floppy drive for 10.6.8?

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Level 2

262 points

floppy drive for 10.6.8?

Are there any floppy drives that work with OS 10.6.8? I have about 300 floppies. Very occasionally I need some of the files stored on them. It would be nice if I could somehow get convenient access to them here on my present Mac Mini.

I still have my old OS 9 machines elsewhere. I can take my floppies to the last OS 9 machine and email the data from the floppy back to my Mac Mini. That's a chore. And I am reluctant to bring the OS 9 machine back and plug it into my network, because I will also need to bring that very big monitor back so that I can control the computer. That set-up would be as cumbersome and cluttered as what I have now.

I have borrowed some external Imation floppy-drives from friends in my user group. But the software for those drives all state that they need OS 9, which is, of course, unavailable with 10.6.

The drives that I see in the stores all require OS 9, too, so they are out.

Are there any other possibilities? TIA

Mac Mini, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Mar 23, 2013 10:00 AM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Mar 23, 2013 11:24 AM in response to R_55a

This one should do the job. The one I have does and doesn't require any software.

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Answer 2

Lanny

Level 6

13,225 points

Mar 23, 2013 11:42 AM in response to R_55a

My SmartDisk VST still works with Snow Leopard, model number FDUSB-M. It's still available from Internet stores.

However, support for HFS+ with Mountain Lion is problematic.

Additionally: the VST only required software to work with OS9. It works natively with SL. With Lion and Mountain Lion it sees previously formatted floppies, but only allows formatting with FAT and ExFat. And, in my experience, it only works reliably with previoulsy formatted FAT 32 floppies.

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Answer 3

R_55a Author

Level 2

262 points

Apr 13, 2013 2:53 PM in response to baltwo

How about the Bytecc Slim Black USB External Floppy Disk Drive? It is at the local Micro Center, but the box for every external floppy drive over at the store calls for OS 8 or 9.

I am working right now with a borrowed Imation floppy drive. Its owner lent me the software disc. That software does not install in OS 10.6, but the Imation operates happily without it.

I wonder the Bytecc would, too.

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