Q: Is there an alternative to buying the HP Connectivity Pack?

A: You can connect the HP Palmtop and desktop with a serial cable (F1015A, available separately through EduCALC and other vendors) and use your choice of DOS connectivity software.

The INTER-LNK/INTERSVR programs that come with DOS 6 work fine. Transfer INTERSVR.EXE to the Palmtop. Then install INTERLNK on the desktop according to the DOS documentation, and run INTERSVR on the Palmtop. You should be able to access the Palmtop's drives from the desktop.

HP 200LX users with a spare serial cable can take advantage of the built-in LapLink Remote software in the HP's ROM. A brief sketch of how to do this is:

1. Add the following line to your Palmtops AUTOEXEC.BAT before System Manager is started. CALL D:\BIN\LLRAS.BAT

Then reboot your Palmtop.

2. Copy the following files from D:\BIN on the 200LX to a directory on the PC (use the built-in DataComm application and a terminal emulator, or any other method you choose). LLRA.BAT, LLRA1.EXE, LLRA2.EXE, LLRA3.EXE, LLRA4.EXE, TSI.INI

3. Edit the TSI.INI file in a text editor on your PC as follows: In [General], change computer-Name= to something else (e.g., "Desktop") In [Redirector], change Enabled= to Yes.

4. Edit the LLRA.BAT file on your PC, changing all file paths from D:\BIN to the PC directory you copied them to in step 2.

5. With the PC and Palmtop connected via serial cable, enter the AppMgr on the Palmtop and start the LapLink Remote Access program.

6. On the PC, change to the directory where you copied the LapLink files, and type LLRA. In a few seconds you should hear beeps from both the PC and Palmtop indicating that a connection has been made.

7. On the PC, type LLRA /M to display the drive mapping.

8. To Unload LapLink from the PC, type LLRA /U.