an AT Bridgeboard. I should hope not but
I've seen Commodore do less friendly things in the past.
Thank you, -Brent
Your local dealer should have the Janus 2 package, and it should cost you
somewhere in the vicinity of $35-40. It will include the three disks I
listed and a nice little manual that is very helpful.
Betty
Sounds like you've got Janus 2 on the Ami side and Janus 1 on the bb side.
2 came with DOS 3.3.
Ron
> Sounds like you've got Janus 2 on the Ami side and Janus 1 on the bb
side.
How did you come to this conclusion?
-Brent
Brent…
Do you have DEVICE = JDISK.SYS in your CONFIG.SYS file? (It should include
the path, e.g. DEVICE = \JANUS\JDISK.SYS.
Marion
CROSSINGS (bridgeboard newsletter)
I have JDISK.SYS fully "pathed" as a device in my config.sys file as you
described.
I must have buggy software or hardware somewhere because I've done EVERY
little thing by the book. I took my original 1.3 WB disk (never been
modified since I bought it), made a copy, installed the BB stuff on it with
the normal BB install icon, booted up with this newly created BB boot disk,
clicked on the PCDisk Icon (interestingly enough, I've opened a Shell at
this point to see if PCDisk was running as a process and strangely it WAS
NOT, couldn't even get it to show up with STATUS if I did run PCDisk from
CLI), open the color PCWindow, which brings me write to an MS-DOS command
line because the BB boots due to commands in the WB startup-seq, I type
AWRITE c:\autoexec.bat dh0:autoexec.bat and wham! Ami locks up!
Mr. Troy keeps suggesting that I have a different version of Janus on Ami
side that on IBM side but these are the original disks that the original
owner gave me (with no mension of software upgrades, I have yet to receive
a reply from him concerning software version questions) but I should think
if the commands were included on the first version of the software they
should work. So many other people say they've had no problems at all.
Betty Clay referred me to some utils in the DL's but each one merely builds
on the AREAD/AWRITE commands, none actually replace them. I'm so
frustrated! Thanks for the tips.
-Brent
(please excuse all the incorrect spelling 🙂
Brent,
Look on my MS-DOS disks, these should be the filesizes of the
MS-DOS Amiga related command files:
amouse.com 7058
amouse.drv 2101
amousex.drv 2101
aread.exe 19678
atime.exe 18296
awrite.exe 29974
jlink.com 3636
jdisk.sys 1829
adisk.com 5410
The Janus 2.0 utilities came on a separate disk (5.25" floppy) and
the root directory of that disk simply has a JANUS subdirectory on it. The
above is the contents of that subdirectory.
As to the Amiga side software, in the directory SYS:PC you should
find (among other things) a file called AMouse and another called PCHard.
If you have those files, you more than likely have the newer Janus software
on the Amiga side (since those files weren't included with the Janus 1.0
software).
Don
> The Janus 2.0 utilities came on a separate disk (5.25" floppy)
and the > root directory of that disk simply has a JANUS subdirectory on
it. The above > is the contents of that subdirectory.
I don't have the files that you said came on the Janus 2.0 5.25" utils
disk. But it looks like I do have the Janus 2.0 files for the Amiga SYS:PC
directory. I better talk to the guy who I got this from and find out how
this happened! Sure am glad I've got a solid reason why this (maybe) won't
work 🙂
Thanks, -Brent
Brent,
Exactly…you've apparently got the old MS-DOS Janus utilities and
that's what's causing your problem. The MS-DOS came on 3 disks. The first
2 were MS-DOS and related files. The 3rd disk was the Janus related
software and that's what you need to get things running right.
The Amiga side software came on a single AmigaDOS 3.5" floppy and
you apparently have that.
If all else fails, your Amiga dealer should be able to supply you
wiht the Janus 2.0 upgrade pack. It includes the new software for both
sides, and if memory serves me correclty, also MS-DOS 3.3 (but everything
works fine under MS-DOS 3.2).
Don
Then I guess that's what I'll do (ASAP no less!) thanks for spelunking
'till we got to the bottom of things. I'll be a happy camper when she's
running smoothly again.
-Brent
Brent,
Oh…I forgot to mention. You can't "mix" the older and the newer
Janus software. In particular, what is happening to you (lock up) is
typical of having the newer Janus software on the Amiga side, and the older
Janus software on the MS-DOS side.
They (Commodore) made some fairly major changes between the two
versions of the Janus software and thus the incompatabilities.
Oh yes, and they work fine under either MS-DOS 3.2 or 3.3
Don
My 2088BB still doesnt work also, but I got over the problem I think you
are having..
First makesure your address is the default (D0000) in your PC PREFS
(if you changed it reboot the amiga.!)
Load your Color PC window, then drag it out of the way and click on PC DISK
icon twice (make sure you see the workbench memory change, so you are sure
it loaded)..
Now aread & awrite should work…… If not, then disreagard this
message!
–Alan
hmmm…
Your the first person that's led me down this "path". I examined my
PCPrefs and they had been set to E000 (which is where I believe someone
else told me to leave them be, I will however change and reboot as soon as
I'm done with this reply 🙂 In addition, I was never quite sure when
PCDisk should be loaded either. Thanks for the tips, I give them a try. It
also seems to be the case that I have old BB software on the IBM side but
new softwareon the Amiga side.
The plot thickens… -Brent
Brent …
Also, you might try this:
Delete any sys:PC/System/Sidecarsettings.table file that already exists on
the Amiga side, then open the Bridgeboard and save your menu settings. This
creates a new Sidecarsettings.table. Reboot and try AREAD/AWRITE.
This is really a fix for other problems, but I found it solved my PCDisk
problems too.
Marion
CROSSINGS
Marion,
The SideCarSettings.table file would have nothing to do with AREAD
and/or AWRITE not working. SideCarSettings.table deals with the display
mainly. Since he can type the commands…his window is "working".
More than likely, the problem is mixing the old and the new Janus
software. His problem as he describes it is typical of that situation.
Don
Don…
I can only repeat what I've mentioned before…that I had problems getting
PCDisk to work consistently – it was hanging up exactly as Brent's is – and
it was solved completely when I saved a new SIDECARSETTINGS.TABLE.
I agree it doesn't make sense, but it worked. And no, I didn't make any
other changes at the time.
I read Brent's messages carefully, and he seems to have the old software on
both sides.
Marion