Old discs

[PennLady]

So I found all these discs from way back when (1996), some of which say they have story files from oh so long ago. I have attempted to read them. Hub's computer - no go. Best Buy -- $99 for ANY data transfer! I think not. So I bought an external floppy. I have tried it on three computers and get nothing. I think my old '98 laptop is my last chance, otherwise these will just have to go unread for longer.

I realize, of course, that in 15 years something could have happened to the discs (3.25" FDs). However, I'm not getting any kind of "disc is damaged" or "disc is unreadable" messages. In fact, with the new external drive, I just get nothing. Sigh.

Of course I'm also annoyed b/c the little instrux say there should be CD installation disc with drivers and there isn't. I imagine I can find the drivers, but still. Sigh. At least it was only $13...

See, technology is great -- until it isn't.

 

[Sugary_Comfort]

That's why I usually can't stand technology. At least when it comes to computer, phone, TVs, and such. I've got some old floppy disks that have stuff on them but I don't know where they're at and it doesn't really matter now. Mostly I just want my hard drive from my old computer but in order to get it, my damn ex needs to stop being a butthead and talk to me. He said he'd hold it for me but I kept forgetting to grab it back before he got a new girlfriend so now I'm stuck waiting until this new relationship of his falls apart or he matures some more and will talk to me.

 

[sr71plt]

I've been reusing floppys for fifteen years (the publishing industry is only now starting to move over to DVDs) and, although the individual ones wear out with multiple use/erasings/reuse, I'm still working with those floppys.

 

[PennLady]

I've been reusing floppys for fifteen years (the publishing industry is only now starting to move over to DVDs) and, although the individual ones wear out with multiple use/erasings/reuse, I'm still working with those floppys.

I'm still operating on the theory that these discs are good, I'm just having problems reading them. Sigh.

I still couldn't believe Best Buy wanted $99. Crazy.

 

[sr71plt]

I'm still operating on the theory that these discs are good, I'm just having problems reading them. Sigh.

I still couldn't believe Best Buy wanted $99. Crazy.

I'm not wild about having to change to DVDs. I never have figured a consistent way to get that done on my desktop (which has stopped being able to make floppys--I have to send to my laptop to get that done). And I can't constantly save to DVD as I do to floppy.

 

[PennLady]

I'm not wild about having to change to DVDs. I never have figured a consistent way to get that done on my desktop (which has stopped being able to make floppys--I have to send to my laptop to get that done). And I can't constantly save to DVD as I do to floppy.

Do you mean CDs? Yeah, the problem there is not being able to overwrite as you go along. I've never found them convenient for "temporary" saving. Great for longer-term, though. Jump/flash drives are probably a better way to go, you could store them there and transport them or copy the files to floppy, CD, etc.

 

[Sugary_Comfort]

Have you looked up any local computer stores in your area? Not big chain ones.

They usually will do the transfer for less than the big companies.

 

[PennLady]

Have you looked up any local computer stores in your area? Not big chain ones.

They usually will do the transfer for less than the big companies.

I am starting to come to the conclusion that although the discs are labeled, they are blank.

I have hooked up the drive to four computers, and as I said, I receive no errors, just no file listing. And I'm fairly sure the drive works -- my hub gave me an old disc that had files, and it read that. However, after removing that disc and putting in one of my own, it still read the same file (setup.exe) as on the previous, and my disc certainly shouldn't have had a file with that name.

Grasping at straws, I'm now wondering if after reading a blank disc, I'm getting blank listings because of that. Grrrrr.

There is a local place that I was thinking of asking. They'd be my last shot. And at least my drive was only $13, and at least it works.

And at least my second season of "The IT Crowd" arrived, and my Miyazaki set should be here by the end of the month.

 

[Sugary_Comfort]

Have you tried seeing if you could save anything to the discs? If you can, try saving something and then seeing if it will read. If it does, then yeah, the discs are probably blank.

 

[PennLady]

Have you tried seeing if you could save anything to the discs? If you can, try saving something and then seeing if it will read. If it does, then yeah, the discs are probably blank.

No, I haven't, but I could. Nothing to lose.

 

[sr71plt]

Do you mean CDs?

Nope. What my desktop burns is DVDs My laptop plays but it doesn't burn either CDs or DVDs.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Have you tried seeing if you could save anything to the discs? If you can, try saving something and then seeing if it will read. If it does, then yeah, the discs are probably blank.

Or haven't been formated. Or they have been exposed to a weak magnetic field that has corrupted the FAT.

Try opening a CMD window.

Then type in drive letter: assuming it's E - e:

you should get a prompt E:\>

then type dir

even if the drive is empty you should get a listing...

Volume in drive D is RECOVERY
Volume Serial Number is AAF5-D55F

Directory of D:

or

an error message.

 

[PennLady]

Or haven't been formated. Or they have been exposed to a weak magnetic field that has corrupted the FAT.

Try opening a CMD window.

Then type in drive letter: assuming it's E - e:

you should get a prompt E:\>

then type dir

even if the drive is empty you should get a listing...

Volume in drive D is RECOVERY
Volume Serial Number is AAF5-D55F

Directory of D:

or

an error message.

I think my husband did something similar on his computer. The conclusion so far is that they are blank or unreadable. Bummer. Sigh. I was really hoping to find some stuff I'd done in college and grad school. Ah well. Still a slim chance I might find paper copies of them -- there are boxes still unpacked after four years.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I think my husband did something similar on his computer. The conclusion so far is that they are blank or unreadable. Bummer. Sigh. I was really hoping to find some stuff I'd done in college and grad school. Ah well. Still a slim chance I might find paper copies of them -- there are boxes still unpacked after four years.

I remember back in the day there were all kinds of utilities for recovering data from sick floppies. You my try CNET download site and do a search.