5.25 inch drive hardware and software support in XP

[Guest]

I have an ancient, beloved Conpaq 386/25 which has a 5.25 inch, high density floppy drive. If you are a new wiz, we are talking about a PC which predates the dinosaurs. If you now about 5.25 floppies, continue. I need to migrate some files to my new computer (which, of course, has everything BUT a 5.25 inch floppy). I've got an old 5.25 floppy. How do I connect it to my new computer or how can I transfer the files relatively easily?

 

[Malke]

I have an ancient, beloved Conpaq 386/25 which has a 5.25 inch, high
density floppy drive. If you are a new wiz, we are talking about a PC
which predates the dinosaurs. If you now about 5.25 floppies,
continue. I need to migrate some files to my new computer (which, of
course, has everything BUT a 5.25 inch floppy). I've got an old 5.25
floppy. How do I connect it to my new computer or how can I transfer
the files relatively easily?

When you say you've got an old 5.25 floppy, do you mean you have an
extra drive? Why not try hooking it up to the new machine. With luck,
it will be seen as B:, just like in The Old Days. If that works, you
could just transfer your files from the old floppies to your hard drive
like usual. Remember, the A: drive goes After the twist and the B:
drive goes Before the twist, red (or sometimes blue) stripe next to Pin
1.

Malke

 

[Jim Carlock]

I'd suggest putting a network card and using a hub or a
switch to connect the two computers. Then share the 5.25"
drive. If the older system has a network card in it already,
then just hook it up to a hub or switch and do it that way.

--
Jim Carlock
http://www.microcosmotalk.com/
Post replies to the newsgroup.


:
I have an ancient, beloved Conpaq 386/25 which has a 5.25
inch, high density floppy drive. If you are a new wiz, we are
talking about a PC which predates the dinosaurs. If you now
about 5.25 floppies, continue. I need to migrate some files to
my new computer (which, of course, has everything BUT a
5.25 inch floppy). I've got an old 5.25 floppy. How do I
connect it to my new computer or how can I transfer the files
relatively easily?

 

[default]

Another way to transfer files beween two PCs is to create a Parallel to Parallel network connection. You will need a parallel to parallel cable and depending on what operating systems the two PCs are running, you will need basic knowledge of making the connection.

The reason I have said parallel to parallel because most old machines had a parallel port and serial port. The new machines may not have serial port although one could get an adapter to convert USB to serial port but expensive business about £20 in UK plus cable cost. Old machines may not also have NIC so crossover cable connection is not suggested here.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In

I'd suggest putting a network card and using a hub or a
switch to connect the two computers.

Good suggestion, but no hub or switch is needed for a
two-computer network. A crossover cable is much cheaper and works
just as well.

 

[Gene K]

Another way to transfer files beween two PCs is to create a Parallel
to Parallel network connection. You will need a parallel to parallel
cable and depending on what operating systems the two PCs are
running, you will need basic knowledge of making the connection.

The reason I have said parallel to parallel because most old machines
had a parallel port and serial port. The new machines may not have
serial port although one could get an adapter to convert USB to
serial port but expensive business about £20 in UK plus cable cost.
Old machines may not also have NIC so crossover cable connection is
not suggested here.

I agree with Ken's first suggestion because it works and is much easier than
fiddling with cables.

 

[Billly]

I agree with Ken's first suggestion because it works and is much easier
than
fiddling with cables.
--

You're a stupid ¢ünt!

 

[Al Dykes]

Another way to transfer files beween two PCs is to create a Parallel
to Parallel network connection. You will need a parallel to parallel
cable and depending on what operating systems the two PCs are
running, you will need basic knowledge of making the connection.

The reason I have said parallel to parallel because most old machines
had a parallel port and serial port. The new machines may not have
serial port although one could get an adapter to convert USB to
serial port but expensive business about £20 in UK plus cable cost.
Old machines may not also have NIC so crossover cable connection is
not suggested here. dahlnikken wrote:
high density floppy drive. If you are a new wiz, we are talking
about a PC which predates the dinosaurs. If you now about 5.25
floppies, continue. I need to migrate some files to my new computer
(which, of course, has everything BUT a 5.25 inch floppy). I've got
an old 5.25 floppy. How do I connect it to my new computer or how
can I transfer the files relatively easily?

Laplink and PC/Anywhere sell neat file transfer software that goes
along with the funny cable to transfer files. There are cables that
use the parallel port and the serial (DB9) ports.

If (and it's a big if) your Compaq had an IDE disk controller and disk
you can pop the old disk into the new machine as a slave disk and copy all
the files to the new machine.

It sounds like your machine is so old that it's got MFM disks in it.

You could get an ISA IDE controller and small (<1GB) disk on Ebay for
a few bucks and put it in. You have to format it with the DOS on your
machine. COpy the files and them put the disk in the new machine as a
slave.

 

[Al Dykes]

In


Good suggestion, but no hub or switch is needed for a
two-computer network. A crossover cable is much cheaper and works
just as well.

Does anyone remember how to condfigure TCP, or NETBEUI in DOS ? The
card would have to come with drivers on 5.25 inch disks. ;-)

What version of DOS does this machine have ?

Maybe you can put a 1.4MB floppy drive in and copy files that
way. WIth a ZIP utility you could get lots more data on each floppy.
How much data do you have to transfer ?

 

[auerbach]

If you have a modem in the Compaq, why not just e-mail the files to
yourself?