O/T - are there any amiga 500 users here?

from WinCustomize Forums
I need some help!!

This is my problem:
I bought an amiga500 at a garage sale the other day with the thought of using it to make some old style music (or even playing some old games) I got it home (still in the original box and all), plugged it in, and I get a screen that looks like it's asking for the workbench 1.3 disk. I never got any disks from the sale!!!

I've looked around the web and understand that the A500 will read PC disks formatted to 720kb, I even found a file called wb13_1.adf. Of couse that didn't work.....I found another program called tequilla (converts adf files to amiga format)....no good either!

So I guess what I'm asking is there anyway I can get anything at all happening with this machine or not? (surely I can't still purchace workbench 1.3 after all this time???).

....any help would be great.
7,981 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
David,
This will be a quick one since I have to head for work. Amiga disks are formatted to 880kb instead of PC's 720kb. So a special hardware card adapter (Called a Catweasel) is needed by a PC to write Amiga disks.
Don't give up hope, tho'. You may check around and see if there's a local Amiga Users group in your area.
I'll root around in my archive and see if I can find a solution in the mean time, and I'll get back with you if no one else can come up with a solution...

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
hey thanks Elwin

A500's *can* read PC disks formatted to 720Kb, it's just that the byte order is written differently for the amiga (which gives it 880kb of space).

...anyway.....I'm still out there trying
Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The problem for Amiga to read a formated pc floppy disk is you need workbench installed and have the pc0 file to let you read pc floppy disk.

So what I suggest to you is to do like Elwin said. The special card will really write the floppy in Amiga format but I think you will need an Amiga floppy drive.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Dave: (On the run , so just a quickie again - this time I'm taking a break at work)

Found a place where you can buy the original CBM disks and docs for WorkBench software:

http://www.computer-ease.cc/PRODUCTIVITY.html

Zoooooom (I'm gone again).......

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
/me looks around

hmmm...he's rushed off again

thanks again elwin, I've sent them off an email to get a price on shipping...it might be cheaper to try and get some software from within Oz though? I've dug up a couple of amiga dealers phone numbers from here in Melb, so I'll give them a call and see what they say.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Really really late here, - i donno about the A500 but the A600 and A1200- are plug-in-play, so any 3.5 inch floopy drive should work, the drive isnt the prob its how the disks are formatted (as Elwin said. Btw they can be formatted for 1.76mb as opposed to PCs 1.44mb as well ).I dont think amiga 500 were with hardrives, the A500 uses the amiga floopys with the workbench on them, (they work "off" floopys") check around you can update that badboy to today standerds or really really close you'll find the amiga platform is much more efficient and flexable than the pcs and have fun at the same time. Not to mention Amiga is fully customisable GUI out of the box, even in 85'.

But i still recommend a AMIGAONE ppc, so you dont have to do the upgrades Which can be purchased from Eyetech.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Johanne...is that you?...long time...
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Really really late here

Four years too late - those folks don't visit these days...

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Aw daaaang.... I had really hoped that Dave (Transmutate) had returned
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Must have been a reaaaaaly good smoke.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Doh....

Note to self....always check dates....