[DM-MUG] retrieving files from a Performa 636CD

[CW Smith]

I don't know how old the Thinkpad is, but if it's from about 1998 or  
newer, it should have built-in USB. The iMacs have all had built-in  
USB. You can purchase a USB floppy drive through any number of sources  
(MacMall, Best Buy, Amazon, or through me at Haddock), which would  
enable the laptop and the iMac to read/write floppies.

If you're wanting to move things to the Thinkpad, you'll need to use  
PC-formatted floppies (Windoze can't read a Mac floppy without 3rd- 
party help). The Performa and the iMac will be able to work with  
either Mac-formatted or PC-formatted floppies.

On the Performa, just use the internal floppy drive to copy your files  
from the hard drive (albeit 1.4 MB at a time). Hook the USB floppy  
drive to the iMac or the Thinkpad and copy the files from the floppy  
to the target machine. Time consuming, but it'll work, and you'll have  
an extra tool for later use as well.

Peace,
CW


On Aug 7, 2008, at 9:19 AM, starcat at letterboxes.org wrote:

> Hello from a new member.
>
> I have a Performa 636CD, got it in '94 or '95 and used it through 2001
> when I upgraded to a used iMac.  I still have and occasionally use the
> iMac and also recently inherited a ThinkPad (I know, I know, evil...  
> but
> free).  There are a number of files (mostly Word) on the Performa  
> that I
> would like to transfer to one of the other computers, but I'm at a
> complete loss as to how to do this.  The CD drive on the Performa is
> read-only.  Neither the iMac nor the laptop has a floppy drive.  My  
> only
> internet access right now is through an air card on the PC (I live in
> the middle of nowhere with no other connection options except dial  
> up).
> I do have a dial-up modem for the Performa but no dial-up access.
>
> I am far from a computer expert.  I'm fairly adept at doing what I  
> need
> to do, but in terms of anything beyond the basics I'm useless.  I  
> don't
> even know whether the files would even be readable at this point -  
> some
> of them are 13 years old - but even having unformatted text from these
> files would be meaningful.
>
> Purchasing hundreds of dollars worth of stuff to accomplish this  
> really
> isn't an option right now, so the cheaper the solution, the better.
>
> Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
>
> kat
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