- #SUPERDISK USB DRIVE HOW TO#
- #SUPERDISK USB DRIVE WINDOWS 10#
- #SUPERDISK USB DRIVE SOFTWARE#
- #SUPERDISK USB DRIVE PC#
- #SUPERDISK USB DRIVE FREE#
It allows you to use an internal 5.25-inch floppy disk drive to copy data from 5.25-inch disks in various formats over a USB cable to a modern PC. Option 1: Use the FC5025 USB Adapter and an Internal 5.25-Inch Floppy DriveĪ small company called Device Side Data manufactures an adapter called the FC5025.
#SUPERDISK USB DRIVE PC#
Let’s look at the options for copying the data to a modern PC from easiest to most difficult.
Then, you can copy the data over your LAN to a modern PC. If you have an older Windows 98, ME, XP, or 2000 PC or laptop with Ethernet and a 3.5-inch floppy drive, it might be able to read and copy the floppy to the computer’s hard drive. Option 4: Use a Vintage Computer with a Floppy Drive and Network Connection We haven’t tested those boards, though, so proceed at your own risk. Another option is to mount the drive and adapter internally in a computer case, and then use a SATA power adapter there. You can rig an external power supply for the floppy drive with the proper adapter. You can connect it to a generic floppy-to-USB adapter. Perhaps you even have one sitting around. If you’re looking for more of a roll-your-own challenge, you could also buy a vintage internal 3.5-inch floppy drive. Option 3: Use an Internal Floppy Drive with a Cheap USB Adapter For example, a Sony USB floppy drive will work when connected to a USB port on any Windows PC. Most are still supported as plug-and-play devices by Windows 10.ĭespite the branding, you don’t need a drive that matches your PC. We recommend searching eBay for something like “ Sony USB floppy drive,” and trying your luck with one of those. We’ll cover the options from easiest to most difficult. As a result, there are many semi-modern drives and solutions available. The 3.5-inch floppy drives held on as a legacy product long after their 1.44 MB capacity had become absurdly small in relative terms.
#SUPERDISK USB DRIVE WINDOWS 10#
If you have 3.5-inch floppy disks formatted for MS-DOS or Windows that you want to copy to a modern Windows 10 or Windows 7 PC, you’re in luck. This is the easiest format to work with.
#SUPERDISK USB DRIVE HOW TO#
RELATED: How To Use DOSBox To Run DOS Games and Old Apps How to Copy Files From a 3.5-Inch Floppy Drive to a Modern PC Benj Edwards / How-To Geek You’ll have to figure out how to access or convert the data using emulators, such as DOSBox or other utilities, which is beyond the scope of this article.
#SUPERDISK USB DRIVE SOFTWARE#
It might be locked in vintage file formats modern software can’t understand. Once you copy the data, you have to be able to read it.
What we’re going to cover here-copying data from a vintage floppy disk onto a modern PC-is only half the battle. There’s a Catch: Copying Data Is the Easy Partīefore we begin, you should understand a huge caveat. Here’s how to access a vintage 3.5- or 5.25-inch floppy disk on a modern Windows PC or Mac. Eventually, they were replaced, and floppy disk drives vanished from new computers. I think the SuperDisk is pretty cool, although it is slow by some standards, and a bit noisy (especially when you are trying to be very quiet!!), it has been well beyond the needs of backing up my personal files and work files as well.Remember floppies? Back in the day, they were essential. If I connect it within about thirty seconds or so after the drive reads the contents of the disc, the SuperDisk icon always appears on my desktop, ready for my commands.
#SUPERDISK USB DRIVE FREE#
with no disk in the drive the most consistent, trouble free method I have found to have my computer find my SuperDisk is to wait until after I have inserted a disk of known origin to connect my USB cable. IF THIS FAILS TO EJECT THE DISK YOUR DRIVE MAY BE FRAGGED.Ģ. If pushing this button does not eject the disk, unfold a paper clip and insert it into the tiny hole in the end of the eject button.
If that doesn't eject the disk, logoff of your computer, unplug the USB cable from your computer that is hooked to the SuperDisk and locate the disk eject button on the front right hand side of the SuperDisk Drive. If you have a diskette stuck in the drive, drag the SuperDisk icon from your desktop into the trash. Here is what I would recommend for flawless performance from this drive.ġ. I have the Imation SuperDisk drive connected to my iMac G3 DV400 (running 10.2.8) right now! I have had success using both the normal, Mac formatted floppies and the iMation SuperDisk Floppies.