Old Zip drive in new computer for 73 year old mother

[ahall]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Would a modern XP machine (I am thinking Dimension
5100) recognize and install drivers for a 100 meg
zip drive?

Would I need to download drivers from anywhere?

The zip drive is quite old, originally
coming in a Dimension XPS R-400, but has been living
in a newer XP box.

These fit in a 3.5 slot I believe, is that correct?

If this is not feasible, I guess I could try putting
in her old hard drive and getting her documents from
there, and switching her to USB Jump Drives, that should
be close to the UI of the zip drives.



--
Andrew Hall
(Now reading Usenet in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell...)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I don't believe you'll have any trouble - XP should recognize and install
drivers for the Zip drive. Hey, it's not that old.

A suggestion: As a storage medium, the Zip disc is now falling more and more
out of the mainstream. CDs and DVDs are the way to go, so you might consider
transferring what you have on Zip discs to either of those.

--
Ted Zieglar
"You can do it if you try."

<ahall@no-spam-panix.com> wrote in message
news:kpg8xy2uq5v.fsf@panix2.panix.com...
>
> Would a modern XP machine (I am thinking Dimension
> 5100) recognize and install drivers for a 100 meg
> zip drive?
>
> Would I need to download drivers from anywhere?
>
> The zip drive is quite old, originally
> coming in a Dimension XPS R-400, but has been living
> in a newer XP box.
>
> These fit in a 3.5 slot I believe, is that correct?
>
> If this is not feasible, I guess I could try putting
> in her old hard drive and getting her documents from
> there, and switching her to USB Jump Drives, that should
> be close to the UI of the zip drives.
>
>
>
> --
> Andrew Hall
> (Now reading Usenet in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell...)

 

[ahall]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

>>>>> Ben Myers writes:

Ben> Just as others have stated, I would discourage long-term use of ZIP cartridges.
Ben> They have low capacity nowadays, and reliability of the drives has been none too
Ben> hot either.

Ben> If your goal is to simply get her data onto the new PC, perhaps the easiest way
Ben> is to get external USB case which houses 3.5" drives. Mount the drive in the
Ben> case, plug it in, and go. The old drive has such low capacity as to be fairly
Ben> useless on a modern computer... Ben Myers

I will probably convert her to jump drives.

She is quite ill (cancer), and very stressed out.
I want to have things change as little as possible
for her.

Thanks to all of you, this sounds as if it will work,
assuming the guy that is trying to fix her current
PC fails. (It would not make post after a memory
swap, even when the old memory was replaced --- something
probably got fried, they have swapped out all the parts
with no luck so far).




--
Andrew Hall
(Now reading Usenet in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell...)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

<ahall@no-spam-panix.com> wrote in message
news:kpg4q8qugw0.fsf@panix2.panix.com...
>>>>>> Ben Myers writes:
>
> Ben> Just as others have stated, I would discourage long-term use of ZIP
> cartridges.
> Ben> They have low capacity nowadays, and reliability of the drives has
> been none too
> Ben> hot either.
>
> Ben> If your goal is to simply get her data onto the new PC, perhaps the
> easiest way
> Ben> is to get external USB case which houses 3.5" drives. Mount the
> drive in the
> Ben> case, plug it in, and go. The old drive has such low capacity as
> to be fairly
> Ben> useless on a modern computer... Ben Myers
>
> I will probably convert her to jump drives.
>
> She is quite ill (cancer), and very stressed out.
> I want to have things change as little as possible
> for her.
>


Andrew,

Best to you and your mom. I understand how "keeping things the same" and
minimizing change is a desirable thing. The 5100 (I think) has only (1) IDE
channel, and that's IDE 2 for the optical drives.

It will work but you may have to replace the Dell OEM IDE2 cable so that the
"slave" connect will reach the bay in which the Zip will be located.

Stew

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Can't imagine why an IDE Zip drive wouldn't work. I would start to worry
about the media soon as it may be pretty old.

Tom
<ahall@no-spam-panix.com> wrote in message
news:kpg8xy2uq5v.fsf@panix2.panix.com...
>
> Would a modern XP machine (I am thinking Dimension
> 5100) recognize and install drivers for a 100 meg
> zip drive?
>
> Would I need to download drivers from anywhere?
>
> The zip drive is quite old, originally
> coming in a Dimension XPS R-400, but has been living
> in a newer XP box.
>
> These fit in a 3.5 slot I believe, is that correct?
>
> If this is not feasible, I guess I could try putting
> in her old hard drive and getting her documents from
> there, and switching her to USB Jump Drives, that should
> be close to the UI of the zip drives.
>
>
>
> --
> Andrew Hall
> (Now reading Usenet in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell...)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

> If this is not feasible, I guess I could try putting
> in her old hard drive and getting her documents from
> there, and switching her to USB Jump Drives, that should
> be close to the UI of the zip drives.

How about just picking up the cheapest HD you can find, and throwing it
into an external caddy ?

--
Please add the word "newsgroup" in the subject line of personal emails
**** My email address includes "ngspamtrap" and "@btinternet.com" ****

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

it sounds as if you currently have an internally mounted zip drive in a
dimension rxxx machine that you would like to use in a current model dell.
this would work however there are some issues.... first, how to mount the
3.5" drive in the current dimension case is an issue. there is a bay for a
3.5" drive in the dimension 2400, 3000, 4600, and 4700 but it requires a
bracket that is only available with the purchase of the 3.5" floppy drive.
an alternative is to obtain a 5.25" bracket adapter for a 3.5" form factor
drive. this allows you to mount the 3.5" zip drive in a cage that then will
fit the 5.25" type form factor. the above mentioned machines have two 5.25"
external bays that it could be mounted into. however, if you purchase the
machine with two cd drives then you will have to eliminate one to provide
space for the zip. next, you will have to connect it internally to the ide
cable. on the 2400, 3000 and 4600 both the hard disk and the cd drives are
connected to ide type cables. on the 4700 only the cd drives are connected
to an ide cable (the hard drives use a different interface). so there can
only be two ide devices in the 4700 and so you can only have one cd drive if
you intend to connect the zip to the other possible spot. finally, if you
don't place the zip in a 5.25" cage and mound it next to the cd drive then
you will not likely be able to cable both a cd and the zip for data. i
suggest that you simply purchase an external usb zip 100 for $35 or a
external usb zip 250 drive for $49 from the iomega.com outlet and not bother
with the internal drive. the zip 250 will read/write the older zip 100
disks but does it slower than the zip 100 drive would. of course the zip
250 can also read/write zip 250 disks whereas the zip 100 can not. there is
also a zip 750 but i have no idea if it is backwards compatible with the 100
or 250... and given the fact that it lacks any popularity and that cdrw can
store 700mb why bother. good luck.


<ahall@no-spam-panix.com> wrote in message
news:kpg8xy2uq5v.fsf@panix2.panix.com...
>
> Would a modern XP machine (I am thinking Dimension
> 5100) recognize and install drivers for a 100 meg
> zip drive?
>
> Would I need to download drivers from anywhere?
>
> The zip drive is quite old, originally
> coming in a Dimension XPS R-400, but has been living
> in a newer XP box.
>
> These fit in a 3.5 slot I believe, is that correct?
>
> If this is not feasible, I guess I could try putting
> in her old hard drive and getting her documents from
> there, and switching her to USB Jump Drives, that should
> be close to the UI of the zip drives.
>
>
>
> --
> Andrew Hall
> (Now reading Usenet in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell...)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Christopher Muto" <muto@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
newsksVe.15132$626.14070@trndny08...
> it sounds as if you currently have an internally mounted zip drive in a
> dimension rxxx machine that you would like to use in a current model dell.
> this would work however there are some issues.... first, how to mount the
> 3.5" drive in the current dimension case is an issue. there is a bay for
> a 3.5" drive in the dimension 2400, 3000, 4600, and 4700 but it requires a
> bracket that is only available with the purchase of the 3.5" floppy drive.
> an alternative is to obtain a 5.25" bracket adapter for a 3.5" form factor
> drive. this allows you to mount the 3.5" zip drive in a cage that then
> will fit the 5.25" type form factor. the above mentioned machines have
> two 5.25" external bays that it could be mounted into. however, if you
> purchase the machine with two cd drives then you will have to eliminate
> one to provide space for the zip. next, you will have to connect it
> internally to the ide cable. on the 2400, 3000 and 4600 both the hard
> disk and the cd drives are connected to ide type cables. on the 4700 only
> the cd drives are connected to an ide cable (the hard drives use a
> different interface). so there can only be two ide devices in the 4700
> and so you can only have one cd drive if you intend to connect the zip to
> the other possible spot. finally, if you don't place the zip in a 5.25"
> cage and mound it next to the cd drive then you will not likely be able to
> cable both a cd and the zip for data. i suggest that you simply purchase
> an external usb zip 100 for $35 or a external usb zip 250 drive for $49
> from the iomega.com outlet and not bother with the internal drive. the
> zip 250 will read/write the older zip 100 disks but does it slower than
> the zip 100 drive would. of course the zip 250 can also read/write zip
> 250 disks whereas the zip 100 can not. there is also a zip 750 but i have
> no idea if it is backwards compatible with the 100 or 250... and given the
> fact that it lacks any popularity and that cdrw can store 700mb why
> bother. good luck.
>
>


An external USB Zip, either new or used - might indeed be the best/easiest
answer. I didn't consider that because the drives (like the discs
themselves) are pricey for their limited capacity.


Stew

 

[ahall]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

>>>>> S Lewis writes:

>> ahall@no-spam-panix.com> wrote in message
news> kpg4q8qugw0.fsf@panix2.panix.com...
>>>>>>> Ben Myers writes:
>>
Ben> Just as others have stated, I would discourage long-term use of ZIP
>> cartridges.
Ben> They have low capacity nowadays, and reliability of the drives has
>> been none too
Ben> hot either.
>>
Ben> If your goal is to simply get her data onto the new PC, perhaps the
>> easiest way
Ben> is to get external USB case which houses 3.5" drives. Mount the
>> drive in the
Ben> case, plug it in, and go. The old drive has such low capacity as
>> to be fairly
Ben> useless on a modern computer... Ben Myers
>>
>> I will probably convert her to jump drives.
>>
>> She is quite ill (cancer), and very stressed out.
>> I want to have things change as little as possible
>> for her.
>>


S> Andrew,

S> Best to you and your mom. I understand how "keeping things the same" and
S> minimizing change is a desirable thing. The 5100 (I think) has only (1) IDE
S> channel, and that's IDE 2 for the optical drives.

S> It will work but you may have to replace the Dell OEM IDE2 cable so that the
S> "slave" connect will reach the bay in which the Zip will be located.


Thanks all.

I think it will be fine to switch her to jump drives for
backing up her documents, so the main reason for the zip
drive is temporary, to get her documents over to the new
computer.

A better way might be to temporarily install the old hard
drive --- would that hook up to the IDE2? Or should I buy
an IDE USB enclosure for that?

Thanks again,



--
Andrew Hall
(Now reading Usenet in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell...)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

FYI, the 750MB ZIP is not compatible with the 100 and the 250. I agree
completely that an external USB ZIP drive would be the best interim approach,
with the long-term goal of getting rid of the ZIP cartridges... Ben Myers

On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 04:12:31 GMT, "Christopher Muto" <muto@worldnet.att.net>
wrote:

>it sounds as if you currently have an internally mounted zip drive in a
>dimension rxxx machine that you would like to use in a current model dell.
>this would work however there are some issues.... first, how to mount the
>3.5" drive in the current dimension case is an issue. there is a bay for a
>3.5" drive in the dimension 2400, 3000, 4600, and 4700 but it requires a
>bracket that is only available with the purchase of the 3.5" floppy drive.
>an alternative is to obtain a 5.25" bracket adapter for a 3.5" form factor
>drive. this allows you to mount the 3.5" zip drive in a cage that then will
>fit the 5.25" type form factor. the above mentioned machines have two 5.25"
>external bays that it could be mounted into. however, if you purchase the
>machine with two cd drives then you will have to eliminate one to provide
>space for the zip. next, you will have to connect it internally to the ide
>cable. on the 2400, 3000 and 4600 both the hard disk and the cd drives are
>connected to ide type cables. on the 4700 only the cd drives are connected
>to an ide cable (the hard drives use a different interface). so there can
>only be two ide devices in the 4700 and so you can only have one cd drive if
>you intend to connect the zip to the other possible spot. finally, if you
>don't place the zip in a 5.25" cage and mound it next to the cd drive then
>you will not likely be able to cable both a cd and the zip for data. i
>suggest that you simply purchase an external usb zip 100 for $35 or a
>external usb zip 250 drive for $49 from the iomega.com outlet and not bother
>with the internal drive. the zip 250 will read/write the older zip 100
>disks but does it slower than the zip 100 drive would. of course the zip
>250 can also read/write zip 250 disks whereas the zip 100 can not. there is
>also a zip 750 but i have no idea if it is backwards compatible with the 100
>or 250... and given the fact that it lacks any popularity and that cdrw can
>store 700mb why bother. good luck.
>
>
><ahall@no-spam-panix.com> wrote in message
>news:kpg8xy2uq5v.fsf@panix2.panix.com...
>>
>> Would a modern XP machine (I am thinking Dimension
>> 5100) recognize and install drivers for a 100 meg
>> zip drive?
>>
>> Would I need to download drivers from anywhere?
>>
>> The zip drive is quite old, originally
>> coming in a Dimension XPS R-400, but has been living
>> in a newer XP box.
>>
>> These fit in a 3.5 slot I believe, is that correct?
>>
>> If this is not feasible, I guess I could try putting
>> in her old hard drive and getting her documents from
>> there, and switching her to USB Jump Drives, that should
>> be close to the UI of the zip drives.
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Andrew Hall
>> (Now reading Usenet in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell...)
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

As previously stated, better to buy a USB enclosure for an older low-capacity
3.5" drive, move all the data onto the new hard drive, and put the USB enclosure
and old drive aside for a rainly day.

You do not want to create added the confusion from having a second drive on the
system... Ben Myers

On 13 Sep 2005 09:00:32 -0400, <ahall@no-spam-panix.com> wrote:

>>>>>> S Lewis writes:
>
> >> ahall@no-spam-panix.com> wrote in message
> news> kpg4q8qugw0.fsf@panix2.panix.com...
> >>>>>>> Ben Myers writes:
> >>
> Ben> Just as others have stated, I would discourage long-term use of ZIP
> >> cartridges.
> Ben> They have low capacity nowadays, and reliability of the drives has
> >> been none too
> Ben> hot either.
> >>
> Ben> If your goal is to simply get her data onto the new PC, perhaps the
> >> easiest way
> Ben> is to get external USB case which houses 3.5" drives. Mount the
> >> drive in the
> Ben> case, plug it in, and go. The old drive has such low capacity as
> >> to be fairly
> Ben> useless on a modern computer... Ben Myers
> >>
> >> I will probably convert her to jump drives.
> >>
> >> She is quite ill (cancer), and very stressed out.
> >> I want to have things change as little as possible
> >> for her.
> >>
>
>
> S> Andrew,
>
> S> Best to you and your mom. I understand how "keeping things the same" and
> S> minimizing change is a desirable thing. The 5100 (I think) has only (1) IDE
> S> channel, and that's IDE 2 for the optical drives.
>
> S> It will work but you may have to replace the Dell OEM IDE2 cable so that the
> S> "slave" connect will reach the bay in which the Zip will be located.
>
>
>Thanks all.
>
>I think it will be fine to switch her to jump drives for
>backing up her documents, so the main reason for the zip
>drive is temporary, to get her documents over to the new
>computer.
>
>A better way might be to temporarily install the old hard
>drive --- would that hook up to the IDE2? Or should I buy
>an IDE USB enclosure for that?
>
>Thanks again,
>
>
>
>--
>Andrew Hall
>(Now reading Usenet in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell...)