Computer Question - Macintosh to Word Documents

[Sassy]

I need help from the computer experts here: I lost a friend and realized that I have a lot of letters that I had written to her on some floppies in the Apple programs Fullwrite and MacWord. I would like to access those files.

Currently, I have Microsoft Office 2003 on a XP system. Is there any program I can use to convert the documents? I know a few years back there was talk about being able to open Mac documents on a PC and vice versa. I see that I can open a file utilizing Windows 6.0/95 for Windows & Macintosh, but it is not recognizing the formatting on my floppies.

Is there anyway to open my Mac-formatted floppies on my PC, or will I need to take them in to a computer store?

I appreciate your help - thanks!

 

[IntoxicatingToxin]

Bump.

:smile:

 

[Enid]

Is there anyway to open my Mac-formatted floppies on my PC, or will I need to take them in to a computer store?

to my knowledge, you won't be able to open those floppies on a PC.

 

[Phil Ayesho]

You can try a Kinkos... they often have older software on their macs...

The trouble is even finding a Mac with a floppy port...
I would suggest looking for some Apple geek who still has a functioning Mac SE or similar vintage machine who could open them and convert them to a simple text file...

 

[Enid]

that's a good idea, if you don't have a friend with an older mac then try your local community college -- i work in the media graphics dep't at one and we have old macs coming out the wazoo. we also have portable/external floppy drives for when profs come in with those kinda disks.

 

[B_Nick8]

For all things mac, I rely on my guru and fellow mafia member, Jason_els. I would pm him and ask. He'll likely know.

 

[Sassy]

You can try a Kinkos... they often have older software on their macs...

The trouble is even finding a Mac with a floppy port...
I would suggest looking for some Apple geek who still has a functioning Mac SE or similar vintage machine who could open them and convert them to a simple text file...

Pardon my computer ignorance, but could these text files be put on a PC-formatted disk/CD, or would it need to be sent to me via e-mail?

By the way, I DO have an external floppy drive for my PC; would it work for a Mac also?

Thanks, guys, for your help!!!:smile:

 

[Axxie]

What file extension are the original format? (.word, for example) and what are you looking to convert them to?

 

[splitface]

the problem is the storage medium itself. OP states that the documents were typed and saved on a floppy using Mac. This means that the floppy is likely formatted as a HFS or HFS+ file system.

There are two solutions: Open the floppy (in the correct drive) on/in a Mac OS. Apple is god and usually ensures backwards compatibility across ...ever. Or (NO PROMISES, THIS MAY NOT WORK AT ALL) use MacDrive. It allows you to open drives with aforementioned formatting.
Or, just take it to the Genius Bar of an Apple Store. They can help.

Good luck.

 

[transformer_99]

Linux is your best shot at getting it over to another file system. After that it's a crap shoot as to whether anything will open the files ?

FullWrite Professional - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Free FullWrite Professional™ Document Processor

Know anyone with an Apple that has an older OS version (classic OS9) ? BTW, one thing you might be fighting too. How old are those floppies ? They don't hold up forever, not that a cdr does either, but stuff that's 20 years old, that was saved and accessed that long ago ? I wish you the best of luck, there won't be any guarantees.

 

[Sassy]

Thank you, guys! The floppies seem to be in pretty good shape. I'm hoping that they're in as good a shape as some cassette tapes that I've had for 20 years! This is rather a sentimental endeavor, as this friend was very dear to me, so I can but try.

I appreciate the link to the FullWrite freeware. My brother-in-law loves Macs and works for a university. I'm going to run your suggestions by him, and see if he can earn my babysitting services!

Extension on the files? I'm afraid I don't remember. I believe that they are .word, but I could be wrong. I simply want to be able to print out these old letters. Since hers are mixed in with the multitude of other people's letters I've written, I was hoping to be able to take a look at these files first.

Thanks, again, for your wonderful suggestions!

By the way, would my external floppy drive also hook up properly to a Mac and work?

 

[transformer_99]

Apple - Support - Discussions - External floppy disk drives for the new ...
Apple - Support - Discussions - VST/TEAC External Floppy with Tiger ...

Mixed results on external floppy support with a Mac ! My suggestion, download the Ubuntu iso desktop version for a live cdrom, burn it to cdr, boot your pc using that live cdrom and use the Ubuntu desktop (see 2nd & 3rd link below and see the word Places, that's where the drop down menu for the drives is located, if it doesn't simply place an icon on the desktop for you):

Download Ubuntu | Ubuntu
http://www.techotopia.com/images/0/0d/Ubuntu_desktop_with_desklets.jpg
http://elf.hacker.googlepages.com/Places-Menu.jpg/Places-Menu-full.jpg

Ubuntu will not only recognize all the drives (internal or external) on your pc, but if those floppies are readable still, you can copy them to the Windows ntfs file partition(s) of your hdd or even access the internet, using your yahoo acocunt or whatever you have (gmail and the like) upload whatever files are on those floppies to your email account in an email as an attachment and be able to save a draft or even send them to anyone you like.

 

[Sassy]

Wow, thanks! I'll give this a try. I've got company coming tomorrow, so I'll be able to try this Sunday, and get back to you. Gracias!

 

[transformer_99]

BTW, the link that shows the drop down menu. "Computer" is the choice that will have all your drives/partitions mapped, including the external floppy drive that is mounted.

http://elf.hacker.googlepages.com/Places-Menu.jpg/Places-Menu-full.jpg

when you open that, this next window will open shortly after:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e233/johnson8707/Ubuntu/Computer.png?t=1246507228