Test reports
|
Test reports
|
Because my old Multisync died, I bought a new 17"-monitor. Due to an article by Denis Nikolic from Amiga aktuell Januar 2001, I bought the Amiga4ever-CD.
Cloantos Amiga4Ever run on my system with a PC Celeron 600 - 128MB RAM. There are two Harddrives with 10GB and 13GB. Now I want to talk about my earlier experiences.
Installation of AmigaOS3.1 was easy from CloantoCD. Only there were problems with OS3.5 and OS3.9 when installing from the CD's. I transferred these versions via nullmodem-cable from amiga to pc. In my opinion for OS3.9 you need at least 128MB RAM, it makes no sense below that level.
For the transfer via nullmodem there is a program called "AmigaExplorer" on the CD. Both computers have to use the same Baud-rate and the same port-number, e.x. 57600 baud and unit 1 (amiga) com 1 (pc). Well, first I run WinUAE on Window ME. ME in fact means "more errors", as there was no way to establish a internet-connection. Via newsgroups and mailinglists I was told that even with Win98 the amiga-emulation can connect to internet.
So I tried to install Win98 in addition to Window ME. To realize that there is a tool called "Boot-Manager", but after reading to docs, I did not want to install it. After checking my BIOS I realized how to make it: in my BIOS I can set the boot-drive.
First, I removed my WinME-drive from the system and installed Win98 on the other harddrive. After that I reconnected the first drive again. Now I can select via BIOS whether to boot from Win98 od WinME.
At the PC-side, the is a boot-menu, where to set different settings for amiga-emulation. I use WinUAE with OS3.9 and KickROM 3.1. Fellow can emulate older amiga-versions. It is possible with the delivered Kick-ROMs 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.0, 2.04, 2.1 and 3.0.
The BSD-Socket-Library is emulated, that means, I go with the PC online and can access internet through the emulation. E.x. with YAM, AWebII or MicroDot2. There is no need for Miami or Genesis.
Following some programs I tested more or less. Naturally, all programs are registered.
I am writing this text with GoldED 4 Pro and everything runs good, beside the shortcuts that I cannot translate. For those, I use the pulldown-menues. I tested FinalWriter and Wordworth just in short. Therefor I cannot write anythong special about these programs. It will follow with the next articles. The organizer runs too.
PPaint comes with the Amiga4ever-CD and there are no problems with it. ArtEffect runs good and even faster as on my A1200. PicManager works after different tries.
In this place the first problems occured. As written above, the BSD-socket-library has to be emulated and that won't work with WinME, but with Win98. I will not test it with Win95 :) After my first experiences it is good to start YAM as being online. In this case the program searches for BSD-socket-library - it is not available yet and the computer shows Win98-desktop with the Connection-Wizard. There you must connect to internet. After the connecting is established, you can go back to emulation and YAM starts to work. To disconnect, just switch to Win98-desktop using ALT-TAB, close connection and return to amiga-emulation.
AWebII, the version from OS3.9-CD works well. Most problems were with MicroDot2. This program did not start. Not with my amiga-copies. After installing it runs more or less often. I don't know where the problem is. But of course I found a solution: after copying the program into WBStartup-drawer without its own drawer (that means MicroDot, Data, MicroDot.prefs, Icons and CM), it runs! After quitting the program it cannot be started again ! So I use it via WBStartup.
My wife loves to play BackGammon. It runs partially, but one should disable the sound in preferences otherwise the games cannot be closed and the only thing that helps is ALT-F4.
My favorite Tetris "2000AD" works either. It is played via Joystick. No special events with it, but perhaps I should just another screen-resolution. At the moment I use "uaegfx 800x600".
HBMonopoly works well, apart shortcuts. But it works.
With my Bowling-game "KingPin" are some problems left. The Demo runs, but not the Full-Version. But even for that I found a solution: it works, if the display-configuration of WinUAE ist set to "full-screen" !
For all tests I used WinUAE-version from Amiga4Ever-CD, but there are newer version available, I have not tested yet.
Well, thats for today. If someone can give me hints, just mail me ! Even question will be anwered happily. See you with the next article...
Karl-Heinz Bader <charly-ham@t-online.de>
