Getting data off an ancient computer

Aidoscuz

Aidoscuz

Aidoscuz

Associate
Joined
1 Jan 2005
Posts
511
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Hey all

I need to get some data off a really, really old Gateway computer. I think it's from 1994 but I'm not entirely certain. It's quite an antique - it's running Windows 3.1, it's got no USB ports, only serial ports, and it only takes DD floppy disks rather than the HD ones that are available now.

I had a look inside and from what I could tell the hard drive used IDE. I'm thinking my best bet is to take out the hard drive and plug it into my computer. Will there be any issues with recognising the drive and the data on it?

Also, the files I need are word documents from Office 4.3. The extension is still .doc, so will current versions of word be able to read them or will I have to get a converter of some sort?
 
Last edited:
If it's IDE, which is probably is, given the estimated date, than it should work with a newer IDE host controller in a newer computer.

MS is notorious for killing backward compatibility in old documents so if it doesn't work you might benefit from batch converting all of the documents using the old machine and the old program to plain text, which never goes out of style.
 
If it's from 1994, it will certainly take an HD Floppy disk if you have one. Connecting a very old IDE disk to a new controller without having backed up the data first would be taking a (small) risk. If the data is irreplaceable, copy it to floppies anyways.

To check if it's IDE, take a good look at the cable. If there is a single 40pin ribbon cable, then it's IDE. I would recommend connecting the drive via the same 40-pin cable to the new computer on an empty channel. Do not attempt to add it as a slave on an 80-pin ribbon.
 
whack the ide drive into a £10 IDE external caddy :)

connect to you current computer and copy across any files you want, after format it and keep it as a backup :)
 
Thanks for the replies. The computer isn't actually mine, I'll be going over to the owner's house tomorrow. I'll give the floppies a try but the owner said that only DD ones worked. There's no way of getting onto the internet, the computer has no networking ports. If the floppies don't work I'll plug the hard drive into my machine using the old cable.

As regards batch converting the .doc files to plain text, what would be the best way to do this? I know I could open up each file in office and save it as a plain text file, but that would take a hell of a long time...
 
Aidoscuz said:
There's no way of getting onto the internet, the computer has no networking ports.
Click to expand...
You mean to say that you don't have a sizable box in the cellar full of obsolete ISA network interface cards? I thought everybody had one of those!

As for the scripting question, that might be better answered in the Windows Software forum, as I don't know how to do it. How many documents, approximately, are there?
 
BillytheImpaler said:
You mean to say that you don't have a sizable box in the cellar full of obsolete ISA network interface cards? I thought everybody had one of those!

As for the scripting question, that might be better answered in the Windows Software forum, as I don't know how to do it. How many documents, approximately, are there?
Click to expand...

2 boxes! i have my brother in law about 30 SATA and 20 IDE cable just before christmas i i had no need for them and he uses them on customers pc's :S

everybody has a collection lol.
 
BillytheImpaler said:
You mean to say that you don't have a sizable box in the cellar full of obsolete ISA network interface cards? I thought everybody had one of those!
Click to expand...

Unfortunately the oldest thing in my box of crap is a Geforce 2 MX :D I really need to start a better collection!

At a guess I'd say there are 100-150 files, so doing each one individually would be very tedious but if the worst comes to the worst I could switch off my brain and just sit there converting for a while. I'll post in the windows forum and see what I get.
 
if you have a couple of old modems, you could just connect both puters up to a phone line and transfer them that way. I think the best bet though is to take the harddrive out and put it in your computer.
 
It may be worth taking a look on the MS site to see if there is a converter.

Alternatively it may be worth seeing if OpenOffice will open older Office documents.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom