| Author |
Message |
    
deborahg
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 409
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 11:48 am: |     |
I am working on a book proposal and just discovered that some essential information is on disks that my current computer can't read. the disks are probably 8 years old; they are the smaller floppies (not 5 1/4), but my machine says they're "unformatted" even though I know they are, which I assume just means it can't read them. Any idea where I can get these suckers converted fast?! I really need the info! Thanks, Deborah (debgaines@mindspring.com) |
jem
Citizen
Username: Jem
Post Number: 607
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 12:42 pm: | |
Deborah, do you use a mac or a pc? I've got both - pcs don't do too well reading mac stuff, but macs can often handle stuff from pcs. Do you know what program created the info? Are they word files? Maybe I can help you out. |
njjoseph
Supporter
Username: Njjoseph
Post Number: 1789
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 1:20 pm: | |
I've had this problem before.
Chances are that you have directories on the floppies, and the protocol changed since then and cannot identify them. I had a devil of a time with them, always thinking there was a virus. Although I don't know specifically where you could go to copy them, you might try any of the places in So. Orange or Maplewood that does computer repair. Also, you might check with Kinko's to see if they have any old PCs with DOS or early Windows programs, or perhaps you have a friend that might have one in a closet.
I don't know if Norton or one of the other similar utilities has a feature to read this, but you might check that out, too.
Also, every time you put one of the floppies in the drive, be sure to lock it -- you don't want the new operating system to kill your disk. |
deborahg
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 410
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 2:15 pm: | |
Hi Jem; I don't remember for sure which was which; I had both windows and mac machines around at the time. Should be Word or, if it's old enough, Wordstar (I think Word, though). If you think it might work on a Mac I would love to try it. NJJoseph, what did you do when you had this problem? How did you finally solve it?
Thanks! |
deborahg
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 411
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 2:20 pm: | |
Just checked and the error message says the disk does not contain a recognized file system. |
njjoseph
Supporter
Username: Njjoseph
Post Number: 1790
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 2:41 pm: | |
I put the disk into my old PC (which I still had) and emailed it to myself.
|
deborahg
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 412
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 3:53 pm: | |
Darn...my old PC is long gone. I'll have to look further I guess. |
java_drinker
Citizen
Username: Java_drinker
Post Number: 59
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 4:10 pm: | |
"Tech Fusion" in the city does it for companies and individuals. |
barleyrooty
Citizen
Username: Barleyrooty
Post Number: 460
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 9:45 am: | |
I'm not specifically aware of the "protocol" change that njjoseph mentions. As far as I know all new versions of Windows will read all old DOS/Windows disks (apart from a few, pretty obscure cases).
The most likely case from your info is that you have a mac disk. If you don't know anyone with a mac get over to NetNomads! You should be able to read the disk and email yourself the files. If you can convert to straight text files first on the mac it will help. Also make sure you disable any automatic attachment file compression on the Mac (e.g. StuffIt) before emailing.
The other possibility is that PC's sometimes won't read disks formatted in other PCs, especially as the disks get old. It's to do with the exact alignment of the read/write heads in the drive. The best solution I can suggest for this is to go somewhere (NetNomads springs to mind again) and try the disk in as many machines as possible. With a few "Retry"s you may be able to get one of them to read it.
Of course, the disk may just have become rotted/scratched/demagnetized. But I wouldn't want to be that pessimistic... If you've tried everything else, I'd try someone like this:
I found them online. Services like this tend to be pretty expensive but can sometimes perform apparent miracles.
Data Recovery Labs is the world's largest - and most successful Data Recovery service.
It offers NO CHARGE EVALUATION for Data Recovery on all media, all platforms...
Telephone Help Line: 8am - 8pm Eastern Standard Time
Canada/USA Toll Free 1-800-563-1167
International Customers (416) 510-6990
TORONTO LAB, Head Office
Data Recovery Labs
85 Scarsdale Road
Suite 100
Toronto, Ontario
M3B 2R2
Good luck.
Phil
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njjoseph
Supporter
Username: Njjoseph
Post Number: 1793
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 9:55 am: | |
Phil -- it has to do with reading directories on the floppies. It's not simply a matter of just reading files on the disk. The newer versions couldn't interpret the directories correctly. |
deborahg
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 413
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 11:06 am: | |
I tried the MAC option this morning (at Jem's house--thanks, Jem and Mr. Jem), as well as a couple of other PCs. No luck. I will try Net Nomads...would also appreciate the names of any computer/repair service places in town that might have older machines or be able to do recovery work (cheaper). Also, if anyone has Norton utilities, there's a recover (or something similar) utility that someone recommended. Please let me know if I can try it at your house--and thanks, all. |
deborahg
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 414
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 11:26 am: | |
Also: I have copies of these same files on a 5 1/4 inch floppy. Does anyone know anyone who still has one of these drives?!
Thanks! |
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