Backing up files on an old Apple 11e

Welcome!

That is apparently a challenge in many ways.

To what makes/models of computers do you have access for possible use a conversion platform? A working Apple IIe with a network card sounds like a very handy tool.

Also what file types do you need to restore? Some file types used back then were so proprietary the there is no secret decoder ring if a working vintage computer is not an option.

A quick web search found some articles:

https://www.howtogeek.com/669331/how-to-read-a-floppy-disk-on-a-modern-pc-or-mac/

https://www.reddit.com/r/apple2/comments/l1l5kp/reading_apple_iie_floppies_with_windows_pc/

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/105067/how-to-read-old-apple-5-25-floppy-disks

You are not the only one facing this need, it appears.

You might try finding an Apple Users Group. Although most have faded away, there are a few hanging on. With email, you no longer need to find a local group. Most have an admin who could forward a"someone's looking for..." email to members who might help.

https://www.appleusergroupresources.com/find-a-group/

A note there says the locator page is being updated so you cannot use it right now. Keep checking.

The original Apple //e did not have an internal hard drive, so nothing to backup from it directly.

If you are trying to read and backup floppy disks or an external hard drive unit, then that's an entirely different matter.

Please clarify what it is you need to do and what devices exactly are involved.

Wow, that is going back pretty far. I recall being able to transfer files using two computers and two modems via Kermit. You don't have to actually dial-up, but there was a command to call the modem to attention and listen, then you can initiate file transfers over the direct modem-to-modem connection from one computer to the other one. Not really helpful for large quantities of data, but it was like the least common denomenator for transferring files from a computer that pre-dates modern networking capabilities.