Mac2SE printer

Hello,

First of all, is it a plain Macintosh SE, a Macintosh SE FDHD or possibly a Macintosh SE/30 (no computer is called Mac2SE)? A plain unaltered SE can only handle an 800K Mac format on DSDD/2DD diskettes. The SE FDHD (and the SE/30) would also be able to handle 1.44 MB HD diskettes.

http://support.apple.com/kb/sp191

http://support.apple.com/kb/sp192

http://support.apple.com/kb/sp195

Secondly, which operating system is running on the Mac (you may be able to find information about this under the Apple menu)?

Also, do you have a special (HP) printer driver for the LaserJet 5(m), or is it using a LaserWriter Chooser extension?

Jan

Addendum

General information about transfers and file compatibility:

If the old Mac can handle 1.44 MB floppy disks (HD diskettes), these can be read by a modern computer using an external USB floppy drive (or by a PC with a built in floppy drive). However, Mac-formatted 1.44 MB disks require a special Mac-disk utility (such as an earlier version of TransMac) on a Windows computer. Please note that 800K Mac floppies (DSDD/2DD diskettes) cannot be handled by a USB drive, nor by a PC floppy drive.

If floppies cannot be used, one could connect a SCSI Zip 100 drive to the SCSI port of the Mac. An appropriate Zip disk could then be moved to a USB Zip 100 drive, which in turn would be connected to a modern Mac or PC with a USB port. In case of a Windows PC, the same about a Mac-disk utility applies for a Mac-formatted Zip disk.

There are other transfer methods as well, including null-modem links or modem-to-modem arrangements.

The above outlines basic ways of transferring files, but we need to ensure that the file formats are compatible/useful, too. Some file formats can be read directly by a modern program. In other cases, it may become necessary to use a conversion application (for a modern Mac, that could be something like Graphic Converter). One could also try to convert the file format already on the old Mac (by re-saving a file to another format via Save As in the File menu).

Do not forget to make backup copies before testing transfers and/or conversions. Lock (write-protect) old floppies.

OK, so I assume that you mean the Macintosh SE FDHD.

http://support.apple.com/kb/sp192

That would make things a bit easier. With an SE FDHD you could copy a test file to a 1.44 MB Mac-formatted High Density (HD) diskette (if necessary, reformat an empty PC-formatted HD diskette to the 1.44 MB Mac format in the SE FDHD first).

Then check whether one of the Windows machines in the office has an internal floppy drive. Otherwise, look for an external USB floppy drive. You will need a Mac-disk utility on the Windows computer in order to be able to read the Mac-formatted 1.44 MB floppy. This could be something like TransMac or MacDrive, but make sure that you get a version that still supports floppy disks (the latest ones may or may not). All this is about the floppy disk format.

After that, check whether the test file format is readable on the Windows PC. Try the Open dialogue in various programs, as needed.

If the file format for some reason is not suitable/compatible, try another test file. This time, use the program on the SE FDHD to re-save the file to a file format that later can be opened on the Windows PC (if at all possible). This could be another version or a generic format (often, there is a file format list under the Save As dialogue).

Post back with the type of file, and the program used on the SE FDHD, if you need additional information. Also, the Macintosh SE FDHD operating system version. Regarding printing at the SE FDHD, more about the installed Chooser extensions/drivers would help.

Jan