How do I convert floppy software to cd-rom software?

[Todd6312]

Hi,

Please give me some links to procedures and programs (perferably free) to convert my floppy disk software to cd-rom software. New PCs usually don't have floppy drives so I need to convert. I currently have a floppy drive now but I may not in the future. I have Windows XP. 2.4 Ghz Pentium 4. 1 GB RAM. CD burner.

Thank you,

Todd

[pam123]

Originally Posted by Todd6312 Hi, Please give me some links to procedures and programs (perferably free) to convert my floppy disk software to cd-rom software. New PCs usually don't have floppy drives so I need to convert. I currently have a floppy drive now but I may not in the future. I have Windows XP. 2.4 Ghz Pentium 4. 1 GB RAM. CD burner. Thank you, Todd

...

What convert?

Transfer the files to the hard drive ( and make sure they're readable by your current programs, use rtf or jpg depending on what they are ) and then burn them to cd.
Voila!!
You're done.

[TwoRails]

Some multi-floppy programs would read the Disk's Label to verify that the right one is installed. Others would have a file with the disk name. It's tedious but I've known folks to label all the (sub) directories the same on the CD as on the floppy to avoid installation problem such as "disk not found."

[pam123]

Some multi-floppy programs would read the Disk's Label to verify that the right one is installed. Others would have a file with the disk name. It's tedious but I've known folks to label all the (sub) directories the same on the CD as on the floppy to avoid installation problem such as "disk not found."

gah,gah, gah, boo ga-dah !!!!!
More info needed.

[TwoRails]

OK...

If you have a program on, say, 6 diskettes, it's not a simple matter to just copy over all the files from those 6 diskettes to one directory on your hard drive, then burn it to disk. Each diskette should be in it's own sub-directory. This also helps prevent the over-writing of commonly named files and directories, such as "DISK1" or "DISK1.TXT" and the like. Multi-diskette programs used such markers to know if the correct disk was installed and to install the correct files.

Also, the diskette Label could contain such a place marker, meaning it could be labeled WS_DISK1, WS_DISK2, etc., or even something not as clear, but just as important.

I just mention the above because I'd hate to see someone go thru all the trouble of putting all their diskettes to disk and then have trouble installing the programs.

[Todd6312]

Originally Posted by TwoRails OK... If you have a program on, say, 6 diskettes, it's not a simple matter to just copy over all the files from those 6 diskettes to one directory on your hard drive, then burn it to disk. Each diskette should be in it's own sub-directory. This also helps prevent the over-writing of commonly named files and directories, such as "DISK1" or "DISK1.TXT" and the like. Multi-diskette programs used such markers to know if the correct disk was installed and to install the correct files. Also, the diskette Label could contain such a place marker, meaning it could be labeled WS_DISK1, WS_DISK2, etc., or even something not as clear, but just as important. I just mention the above because I'd hate to see someone go thru all the trouble of putting all their diskettes to disk and then have trouble installing the programs.

If you have several disks to copy then how do you know the correct name for the sub directory for each disk?

[pam123]

Use Windows Explorer and check the files on each disk.
Cancel out of the install, go to My Computer and right click on the floppy drive and chose Explore.

[TwoRails]

Originally Posted by Todd6312 If you have several disks to copy then how do you know the correct name for the sub directory for each disk?

Here's one way. If the program, we'll call it PCTools, has, for simplicity, two diskettes, here's how I'd do it:

On the hard drive, I'd make a directory called:

PCTools

Then I'd make two subdirectories under PCTools:

Disk1
Disk2

So it now looks like:

PCTools
...Disk1
...Disk2

I would then copy the entire contents of each diskette to the appropirate subdirectory on the hard drive.

The above would be an example of diskettes that did not have a label. If they did, I would include the label name in the subdirectoies on the hard drive like so:

Disk1=Label of first diskette
Disk2=Label of second diskette

So the final result on the hard drive for this example would be:

PCTools
...Disk1=Label of first diskette
...Disk2=Label of second diskette

Once the hard drive has all the floppies you want on it, then burn it to CD.

[Todd6312]

I'm still a little confused. Say the software named the 6 floppy disks: McWin_Disk1, McWin_Disk2, McWin_Disk3, etc. Do I name the sub directories on the CD-ROM exactly McWin_Disk2, McWin_Disk3, etc? Disk 1 should not be in a directory is that correct? Also, to find out the name of the disk do you click on the properties in windows explorer? Also during installation with multiple disks on the cd-rom does the software know to open these directories automatically?

[TwoRails]

Originally Posted by Todd6312 I'm still a little confused. Say the software named the 6 floppy disks: McWin_Disk1, McWin_Disk2, McWin_Disk3, etc. Do I name the sub directories on the CD-ROM exactly McWin_Disk2, McWin_Disk3, etc?

In a word, Yes. I don't know the name of the program, but let's call it McAfee for Windows. I would make a main directory:

McAfee for Windows

and then the subdirectories:

McWin_Disk1
McWin_Disk2
McWin_Disk3

making the final structure:

McAfee for Windows
...McWin_Disk1
...McWin_Disk2
...McWin_Disk3

Disk 1 should not be in a directory is that correct?

Assuming your names above correlate to the diskette number, then Disk 1 would go under McWin_Disk1

Also, to find out the name of the disk do you click on the properties in windows explorer?

Yep

Also during installation with multiple disks on the cd-rom does the software know to open these directories automatically?

Some will, some won't. Don't forget we're talking about very old programs. Some may need to be copied to a hard drive first, some may choke on the main directory ("McAfee for Windows" in this case) as it violates the DOS naming convention. A Windows program may have no problems at all.

[pam123]

There is also the fact that these programs may not run at all on future copies of Windows.

How old are they and do they run on XP now?