[NTLK] Getting back in - some E-Mate questions

[Pawel Piotrowski]

> On 13 Feb 2022, at 16:01, Stephen Pereira <stephen.m.pereira.sr at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Good day, folks,
> 
> As I am continuing my experiments with my backup issue, I have a thought that I’d like to put out and perhaps someone can verify.
> 
> My NBU for Windows says its Copyright is 1996.  My Dell Mini PC has a 150GB hard disk, with 143GB free.  Is it possible that the NBU cannot properly decipher the large hard disk that it was not prepared for in 1996, and so makes the incorrect determination that the disk is full?  If the NBU is expecting a hard disk with only 100’s of MB, could it simply be not seeing any HD space at all?
> 
> I’d like to hear anyone’s thoughts about this.

I can be wrong, but you should use NCU instead of NBU for your eMate. Another thing is that I have issue with NCU on PC - I can run the program, I can install packages on Newton, but connection with Newton is dropped if I am trying to do the backup. At this moment the best way to backup Newton is to use old Mac.

> Also, I have another issue to throw out to you all.  I have an ImageWriter serial cable going from my E-Mate to a DB25-to-DB9 adapter, then a DB9 Null Modem, and finally a RS232-to-USB adapter going to the Dell Mini PC.  This is the setup that is working for me with NBU on the Dell PC.   I can load packages onto my E-Mate, but I cannot do a backup.  
> 
> I have discovered the NCK for Macintosh that is supposed to work on modern Macs.  If I unplug my cable and adapter string from the Dell Mini PC, and plug in on my MackBook Pro, I can get the NCK running, and I can set it to use the RS232-to-USB adapter, and I can set it for 38400 BPS, but I cannot establish a connection between the NCK on the Mac and my E-Mate.
> 
> I see that the NCK properly detects the RS232-to-USB adapter for the serial port on the Mac, and I set the proper rate, but no connection using the exact same cabling that works with the NBU on the PC.  I welcome any advice that you may have to offer about getting the NCK on Mac to work properly.  I’m hoping that since the NCK on modern Mac is much more modern that this would be the best way to go.
> 
> My MacBook Pro is running the latest OS, Monterey version 12.2.1.

I believe that you thin about NCX app from Newton Connection webpage. Unfortunately, this software is very glitchy on modern macOS. I can’t get proper backup on it any more. And to get connection is not easy too.

First of all, you should stay with standards settings for the port and DO NOT change anything. So, 38400 on NCX and standard dock ’Serial’ connection. Please remember that eMate contain TWO types od Dock. If you press ‘Dock’ button on the keyboard, you will get ’network’ Dock window. And that Dock can NOT work with NCX or NCU/NBU. You need to use Dock from menu Extras.

Cheers,
Pawel