Data transfer from windows 95 computer to Xp system

[Ken Kennedy]

I tried to transfer data and files from my old computer
which was operating on windows 95 to my new computer's
hard drive. My new computer is Windows XP.

I took the windows 95 hard drive out, set its jumpers to
slave and then connected it to my new computer which is
set up so the hard drive C: (partitioned) was always
the master. I booted the system and plug and play
seemed to work. In booting up the windows XP computer
flashed a yellow screen and said that it was checking
drive E for consistency. Said something about FAT files
and before I knew it, it was writing new paths to files
that I knew were on the slave hard drive?!!

When I tried to access the files once I was in windows
XP, a lot of them were not in the directory and a couple
of Access files would not open.

I then removed the old hard drive and reinstalled it in
my old computer restored the jumper settings so that it
was the master HD and then booted the computer. To my
dismay the computer wouldn't go past the point where it
looked for an operating system and came back with the
message "operating system missing".


I need help getting the data off the old hard drive onto
the drive in the XP machine. What should I do?

Ken

 

[guestuser]

You could have used the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard in XP. Did XP
convert the file system on the old hard drive to NTFS? Have you called a
local computer shop for help? Some of the technicians may have access to
software that can get your data off the old drive.

 

[Malke]

I really don't know if they are NTFS files but I think
they are FAT files. Does that make sense?

At this point, it's impossible to tell what really happened. Maybe the
old drive had a virus infection on it and it dropped a payload. No way
to tell, especially from Usenet postings. Restore your data from
backups. No backups? Then take the drive to a good local computer shop
(not a Best Buy or Comp USA) and ask them to try and recover your data.
If they can't do it, call DriveSavers (www.drivesavers.com), a
professional data recovery firm. DriveSavers' services are not
inexpensive, but only you know how much your data is worth.

Malke