[ppgrainbow]

Hey there.

I found the Mitsubishi Amity VP being put up for sale on eBay and so far, four units have been sold with six units available. The unit costs $98, plus $15 S&H. You can view the unit here: http://www.ebay.com/...o-/200771135900

I'm telling you this and I'm curious. Is it possible to install Windows 3.1 with Pen Computing extensions on the Mitsubishi Amity VP? If so, how can it be done?

The Mitsubishi Amity VP has a 133MHz AMD5x86 processor with a 810 MB hard drive, 16 MB EDO RAM (upgradable to 48 MB) and it comes with Windows for Pen Computing v2.0 pre-installed. I'm only interested in it as I'm considering ditching the Toshiba Tecra 720 CDT and the GRiD Convertible 2270 laptop for which the latter hasn't been working for months.

I don't know if I am going to get the Ricoh G-1200S instead as the unit will only remain available for less than a day? The unit will go off the list at 6:05:32 PM PST tomorrow night.

This post has been edited by ppgrainbow: 07 December 2012 - 08:36 PM

[ppgrainbow]

I'm sorry for bumping this thread up, but when I asked bibilophilezen regarding installing Windows 3.1 on the Mitsubishi Amity VP, I received the following replies:

Quote

1. About 1990, I never upgrade VP, I do not know the largest size HD it can handle. However, I inserted 4G PCMCIA memory card (HD) to install software.
2. I never try that, however, I upgraded one of them to windows me, it works!
3. no, you can use regular ps2 keyboard, I have toshiba pcmcia a external floppy drive, if you purchase two of my tablets, I will give you one for free. Thanks for inquiry!

Forcing Windows Millennium on the Mitsubishi Amity VP chokes with just 16 MB to 48 MB of memory and infact, it might not even run correctly or not at all with just 16 MB.

I just wanted to know if it was possible to install Windows 3.1 and Pen extensions on the Mitsubishi Amity VP and the seller refused to answer.

Gah, I have $148.95 left over and I can't believe the frustration that I'm going through on eBay. I can't believe these sellers who have little or no knowledge in computers.

[jaclaz]

ppgrainbow, on 13 December 2012 - 05:31 PM, said:

I just wanted to know if it was possible to install Windows 3.1 and Pen extensions on the Mitsubishi Amity VP and the seller refused to answer.

From what you reported it seems to me like he actually replied, saying he doesn't know.
I guess everyone is allowed to not know something....

I presume that the issue with Win 3.1 is only that of finding viable drivers for the specific screen/pen, compare with:
http://www.vintage-c...Compaq-Concerto

jaclaz

[ppgrainbow]

jaclaz, on 14 December 2012 - 03:27 AM, said:

ppgrainbow, on 13 December 2012 - 05:31 PM, said:

I just wanted to know if it was possible to install Windows 3.1 and Pen extensions on the Mitsubishi Amity VP and the seller refused to answer.

From what you reported it seems to me like he actually replied, saying he doesn't know.
I guess everyone is allowed to not know something....

I presume that the issue with Win 3.1 is only that of finding viable drivers for the specific screen/pen, compare with:
http://www.vintage-c...Compaq-Concerto

jaclaz

Thanks for the help. I have found information regarding the Mitsubishi Amity VP on the Mitsubishi Mobile PC Technical Information webpage and here's what I found:

http://web.archive.o...port/mobile.htm

Mitsubishi states that the AMiTY VP comes with Windows 95 OSR 2.1 installed and can be upgraded to Windows 98. However, Windows 95 OSR 2.1 and Windows 98 chokes with a 810 MB hard drive and only 16 MB of EDO memory!

And on this page dated 2004-11-20, the AMiTY VP comes with a Chips and Technology 65548 integrated video chip and a 133 MHz AMD 5x86 processor.

Furthermore, I cannot find any C&T 65548 drivers for Windows 3.1, infact. I believe that the C&T 65548 drivers may have never even supported Windows 3.1...so, I will most likely have to use the generic 640 x 480 256 colour driver to run Windows 3.1 on the AMiTY VP.

I will have to go to the Vintage Computer Software forum for answers on how to get Windows 3.1 with Pen extensions installed on the AMiTY VP.

[jaclaz]

ppgrainbow, on 14 December 2012 - 11:35 PM, said:

Furthermore, I cannot find any C&T 65548 drivers for Windows 3.1, infact. I believe that the C&T 65548 drivers may have never even supported Windows 3.1...so, I will most likely have to use the generic 640 x 480 256 colour driver to run Windows 3.1 on the AMiTY VP.

You can try the Toshiba ones:
http://web1.toshiba....lay_drivers.htm

jaclaz

[ppgrainbow]

jaclaz, on 15 December 2012 - 03:30 AM, said:

ppgrainbow, on 14 December 2012 - 11:35 PM, said:

Furthermore, I cannot find any C&T 65548 drivers for Windows 3.1, infact. I believe that the C&T 65548 drivers may have never even supported Windows 3.1...so, I will most likely have to use the generic 640 x 480 256 colour driver to run Windows 3.1 on the AMiTY VP.

You can try the Toshiba ones:
http://web1.toshiba....lay_drivers.htm

jaclaz

Thanks for the help again. If it doesn't work, I will most likely have to stick with 640 x 480 @ 256 colours with the generic SVGA drivers. As far as I know, the Mitsubishi AMiTY SP M3011 was the last tablet computer to officially support Windows 3.1 as I recall.

Also, I have a couple more questions to ask here.

1. How can I get the pen and sound card drivers working after I install Windows 3.1 on the AMiTY VP?
2. Most importantly, how can I transfer files from the Mitsubish AMiTY VP or the Fujitsu Point 510 to this computer?

This post has been edited by ppgrainbow: 15 December 2012 - 06:24 AM

[submix8c]

FWIW, apparently PEN is an add-on. Search for this

Microsoft Windows For Pen Computing 1.0

It exists (7-zip) and I have no clue whether it would work for you. I'll say no more as this is more than likely extremely borderline.

As for Win95 "choking" I find that highly unlikely. I've had it on a couple of ancient PackBell 386/486 before. Still have the Recovery Disks, one is Win3.11, the other is the Drivers for Win95 Upgrade (which I did install). You must have done something wrong (like maybe copied the WIN95/98 folder to HDD?). Win98 would have been "pushing it".

...and jaclaz' link appears to be quite a find for you...

This post has been edited by submix8c: 15 December 2012 - 10:34 AM

[ROTS]

I remember a program called cpu-id or cpu-z and a programmer, altered the free version so it can use on Windows 9x and 3.1. I forget the name of their webpage, but it is filled with drivers, and him talking about his greatness as a programmer. You can find his website and mail him the drivers to see if he is willing to make a driver for your version of windows. I have been looking up and down for his webpage again.

I am suggesting finding that person, who has all the nice Win1-3 stuff on it. They might be able to make a driver for you. Otherwise find a programmer, who knows how to edit the 95 driver file so that you can use Win 3.1 with the device.

This post has been edited by ROTS: 15 December 2012 - 10:40 AM

[jaclaz]

Just for the record, in the good ol' times I used for a few years a Compaq Concerto.
It had an optional 4 Mb of RAM added to the base 4 Mb and it ran Windiws 3.11 (and Windows for Pen Computing 1.00) exceptionally well , CPU was a 486/33Dx.
I talked about it a bit in the "windows 8 deeper impressions" thread.
Two or three years later I tried upgrading it to 20 Mb (by swapping the 4 Mb extension with a 16 Mb one) but with Windows 95 it became slow as molasses, evidently the CPU was not fast enough.
That thingy there, having already a Pentium and a (relatively) fastish one should be OK with WIn95 but the 16 Mb are on the very low side.

I would guess that if it can "backfitted" with Win 3.11 it will fly, really 8 Mb were all that were needed with 3.11 for "normal" use (exception made for graphics programs, etc, as usual)

The idea of running Win98 with it is "pure folly" IMHO, to give you a term of comparison, another laptop I used to have, an Extensa 355 came with Win95 and 16 Mb, I tried 98 after having added 32 Mb (total 48 Mb) and still it wasn't as snappy as with WIn95.

So IMHO (and if some drivers are found/issues are solved) the idea of running 3.11 on this thingy here is not at all a bad idea .

jaclaz

[submix8c]

Quote

133MHz AMD5x86 processor with a 810 MB hard drive, 16 MB EDO RAM (upgradable to 48 MB)

Agreed on the Win3x - it would fly! With the additional RAM (if found) either 3.x or 95 would be pretty snappy.

Quote

2. Most importantly, how can I transfer files from the Mitsubish AMiTY VP or the Fujitsu Point 510 to this computer?

I found this.

Quote

The VP has two Type II PC Card slots, a PS/2-style keyboard/mouse port, an infrared port, and microphone and headset jacks. Serial, parallel, and VGA-out connectivity is provided through an extended connector cable. The optional floppy drive uses a PC Card interface.

If you got a COMPLETE PC, then you could (maybe) get (or make) a Serial or Parallel "null-modem" cable and transfer everything. Wiki NullModem (Direct Cable Connection)...With DOS (provided you have that "optional floppy" OR are savvy enough to after-the-fact install it IF you have it available, and I would assume you do, seeing as how you're installing Win3.x) then you could just Boot To Dos and run InterLink (disk#2 of DOS 6.22).

[jaclaz]

ppgrainbow, on 15 December 2012 - 05:17 AM, said:

2. Most importantly, how can I transfer files from the Mitsubish AMiTY VP or the Fujitsu Point 510 to this computer?

http://www.msfn.org/...act-flash-card/



jaclaz

[submix8c]

DOH!!! (smacks head with 4lb. sledge...)

[ppgrainbow]

submix8c, on 15 December 2012 - 10:33 AM, said:

FWIW, apparently PEN is an add-on. Search for this

Microsoft Windows For Pen Computing 1.0

It exists (7-zip) and I have no clue whether it would work for you. I'll say no more as this is more than likely extremely borderline.

As for Win95 "choking" I find that highly unlikely. I've had it on a couple of ancient PackBell 386/486 before. Still have the Recovery Disks, one is Win3.11, the other is the Drivers for Win95 Upgrade (which I did install). You must have done something wrong (like maybe copied the WIN95/98 folder to HDD?). Win98 would have been "pushing it".

...and jaclaz' link appears to be quite a find for you...

Thanks. I don't think that Mitsubishi provided any drivers for Windows 3.1 when used on the AMiTY VP. The original release of Windows 95 and Windows 95 OSR 1 required at least 4 MB of memory. However, Windows 95 would refuse with networking components if the computer had less than 8 MB of memory. Also, later versions of Windows 95 (OSR 2.x) req'd more disk space and twice the amount of memory.

The AMiTY VP was released in late 1997 at the time when vendors started to increasingly phase out support for Windows 3.1 when it has a slow processor and supported only one OS.

I'm moving closer to getting the Stylistic Point 510 instead of the AMiTY VP for sure.

[ppgrainbow]

Well...a decision as already been made! I am getting the Fujitsu Stylistic Point 510. So much for the limitations on the Mitsubishi AMiTY VP.

Better luck...next Christmas.