Convert floppy file from FAT 32 to NTFS

Hello all,

I've got a 98 machine with a floppy drive, which I just moved over to an XP Home machine. I have a file on the floppy from the 98 operating system, and XP won't read it.

Is there a utility to convert a file from FAT32 to NTFS? I've never heard of one that will do this, but I'm just wondering. I don't want to format the floppy disk, or I'll loose that particular file.

Thanks,

Starkman

 

You can enable Compatibility Mode for any program that you choose. Simply find the EXE of the program, right-click on it, choose Properties, click the Compatibility tab, and set the preferences.

You can find more detail on Compatibility Mode from this KB article:
How to Troubleshoot Program Compatibility Issues in Windows XP (Q285909)


Rippedfromanothersite

 

Usually a Windows floppy is in FAT12 format. XP, 2000, NT, and Win98/ME are all quite capable of reading files on a standard floppy disk. If you're certain that the floppy doesn't contain "software copy protection" ( ie just a standard disk) then you can run CHKDSK.EXE on the disk to find and/or fix errors. Open a CMD console via Start=>Run: CMD (win98 use COMMAND )
then with the floppy disk in the drive type:
chkdsk a:
That will check the disk for errors. If errors are found you can repeat the command as in:
chkdsk /f a:
That usually repairs any erroneous FAT entries.
If the disk has "copy protection" then "chkdsk /f" will fix the disk but destroy the protection. Then the copy protected software won't run. Just so you know.
.

 

XP should be able to read it.
For example, most USB pen drives are formatted as FAT or FAT 32 and XP is able to read them. You have to go through a special trick to format USB, as NTFS, in XP

Can you make another floppy copy of your file, or better still, copy the file to a USB pen drive on your W98 PC. You will need drivers for USB pen drive to run on W98SE but these pen drives usually come with driver software for W98SE.

Transferring files on USB from W98SE to XP is a lot easier using USB, once you have it set up.

Have you tried reading the floppy on another XP PC?

May be something wrong with the floppy drive, or the floppy.

Bazza

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Hey, thanks for some great information here, folks. I appreciate the input.

The problem I have is that our two office XP machines have no floppy drives on them. The older 98 machine has the floppy and it reads the files on it fine. So, I took the floppy out of the 98 machine and put it in the XP machine. Using Windows Explorer, it clicked and clicked and clicked and then finally said, "The something-or-other (I can't remember if it said "drive," which wouldn't make any sense, or "disk") isn't formated; would I like to format it. Of course, I didn't want to do that.

So, I've got this floppy disk that works in the 98 machine but not in the XP machine. (I can't remember having to do anything to get a floppy to work differently with XP!) I was hoping to be able to burn the file I need onto a CD, but the CD player in the 98 machine doesn't burn.

Anyway, so that's what's going on.

Thanks for the imput,

Starkman

OH, FOR PETE'S SAKE! I didn't even realize the fool 98 machine has USB. Well, we'll give that a try too!

 

You might want to try formatting a floppy disk in one of the XP machines and then transfer the necessary files. This has worked for me in the past!

 

See, that's what I can't do because I no longer have a floppy in the 98 machine (I moved it from the 98 machine to one of our XP machines). I can't burn the file from the 98 machine either because the CDROM isn't a burner. The 98 machine does have USB (hopefully 2.0), so I hope I can just tansfer the file using my firefly flash drive.

We'll see!

Starkman

 

Try emailing the file as an attachment.

 

I did get it going. Had to downl load the driver for my flash drive to the XP machine, put it on a CD, copy it to the 98 machine and all is well.

Thanks for the input, folks. Much appreciated.

Starkman

 

Glad it worked for you. Bazza

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