Is there any way to connect an old Mac SE to a contemporary printer and actually print an old file?

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Level 1

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Is there any way to connect an old Mac SE to a contemporary printer and actually print an old file?

I have a Mac SE in good working condition with two external hard drives full of old files. I can easily access the contents, see everything on screen, but want to print hard copies for future use. Is there any way to connect this old computer to a contemporary printer and successfully print files? I don't care if the formatting is lost, just so long as I can actually get the data in a printed form. This will certainly beat copying by hand the thousands of records in the assorted files.

Posted on Apr 23, 2012 8:05 PM

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Answer 1

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JustSomeGuy

Level 3

606 points

Apr 24, 2012 5:35 AM in response to sqwanky

It would take some new connection hardware (GatorBox or similar) as well as networking software to get it all working. And you're at the mercy of the likes of the Low End Mac Swap list, craigslist, or eBay to get at the old hardware. You might consider services like RetroFloppy to get the data into contemporary digital formats.

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Answer 2

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,213 points

Apr 24, 2012 10:58 AM in response to sqwanky

One alternative could be to look for an old LaserWriter or StyleWriter (which operating system version is used on the SE?), and then print directly.

http://www.info.apple.com/support/applespec.legacy/index.html

You could also transfer files to a modern computer, and then print from a program there. Various transfer methods are available/possible. If necessary, convert the files to a readable file format already in an application on the SE (use Save As in the File menu).

A third way could perhaps be to create PDF files on the SE via a now free program/extension called PrintToPDF. This would probably require a bit of experimenting. The PrintToPDF web page indicates that System 7.0 would be OK, but even with that you may or may not encounter difficulties with the 68000 processor and with limited RAM.

http://www.jwwalker.com/pages/pdf.html

Jan

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