# opening ancient Macintosh floppy in PC **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 25, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053 "2004-05-25T20:26:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/1 "2004-05-25T20:26:52Z")
Hi, I have some very important documents (circa 1995) that I need to open on my Windows XP computer. They were originally written in Works for Macintosh. :smack: My computer won’t open the 3.5inch disks and wants to format them. Is there any way to open them up? Any freeware for this? Or do I just have to head to kinkos or someplace that has Apple computers and try them there? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![larsenmtl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d78d45/32.png) [@larsenmtl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/larsenmtl)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/2 "2004-05-25T20:44:02Z")
I’m afraid I can make no claim as to how well this product works, but it’s seem to be exactly what you need. [http://www.emulators.com/explorer.htm](http://www.emulators.com/explorer.htm) If the documents are REALLY, REALLY important, you might just want to find yourself a MAC. LarsenMTL ---
**Author:** ![Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bag_of_mostly_water/32/1029_2.png) [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/3 "2004-05-25T21:19:29Z")
You’ll need a fairly old Mac as well. Apple started eliminating floppy drives about six years ago. I don’t think they’ve shipped a system with a standard floppy in around four years. Places like Kinkos usually have fairly moden systems. I doubt they would have one with a floppy. You can probably buy a [Mac Classic](http://www.lowendmac.com/compact/classic.shtml) with a floppy for around $50, but I can’t find any avaible. I did locate a [Power Mac 7300/200](Certified Pre-Owned PowerMac 7300/200) for $109. As I recall, the 7300 included an ethernet port, so you can network it and copy the files to another system or email the files to yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bag_of_mostly_water/32/1029_2.png) [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/4 "2004-05-25T21:21:14Z")
Correct link for [Power Mac 7300/200](http://www.powermax.com/cgi-global/generate_css_temp.cgi?i=PM_CU_PM_73&t=Power+Mac+7300+Series), ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/5 "2004-05-25T22:28:49Z")
If you don’t want to try the emulator that **larsenmtl** linked to, and you’re willing to mail the disks to me, I can try to download the files onto an old Mac Quadra to which I have access. I can then send you the files in whatever manner you wish- email, PC-compatible floppy, etc. Drop me a line if you’d like me to try. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/6 "2004-05-25T23:22:25Z")
Linux apparently has mac-floppy-reading capabilites - some info [here](http://www.tprthai.net/fslinux.htm). A no-risk option is try out CD-booting version such as [MandrakeMove](http://www.mandrakesoft.com/products/mandrakemove) and [Knoppix](http://www.knoppix.org/) - hopefully you can then at least save to a new floppy, or email it to yourself. ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/7 "2004-05-26T02:40:45Z")
Thanks all. The emulator software and linux pages are written in a kind of geekspeak that my little brain can’t handle. I know my way around a computer, but that stuff about ROM image files, etc. is over my head. I have XP and the gemulator program seems to not be ready for xp yet. I don’t know how to use linux programs on XP either. Anybody else have idea? ;-( ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/8 "2004-05-26T02:46:19Z")
LOL, the first link I gave you about Linux was a bit complex, I admit, and I didn’t explain myself very well. The advantage of Knoppix and MandrakeMove is that you can download them, burn them onto a CD, and boot the computer from that - it’ll boot straight into a slimmed-down Linux without touching your hard drive. All you need to find is the download for an ‘iso’ file. Be warned - it’ll be about 700MB, so don’t try it on dialup! It won’t seem unfamiliar to a Windows user - there’ll probably be a ‘floppy’ icon on the desktop. Simply try and open the Mac disk with it - and if it works, save the file to another floppy. And while you’re there, explore Linux a bit 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/9 "2004-05-26T03:16:21Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Linux apparently has mac-floppy-reading capabilites - some info [here](http://www.tprthai.net/fslinux.htm). A no-risk option is try out CD-booting version such as [MandrakeMove](http://www.mandrakesoft.com/products/mandrakemove) and [Knoppix](http://www.knoppix.org/) - hopefully you can then at least save to a new floppy, or email it to yourself. Actually, Linux’s HFS compatibility isn’t included in default kernels. You have to specifically install it for your system. The easiest option is to use software that allows reading of HFS formatted media on your PC. HFVExplorer is a free program that reads HFS formatted floppies. It is available at [http://gamma.nic.fi/~lpesonen/HFVExplorer/](http://gamma.nic.fi/~lpesonen/HFVExplorer/). Another choice is TransMac ([http://www.asy.com/sharetm.htm](http://www.asy.com/sharetm.htm)). It has a demo version that allows copying of files 1.4 MB or smaller. ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/10 "2004-05-26T03:44:22Z")
> [@Cleophus](#): > > Actually, Linux’s HFS compatibility isn’t included in default kernels. You have to specifically install it for your system. > > The easiest option is to use software that allows reading of HFS formatted media on your PC. HFVExplorer is a free program that reads HFS formatted floppies. It is available at [http://gamma.nic.fi/~lpesonen/HFVExplorer/](http://gamma.nic.fi/~lpesonen/HFVExplorer/). Another choice is TransMac ([http://www.asy.com/sharetm.htm](http://www.asy.com/sharetm.htm)). It has a demo version that allows copying of files 1.4 MB or smaller. Thanks. I’m trying transmac now and quick view plus. Seems as though the other snag is that these are 1.0 meg diskettes. They are only double density, not high density. Thus, transmac won’t read them. Hmmm :smack: ---
**Author:** ![FyreFiend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/919ad9/32.png) [@FyreFiend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FyreFiend)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/11 "2004-05-26T03:48:00Z")
Depends. If it’s a standard 1.44MB floppy (the kind with two holes on top) then what everyone else has said will work. If it’s one of the 800KB (single hole) then short of finding a Mac to copy the files with you’re out of luck. No PC floppy drive can read them as they used a completely different controller and encoded the data on the disk in a way that standard floppies can’t read (Same goes for the old Amiga disks) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/12 "2004-05-26T03:51:26Z")
There’s a Mac Classic on Ebay for buy-it-now $20: [http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4604&item=4133237490&rd=1](http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4604&item=4133237490&rd=1) At least that’s a simple solution 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/13 "2004-05-26T03:56:41Z")
> [@FyreFiend](#): > > Depends. If it’s a standard 1.44MB floppy (the kind with two holes on top) then what everyone else has said will work. If it’s one of the 800KB (single hole) then short of finding a Mac to copy the files with you’re out of luck. No PC floppy drive can read them as they used a completely different controller and encoded the data on the disk in a way that standard floppies can’t read (Same goes for the old Amiga disks) Dang. These have single holes. Any more ideas? This is kind of fun. Shame that data only ten years old is unretrievable. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/14 "2004-05-26T04:07:08Z")
Download the evaluation version of [MacDrive 5](http://www.media4.com/downloads/trial/md/) from [MediaFour](http://www.media4.com). Great little product, and should do exactly what you’re looking to do. ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/15 "2004-05-26T04:31:33Z")
> [@rackensack](#): > > Download the evaluation version of [MacDrive 5](http://www.media4.com/downloads/trial/md/) from [MediaFour](http://www.media4.com). Great little product, and should do exactly what you’re looking to do. Nope. I just tried it. It too doesn’t see able to read the pre 1.4 meg diskettes. :mad: ☹ :mad: ☹ :mad: 😕 Bummer, looks like the only option is to find an old Mac or Quadro. If I installed one of these programs on my 1997 Gateway 2000 (windows 95), would it be able to read these “double density” 1.0 meg floppies? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/16 "2004-05-26T05:10:52Z")
The OP said these disks date back to 1985. That means that not only are they definitely not 1.44 MB diskettes, they also quite possibly not even 800K diskettes, but are instead single-sided 400K diskettes. That’s what System 1 and 2 used. System 3 was the first MacOS to support the 800K format. System 3 made its debut in 1985, IIRC, so a diskette dating back that far could be either format. What does this mean? a) No emulator or 3rd party s/w package is going to let you read these babies on a PC, whether they are 400K or 800K. The PC drive is physically incapable of doing so, period. b) If they are indeed 400K diskettes, you’ll not only need a Mac old enough to have a floppy drive to read them, you’ll need a Mac old enough to run System 7 and booted into System 7 to read them. Beginning with System 8 (MacOS 8), 400K diskettes are not supported on the Mac even if the hardware will read them. c) The good news is that these will be more robust than the 1.44 MB diskette of the modern era, and will therefore probably still be readable. More than you most likely ever wanted to know about the difference between the 400K, 800K, and 1.44 MB Macintosh floppy, and why PCs can’t read the latter two, was posted [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=176681&highlight=diskette) ---
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/17 "2004-05-26T11:39:56Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > There’s a Mac Classic on Ebay for buy-it-now $20: [http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4604&item=4133237490&rd=1](http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4604&item=4133237490&rd=1) > > At least that’s a simple solution 🙂 So how are you going to get the data off the mac classic onto the PC? No ethernet, no modem, no USB, localtalk networking only. You’re just in a bigger cage. My suggestion is to call around to your local print shops. Chances are many are mac-based. Hopefully at least one of them bought a usb floppy drive a few years back so they could still accept print jobs from clients on floppy. Is so, they could burn it onto a CD for you. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/18 "2004-05-26T11:45:39Z")
Just wanna throw in that if you’re screwing around with the disk too much, it might be a good idea to make a bit-for-bit disk image of it first. That way if the old disk gets hosed, your data is preserved. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/19 "2004-05-26T12:58:51Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > Just wanna throw in that if you’re screwing around with the disk too much, it might be a good idea to make a bit-for-bit disk image of it first. That way if the old disk gets hosed, your data is preserved. Of course, to do this, you’ll need hardware that can actually read the disk–it’s not like he can just stick it in a Linux box and dd(1) it. **drhess** , if these documents are indeed “very important,” you may want to send them to a professional–there are people who do exactly this sort of thing for a living. Google “forensic data recovery.” ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053/20 "2004-05-26T13:00:38Z")
I always thought the problem with Mac to PC transfers with early Mac disks is that the Mac floppy drive was multi-speed and the PC’s wasn’t. Thus is was a hardware problem, no amount of software is going to allow you to read the Mac disk in a PC. Obviously you could still do the transfer the other way (PC disk to Mac). At least, that’s what I remember… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ancient-macintosh-floppy-in-pc/247053.md?page=2)