File Transfer from an OLD computer

[Black Belt and Socks]

Well, it's finally time to retire my original computer system. I have a Gateway system that I bought in 95 or 96 that still runs, but mostly for nostaglia sakes. I'm going to store it for now and have it available for the grandsocklets, but I'd like to retrieve some digital photos I have stored on it. The only transfer source available are the two floppy drives, the CD-ROM drive is read only. And none of my current systems have a floppy drive. Is it possible to copy these photos onto a floppy and get them transfered to a zip drive? Or to a CD? Do floppy drives still exist?

Any help would be appreciated.

BB "still watching my Beta tapes and listening to 8 tracks" &S

[diddy]

Floppies are going to be extremely limiting but they are still available. I would recommend either:

1) Get a cheap flash drive that can plug into the old computer, copy the files, and plug it into the new computer.
2) Obtain an external drive kit or a drive transfer kit like this. It works for both PC and Mac’s. Take out the old hard drive and plug it directly into the new computer and copy off the files at will.

Either method will save you from making back and forth trips and prevents you from worrying about transfer limitations based on floppies.

[Black Belt and Socks]

I thought of both of those but there is no USB port on the old system.

BB&S

[llewtrah]

Originally Posted by Black Belt and Socks

I thought of both of those but there is no USB port on the old system.

BB&S

Remove old HDD from old PC and plug it into an external drive caddy that attaches to your new PC by USB. You can retrieve your old files from that HDD and then (if you wish) reformat it and use it for backing up odds and sods. One of my colleagues does data transfer for friends, family and (for the price of a beer) colleagues by stripping out their HDD and loading it into his external caddy - you might find someone who does the same.

Alternatively (and probably more expensive) get an external floppy drive that runs from USB of your new PC. Write floppies on old PC and read on the external floppy drive.

Also alternatively, but not cost effective, get a CD writer and swap it in where the CD reader is. Load Nero (since you'll need some s/w for writing CDs on that older system) and write CDs. If you know anyone who's stripping down old PCs, they might have CD writers knocking about (same as I have several spare CD and DVD drives from my various strip-downs of old PCs).

You could even network the computers via Cat 5 cable (assuming the old PC has networking ability). If the old PC can connect to the web, load the photos onto somewhere like Rapidshare and then retrieve them on the new PC.

[diddy]

Originally Posted by Black Belt and Socks

I thought of both of those but there is no USB port on the old system.

BB&S

The second option only requires a USB port on your new system. You would be removing the physical drive from the older one and plugging it into the kit I mentioned.

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by diddy

2) Obtain an external drive kit or a drive transfer kit like this. It works for both PC and Mac’s. Take out the old hard drive and plug it directly into the new computer and copy off the files at will.

I would second the advice, but be careful, as many of the external drives available will only accept SATA drives (the one linked looks ok).

I take it that the old computer is not internet capable, as obviously the cheapest (free) way of transfer would be simply to eMail the files to yourself (possibly via a third party possessing both floppy drives and either internet or CD writer)

[llewtrah]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

I would second the advice, but be careful, as many of the external drives available will only accept SATA drives (the one linked looks ok).

There are lots around for old IDE drives as manufacturers realise many people want to migrate data from older PCs. I found it easy to locate a suitable USB interface - both caddies for a more permanent external HDD and others that are simply interface cables intended as temporary connections for data migration/rescue

[TallGeekyGirl]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

I would second the advice, but be careful, as many of the external drives available will only accept SATA drives (the one linked looks ok).

I take it that the old computer is not internet capable, as obviously the cheapest (free) way of transfer would be simply to eMail the files to yourself (possibly via a third party possessing both floppy drives and either internet or CD writer)

If it's internet capable and there are size restrictions on email, one could also upload pictures to a Photobucket or Flickr account, and download them to the new computer.

There's also YouSendIt. It's a site that gives you 100Mb of upload space. Get a YouSendIt account, upload your files, and send them to your email address. The files will be downloadable for 7 days.

Once you get your new system set up, you can click on the link in the email and download your files.

[Ducky]

I'm really surprised there is no USB port on the Gateway- but then the Gateway my father has he bought in 1998.

I was about to suggest the flashdrive method as that is what my father did to transfer files from his Gateway to the newer Dell (and now the even newer computer...) until you mentioned there is no USB port. The only other thing I can think of is an adapter for any parallel port and transform it into a USB port..

[diddy]

Originally Posted by Ducky

I'm really surprised there is no USB port on the Gateway- but then the Gateway my father has he bought in 1998.

If the computer was bought back in '95 or '96, I am not surprised. USB wasn’t created until 1996. My guess is that he either got the computer in ’95 or before computer makers started selling computers with USB in them in 1996.

[Black Belt and Socks]

I'm really surprised there is no USB port on the Gateway- but then the Gateway my father has he bought in 1998.

I was about to suggest the flashdrive method as that is what my father did to transfer files from his Gateway to the newer Dell (and now the even newer computer...) until you mentioned there is no USB port. The only other thing I can think of is an adapter for any parallel port and transform it into a USB port..

The system, as originally purchased, was:

4 MB RAM (I upgraded to 8)
140 MB hard drive (I added a second 360 MB HD)
Windows 3.1
2X CD-ROM
3.5 floppy drive
Color ribbon printer (still works)
SoundBlaster sound card
I remember changing the win.ini file so I could have the fastest times at Minesweeper.....

Thanks for all the suggestions, looks like the parallel to USB converter will work.

BB&S