Copying from DOS laptop to OS X or Windows 10

[+slx]

Sorry if this is off topic - I thought DOS would be outdated enough to be vintage by now

 

While clearing out the basement I found an IBM PS/2 Note DOS 386SX notebook which has some files on it which I don't recall having elsewhere and which I would like to keep for posterity.

 

Is anyone aware of a way to copy files from that machine to something modern (I have several OS X machines and a Win10 notebook)? I don't currently have access to a 3,5" floppy drive (short of digging an Atari ST or TT out of storage which still wouldn't connect easily to modern storage).

 

I remember using Interlink to connect two DOS machines but there does not seem to be a client for Interlink on any modern machine. Lacking a floppy drive I also don't have a means to copy a terminal program onto the Laptop to try some null modem solution with a USB-Serial converter (I have one of those).

 

Any ideas welcome!

 

 

[doctorclu]

There are a few ways:

 

1) DOS computer ---> Serial cable ---> Null modem adaptor ---> Serial cable ---> Modern computer.

 

Up to a point the IBM type machines had serial ports, however, on the Mac they had a different connector but in the case of the PC or Mac now days both will need some kind of USB to serial solution.

 

One you have the two computers set up, you'll need a term program on both sides. Get it where you can type on one computer and see the type on the other screen. You'll need to match baud rates and and stop bits till this works. Then you can Xmodem/Ymodem/Zmodem and send and receive the files from one to the other. Good stuff.

 

 

2) Another method I've done is to send the file in a e-mail message to myself on a BBS. Have the DOS computer get on a BBS and in a private message attach the file and send the message to yourself. Then get on the same BBS with the modern computer and look at those messages and receive the files.

 

 

3) Get a 3.5" disk drive that runs on USB. That way you load the files on the 3.5" disk on the DOS machine and then view the disk on the 3.5"/USB on the modern machine.

 

 

4) If a standard IDE drive, remove the drive from the laptop and connect to a IDE to USB adaptor. The hard drive will appear as a PC hard drive image and appear on the modern computer.

[+slx]

There are a few ways:

 

1) DOS computer ---> Serial cable ---> Null modem adaptor ---> Serial cable ---> Modern computer.

 

Up to a point the IBM type machines had serial ports, however, on the Mac they had a different connector but in the case of the PC or Mac now days both will need some kind of USB to serial solution.

 

One you have the two computers set up, you'll need a term program on both sides. Get it where you can type on one computer and see the type on the other screen. You'll need to match baud rates and and stop bits till this works. Then you can Xmodem/Ymodem/Zmodem and send and receive the files from one to the other. Good stuff.

 

 

2) Another method I've done is to send the file in a e-mail message to myself on a BBS. Have the DOS computer get on a BBS and in a private message attach the file and send the message to yourself. Then get on the same BBS with the modern computer and look at those messages and receive the files.

 

 

3) Get a 3.5" disk drive that runs on USB. That way you load the files on the 3.5" disk on the DOS machine and then view the disk on the 3.5"/USB on the modern machine.

 

 

4) If a standard IDE drive, remove the drive from the laptop and connect to a IDE to USB adaptor. The hard drive will appear as a PC hard drive image and appear on the modern computer.

 

Thanks for your help. I will probably go for 3) and hope that the laptop disc drive still works (my later PC floppy drives usually went sour on me when I used them very occasionally only).

 

The hard drive is a pre-IDE type using the ESDI interface.

 

As for the modem/null modem solutions I'll try that as a last resort and I am not sure how to get the required terminal software on the machine. (I don't think DOS6 came with terminal software in the package). And I'd probably be hard pressed to find a BBS with dial-up anywhere near me.

[Milli V]

On ebay you can get an external usb drive for less than $15 - I have one I use just incase

[edweird13]

Get a ISA network card and a crossover cable?

[+slx]

On ebay you can get an external usb drive for less than $15 - I have one I use just incase

 

Already bidding

[+slx]

Get a ISA network card and a crossover cable?

The source machine is a laptop, so no ISA (and being a PS/2 it would probably be micro channel anyway