Amiga word processing

8Bit, 16bit, Atari, Commodore, Apple, Spectrum, Acorn, TSR. All now defunked computer systems.

Amiga word processing

Postby pat.ward69 » Fri Oct 17, 2014 5:26 pm

Hi everyone,

A while back my dad died. He used to be an avid user of a Commodore Amiga in the early '90s. I'm in the process of trying to recover old word processor files (probably in Wordperfect) from 3.5 floppy disks, and have downloaded the WIN UAE emulator to help with this. It seems to be up and running with a compatible ROM set, but all I get is a screen telling me to put a blue disc in the drive.

I'm not very tech savvy (but can find my way around eventually). Do any of you guys have any advice about emulating an old Amiga and opening Wordperect files with an aging Vista PC (good processor and graphics card, tho...)

:thankyou: from Pat69
User avatar
pat.ward69
Next LVL Up at : 5
Next LVL Up at : 5
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 2:19 pm
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 1 time
Fav System: PS3

Re: Amiga word processing

Postby Hot Trout » Sat Oct 18, 2014 9:45 am

Yes is the answer and wow i now feel old because I also used the Amiga in the 80s to wordprocess.

If you are seeing a blue screen with a hand holding a disk then you must have correctly setup the emulator with a bios. You need to download the wordprocessor used by your dad to create his files. Then tell the emulator to load this file (adf format) as a disk in df0 during bootup.

This should get you into the word processor.

To get the data from the physical disks to your pc will require a floppy interface for usb. I dnt have one but they are available.

Guys, could you step in and help this user take this further. I am out of the country at present and not able to do much more.
Webmaster, Admin, Amiga Fan, Retro Gamer and Collector
Image
Image

Image
Click the banner to Join us on Discord
User avatar
Hot Trout
Unlimited Member
Unlimited Member
Next LVL Up at : 3650
Next LVL Up at : 3650
 
Posts: 3647
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 6:42 pm
Location: UK
Has thanked: 2233 times
Been thanked: 1955 times
Fav System: Amiga
Steam ID: hot_trout

Re: Amiga word processing

Postby PMJPlay » Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:19 am

Have a look at the following FAQ...
Code: Select all
http://www.lemonamiga.com/help/faq_crossplatform.php
User avatar
PMJPlay
Curator
Curator
Next LVL Up at : 1250
Next LVL Up at : 1250
 
Posts: 1240
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:25 am
Location: Australia
Has thanked: 1525 times
Been thanked: 1501 times

Re: Amiga word processing

Postby pat.ward69 » Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:24 pm

Thanks very much for your help. I will give your suggestions a go!

Best regards (and thanks again)

Pat :thankyou:
User avatar
pat.ward69
Next LVL Up at : 5
Next LVL Up at : 5
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 2:19 pm
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 1 time
Fav System: PS3

Re: Amiga word processing

Postby pat.ward69 » Tue Oct 21, 2014 1:55 pm

OK, thanks to you guys, I got an Amiga emulator going on Windows, with WordPerfect 5 running in DF0 and DF1 slots (adf files).

Maybe I'm being a bit dense, but how can I get the Amiga bench to 'see' the USB 3.5 floppy disk drive that's attached to the PC that's emulating the Amiga? I've tried putting a file path to A:\ in the DF2 slot, but no dice. The WordPerfect functions suggest that there's no disc in DF2...even though there is (and it's not write protected or anything)

And selecting any files via a Windows interface means you just get a message to format the disc, which would erase everything on it!

(It's probably worth pointing out that I only have discs created on an Amiga, not the Amiga itself!)

Thanks for your advice so far, at any rate.

Pat
User avatar
pat.ward69
Next LVL Up at : 5
Next LVL Up at : 5
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 2:19 pm
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 1 time
Fav System: PS3

Re: Amiga word processing

Postby Dragon Mech » Tue Oct 21, 2014 5:47 pm

WinUAE isn't made to be able to read data from real amiga disks. and PC floppy disk controllers arn't as flexable as the one on an amigia. you might try one of the tricks listed here:

Code: Select all
 http://www.amigaforever.com/kb/13-118


i hope this is helpful in some way. :bowser:
Site Moderator
For the Glory of the Gamer Nation!
Image
Image
User avatar
Dragon Mech
Site Moderator
Site Moderator
Next LVL Up at : 630
Next LVL Up at : 630
 
Posts: 613
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:58 pm
Location: Somewhere out there.
Has thanked: 572 times
Been thanked: 358 times
Fav System: Too many to list here :D

Re: Amiga word processing

Postby pat.ward69 » Tue Oct 21, 2014 7:43 pm

Thanks for the tip, Dragon Mech - some picture of the difficulty is at last beginning to emerge! I'll check out your link - Thanks again for taking the time to try and help.

Best Regards,

Pat
User avatar
pat.ward69
Next LVL Up at : 5
Next LVL Up at : 5
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 2:19 pm
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 1 time
Fav System: PS3

Re: Amiga word processing

Postby PMJPlay » Tue Oct 21, 2014 10:25 pm

ADFRead v1.1 for creating ADF files from Amiga floppy disks...
Code: Select all
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?s=9f1e24aa3a655f9677b9717bd84a55e4&t=22596
User avatar
PMJPlay
Curator
Curator
Next LVL Up at : 1250
Next LVL Up at : 1250
 
Posts: 1240
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:25 am
Location: Australia
Has thanked: 1525 times
Been thanked: 1501 times

Re: Amiga word processing

Postby Dragon Mech » Wed Oct 22, 2014 5:17 am

Great find Alzabo. might have to bookmark that myself. :goodpost:
Site Moderator
For the Glory of the Gamer Nation!
Image
Image
User avatar
Dragon Mech
Site Moderator
Site Moderator
Next LVL Up at : 630
Next LVL Up at : 630
 
Posts: 613
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:58 pm
Location: Somewhere out there.
Has thanked: 572 times
Been thanked: 358 times
Fav System: Too many to list here :D


Return to Retro Computing

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 154 guests