I had an old Windows 98 computer with a CGA monitor I had no use for.
I used it to copy several floppies over to CDs, and as I said, the CDs have rotted.
The computer worked, so I'm kicking myself for throwing it away.
Well, I didn't exactly throw it away, I gave it to some old guy who wanted it only to pay the old Windows computer games that came with Windows 95 and 98 that I had on it.
As far as all of my old floppies go, I'm pretty sure that data got moved up to each new computer, and most of them are only program files, some even from my Apple II+ days, hi hi.
Going back a few years here, but I also had a computer with a 3-1/2 floppy drive, but even though I could put my 5-1/4 drives in it, it said it was missing drivers for the unrecognized drive. I tried to get the drivers but never found them. Apparently even Windows XP computers could not read 5-1/4 drives.
Whatever is on those old floppies is probably nothing I still need anyhow.
As an aside, I found on one of my IDE drives all of my old AutoSketch drawings, only to learn they are not readable by anything anymore. Much like my old Genealogy files. I have an expensive stack of CD files from Broaderbund that can only be read by an old program they wrote, and not by their later programs. Their programs changed a lot before they were discontinued, then someone else bought them out, changed the program again, and again after that before they dropped it completely.
It is sorta sad in a way, all the programs I bought to do certain things with, only used a few times, and not a single one of them work on today's computers. Not even the programs that we on CDs or DVDs. And if the company is still around, and still make a newer program, it can't read the files from earlier versions.
AutoCAD is a little different, you can still read old AutoCAD files, using a conversion program so they will load into the new program, but I have no reason to buy a new AutoCAD for what little I used it.
Peppermint Linux
Re: Peppermint Linux
I have system images of my original Windows 98 computer and a Vista image for the computer after that. And, I still am using the Windows 7 image to write this message to you. 
I made the mistake of disposing of the hardware for those older images. If I kept it I could still run Windows 98 today and any other program designed for it. As you well know, however, none of that would be useful in today's high tech environment. I tried to make a virtual machine for the Windows 98 image, but could not get it to run. I don't recall the exact error message but it had to do with incompatible processors. While plowing through some of those Linux tech support forums lately, I ran across a guy who said he still has Windows 98 running in a virtual machine. Some other program or module was needed to make it happen. The good news is that I still have the laptop I gave to my daughter with Windows 3.1. I should look at it some day to make sure the batteries didn't leak. But, alas, anything I could do on those ancient machines would be confined to those machines. As long as I would not need anything more than a printout, those old programs would still work.
I made the mistake of disposing of the hardware for those older images. If I kept it I could still run Windows 98 today and any other program designed for it. As you well know, however, none of that would be useful in today's high tech environment. I tried to make a virtual machine for the Windows 98 image, but could not get it to run. I don't recall the exact error message but it had to do with incompatible processors. While plowing through some of those Linux tech support forums lately, I ran across a guy who said he still has Windows 98 running in a virtual machine. Some other program or module was needed to make it happen. The good news is that I still have the laptop I gave to my daughter with Windows 3.1. I should look at it some day to make sure the batteries didn't leak. But, alas, anything I could do on those ancient machines would be confined to those machines. As long as I would not need anything more than a printout, those old programs would still work.Re: Peppermint Linux
Hmm, I just threw away an old 286 laptop that leaked all over, ate up the storage bag and the floor under it.
I may still have an old 386 laptop somewhere in one of my closets, maybe, but I doubt it would work anymore.
And perhaps the batteries are gone out of it too.
I did hear that some of the Linux Kernels still recognize 5-1/4 floppies and have the controller modules available.
The problem with 5-1/4 floppies is they are all different sizes and speeds.
Picked up this little tidbit on-line.
0 = /dev/fd? Autodetect format
4 = /dev/fd?d360 5.25" 360K in a 360K drive(1)
20 = /dev/fd?h360 5.25" 360K in a 1200K drive(1)
48 = /dev/fd?h410 5.25" 410K in a 1200K drive
64 = /dev/fd?h420 5.25" 420K in a 1200K drive
24 = /dev/fd?h720 5.25" 720K in a 1200K drive
80 = /dev/fd?h880 5.25" 880K in a 1200K drive(1)
8 = /dev/fd?h1200 5.25" 1200K in a 1200K drive(1)
40 = /dev/fd?h1440 5.25" 1440K in a 1200K drive(1)
56 = /dev/fd?h1476 5.25" 1476K in a 1200K drive
72 = /dev/fd?h1494 5.25" 1494K in a 1200K drive
92 = /dev/fd?h1600 5.25" 1600K in a 1200K drive(1)
Who knows, I may still luck out and find something!
I may still have an old 386 laptop somewhere in one of my closets, maybe, but I doubt it would work anymore.
And perhaps the batteries are gone out of it too.
I did hear that some of the Linux Kernels still recognize 5-1/4 floppies and have the controller modules available.
The problem with 5-1/4 floppies is they are all different sizes and speeds.
Picked up this little tidbit on-line.
0 = /dev/fd? Autodetect format
4 = /dev/fd?d360 5.25" 360K in a 360K drive(1)
20 = /dev/fd?h360 5.25" 360K in a 1200K drive(1)
48 = /dev/fd?h410 5.25" 410K in a 1200K drive
64 = /dev/fd?h420 5.25" 420K in a 1200K drive
24 = /dev/fd?h720 5.25" 720K in a 1200K drive
80 = /dev/fd?h880 5.25" 880K in a 1200K drive(1)
8 = /dev/fd?h1200 5.25" 1200K in a 1200K drive(1)
40 = /dev/fd?h1440 5.25" 1440K in a 1200K drive(1)
56 = /dev/fd?h1476 5.25" 1476K in a 1200K drive
72 = /dev/fd?h1494 5.25" 1494K in a 1200K drive
92 = /dev/fd?h1600 5.25" 1600K in a 1200K drive(1)
Who knows, I may still luck out and find something!
Re: Peppermint Linux
I'm reasonably certain you can find old Linux kernels. Finding the hardware that recognizes and uses it properly would be the trick. At one time I probably knew what all those numbers meant but have no clue as I look at them today. I know you told me about CD's that lose their ability to store data. How doe you manage to keep the 5" floppies from deteriorating? Those things have to be older than any CD ever made. LOL
Re: Peppermint Linux
My late wife and I used to do transcription for a company based out of Denver Colorado.
They would send us audio tapes for our transcription machines, both large and micro-cassette tapes.
We had all the transcription equipment for all the then popular methods, including those red cylinders, forget the name of them now.
We would type up the transcript, originally on paper, but later on 5-1/4 floppies.
We only had to send one 5-1/4 floppy to them, because they were always readable.
Within a few years they wanted us to start using 3-1/2 inch floppies, claiming they were more durable.
The problem was, they were not durable at all, and we were requested to send FIVE copies of each transcription, in hopes they would receive one that was readable.
We had so many problems with those 3-1/2 floppies, they let us go back to using 5-1/4 floppies for a while.
But soon thereafter, everything had to be printed out and sent to them on paper once again.
About six months later they had us use a program they provided, called WordStar I think it was, and when we finished, we had to convert the document file to some format using another program they sent to us, and e-mail it to them through AOHell. AOHell burned us bad a couple of times with fees for upgrading their own downloads, so we stopped doing outside transcription work completely, except for our established local accounts.
With 5-1/4 floppies, as long as you keep them in their pasteboard jackets, they do not pick up cross-talk from one to the other like reel to reel tapes often did over time. In fact, that was the demise of reel to reel computer data storage. One company I worked for who had several tape cabinets, had to rerecord every tape in their storage racks every three months to reduce the cross-talk which could damage the programs.
Like old movie film, magnetic disks can begin to flake, which naturally destroys them.
But I've never had but maybe one or two super cheap brands do that, and only after umpteen years stored in an unheated area, like boxes out in the garage. None of those stored in my office have ever gone bad, that I know of.
They would send us audio tapes for our transcription machines, both large and micro-cassette tapes.
We had all the transcription equipment for all the then popular methods, including those red cylinders, forget the name of them now.
We would type up the transcript, originally on paper, but later on 5-1/4 floppies.
We only had to send one 5-1/4 floppy to them, because they were always readable.
Within a few years they wanted us to start using 3-1/2 inch floppies, claiming they were more durable.
The problem was, they were not durable at all, and we were requested to send FIVE copies of each transcription, in hopes they would receive one that was readable.
We had so many problems with those 3-1/2 floppies, they let us go back to using 5-1/4 floppies for a while.
But soon thereafter, everything had to be printed out and sent to them on paper once again.
About six months later they had us use a program they provided, called WordStar I think it was, and when we finished, we had to convert the document file to some format using another program they sent to us, and e-mail it to them through AOHell. AOHell burned us bad a couple of times with fees for upgrading their own downloads, so we stopped doing outside transcription work completely, except for our established local accounts.
With 5-1/4 floppies, as long as you keep them in their pasteboard jackets, they do not pick up cross-talk from one to the other like reel to reel tapes often did over time. In fact, that was the demise of reel to reel computer data storage. One company I worked for who had several tape cabinets, had to rerecord every tape in their storage racks every three months to reduce the cross-talk which could damage the programs.
Like old movie film, magnetic disks can begin to flake, which naturally destroys them.
But I've never had but maybe one or two super cheap brands do that, and only after umpteen years stored in an unheated area, like boxes out in the garage. None of those stored in my office have ever gone bad, that I know of.
Re: Peppermint Linux
Floppies are just mylar that is coated with magnetic material. That coating does not stay bonded to the substrate forever. I'm amazed that you could keep those floppies usable for an extended period of time. I've had cassettes that flaked themselves to death, but that was likely due to the curvature and flexing it went through going from reel to reel. Disks don't have that particular problem, but I had no idea they would last more than a few years.
Re: Peppermint Linux
I had some of the single sided BONUS brand (which is the cheapest of the cheap) that I cut a notch into to use both sides.
It has only been about four years since I did make CDs from them, but I've had a few out of the drawer while looking for something and they still look just fine. Didn't see any hairline cracks in the surfaces of them.
I will only know if they are still viable if I find a way to use my old floppy drives to read them somehow.
It has only been about four years since I did make CDs from them, but I've had a few out of the drawer while looking for something and they still look just fine. Didn't see any hairline cracks in the surfaces of them.
I will only know if they are still viable if I find a way to use my old floppy drives to read them somehow.