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will an external pc zip drive read 100mb mac zip disks?
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Posted May 5, 2011 at 12:54PM
I have work on a couple of old mac formatted 100MB zip disks (around 1999), and would like to find out their content. My problem is that I have a vista laptop, so I am wondering if the mac content will be readable in windows, if the content includes files that may be compatible with both systems, eg photoshop files? I have also noticed that some zip drives actually state a size themselves, so I am guessing that zip drives themselves actually come in different sizes, so a 750mb drive may not accept 100mb zip disks? Either that or theres a compatibility issue? I have also noticed that not all of them connect via usb (eg parallel), so I may have to be very careful in what I buy, and where from. I only have 100mb iomega zip disks here, mac formatted with mac photoshop files and basic text files.. any help would be appreciated
- Tags:
- mac
- zip
- disk
- compatibility
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Posted May 5, 2011 at 1:55PM
Download HFS Explorer and you should be able to read the disks in Windows Click Here
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Posted May 5, 2011 at 1:56PM
I don't think that is possible to read MAC discs without some sort of conversion program.
It doesn't matter how a ZIP drive connects apart from the speed of writing to and reading the disc. I have a 250 Mb USB drive connected to Vista which reads and writes to 100 Mb discs. My understanding is that a 750 Mb drive will read 100 Mb discs but not write to them.
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Posted May 5, 2011 at 2:21PM
thanks to both-I might try a usb 100mb pc zip drive and give it a go eventually, can anyone recommend any stores that sell them cheap? Im not sure where the best selection on sale would be, they all seem to be £30+. Im not sure how popular they are anymore, but they are still easier to carry in your pocket than any cd or hard drive, and dont scratch :)
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Posted May 5, 2011 at 3:05PM
I bought mine off e-Bay. They're not greatly sought after so don't pay very much. I paid under £10.
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Posted May 5, 2011 at 3:12PM
Just checked I paid with delivery charges £10.50
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Posted May 5, 2011 at 4:08PM
Zip Drives: There are several Varieties that are not necessarily Forward/Backward Compatible.
Also beware of the Click of Death. Something to do with the failure of Iomega's Reading Head. Huge numbers failed because of this. I threw a 100Mb one out, just last month. My 250Mb one died several years ago.
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Posted May 5, 2011 at 4:13PM
wee eddie - ah the Click of Death. I was fortunate but did get a disc eject failure which meant a write off.
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