Amiga Explorer
Summary
Amiga Explorer
Amiga Explorer is a commercial solution that connects your Windows PC to your Amiga via a Null Modem cable and allows you to access the storage on your Amiga using File Explorer on the Windows PC.
See the following page for further details.
https://www.amigaforever.com/ae/
A stand-alone Amiga Explorer licence costs 9.95 Euros or you can use your Amiga Forever license. I was even able to use my Amiga Forever 4 (released 2000) licence!
Windows PC Side
Any drive device on the Amiga side is visible and accessible on the Windows PC in File Explorer:
Each drive device can also be accessed as a virtual ADF or HDF file:
Within Amiga Explorer you can perform some useful functions on a floppy drive, such as, for example:
Right click DF0 and select Format, to format a floppy disk in DF0 on the Amiga side.
Drag and drop an ADF file on to DF0 to write the ADF file directly to a floppy disk that is in DF0 on the Amiga side.
Amiga Side
AExplorer needs to be running on the Amiga side, so a way of getting this to the Amiga is required:
Copy files manually
Existing Amiga Explorer connection transfer (useful for updates).
Null Modem serial transfer
Amiga side needs to have Serial Preferences configured:
Baud Rate: 19200
Input Buffer Size: 4096
Handshaking: RTS/CTS
Parity: None
Bits/Char: 8
Stop Bits: 1
AExplorer
AExplorer needs to be running on the Amiga side.
When this is launched, it will set the serial settings appropriately and then run in the background:
Launch AExplorer again to stop it and release the serial port.
AExplorer is also included in the BOOT-CFD-FAT95 boot floppy disk:
https://sites.google.com/one-n.co.uk/amiga-guides/boot-cfd-fat95
It can be either launched from this boot disk or copied from it.
Null Modem Cable
You will need the following hardware for the Null Modem cable between the Windows PC and the Amiga.
Windows PC Side
RS232 Serial USB Adapter
Prolific chipset based USB serial adapters can be found on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-com-USB-Serial-Adapter-Prolific/dp/B00GRP8EZU/
Note: In Windows 10, you will have to install the old Prolific 2008 drivers:
http://wp.brodzinski.net/2014/10/01/fake-pl2303-how-to-install/
Amiga Side
Female DB23 to Female DB9 Null Modem Adapter
You can get ready made adapters from Amazon:
Setup and Connections
Initial Setup
For Amiga Explorer to work, the AExplorer program needs to be running on the Amiga side.
If you do not have AExplorer already on the Amiga side then you need to run an initial setup to get it transferred over the serial link in to RAM: and run it in RAM:
The process to do this is outlined at:
A500
A600
A1200
Testing
Echo Test - Amiga to PC
You can verify your Amiga to PC null modem connection using this simple echo test.
The Amiga side needs to have Serial Preferences configured:
Baud Rate: 19200
Input Buffer Size: 4096
Handshaking: RTS/CTS
Parity: None
Bits/Char: 8
Stop Bits: 1
On PC side, use PuTTY and set your COM port to 19200:
When you open a session on that COM port, you will get blank screen:
On the Amiga open a shell/cli window and type something to the SER: port - for example:
echo asdfghjkl >SER:
echo >SER: asdfghjkl
On PuTTY terminal, this text should be displayed:
Echo Test - PC to Amiga
Set up the serial link as as per the Amiga to PC, but this time issue the following command on the Amiga:
copy AUX: CON:
A new AmigaDOS window will open and when you type something in to PuTTY, and hit ENTER, the text should appear in the AmigaDOS window.
copy AUX: *
When you type something in to PuTTY and hit ENTER, the text should appear in the AmigaShell window.
Remote Terminal
You can also test the serial null modem connection by using it for a remote terminal.
On the Amiga, open a shell session over the serial port:
newshell AUX:
The PuTTY terminal session can now be used as an AmigaDOS shell:
