I need to retrieve jpg files from old Zip disks. Are all 100Mb Zipdrives Mac-compatable?

There were three types of external Zip 100 drives: SCSI, parallel and USB. Older (pre-1998) computers had a SCSI port. With newer Macs, USB had to be used. The parallel port model was for PCs.

https://lenovo-na-en.custhelp.com/app/cust_alp/p/1,18

https://lenovo-na-en.custhelp.com/app/cust_alp/p/1,19

https://lenovo-na-en.custhelp.com/app/cust_alp/p/1,17

Before you make an attempt to retrieve important files from old Zip disks, I would recommend to verify the condition of the drive by reading from another (not so important) disk. Some used Zip drives can damage disks, and you do not want this to happen.

You could perhaps take a look at the links above for additional information. Modern Mac operating systems may or may not be able to properly recognise a Zip drive without a separate driver software installation.

It may even be possible to use the parallel port variant for Mac-formatted disks, providing that an appropriate utility (such as MacDrive or TransMac) is installed on a Windows PC

Jan

tom......

A little more information would be helpful, starting with the machine used to create the files. There was a period in which Zip drives created the 'click of death.' Without being able to test the proposed Zip drive, you could well be buying a defective drive. While the chances are slim, they still exist and that chance could destroy your files, or at least, distroy easy access to them. You can always pay big bucks to have the files professionally transferred.

We bought our first zip drive in the mid-ninties. We soon bought two more because they were so useful. Then, three or four years later and a couple more drives later, I believe before Y2K - remember that circus? - we encountered our first click of death. The drive chatters for several minutes trying to mount the disk. Oftimes, that was the last time the disk would work.

Another problem arises as you move a disk back and forth from an older computer to a newer computer and then to an older computer. It had to do with 'rebuilding the desktop' on the drive or disk. If the newer OS automatically rebuilt the desktop, the older OS might have trouble reading the disk. I always said NO to the rebuild request, made a backup copy of the Zip files onto a hard drive, and then rolled the dice to see what would happen.

The safest route is to find a user group somewhere that has a way of testing your disk and proposed drive. At some point, we aquired a SCSI Zip drive that had a white case. That drive has never failed us so it is the benchmark. Second, we have never had the click of death from a USB Zip disk so that is a second hope for success. Bottom line, you are gambling with the files when you do not know the generation of Zip drive you are buying. Good luck.

If you are in or near Washington State, ie Seattle or Spokane, we can guide you to some resources that would help you work out the details. More details about your equipment would help eliminate concerns.

Ji~m

PS, original Zip disks came formatted 49 meg Mac, 49 meg PC so they would mount on either platform. If files were created on a PC, the Mac would read them. PCs would not always read the Mac files. If you are using a USB Drive and not moving from Mac to PC, you should only have to worry about testing a disk on the USB end before testing a disk created in a SCSI drive. The devil is in the details.

Wow, you got a lot of detail already. :-)

Short answer - yes, all Zip disk (drives) are Mac compatible - except for the parallel ones, which were specific to the PC. The real question is... whether or not the Zip disks will be read by a machine capable of reading Mac-formatted zip disks! If you're going to plug the Zip drive into a modern Mac, USB is the easiest way to go - and will be able to mount Mac-formatted media.

If you don't currently have the right hardware, you can look for local user groups as noted above, or engage commercial concerns like retrofloppy.com or floppydisk.com.

Alternately if you know someone with a pre 2000 PowerBook they might have a Zip module depending on the model. I have or have had Zip modules in 1400, 3400, 3500, and Pismo Powerbooks.

While those other than the Pismo do not have USB connectivity they do have PCMCIA slots that use flash media for data transfer.