[DECtalk] Question regarding Dectalk Express firmware

[Jayson Smith]

Hi,

The actual file you're referencing may be able to be extracted using 
7Zip, since it's a self-extracting archive. However, that won't get you 
very far, as the programs contained within are also 16-bit, and designed 
to run under DOS. You need to understand, at the time these files were 
released, Windows 9X at the very latest was the most modern consumer 
operating system available, and that ran on top of DOS. Also, probably 
many computers with DECtalk Express units didn't have Windows installed 
at all, and ran pure DOS, with DOS applications exclusively. Therefore, 
it was taken for granted that any PC user with a DECtalk Express would 
have no problem running DOS applications. As far as I know, there has 
never been any Windows software which can upgrade or downgrade DECtalk 
Express firmware, it has to be done from DOS.

While you may be able to get a virtual machine going, whether it can 
access a USB serial port is beyond me. What I'd do in your situation is 
to find a 16-bit DOS or 32-bit Windows machine and upgrade the firmware 
from there. If you're using a DOS prompt from within Windows, you need 
to make sure nothing else is trying to access the serial port while the 
firmware upgrade is happening. To be really safe, use Windows 95 or 98, 
which allow you to exit Windows completely and drop to a true DOS prompt 
with no Windows running at all.

Hope this helps,

Jayson

On 7/19/2018 5:45 AM, Aksel Leo Christoffersen wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I’m thinking of buying a Dectalk Express unit, but I want a unit 
> running the Dectalk version 4.2 firmware.
>
> So, I’m connected to the Dectalk Archive BTSync folder, and in the 
> hardware folder, I found a file called dtxv42.exe, which I guess mean 
> Dectalk Express version 4.2 CD. However, when I try to open the file, 
> I get a compatibility error.
>
> So if I accidently buy a Dectalk Express unit with a version higher 
> than 4.2, can I then use the dtxv42cd.exe to downgrade it, and how can 
> I use the file, when Windows can’t open it?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Best regards:
>
> Aksel Christoffersen
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Dectalk mailing list
> Dectalk at bluegrasspals.com
> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk


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