Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!decwrl!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!hpfcso!hpfcmdd!hpbbrd!hpbbn!hpcc01!hpsgm2!limhl From: limhl@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (Lim Hui Lin) Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops Subject: Re: copy protection and laptops without floppies Message-ID: <3860001@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com> Date: 2 Aug 90 00:41:03 GMT References: Organization: HP Singapore Lines: 52 felton@eng3.UUCP (Ed Felton | Sci Systems | Huntsville, AL, USA >In article , portuesi@tweezers.esd.sgi.com (Michael Portuesi) writes: >> >> I have just inherited a legal copy of Lotus 1-2-3 version 2.01, along >> with documentation and original system disks. >> >> I would like to use this software on a Toshiba T1000XE, a machine with >> a hard disk but with no floppy drive. Even if it did have a floppy >> drive, the software is distributed on 5" disks. The documentation that I received with my 1000XE mentions the availability of 360K 5.25" and 1.44M 3.5" floppy drives. the former plugs into the FDD/prt port on the back and needs a separate power supply while the latter plugs into the port on the right side and draws its power from the computer. According to local distributors the 3.5" drive is not available yet but they can sell me a 1.2M 5.25" drive for 1/3 the price of the original 5.25". >> According to the documentation, >> >> "When you start 1-2-3, the program looks for protected files >> that contain a special code. The only way to copy these >> protected files onto your hard disk is through the Install >> program. If you do not use the Install program to copy these >> files onto your hard disk, you *must* insert the System Disk >> in Drive A each time you start 1-2-3." >> >> \/ Michael Portuesi Silicon Graphics, Inc. portuesi@sgi.com The simplest way I can think of solving this problem is to buy the "value pack" (or something similar) that Lotus sell which allows you to remove the copy protection from 123 v2.X once you've installed it on a regular PC then Laplink the files to the 1000XE. The value pack sells for ~US$50. Then again you could use one of the disk copiers to break the copy protection the hard way..... >Ok, Now for the down side: I am not sure that the external floppy drive for >the XE is a 5 1/4 inch drive, or if you can use one there... but, if you can >that would sound like a winner to me. Also, let me know how it works, as I am >considering a Tosh and am in a toss-up between the SE and XE. If you can't >put real software (I know, Iknow) on to it without pain and suffering, the >XE might get knocked down a peg or 2. See above - you can get floppy drives - it's only a question of how much you want to pay. Personally I wouldn't want to travel with an external drive since I settled on the 1000XE because of it's weight. Why not consider the 1200XE (which has both floppy and h/disks) or the Compaq LTE (also available with both) series if you really need a floppy drive. HuiLin Lim limhl@hpsgm2.hp.com