Ok gurus - How to get data from dos system to XP.

[waltinvt]

This has been an ongoing situation that I'd really like to rectify. I've been doing my drafting work on Autocad since mid 80s and still use a Dos workstation with Acad R-12 for my main production work (because it's much faster and more efficient).

However I do have to move my drawing (dwg) files to my XP system where I load (up-convert) them into a newer version of Autocad and sometimes convert them to pdfs before I email them to clients. My average dwg is between 150 and 500kb and most of the time I'm transferring one or two floppys worth at any given time. Of course that's the bottle neck - saving to floppys and then loading into a new system.

The older version of Autocad will not work on the XP system and the Dos system apparently can't be networked to it. I'd be happy if I could figure out a way to use an external HHD or thumbdrive.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Just a thought, and this will require cracking open the box, but could you just disconnect the hard drive from the DOS system (I am assuming it is IDE) and just slave it to the XP machine; then copy the files from the hard drive to the new machine?

But I would not do it until someone else here confirmed that it would work. But I guess the only question I have is whether or not XP can read the old 16bit FAT drives. But I can't imagine why it couldn't..

 

[Neutron]

I was going to suggest the same thing.

Windows XP will read FAT16 provided you aren't using a 64-bit version of XP.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Thanks Jason!

BUT Walt - make sure you check to see if the DOS drive is set as slave or master. If it is Master (probably) and you slave it to the XP machine's drive, then you'll need to switcht he dipswitch to slave.

 

[waltinvt]

Me thinks I wasn't too clear. I know I could do that if I just wanted to occasionally retrieve some files. What I'm talking about is on a daily / weekly basis, depending on what I'm drawing up.

Say I draw up a steel stair to submit for approval. Maybe 10 dwg files for a total of roughly 2 MB. Currently I have to save the 10 files to a couple of floppy disks to transfer them to my XP computer for final processing and email.

It's the saving to and unloading from a floppy that takes so long. If I was networked or could any kind of a usb device, it would help.

 

[diogen]

...the Dos system apparently can't be networked ...

This is not as straightforward as in a Windows system, but is doable.
Find an old 3Com EtherLink 509 network card (ISA) and connect the DOS box to the Windows system using a crossover Cat5 cable or a router if you use one. Create a partition on the Windows system with write permissions from the DOS box and you are set.

Diogen.

 

[teamlazyboy]

setup an FTP server on your xp machine and ftp to it from your dos box...you might need to google a little to get the software but that should work just fine

edit::

DOS based FTP
The DOS FTP Client

Free FTP servers for XP
Free Ftp Servers downloads

 

[RandallA]

Walt,

I have some old 3Com Etherlink 509 cards that I can give to you if you pay the shipping, PM me. The only problem will be finding the DOS drivers for that card, I may have them somewhere in one of our servers but see if you can find them in the 3Com site.

This is what I got:

3C900
3C900B
3C905C
3C590

All PCI cards but if you can find the DOS drivers, I can send them to you.

 

[LER]

from the wierd side:

Can you P2V (Physical-to-Virtual) the Dos machine, and run it in VMWare Server or something, and then use VMWare tools or whatever to access the disk?

 

[rglore]

I had a similar setup at work. I used the dos version of Laplink on both machines and connected the two with the parallel or serial port cable. Made managing dos files between boxes a piece of cake. I couldn't use an ethernet card because the drivers used memory that my dos applications required.

 

[RandallA]

I had a similar setup at work. I used the dos version of Laplink on both machines and connected the two with the parallel or serial port cable. Made managing dos files a piece of cake.

Good suggestion, I remember Laplink and it does the job through the parallel or serial port.

 

[waltinvt]

That sounds like the best suggestion for my situation as my autocad can't afford to loose any memory.

And thanks to all the rest of you too for your suggestions. My biggest problem is that autocad Release 12 for Dos uses what's called a "par-lap" extender which apparently is not compatible with the newer windows - otherwise I'd just install my autocad in a dos window on my XP machine.

There are some that claim dual boot dos / windows setups that support autocad but it's way over my head and besides, if I have to reboot (twice) everytime I want to transfer files, I'd be further ahead just staying with using floppys.

Where do I find this "Laplink" ?

 

[RandallA]

Try here:

Laplink® Software - Official Site - The global leader in PC connectivity software

 

[waltinvt]

I just went to the Laplink site and they list it as compatible only back to Win 95 - no dos or Win 3.1 listed.

 

[digiblur]

It can be networked in... I have a USB stick with an automated boot up to DOS that binds to the network and starts my backup of my laptop, all from DOS.

I haven't found a network adapter yet at work that doesn't have a DOS driver for it.

 

[RandallA]

I just went to the Laplink site and they list it as compatible only back to Win 95 - no dos or Win 3.1 listed.

I would contact their Tech Support and see if they have an older version for DOS. I know there is one but it's been over 10+ years since I used Laplink.

 

[waltinvt]

From LapLink :

SUMMARY
I need to connect a computer running in DOS to a computer running in Windows. What version of LapLink do I use?

SOLUTION
Laplink V for DOS is used for computers that cannot boot to Windows. However, this version of Laplink will not install when running Windows. Furthermore, LapLink V/DOS does not connect to any other version of LapLink running in Windows. The Windows command prompt (virtual DOS machine) is not a substitute for DOS.

Instead, you must install and run LapLink V/DOS on both computers. See Technical Document 718: How to Install and Use LapLink V/DOS to Rescue Data from a Computer for more information.

Doc 718 is all about making boot disks and rebooting, etc, so it doesn't sound like it would save me any time even if I did get it to work.

Geesh, if one can pop a floppy into a dos machine to copy files and then pop it into an XP machine to download those files, why can't there be a simple way to do that on a more permanent basis with a cable. I'm probably really displaying my ignorance now.

 

[waltinvt]

It can be networked in... I have a USB stick with an automated boot up to DOS that binds to the network and starts my backup of my laptop, all from DOS.

I haven't found a network adapter yet at work that doesn't have a DOS driver for it.

My XP system has an:

Attansic L1 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T Adapter

My dos 6.2 system currently has no network card at all but I did find a Linksys etherfast 10/100 Lan card model # LNE100TX version 4.1 in a box of parts. Will this work and how much memory will it take from my autocad program?

 

[iwc5893]

I've actually used Laplink III on an XP machine with no problems. The nice thing about it is that it is only one file so you don't have to do an install on either machine. Just copy it and run it.

 

[Smith P.]

My XP system has an:

Attansic L1 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T Adapter

My dos 6.2 system currently has no network card at all but I did find a Linksys etherfast 10/100 Lan card model # LNE100TX version 4.1 in a box of parts. Will this work and how much memory will it take from my autocad program?

If you have free and right slot in the DOS PC.
I would say 50KB for driver and TCP/IP stack. Use packet driver.