Installing AmigaoS4.1
I don't really need to cover much about this as it has been documented many times under emulation and on native hardware so I will just comment on my experience setting up and the overall experience.
I will say I had a little problem when installing as the default window when installing was larger than my 14" Windows laptop resolution could cope with, I managed to get round this by installing Amiga Forever and then Installing AmigaOS4.1 on a laptop with a larger screen resolution.
Once OS4.1 was installed on my 15.6" laptop I could set the Workbench screenmode to one which would fit the 14" laptop which is 1366 x 768. Once the screenmode setting and the virtual HD and config file are saved they can then be copied to the new laptop and then when Amiga Forever is run and this config file and virtual HD are loaded then E.M.M.A. is up and running.
I am now able to run E.M.M.A. at virtually full screen, I have to take into account the taskbar of a Windows machine and also the titlebar on the Amiga Forever window and I get to run it at 1366 x 720 which is pretty good going.
I have a few issues that need to be addressed but as this is more time spent using Amiga Forever than I have ever done before I'm sure I'll get these sorted. There are also issues with the hardware choice but it's too late for that, for a start a 1.6ghz laptop is slow but usable, faster would be better.
I need to look into adding the PCs drives or directories, I know this is possible but it will take some investigation..
If there is one thing I have learnt from this process is that Amiga Forever is a very powerful piece of software that enables non Amiga PPC owning people to be able to get the experience without forking out for new hardware.
I can honestly say that without Amiga Forever I would not have been able to set up E.M.M.A.
Pricing
To get E.M.M.A. running it has cost me approx. £250.00, that includes the hardware, Amiga Forever and AmigaOS4.1 Classic, If I had spent another £100.00 on the laptop, this would have given me a 2.48ghz processor and therefore a smoother experience that is still only £350.00 which to me seems a very reasonable price to pay for an Amiga laptop.
Here's a simple question, would you buy E.M.M.A. for £350.00 if sold as a complete package?
I have enjoyed getting it to the stage I'm at and will continue to refine E.M.M.A. possibly try on a faster processor, use the laptops HD, possible larger screen modes and it would be nice to be able to boot straight into OS4.1 and not need to deal with Windows.
The End, or is it...
Michael Holmes
Glad you had fun, but I strongly doubt anyone would buy this as a package. Simply too expensive, and kinda half assed :)
ReplyDeleteMy 3.1ghz/8gig/15.6 inch quad core i5 laptop + OS4.1f.e setup cost me just over $200 aud.
I have os4.1 booting straight off my laptops sad, with no sign of Windows (although I've got it setup to still be able to launch Windows apps through Amiga OS.
Long story short, too expensive for such a modest system, and the config sounds like its only half done. Additionally, and this is probably the big one, anyone interested in such a setup would probably want to do it themselves.
"My laptops ssd"... darn autocorrect. :)
ReplyDeleteDude that's ridiculous. For one thing FE costs about $50. And no way would you find a decent quad core i5 with SSD for $150. PCs may be cheap but they are not cheap. If that was the case they would be trashing netbook and saving peoples eyesight! :-P Tell me where you picked up this laptop NEW?
ReplyDeleteGot it for a friend at %70 off from work due to it being last generation model who then decided he didn't need it and sold it back to me even cheaper despite the fact it still has about 11 months warranty.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was a bargain, but I wouldn't have had to pay more than $300 even if I'd bought it new for myself.
p.s. $300 aud = roughly $220 usd
Coincidentally enough, that's exactly what it cost me,... $150 aud (for the laptop, OS4.1f.e cost me, iirc $53aud).
ReplyDeleteCan you share your os4.1 booting strait with us?
ReplyDeleteI still don't see it. I've looked up laptops (or notebook?) and for $300 no way am I seeing anything quad core. If fact even looking at $700 Acers on special in i5 all are dual core. So where is this shop you would buy it new from? Do average consumers have access to this place or is it a bargain basement special for Anonymous people only ? ;-)
ReplyDeleteI agree the laptop purchased for the project does sound pricey. But have you seen the estimated price of the Alice netbook? For some reason even an x86 based Amiga setup with full software is still small, possibly under powered and still expensive. :-D