I have some old Mac files that I badly need to convert to PC files in Windows 7 or XP environment. My MacDrive 2000 can do that very well except it is not compatible with Windows 7 or XP. MacDrive 8 would work, but according to many users it corrupts the hard drive and ruins the computer completely after a short while. I dare not try it. Is it safe to use MacDrive 8? If not, I wish to know where I can go to get those Mac Files converted to PC Windows 7 documents.
By zznewton from Newton, MA
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Google "online file converter". There are sites that will convert anything from text to video files, with NO software download necessary. You just upload your files, select the output type you want, and that's it.
Best of all, many of these sites are free!
Thank you WildIrish for taking the trouble to give me the info. It will be useful for my future need. But this time my old files from old Macintosh computer are on those 3" floppy discs. They will not load to a PC without a MacDrive.
You could ask here:
http://www.worldstart.com
I signed up for their daily newsletter and it's always full of useful info, you can also go to their website and ask a question. Don't forget to tell them you are using floppies though.
You didn't say what kind of files they were, Word, databases, images or something else. Converting the files and reading the files are two separate problems. Many programs are backward compatible and can read both old Mac and PC programs. Also, the text can often be pulled out, even if the formatting gets a bit messed up.
As for the 3.5 floppy drive, your best best would be to find a computer repair shop and see if they have the equipment to transfer them to something more modern. I have a great place, Brainwave PC, that I'm sure could handle something like this. I'd check your local phone book or google "Mac Computer Repair" and see what you have nearby. Or maybe even contact a nearby Apple store to see what they recommend.
I also did a quick google search on converting Mac floppies and there are places where you can send them in and they will send them back on a CD. Not sure about the cost there though.
One concern would be that the data may not be salvageable anymore. Floppy disks store the data by a magnetic process. Because we all use so many electronics in our homes, those magnetic fields can wear away the data over time. This is also true with audio and video tapes.
Good luck and let us know what the end result is.
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