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Using FastLynx 3.3 to Transfer Files To/From Vintage/Modern PCs

VIA SERIAL CABLE


FastLynx 3.3 is a 2003 dated commercial product that is capable of file transfers, via serial or parallel cable, between a 'vintage' PC running DOS and a 'modern' PC.

By 'modern PC', I am referring to a PC that is running Windows of either 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP/7/10.
Being dated 2003, the user's manual for FastLynx 3.3 does not specify a Windows version later than XP.  I have successfully used 3.3 on Windows 7 and on Windows 10.

By 'vintage PC', I am referring to either an 8088 or 80286 or 80386 or 80486 based PC, running DOS.

A diagram is at here.



Warnings

  • On the modern PC, motherboard based serial ports work fine, but expect possible problems if you are using a USB-to-serial adapter.  More information at here.
     
  • If small files transfer okay, but you encounter errors when transferring large files, try dropping FastLynx 3.3's connection speed to 38400 baud (or slower, if required).


Assumptions

  • The operating system on the modern PC is Windows.
  • FastLynx 3.3's DOS slave program, SL.EXE, is not already on the vintage PC.  If it is already there, skip step 2 below.


Requirements

  • That the vintage PC has at least 320 KB of conventional memory (a requirement of FastLynx 3.3's DOS slave program).
  • That the vintage PC has a serial port, configured as COM1 or COM2.
  • That the vintage PC can be booted to DOS, and the DOS program MODE.COM is able to be run.
  • That the modern PC has a serial port, configured as COM1 or COM2 or COM3 or COM4.  See notes 1 and 2 below.
  • You have a FastLynx serial cable.  It is described on page 28 of the user's manual.  It is the same serial cable used by Laplink and INTERSVR/INTERLNK.


NOTE:  The serial cable referred to above is sometimes called a 'null modem cable'. The term 'null modem cable' describes many cable configurations - it describes a class of cables.
The serial cable referred to above is a particular configuration/wiring of null modem cable. For this procedure, you can only use that cable - not any null modem cable will do.


Step 1 of 4  -  Preparation

Step 1.1  [modern PC]  Install FastLynx 3.3 on your modern PC.
Step 1.2  [modern/vintage PC]  Connect the Laplink cable between a serial (COM) port on your modern PC and a serial (COM) port on your vintage PC.


Step 2 of 4  -  Transfer FastLynx 3.3's DOS slave program to vintage PC

Here, FastLynx 3.3's DOS slave program, SL.EXE, will be transferred via the serial cable from the modern PC to the vintage PC.

Step 2.1  [modern PC]  Run FastLynx 3.3
Step 2.2  [modern PC]  On the menu bar, select FILE and then UPLOAD DOS SLAVE.
Step 2.3  [modern PC]  In the window that then appears, click on the NEXT button.
Step 2.4  [modern PC]  In the window that then appears, select which port (COM1 or COM2) you are using on the vintage PC, and then click on the NEXT button.
Step 2.5  [modern PC]  In the window that then appears, you are instructed to type two commands at the vintage PC.  Do that.

SL.EXE will now be transferred to the vintage PC, a process that will take about 30 seconds.
What you will see on the two PCs during that process is shown here.

Step 2.6  [modern PC]  Click on the FINISH button.



Step 3 of 4  -  Run the DOS slave program

Step 3.1  [vintage PC]  At the DOS prompt, type SL and then press the ENTER key.

SL.EXE will run.  Click here to see what it looks like running on my vintage PC.



Step 4 of 4  -  Establish connection

Step 4.1  [modern PC]  In the right pane, you will see:

          connection1.jpg

Step 4.2  [modern PC]  If not already selected, select the 'Connect as client' option.
Step 3.3  [modern PC]  If not already ticked, tick the 'COM1' box. (Assumption: COM1 is the serial port you are using on the modern PC.)

Connection will be establed between the two computers, and in the right pane, you will see the contents of the vintage PC.
You can now transfer files.





Note 1 If the serial port on your modern PC is neither COM1 nor COM2 nor COM3 nor COM4, then usually, it can be changed.
See here for a Windows 10 example.
   
Note 2 On the modern PC, motherboard based serial ports work fine, but expect possible problems if you are using a USB-to-serial adapter.  More information at here.