Trying to grab files from old HHD

If anyone can help me with this, I'd really appreciate it.

The HDD comes out of an OLD PC (early 386) & has some files on it I want to copy elsewhere--like my original DOOM & DOOM2 files.

There's no operating system (other than a fault DOS) on the HDD. When I try to hook the drive into another, working computer, I get some error due to "doublespace."

Anyone have any ideas? I think the original operating system on it was a beefed-up win 3.1...

I'm trying to show my 2 oldest kids the difference between Doom3 & the earlier versions. Heck, I think I even have the original Wolfenstein 3D files on there as well...

 

skull6;

doublespace was a space compression mode used to increase the available hard drive storage capacity that was back in the days when a 20 gig hd was a big hard drive. doublespace would then compress the drive and u could gain 5 to 10 gig more of storage space depending on the type of files being compressed.
how to recover the files may be a bit of a problem. one would need to boot the pc to dos and u may even need to load an older windows system to a spare drive. the response from the old hd drive would need to be known at that point, and from there u would determine the next steps.

hope this helps
asturnacle

 

Thanks. It's starting to sound like it's more trouble than it's worth...

 

A google link that might help.

http://www.google.com.au/search?as_q=&num=20&hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=doublespace&as_oq=3.1&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&as_rights=&safe=images

Getting it working again will certainly test your grey matter, and remind you how far computing has come since the days of Windows v3.1 and WFWG 3.11. Bazza

 

Can any of the CD bootable linux distro's access doublespaced fat16?

EDIT: i doubt it, but thought it was worth asking

 

Wonder do you have an old bootdisk from them days?

 

skull6;

if u can bring ur pc up in dos 6.22 or 7.0 access the dos help file and it maybe very easy to get ur drive up and running
as Megalith has ask u will need a boot disk to start.

asturnacle

 

Thanks for the help, but I've had some of Uncle Sams finest work on this today to no avail.

For those still interested, there will be a memorial ceremony for this HDD in my backyard tomorrow evening.

As it's still illegal to discharge firearms within these city limits, the part of the 21 gun salute will be played by my 12 lb sledgehammer.

Thanks for all the advice, though...