JMB wrote:
>
>
> A friend has a Bondwell 286 portable computer (made in 1991 according >to the FCC ID).  The display gave up the ghost.  He has all of his >formulas and solutions to his laboratory experiments on the hard drive.
JMB:
     I am going to assume that the HD is a 20 megger (usual size in
those days). Here is my solution(s) :-)

Try to find an early IBM (green monochrome) monitor. Some of them can
accept RGB signals (9pin D-connector). More than likely a Commodore 64
monitor  WONT work. They had 3 separate wire ( one for each colour). If
you managed to snag a monitor, one of the function keys will toggle the
external monitor (hope you have the manual or know which function keys
do what :-) ). Then you are off to races.

If you don't have a monitor try the following(I hope you have another pc
available to check the proceedure):

First run CHKDSK and redirect the output to a file on drive A:
     CHKDSK C: >A:DIRC.TXT [enter]

This will give you the space occupied by files on the C: drive. Assuming
that the A: drive is a 1.44 mb, you can guestimate how many disks you
need to copy the C: drive.

Either get the required number of formatted disks or format them on
another drive. Just to be safe keep a few more handy.

Get a copy of the latest version of the file compressor ARJ (preferred)
or PKZIP on a floppy (ARJ has error correction capability and if a file
were damaged it can be recovered but not with PKZIP - No PKZIPFIX won't
do). Copy it to C:
                     COPY A:ARJ.EXE C:\  [enter]

Wait for a few seconds after the disk activity light goes off. Now the
compressor is on the C: drive root directory.

Both of these  compressors can create an archive spanning multiple disks
(on the A: drive) and can be used to backup the C: drive. ARJ has a
"backup" command  with various switches for this purpose. You have to
read those instructions. I am not my computer to look them up and
besides its best if you do it yourself :-)

With this proceedure you can copy everything on the C: drive to floppies
on A:. You can then reverse the procedure to recover your files to a
different machine.

We are assuming that when the laptop is started it is booting properly
and will give you C:\ propmt. Just to be on the safe side after the
bootup process is over type C:\  [enter] That should get you to the
proper place on C: :-)

Since there are no visible ques, leave ample time after a command for
the job to be finished. Write every step down on paper and follow it
exactly.
Better  yet test them out and a working system.

While using the compressors give only the ADD (a) command and not
MOVE(m) just so if something goes wrong the original file is still on
the old C: drive and not deleted.

Write them down so you know what you have to type
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >I am assuming that the drive is either a MFM or RLL type.  The
computer

Usually they are MFM but that does not make much difference at this
point

> video output connector on the rear, but it is identified as an RGB
> output.  The system will turn on but he cannot "see" anything.  If a

All the same he will be at the C:\ prompt unless his autoexec.bat is
setup so the system boots into a different directory or runs a program.
He should remember what the opening screen says on bootup. He can always
change to the root  directory bt typing C:\ or \ followed by enter.


> monitor could be connected to it, he could then copy all of his data to
> floppies and put it on his home computer until he gets a new laptop.

Try the above procedure an do keep another computer handyto verify or
format disks etc.

> I thought of taking the drive out, but before I crack the case, I want
> to know if that is a good approach or a last ditch effort.
>
Not a good idea unless you are experince in taking laptops apart. Try a
more safe method :-)

Good Luck and let us know how you fare

Regards
Harsha Godavari

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