Question Anybody have a "Transportable Bernoulli Box"...?

[World Changer]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new here, this is my first posted message!

I need help in locating a Bernoulli Box Transportable that takes the old, large Bernoulli 90 MB diskette. Yep, I know, it's DOS-operated and an antique now, but I have the diskette with lots of info on it, which I'd like to use. Does anyone have one you want to get rid of? Sell? I can pay shipping if necessary (if not in the Chicago area).

My larger challenge is to convert the old DOS-operated Dbase III-Plus program so I can use it on a Windows-based PC. Does anyone have an old copy of that program laying around I could use?

Thanks for any help or advice you can give me!!!

World Changer

 

[COLGeek]

eBay is going to be your best source to find the hardware. Have you looked there?

 

[Corwin65]

If you have the DB files, MS Access can open them.

How do I Import dBASE into Access?

In the File Open dialog box, locate the dBASE file, and then click Open. In Access for Microsoft 365 and Access 2019, file names of up to 64 characters are supported. In the Get External Data – dBASE file dialog box, select Link to the data source by creating a linked table., and then select OK.

 

[World Changer]

eBay is going to be your best source to find the hardware. Have you looked there?

OK, thanks, I'll check it out!!

 

[World Changer]

If you have the DB files, MS Access can open them.

How do I Import dBASE into Access?

In the File Open dialog box, locate the dBASE file, and then click Open. In Access for Microsoft 365 and Access 2019, file names of up to 64 characters are supported. In the Get External Data – dBASE file dialog box, select Link to the data source by creating a linked table., and then select OK.

Hi, thanks, I'll try, though I'm not very "technical" and computer savvy!! I'll see what I can do or can be done, thanks again!!

 

[World Changer]

If you have the DB files, MS Access can open them.

How do I Import dBASE into Access?

In the File Open dialog box, locate the dBASE file, and then click Open. In Access for Microsoft 365 and Access 2019, file names of up to 64 characters are supported. In the Get External Data – dBASE file dialog box, select Link to the data source by creating a linked table., and then select OK.

Thanks Corwin65, I will try it and come back to you if I have problems. Don't worry, no obligation whatsoever, I'll just try to get your viewpoints, thanks so much again!!

 

[USAFRet]

This goes along with the companion thread:

Question - Using a USB Drive on a 1990s Computer Using DOS

Hi Everyone, For important reasons I'm trying to transfer files from an old HP Pavilion 8250 computer that runs on DOS, to a USB drive. Ya, I know, it's an antique from the 1990s and if you're too young, you probably never heard of or much less used DOS (Disk Operating System). For those who...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[World Changer]

This goes along with the companion thread:

Question - Using a USB Drive on a 1990s Computer Using DOS

Hi Everyone, For important reasons I'm trying to transfer files from an old HP Pavilion 8250 computer that runs on DOS, to a USB drive. Ya, I know, it's an antique from the 1990s and if you're too young, you probably never heard of or much less used DOS (Disk Operating System). For those who...

forums.tomshardware.com

Yes, thanks USAFRet, I appreciate your publcizinga the companion thread!

 

[BFG-9000]

For 90MB disks, you want a "Bernoulli Box II." These generally attached via 50-pin SCSI cable, so you'd need a SCSI card with drivers for your target OS. The Bernoulli drive itself only has drivers for DOS, Win 3.1 or Win9x

You already have such a PC as the HP Pavilion 8250 came out in 1997 so would've come preinstalled with Windows 95. Unlike the HDD and floppies, you can't read the Bernoulli disks on a modern machine with any adapters

 

[World Changer]

For 90MB disks, you want a "Bernoulli Box II." These generally attached via 50-pin SCSI cable, so you'd need a SCSI card with drivers for your target OS. The Bernoulli drive itself only has drivers for DOS, Win 3.1 or Win9x

You already have such a PC as the HP Pavilion 8250 came out in 1997 so would've come preinstalled with Windows 95. Unlike the HDD and floppies, you can't read the Bernoulli disks on a modern machine with any adapters

Hi BFG-9000

Thanks for your response.

I have the original Bernoulli Box "Transportable" model, but I'm not sure if it still works because I cannot find its original cables. Didn't discard them, just very little time to go through 32 years of boxes all over the place, though I may end up having to do that. My 90 MB diskettes are in perfect condition.

My HP goes straight into MS-DOS, no Windows versions ever automatically opens. Not sure why. I notice the Bernoulli Box RCD operating software was installed, must have done that, but my memory is failing!!!

Not sure if it has the SCSI card in it, but could I have loaded the software on my HP if it didn't have the SCSI card?

Yes, I've heard the Bernoulli system was proprietary and is extremely difficult to use with other systems -i.e., I can't get access to my files on the 90 MB disk without a Box - period.

If you ever get access to a workable Bernoulli Box Transportable or any other Box that can handle the 90 MB disk, and/or if you ever come across the appropriate SCSI cables, I will buy them from you or whoever owns them!

Thanks for any help or advice you can lend to me! And thanks again for your response! Even if you come across Bernoulli equipment within the next 12 months, I will almost be certain to need it, so please don't hesitate contacting me!

Thanks again!

Paul

 

[BFG-9000]

The cables aren't proprietary, they are bog-standard 50-pin external SCSI cables which you can still buy new. Those cables usually either have Centronics or high-density DB ends on them so you would simply look at the back of the computer and drive, and know what cable to order.

If you have one of these ports on the back of your computer on a card, then you already have a SCSI card installed.

And Win 3.1 did not automatically load Windows, unless you put the "win" command into autoexec.bat. While it was normal to boot directly into Win95, it was easy to make it boot straight to DOS 7 instead with BootGUI=0, so that you would also have to type win to load Windows. That's why I asked in your other thread what happens when you enter "win"

 

[TerryLaze]

My HP goes straight into MS-DOS, no Windows versions ever automatically opens. Not sure why.

Did you try typing win followed by enter?

Also you can borrow a copy of Dbase from the internet archive.
They have different versions if you want you can search for a specific one.
If you find the exact version you have you can just download it and keep it since you have a right for a backup.
But this software is so old that nobody cares anymore if you copy it anyway.

dBASE III PLUS v1.1 : Cecil Wayne Ratliff : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

dBASE III PLUS

archive.org

 

[World Changer]

Did you try typing win followed by enter?

Also you can borrow a copy of Dbase from the internet archive.
They have different versions if you want you can search for a specific one.
If you find the exact version you have you can just download it and keep it since you have a right for a backup.
But this software is so old that nobody cares anymore if you copy it anyway.

dBASE III PLUS v1.1 : Cecil Wayne Ratliff : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

dBASE III PLUS

archive.org

Thanks TerryLaze - sorry for taking so long to thank you! We've focused on other aspects of our project, thus my long absence from Tom's Hardware. The archival website will help me and my associates! Yes, dBase III- Plus is old, I think we'll see how dBase 19 works.

With regards to my vintage 1990 computer, I'm afraid to type in "win" and then enter. How do I get back to DOS??

Thanks for you help, now and perhaps in the very near future!

 

[World Changer]

The cables aren't proprietary, they are bog-standard 50-pin external SCSI cables which you can still buy new. Those cables usually either have Centronics or high-density DB ends on them so you would simply look at the back of the computer and drive, and know what cable to order.

If you have one of these ports on the back of your computer on a card, then you already have a SCSI card installed.

And Win 3.1 did not automatically load Windows, unless you put the "win" command into autoexec.bat. While it was normal to boot directly into Win95, it was easy to make it boot straight to DOS 7 instead with BootGUI=0, so that you would also have to type win to load Windows. That's why I asked in your other thread what happens when you enter "win"

Thanks BFG-9000! Those images will help us a lot to get the cables we may need!

If I type "win" and get to windows, how do I get back to DOS?? Haven't tried that yet because not sure how to get back!

Thanks for your advice and help! And sorry it took so long to reply, my team has bee focusing on a few other things the past few weeks! Hope to hear from you!

World Changer

 

[BFG-9000]

For up to Windows 3.11, in the Program Manager main menu, click File, Exit Windows, then OK. Windows will exit and return you to the MS-DOS command prompt.

For Windows 9x, you would normally reboot to go back to DOS if you used BootGUI=0. Select Start, then Shut Down, select Reboot and OK. But there are also shortcut utilities you can use to exit directly to DOS mode, so if you had set one of those up 25 years ago, it should still be there on your desktop.