mac problems

[spazm_1999]

I've got a friend that has 2 mac, 1 very very old and a brand new one. The problem is that the document format isn't reconised by the new one and the software used on the old mac to create the document doesn't work on the nwe one. The documents are on floppy disks but they had been formated with the old one and the new one isn't able to read those disks.... i've tried to copy the disk using MacDrive on my PC, but MacDrive isn't able to read the disk content.

Has anyone have an idea about how I could copy the documents from the old to the new one.

Spazm

[cjolley]

I don't know much about Macs (actualy nothing)
But, as a last case resort- you could get a hex or ascii editor and just copy the text out of the file. You would then have to reformat it.
chuck

[spazm_1999]

I thought about that, but I can't read the darn disk.... and the old computer is broken... well it may only be a fuse in the power supply, but I couldn't figure how to open the case. And I don,t have any hex editor for mac... it may exist but I never saw one.

Spazm

[xortam]

You could use a network to copy the files across but if the new Mac can't support the application and recognize the file format it wouldn't do you any good. Check the website out for the application vendor and see if they have viewers or updates.

P.S. You snuck in a post ... broken Mac huh?

[This message has been edited by xortam (edited 30 November 2000).]

[Brian R.]

The old mac probably needs a new battery for the CMOS. Common problem. If this is the problem, system seems totally dead. Better figure out how to remove the case. If it is a all-in-one mac, you need a special case cracker tool. Other macs come apart by pressing, bending or sliding case sides, tops, etc. If you're not inclined, bring it to a shop. The battery thing is a cheap fix. Compusa has these batteries. Get one online if possible, I'll bet it's much cheaper than Compusa.

Once you get the battery replaced, try formating a floppy with the new mac. Not at high density, but low density. Cover the HD detection hole with tape so that the new mac thinks it is a low density floppy. The old mac should read the disk fine. Using the old mac, copy the files to the new LD floppy and then onto the new mac. Don't remove the tape until you're done with the process.

Another possibility is to remove the hard drive from the old mac and install it into the new mac (case cracker?). Should be an available SCSI connector in the new mac for this purpose (Not a useful suggestion if your new mac uses an IDE drive).

[This message has been edited by Brian R. (edited 30 November 2000).]

[spazm_1999]

xortam, I don't think there's a network plug on that thing... can't be sure since I'm at school. I'll check, could be a great idea if I can get it to work again.

Brian R, Well... I do know that there's a batery on the top of it but I thought it was only for the bios infos... it could be the problem, I'll check it tonight. Anyway that thing is really old about 10 years... it has some sort of 7 inch. monitor in the case with a sort of telephone plug on the front for the keyboard.

The documents that were done with the old mac were done with a software that isn't present on the new one and I heard that it could not operate on the new one.... maybe because of the OS... I think the old one uses OS 2.5 ... the other is OS 8 I think.

If I'm able to restart it, I'll try the floppy disk thing... I don't have any mac at home but with MacDrive there's a function to format a disk in mac format.... should do the same... I hope.

I just wish that I had my brother's digital camera so I could take a picture of that thing and show it you.

Spazm

[Indiana]

What's the name of the old application that created the file?

[spazm_1999]

the app name...... wow, that's something I didn't check last time it worked... but I think it was some old version of write. I think it came with the OS since the OS is on a floppy.... and to think about it... I don't think that there's a HD in that thing since the OS is on a disk and the documents were on an other.... we had to swap disks very often. Anyway if I see my friend soon, i'll ask him if he remember it.

Spazm

[Indiana]

I thought Claris works includes filters to read MacWrite files...
If I understood you right you have the file ONLY on the floppy disk you can't read (maybe it's even an old 800KB one, considering the age of your MAC - this format is incompatible to new drives since it used variable rotation-speeds)?
If you had a copy, you could mail it to me and I could try if Claris Works or NisusWriter can convert it.

[Gurm]

The problem is that those old 800k mac disks were variable-speed... which can't be read in most modern 1.44MB drives. There are drives that do it called "superdrives" for the mac, but they stopped putting them in new macs because they are expensive and not as reliable.

HOWEVER, there is software for the PC that will read the 800k disks. I forget what it's called. Just poke around www.winfiles.com until you find it. You may have to download shareware versions of half a dozen programs to get one that reads 800k disks.

- Gurm

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Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[spazm_1999]

Yes that's it, but I have more that 1 disk with documents. I've looked to winfiles did a search... and found nothing of interest. I've found TransMac on tucows.com .... I'll give it a try, it may work.

I've been able to open the case after all, the fuse is broken.... and the baterie is completely empty, I'll remplace those if this work it will give me some more time to find a solution for the transfer of those files.

Spazm