Q: Conversion of ClarisWorks files to Ms Office (Windows)

Charlie,

>All Sys 7 & later Macs w/ b/i FDDs were 1.44 MB.  I'm not certain a Mac 800 kb disk could be read by the Performa.

All Macintosh machines with built-in floppy drives for 1.44 MB can read/write/format both 1.44 MB (HD) and 800K (DSDD/2DD) Mac--formatted diskettes. Furthermore, as you know, one could work with both 1.44 MB (HD) and 720K (DSDD/2DD) PC-formatted disks, providing that the correct application or control panel is installed on the Macintosh side.

USB and PC floppy drives are not capable of handling 800K (DSDD/2DD) Mac-formatted diskettes, only 1.44 MB (HD). However, 1.44 MB (HD) and 720K (DSDD/2DD) PC-formatted disks may be used. All this providing that the necessary software (depending on computer/platform) is active.

>If we do hang onto the Mac, how do I delete mom's old datafiles securely?  I've  Norton's Disk Utilities installed.  Maybe it has a file wipe feature.

I assume that you want to keep the Zip backup disks and put them in a safe place.

For the internal hard drive, look for a Wipe Info application among the Norton files on the computer (or on a separate disc/disk). You may want to put this utility program on a bootable floppy, if not already done. Check the erasure options under a preferences menu. After having moved certain files to the Wastebasket/Trash (and emptied the Wastebasket/Trash), use the Wipe Info utility to erase free space.

Burn 2.5 would be a freeware alternative to Norton's Wipe Info.

http://archive.info-mac.org/_Disk_&_File/

If you instead wish to erase the entire hard disk, it could help if you have the Wipe Info (or Burn 2.5) program on a bootable floppy before you start.

For a full disk erasure (if selling or giving the computer away), you should also choose to use "Zero all data" under the formatting options in Drive Setup (after having started from a bootable system CD or tools floppy containing a suitable version, such as download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_ American/Macintosh/Utilities/Drive_Setup/Drive_Setup_1.7.3.smi.bin). Then, a new operating system can be installed.

>Oh, and the settings backup battery should probably be removed.  No?

It may be wise to remove the logic board battery in order to avoid any leakage damages during a long storage period.

Jan

For converting the ClarisWorks files to MS Word files (or WordPerfect or a number of other options), I used a very dependable program called "MacLink PLus," by DataViz.  It was available on a CD, and I purchased in the late-90s.  Back then, it provided a software bridge when working between Macs and PCs.  As for the burned CD disks not being read by the 6200's CD-ROM drive, there is a difference between commercially-produced "stamped" CDs and a CD that you burn (pit by pit), in terms of older drives recognizing them.  On those older Macs, I found that the CD-R media having a bluish tint on the recording side seemed to work more reliably than those with the typical mirrored appearance.  In every case, I had no problems using the Fuji or Verbatim CD-R media, because (at the time) they both had a turquoise or aqua hue to their surface.  At 20 years of age, a 6200 should be retired (it was never a great computer in its prime) and a Windows 7 box would be a good choice.  Those Performas used a 4.5-volt alkaline battery that will - at some point - definitely leak, after being fully-depleted of any remaining charge.  I saw a ruined motherboard in a comparable Mac in a Goodwill store many years ago, with severe corrosion damage to the components from its leaking battery.  Avoiding the use of a metal object, it's better to use something like a wooden popsicle stick to leverage the battery from the velcro gripper base on the motherboard.  Definitely do a security wipe with Drive Setup on the OS installer disk before donating it.