Can XP read an older DOS formatted drive (data retrieval)?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

David Kowalski wrote:
> Can XP read an older DOS formatted drive (data retrieval)?
>
> I have an old legacy system (recording console automation)from the early
> 90's that is being updated to a new computer...
>
>
> Can I take the IDE hard drive and read it on an XP system so I can
> archive or transfer some of the data?
>
> If I attach it to the IDE bus of my current computer will I see it?
>
> I know that the automation used Windows 2.0 and whatever DOS was
> current at the time..........
>
> I will run it as a slave of course,just to retrieve data.

Yes, DOS used the FAT file system. XP can read from a FAT formatted drive.
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows
http://support.telop.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

David Kowalski wrote:
> Can XP read an older DOS formatted drive (data retrieval)?
>
> I have an old legacy system (recording console automation)from the early
> 90's that is being updated to a new computer...
>
>
> Can I take the IDE hard drive and read it on an XP system so I can
> archive or transfer some of the data?
>


Assuming the hard drive is not defective, yes. WinXP can read FAT12
(the file system used on 3.5" diskettes), FAT16, FAT32, CDFS (the file
system used on most CDs), and NTFS with equal facility. Further, the
file system on any one disk/partition or diskette has absolutely no
affect upon the operating system's ability to read other compatible file
systems on other disks/partitions.


> If I attach it to the IDE bus of my current computer will I see it?
>


Assuming that you connect it correctly and configure the jumpers
switches on this hard drive and any other device on that IDE channel
properly, yes.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

David Kowalski <daveski@optonline.net> wrote:

>Can XP read an older DOS formatted drive (data retrieval)?
>
>I have an old legacy system (recording console automation)from the early
>90's that is being updated to a new computer...
>
>
>Can I take the IDE hard drive and read it on an XP system so I can
>archive or transfer some of the data?
>
>If I attach it to the IDE bus of my current computer will I see it?
>
> I know that the automation used Windows 2.0 and whatever DOS was
>current at the time..........
>
>I will run it as a slave of course,just to retrieve data.
>
>Thanks for any and all help,
>

Very old hard drives sometimes cause problems if connected as a slave
drive with a modern hard drive as the master drive on the same IDE
controller.

A better idea is to connect the old drive as the master drive on the
secondary IDE channel, the one that is normally used by the CD/DVD
drive(s). Just unplug the data and power connections to the CD/DVD
and use these to connect the old drive.

That avoids any possible complications with master/slave jumper
configurations (some hard drives use a different jumper setting for
"stand alone master drive" and for "master drive with slave present" ),
and also any complications resulting from old drive/new drive
compatibility issues.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm