Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Mike Loewen via cctalk]

On Thu, 22 Jun 2017, Mike Loewen via cctalk wrote:

  I was contacted by a faculty member at the University of Alabama 
(Tuscaloosa) who is looking for help in recovering files from some 5-1/4" 
diskettes.  The diskettes are from the 1989-1892 time frame, and most likely 
contain WordPerfect files.  If there's anyone in the area who would be 
willing to help, contact me off-list and I'll put you in touch with him.


   Thanks to all who responded to my help request.  We have it covered.


Mike Loewen mloe...@cpumagic.scol.pa.us
Old Technology  http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

RE: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

Yes.  External 5.25" drives, both 360K and 1.2M were available for the
PS/2 line.   It was just a matter of power and signal cabling to put
together your own.
There was a bracket with a DC-37.  That could be used for PC external
drive, if that was what you had on hand.  Or wanted to connect an 8"


On Sat, 24 Jun 2017, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk wrote:

The only ones I remember were third-party.  SYSGEN comes immediately
to mind.


I had a few IBM ones. (from Foothill College fleamarket)
Beige, rounded corners, round cable
The 360K ones had an asterisk embossed on the faceplate.


Once IBM realized that 360K and 1.2M drives looked the same, they started 
putting that asterisk on the 360K half-height face plates.  That way, if 
you had a drive with no asterisk, then you knew conclusively that it was

A) a 1.2M drive
B) a 360K drive from before the change
C) an aftermarket drive

We thought that putting a marking on the NEW type of drive would have made 
more sense.  Then, at least MOST of the drives could be correctly marked.

RE: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Bill Gunshannon via cctalk]

From: cctalk [cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] on behalf of Fred Cisin via cctalk 
[cctalk@classiccmp.org]
Sent: Saturday, June 24, 2017 4:37 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: RE: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

>> Let's hope that it's a 1.4M!  If it's 720K, then we could sneaker it
>> to a PS/2 to move it to 2.8M, to take to a NeXT, . . .

On Sat, 24 Jun 2017, Kris Kirby wrote:
> IIRC the PS/2 had a 5.25" drive option in certain form factors.

Yes.  External 5.25" drives, both 360K and 1.2M were available for the
PS/2 line.   It was just a matter of power and signal cabling to put
together your own.
There was a bracket with a DC-37.  That could be used for PC external
drive, if that was what you had on hand.  Or wanted to connect an 8"

___-

The only ones I remember were third-party.  SYSGEN comes immediately
to mind.

bill

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 06/24/2017 01:37 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:

> There was a bracket with a DC-37.  That could be used for PC external
> drive, if that was what you had on hand.  Or wanted to connect an 8"

There was also the MCA Diskette Adapter/A, which didn't work with much
"low level" software.

--Chuck

RE: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

Let's hope that it's a 1.4M!  If it's 720K, then we could sneaker it
to a PS/2 to move it to 2.8M, to take to a NeXT, . . .


On Sat, 24 Jun 2017, Kris Kirby wrote:

IIRC the PS/2 had a 5.25" drive option in certain form factors.


Yes.  External 5.25" drives, both 360K and 1.2M were available for the 
PS/2 line.   It was just a matter of power and signal cabling to put 
together your own.
There was a bracket with a DC-37.  That could be used for PC external 
drive, if that was what you had on hand.  Or wanted to connect an 8"

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

He might also need a little hand-holding on how to open the WP files 
with his current word processor

On Sat, 24 Jun 2017, Geoff Oltmans wrote:
There's instructions for opening WordPerfect 5.x and 6.x docs in 
Microsoft Word 2007 on Microsoft's support website, so I imagine that is 
probably not that big of a problem.


Not that big of a problem, nor even any sort of a problem at all.
With a 10 or 15 year old PC, with a 10 or 15 year old copy of Office,
open the file, "SAVE AS".
Most current versions of Open Office no longer support it, so it is 
necessary to install an older version.

I don't know whether the same applies to Microsoft Office.

The client might need help with that, and almost certainly would with 
anything other than USB drive or WWW download.



But, somehow, here, we can turn it into a major project.
(Ed's most recent suggestion of removing an IDE drive merely adds another 
fun step to my multi-step scenario)

RE: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Kris Kirby via cctalk]

On Fri, 23 Jun 2017, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
> Let's hope that it's a 1.4M!  If it's 720K, then we could sneaker it 
> to a PS/2 to move it to 2.8M, to take to a NeXT, . . .

IIRC the PS/2 had a 5.25" drive option in certain form factors.

--
Kris Kirby, KE4AHR
Disinformation Architect, Systems Mangler, & Network Mismanager
Birmingham, AL

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Geoff Oltmans via cctalk]

Sent from my iPhone
> On Jun 23, 2017, at 11:19 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk  
> wrote:
> 
>> On Fri, 23 Jun 2017, Geoff Oltmans wrote:
>> Silly me... And here I was thinking I could just use my dell dimension 
>> celeron machine running win98 complete with 5.25" floppy drive AND (drum 
>> roll) a 10/100 NIC and ftp over to my ftp server. But your idea sounds more 
>> thorough. :)
> 
> Sure.
> But, a 2G USB flash drive will hold the contents of a mighty big stack of 
> floppies (bigger than the hard drive that he had 30 years ago)
> He might find that easier to deal with than ftp.
> 
> He might also need a little hand-holding on how to open the WP files with his 
> current word processor
> 
> 
> --
> Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com

There's instructions for opening WordPerfect 5.x and 6.x docs in Microsoft Word 
2007 on Microsoft's support website, so I imagine that is probably not that big 
of a problem. 

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Ed via cctalk]

Well- just write it  to an ide hard drive on the win 95 Packard  Bell
then...
 
 pull the  drive and  read it on something   newer!
 
Ed# _www.smecc.org_ (http://www.smecc.org)  
 
 
In a message dated 6/23/2017 4:04:22 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,  
cctalk@classiccmp.org writes:

On  06/23/2017 10:53 AM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
> On Fri, 23 Jun 2017,  Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:
>> If it's a P1 or later system, don't  forget USB pen drive.There
>> are even DOS drivers  available for that functionality.
> 
> Since Ed said Win95, I  chose to discount the likelihood of that 
> capability.  I doubted  that he would have rolled his own. Win98SE
> seems to be the point where  that became mainstream
USB was available for Win95A as an add-on  IIRC.  By OSR2 it was
standard.   I still have a carton of  brand-new Toshiba Infinia InTouch
USB modules and the Win95 driver for  them.

--Chuck

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

On Fri, 23 Jun 2017, Geoff Oltmans wrote:
Silly me... And here I was thinking I could just use my dell dimension 
celeron machine running win98 complete with 5.25" floppy drive AND (drum 
roll) a 10/100 NIC and ftp over to my ftp server. But your idea sounds 
more thorough. :)


Sure.
But, a 2G USB flash drive will hold the contents of a mighty big stack of 
floppies (bigger than the hard drive that he had 30 years ago)

He might find that easier to deal with than ftp.

He might also need a little hand-holding on how to open the WP files with 
his current word processor



--
Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Geoff Oltmans via cctalk]

On Jun 23, 2017, at 11:23 AM, Fred Cisin via cctalk  
wrote:

>> with a Packard Bell w/' Win 95 (Not hooked to the internet) with a 5 1/4
>> drive in it!
> 
> Surely the most prized artifact in any museum's collection!
> 
>> On Fri, 23 Jun 2017, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk wrote:
>> And then what do you do with them?  No network and most likely
>> no USB.  I suppose you could write them to 3.5" disks, which I am
>> pretty sure he doesn't have either.  :-)
> 
> Let's hope that it's a 1.4M!  If it's 720K, then we could sneaker it to a 
> PS/2 to move it to 2.8M, to take to a NeXT, . . .
> 
> But if it's 1.4M 3.5" then it can be sneaker-net'd to a late model Mac.
> It can be transferred by serial port to a Victor 9000/Sirius.
> Warner can read that, and copy it to 8" SSSD (THE standard).
> An Apple II with an SVA (Sorrento Valley Associates) disk unit can read that, 
> and copy it to an Amdek 3".
> The 3" can go to a Coco or Amstrad and send it by modem to an AOL account.
> FTP to a unix shell account.
> TRS-80 can login and print it out.
> The printout can be OCR'ed.
> The OCR'ed content can be run through text to speech to a CD.
> CD can be dubbed to a dictaphone.
> A secretary can type from the dictaphone content.
> Or, if available, the OCR'ed content can be run through a KGs-80 or Rochester 
> Dynatyper (keyboard actuator); the Escon unit, instead of sitting on top of 
> the keyboard was underneath a Selectric, so maybe it could be mounted to an 
> IBM operator console?
> 
> Note that this procedure eliminates using punch cards, paper tape, hard 
> drives, flash drives, mag tape (and cartridges), stringy floppy, MO, core 
> planes, drums, and thousands of intermediate floppy formats (including hard 
> sector, 3.25").
> 
> 
> Some folk might come up with shortcuts that seem quicker,
> but unless/until they do the transfer, . . .

Silly me... And here I was thinking I could just use my dell dimension celeron 
machine running win98 complete with 5.25" floppy drive AND (drum roll) a 10/100 
NIC and ftp over to my ftp server. But your idea sounds more thorough. :)

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 06/23/2017 10:53 AM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
> On Fri, 23 Jun 2017, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:
>> If it's a P1 or later system, don't forget USB pen drive.There
>> are even DOS drivers available for that functionality.
> 
> Since Ed said Win95, I chose to discount the likelihood of that 
> capability.  I doubted that he would have rolled his own. Win98SE
> seems to be the point where that became mainstream
USB was available for Win95A as an add-on IIRC.  By OSR2 it was
standard.   I still have a carton of brand-new Toshiba Infinia InTouch
USB modules and the Win95 driver for them.

--Chuck

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

On Fri, 23 Jun 2017, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:

If it's a P1 or later system, don't forget USB pen drive.There are
even DOS drivers available for that functionality.


Since Ed said Win95, I chose to discount the likelihood of that 
capability.  I doubted that he would have rolled his own.

Win98SE seems to be the point where that became mainstream


I think that most modern PCs still have USB ports--you know, for foot
warmers, fans and other such useful stuff.


I thought that that was just for charging cellphones

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 06/23/2017 09:23 AM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:

> Some folk might come up with shortcuts that seem quicker, but
> unless/until they do the transfer, . . .

If it's a P1 or later system, don't forget USB pen drive.There are
even DOS drivers available for that functionality.

I think that most modern PCs still have USB ports--you know, for foot
warmers, fans and other such useful stuff.

--Chuck

RE: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

with a Packard Bell w/' Win 95 (Not hooked to the internet) with a 5 1/4
drive in it!


Surely the most prized artifact in any museum's collection!

On Fri, 23 Jun 2017, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk wrote:

And then what do you do with them?  No network and most likely
no USB.  I suppose you could write them to 3.5" disks, which I am
pretty sure he doesn't have either.  :-)


Let's hope that it's a 1.4M!  If it's 720K, then we could sneaker it to a 
PS/2 to move it to 2.8M, to take to a NeXT, . . .


But if it's 1.4M 3.5" then it can be sneaker-net'd to a late model Mac.
It can be transferred by serial port to a Victor 9000/Sirius.
Warner can read that, and copy it to 8" SSSD (THE standard).
An Apple II with an SVA (Sorrento Valley Associates) disk unit can 
read that, and copy it to an Amdek 3".

The 3" can go to a Coco or Amstrad and send it by modem to an AOL account.
FTP to a unix shell account.
TRS-80 can login and print it out.
The printout can be OCR'ed.
The OCR'ed content can be run through text to speech to a CD.
CD can be dubbed to a dictaphone.
A secretary can type from the dictaphone content.
Or, if available, the OCR'ed content can be run through a KGs-80 or 
Rochester Dynatyper (keyboard actuator); the Escon unit, instead of 
sitting on top of the keyboard was underneath a Selectric, so maybe it 
could be mounted to an IBM operator console?


Note that this procedure eliminates using punch cards, paper tape, 
hard drives, flash drives, mag tape (and cartridges), stringy floppy, MO, 
core planes, drums, and thousands of intermediate floppy formats 
(including hard sector, 3.25").



Some folk might come up with shortcuts that seem quicker,
but unless/until they do the transfer, . . .

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Liam Proven via cctalk]

On 23 June 2017 at 17:40, Fred Cisin via cctalk  wrote:
> That was a rhetorical question.  Don't you hate rhetorical questions?

Oh very good. *Slow handclap*

-- 
Liam Proven • Profile: https://about.me/liamproven
Email: lpro...@cix.co.uk • Google Mail/Talk/Plus: lpro...@gmail.com
Twitter/Facebook/Flickr: lproven • Skype/LinkedIn/AIM/Yahoo: liamproven
UK: +44 7939-087884 • ČR/WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal: +420 702 829 053

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

Which  brings it all down to:
"How do you read 5.25" MS-DOS  disks?"


That was a rhetorical question.  Don't you hate rhetorical questions?


On Fri, 23 Jun 2017, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:

Try reading the cctlk archives


Always a good idea!


This has been discussed AGAIN and AGAIN for several decades.
cctlk badly needs a FAQ

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

> Which  brings it all down to:
> "How do you read 5.25" MS-DOS  disks?"
> 

Try reading the cctlk archives
This has been discussed AGAIN and AGAIN for several decades.

cctlk badly needs a FAQ

RE: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Bill Gunshannon via cctalk]

From: cctalk [cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] on behalf of Ed via cctalk 
[cctalk@classiccmp.org]
Sent: Friday, June 23, 2017 2:13 AM
To: ci...@xenosoft.com; cctalk@classiccmp.org
Subject: Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

with a Packard Bell w/' Win 95 (Not hooked to the internet) with a 5 1/4
drive in it! -- Ed# _www.smecc.org_ (http://www.smecc.org)


__

And then what do you do with them?  No network and most likely
no USB.  I suppose you could write them to 3.5" disks, which I am
pretty sure he doesn't have either.  :-)

bill

RE: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Bill Gunshannon via cctalk]

From: cctalk [cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] on behalf of Mike Loewen via 
cctalk [cctalk@classiccmp.org]
Sent: Friday, June 23, 2017 12:48 AM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

On Thu, 22 Jun 2017, Sam O'nella wrote:

> The assumptions pouring in could use a quick follow up. Date joke aside,
> did they already try reading them? My guess would be yes hence the
> recovery request possibly needing flux or more advanced recovery.

The gentleman with the disks does not have a machine with a 5-1/4"
drive, hence the request.


__

That was my first thoguht as very few people have any kind of
floppy drive at all today.  Even fewer have the kinds of computer
systems people here have.  :-)

bill

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Ed via cctalk]

with a Packard Bell w/' Win 95 (Not hooked to the internet) with a 5 1/4  
drive in it! -- Ed# _www.smecc.org_ (http://www.smecc.org) 
 
 
In a message dated 6/22/2017 2:39:20 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,  
cctalk@classiccmp.org writes:

Which  brings it all down to:
"How do you read 5.25" MS-DOS  disks?"

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 06/22/2017 09:48 PM, Mike Loewen via cctalk wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Jun 2017, Sam O'nella wrote:
> 
>> The assumptions pouring in could use a quick follow up. Date joke 
>> aside, did they already try reading them? My guess would be yes
>> hence the recovery request possibly needing flux or more advanced
>> recovery.
> 
> The gentleman with the disks does not have a machine with a 5-1/4" 
> drive, hence the request.


Thanks for the clarification, Mike.   I suspect that any vintage PC
hobbyist in the area could probably perform a simple copy.  Try posting
on Erik's Vintage Computer Federation list.  Conversion of the data can
come later--there are lots of options.

This should be easy, even for the people who do nothing but play games
on their old systems.

--Chuck

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Mike Loewen via cctalk]

On Thu, 22 Jun 2017, Sam O'nella wrote:

The assumptions pouring in could use a quick follow up. Date joke aside, 
did they already try reading them? My guess would be yes hence the 
recovery request possibly needing flux or more advanced recovery.


   The gentleman with the disks does not have a machine with a 5-1/4" 
drive, hence the request.



Mike Loewen mloe...@cpumagic.scol.pa.us
Old Technology  http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Sam O'nella via cctalk]

The assumptions pouring in could use a quick follow up. Date joke aside, did 
they already try reading them? My guess would be yes hence the recovery request 
possibly needing flux or more advanced recovery.
null

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 06/22/2017 07:18 PM, Fred Cisin wrote:
>>> I was contacted by a faculty member at the University of Alabama 
>>> (Tuscaloosa) who is looking for help in recovering files from
>>> some 5-1/4" diskettes.  The diskettes are from the 1989-1892 time
>>> frame...

> 
> That was all before my time, so I have to rely on accounts by
> others.

I assumed that the first date was a typo.

--Chuck

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

I was contacted by a faculty member at the University of Alabama
(Tuscaloosa) who is looking for help in recovering files from some
5-1/4" diskettes.  The diskettes are from the 1989-1892 time frame...


On Thu, 22 Jun 2017, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:

An eyewitness account of the Second Franco-Dahomean War?


1892 would probably not be 5.25" disks.
Probably a Hollerith code, since that was 2 years into the census.
round holes, 12 rows, 24 columns, 3" x 5.5"
(later, they went to 3.25" x 7.375")

That was all before my time, so I have to rely on accounts by others.

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Geoff Oltmans via cctalk]

I'm in Huntsville Alabama but that's not exactly next door to Tuscaloosa. I'd 
be surprised if there wasn't someone in Tuscaloosa with the capability to read 
these disks, but I could probably help if they can't find anyone closer. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 22, 2017, at 8:26 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk  
wrote:

 CORRECTION:
 OpenOffice claims to READ WP files, but not SAVE to those formats.
> 
>> On Thu, 22 Jun 2017, Mike Loewen via cctalk wrote:
>>  Guys, let's not let this degenerate into a disk tool debate.  It's quite 
>> likely that these are vanilla 1.2MB MSDOS diskettes, easily read by anyone 
>> with a system with the requisite drive.  I could do it myself, but I thought 
>> I'd see if there's anyone closer (I'm in PA).
> 
> If it will help any, here's a correction to my correction -
> a discussion of some extra efforts that need to be made with specific 
> versions, as WP file support is indeed waning:
> https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7=61838
> 
> 

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 06/22/2017 01:27 PM, Mike Loewen via cctalk wrote:
> 
> I was contacted by a faculty member at the University of Alabama 
> (Tuscaloosa) who is looking for help in recovering files from some 
> 5-1/4" diskettes.  The diskettes are from the 1989-1892 time frame...

An eyewitness account of the Second Franco-Dahomean War?

--Chuck

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 06/22/2017 01:27 PM, Mike Loewen via cctalk wrote:
> 
> I was contacted by a faculty member at the University of Alabama 
> (Tuscaloosa) who is looking for help in recovering files from some 
> 5-1/4" diskettes.  The diskettes are from the 1989-1892 time frame...

An eyewitness account of the Second Franco-Dahomean War?

--Chuck

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

CORRECTION:
OpenOffice claims to READ WP files, but not SAVE to those formats.


On Thu, 22 Jun 2017, Mike Loewen via cctalk wrote:
  Guys, let's not let this degenerate into a disk tool debate.  It's quite 
likely that these are vanilla 1.2MB MSDOS diskettes, easily read by anyone 
with a system with the requisite drive.  I could do it myself, but I thought 
I'd see if there's anyone closer (I'm in PA).


If it will help any, here's a correction to my correction -
a discussion of some extra efforts that need to be made with specific 
versions, as WP file support is indeed waning:

https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7=61838

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

Which brings it all down to:
"How do you read 5.25" MS-DOS disks?"


On Thu, 22 Jun 2017, Warner Losh wrote:

kryoflux is how I've read the ones that I've found...


In the unlikely event that they happen to be Victor 9000/Sirius,
then send them to Warner.



--
Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com

RE: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Bill Gunshannon via cctalk]

From: cctalk [cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] on behalf of Mike Loewen via 
cctalk [cctalk@classiccmp.org]
Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2017 7:12 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

On Thu, 22 Jun 2017, Warner Losh via cctalk wrote:

> On Thu, Jun 22, 2017 at 3:39 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
>> CORRECTION:
>> OpenOffice claims to READ WP files, but not SAVE to those formats.
>>
>>
>> Which brings it all down to:
>> "How do you read 5.25" MS-DOS disks?"
>>
>
> kryoflux is how I've read the ones that I've found...

Guys, let's not let this degenerate into a disk tool debate.  It's
quite likely that these are vanilla 1.2MB MSDOS diskettes, easily read
by anyone with a system with the requisite drive.  I could do it myself,
but I thought I'd see if there's anyone closer (I'm in PA).


___

Funny that.  So am I.

bill

RE: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Bill Gunshannon via cctalk]

From: cctalk [cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] on behalf of Warner Losh via 
cctalk [cctalk@classiccmp.org]
Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2017 7:04 PM
To: Fred Cisin; General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

On Thu, Jun 22, 2017 at 3:39 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> CORRECTION:
> OpenOffice claims to READ WP files, but not SAVE to those formats.
>
>
> Which brings it all down to:
> "How do you read 5.25" MS-DOS disks?"
>

kryoflux is how I've read the ones that I've found...



Isn't that kinda overkill??

bill

RE: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Bill Gunshannon via cctalk]

From: cctalk [cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] on behalf of Fred Cisin via cctalk 
[cctalk@classiccmp.org]
Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2017 5:39 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

CORRECTION:
OpenOffice claims to READ WP files, but not SAVE to those formats.


Which brings it all down to:
"How do you read 5.25" MS-DOS disks?"


_

Insert them into a 5.25" drive on any of my many systems.  :-)

bill

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Mike Loewen via cctalk]

On Thu, 22 Jun 2017, Warner Losh via cctalk wrote:


On Thu, Jun 22, 2017 at 3:39 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:


CORRECTION:
OpenOffice claims to READ WP files, but not SAVE to those formats.


Which brings it all down to:
"How do you read 5.25" MS-DOS disks?"



kryoflux is how I've read the ones that I've found...


   Guys, let's not let this degenerate into a disk tool debate.  It's 
quite likely that these are vanilla 1.2MB MSDOS diskettes, easily read 
by anyone with a system with the requisite drive.  I could do it myself, 
but I thought I'd see if there's anyone closer (I'm in PA).



Mike Loewen mloe...@cpumagic.scol.pa.us
Old Technology  http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Warner Losh via cctalk]

On Thu, Jun 22, 2017 at 3:39 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> CORRECTION:
> OpenOffice claims to READ WP files, but not SAVE to those formats.
>
>
> Which brings it all down to:
> "How do you read 5.25" MS-DOS disks?"
>

kryoflux is how I've read the ones that I've found...

Warner

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

CORRECTION:
OpenOffice claims to READ WP files, but not SAVE to those formats.


Which brings it all down to:
"How do you read 5.25" MS-DOS disks?"

Re: File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

On Thu, 22 Jun 2017, Mike Loewen via cctalk wrote:
  I was contacted by a faculty member at the University of Alabama 
(Tuscaloosa) who is looking for help in recovering files from some 5-1/4" 
diskettes.  The diskettes are from the 1989-1892 time frame, and most likely 
contain WordPerfect files.  If there's anyone in the area who would be 
willing to help, contact me off-list and I'll put you in touch with him. 
Thanks!


95+% chance that it is WordPerfect 5.x on 1.2M or 360K diskettes.
If the 1989-1892 (sic) time frame is accurate, then most likely 1.2M.
(if 1892, then it is not likely to be 5.25" disks)

Conversion (not even really "recovery") would consist of any PC with a 
5.25" drive to copy the files to thumb drive.

Then, need a version of WORD,
or of WordPerfect For Windows.
Open file, save in Word format.
I have heard that Word 2013 does not always play nicely with Word perfect 
files, in which case, try an older version of Word.

I don't think that Open Office supports WP files.

Conversion of formatting, fonts, etc., is likely to be imperfect.
Expect some manual work needed for final cleanup.


There WERE versions of WordPerfect for systems other than MS-DOS!
5.25" would not be Mac, nor Amiga, nor Atari ST, nor NextStep.
Data General or Vax/VMS also seem rather unlikely.

5.25" COULD be WordPerfect for Apple IIe/IIGS!  That would be POSSIBLE, 
but highly unlikely.   Apple 2 disk conversion is a hassle, but not 
an extreme challenge.


But also possibilities of DEC Rainbow, Tandy 2000, TI Professional, Victor 
9000 (Sirius)


First step is to put a disk in a PC and type DIR.


--
Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com

File recovery help needed (Alabama)

[Mike Loewen via cctalk]

   I was contacted by a faculty member at the University of Alabama 
(Tuscaloosa) who is looking for help in recovering files from some 5-1/4" 
diskettes.  The diskettes are from the 1989-1892 time frame, and most 
likely contain WordPerfect files.  If there's anyone in the area who would 
be willing to help, contact me off-list and I'll put you in touch with 
him.  Thanks!



Mike Loewen mloe...@cpumagic.scol.pa.us
Old Technology  http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/