How can I convert System 6.1 disks to System 10.5?

I came across three 5-1/4" floppies from my discarded Apple IIci (System 6.1, if I remember correctly) to my new Apple ibook (System 10.5) These are very important text files to me and if I could get a printout I could scan them into my ibook. Or is there a company that could convert these filed ?

Reply 1 : How can I convert System 6.1 disks to System 10.5?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_IIci notes the same old 3.5 inch disks which ye olde ebay might have a solution.

Can you clarify if these are 3.5 or how you added 5-1/4 to your IIci?
Bob

Reply 2 : How can I convert System 6.1 disks to System 10.5?

http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=12876747 covers the 400/800K part of the question. However back then and my history is rusty we could format 1.44MB and get some PC transfers going.

I think DriveSavers can get the files out. http://www.datarecoverytools.co.uk/2010/04/23/data-recovery-from-ipad-and-other-apple-products/

Bob

Reply 3 : How can I convert System 6.1 disks to System 10.5?

What is converting a disk?

If it just are text files (which doesn't include files from a word processor!) there's no need for converting the files. They will be readable in Notepad on any Windows PC that has a diskette reader that can read those diskettes (and, by the way, any Mac also).

So maybe your question is: how to read a diskette on a machine that doesn't have a diskette drive? That's easy to answer: you can't.

Just to console you: I lost some info I only had on 5-1/4" floppies when my last 5-1/4" drive died back in 1998 or so. Not so smart: I should have taken the precaution to copy that files to a 3.5" diskette, of course, but I postponed it too long.

And a warning: I also lost some information I only had on 3.5" diskettes because they degraded after 5 years and gave read errors.

Diskettes never were (and never will be) a good way to store information. Just for temporaray storage and a nicd way to move them between different machines. Surprisingly, that's the same with external hdd's at the moment, although they are slightly more reliable then diskettes.

Kees
Kees

Reply 4 : How can I convert System 6.1 disks to System 10.5?

These 3.5" floppies were done using Microsoft Word and can Notepad read them? Can I still buy a diskette reader for my ibook 10.5? Instead of using the word "converting," I should have used "upgrading." I want to go from a floppy system 6.1 to a CD system 10.5. Are there any companies that could print me out a hard copy?

Reply 5 : How can I convert System 6.1 disks to System 10.5?

That makes it even easier. Any Mac or PC with a diskette drive and either MS Office or Open Office installed could be used to read and print those documents. In fact, any Mac or PC with a diskette drive will be able to copy them to a USB-stick for further processing on your new iBook, even without an office program installed.

I don't think it's needed to buy a USB connected diskette drive for a one time use like this. You might find a PC somewhere (friend, family, work, public library) that still has a diskette drive.

Kees

Reply 6 : How can I convert System 6.1 disks to System 10.5?

While it is true that any Mac with a diskette drive attache should be able to pull the files off the disks and have them read with MS Word, the same cannot be said for any PC.

The Windows machine will not recognize the disk format, same as a Windows machine cannot recognize the current Mac format.

P