How to transfer Windows 3 data from a G3 with a bad floppy drive

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Level 1

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How to transfer Windows 3 data from a G3 with a bad floppy drive

My first Mac was a PowerMac G3 beige tower (233 Ghz) in 1998. At that time I installed VirtualPC running Windows 3.0 to use a genealogy program that didn't run on a Mac and input all my family data. I have a 5 inch floppy disk with the data but when I tried to use it to transfer to a newer computer, I got a message that one of the files (of course it had to be the biggest!) was corrupted. Now the floppy disc drivenon the G3 has failed. I bought a "new" drive off the Internetn but it doesn't work either. Windows 3.0 doesn't recognize USB, so I can't use my external floppy drive. Is there any way I can transfer the data via a direct connection to another Mac? I have a eMac (educational version of the original iMac, vintage 2002) that still works, also a PowerPC iMac and an Intel iMac. I will be extremely grateful to anyone who can keep me from having to input all that family info again!

PowerMac G3 beige tower-OTHER, Mac OS 9.2.x

Posted on Jan 31, 2012 6:10 PM

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Answer 1

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BDAqua

Level 10

238,973 points

Jan 31, 2012 10:27 PM in response to MaryRB

Whew Mary, I feel your pain, but I think your only option is finding an older PC with a 5.25" drive, (likely free at GoodWill, etc), and trying to use that to repair or at least IMAGE the 5.25" floppy to an ISO/DMG... oh, is the Floppy HFS or FAT16?

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Answer 2

Jeff

Level 6

12,058 points

Jan 31, 2012 10:31 PM in response to MaryRB

"I have a 5 inch floppy disk with the data but when I tried to use it to transfer to a newer computer..."

Do you mean a 3.5" floppy disk, used with the G3's internal FDD? Unfortunately, long-term data storage on a floppy disk is risky, as degradation of the magnetic oxide on the disk's surface can contribute to file corruption. The beige G3s had a "SuperDrive" FDD, which unlike a standard PC floppy disk drive, combined data and power on the same ribbon cable connection and didn't use separate cabling for each. Is the "new" floppy drive that you bought designed for use in a beige G3?

"Is there any way I can transfer the data via a direct connection to another Mac?"

Are these same files stored on the hard drive in the beige G3, eliminating the need to read the floppy disk or are they solely contained on the floppy disk? If the latter is the case, you still need a working FDD to read the disk, even with a networked connection between the beige G3 and the eMac or PowerPC iMac. If you can transfer the files to a newer Mac, were you planning to install VirtualPC on the newer Mac, to run the Windows 3.0-based program and read them?

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Answer 3

MaryRB Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 31, 2012 10:44 PM in response to Jeff

Thanks for responding, Jeff.

I did indeed mean a 3.5" floppy disk. I think the "new" drive is the correct model: it has only one broad ribbon cable connection. A friend who knows his way around computers helped me install and test it but we couldn't get it to read any disk. Luckily we didn't pay much for it.

The files are also on the G3's hard drive, which is why I want to try to transfer them from there, now that the 3.5" floppy disk is bad. If the floppy drive worked I wouldn't have the problem.

Yes, I have VirtualPC, both the original and newer versions. I also have newer versions of the genealogy software which can recognize the old datac.. I may not need to run Windows 3.0 if I can get the data to a newer Mac.

I have my fingers crossed that these answers will help you come up with a solution.

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Answer 4

MaryRB Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 31, 2012 10:46 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks for responding, BDAqua.

In your question about the floppy, do you mean the disk or the drive? The disk is DD (double density) formatted for a Mac. I'm not sure about the drive. How would I find out?

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Answer 5

MaryRB Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 31, 2012 10:47 PM in response to MaryRB

Of course I meant 233 Mgz in my original post. Would that it were faster than that!

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Answer 6

BDAqua

Level 10

238,973 points

Jan 31, 2012 10:48 PM in response to MaryRB

Yes, File Sharing should work to tranfer them then! 🙂

System Preferences>Sharing if the G3 is using OSX, Control Panels if OS 7,8,9.

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Answer 7

Feb 1, 2012 8:44 PM in response to MaryRB

file sharing might have some problems if you are going between OS9 on the G3 and OSX on a newer eMac or iMac, although it should work in theory. But an alternative, is to use the built-in OS9 personal web sharing. just create a stuffit archive of a big folder of stuff, and put that in your web server folder. Then any web browser on OSX should be able to download the archive.

Hardware connections: you could use a wired Ethernet router for the G3 and the other computers either wired or WiFi or a use a direct crossover Ethernet cable between the two computers.

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Answer 8

MaryRB Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 2, 2012 8:48 PM in response to Glen Doggett

Thanks for the suggestion. RIght now the G3 is refusing to boot at all - I'm getting the little floppy disk with the question mark. I've zapped the PRAM and used disk repair to no avail. Currently I'm trying to reload the OS but even that isn't going well. After bothering everyone with my questions I may have to give up the attempt anyway. Sigh ...

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Answer 9

BDAqua

Level 10

238,973 points

Feb 2, 2012 9:07 PM in response to MaryRB

Pull the drive & put it into one of these...

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/U3NVSPATA/

If you only have a PC to connect it to then you'll need MacDrive for your PCs... allows them to Read/Write & Format HFS+...

http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive/

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Answer 10

MaryRB Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 2, 2012 9:22 PM in response to BDAqua

How would that help? It seems to be just a newer USB connector. My problem is that Windows 3.0 won't read USB at all, so I can't transfer the data to an external floppy drive (assuming I can get the G3 to work)

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