Just looking for suggestions

[The Chief]

I recently came across a rather large box of old 5 1/4 floppies and I'd really like to see what's on them.  I have a brand new, still in the box, high density 5 1/4 drive.  Unfortunately, I don't have anything to mount it in, since every thing is too new for the BIOS to recognize it.

Does anyone know if a USB adapter cable exists for 5 1/4 inch floppy drives?  And where I might acquire one?

I have a couple of IDE and SATA USB adapter cables - does anyone make an IDE (drive connector) to floppy adapter?  And again, where I might acquire one?

Thanks anyway....

[Nish]

I used to be a legacy hw buff and tempted to say if such an adapter exists it would cost probably more than half as much as new usb floppy drive and they around 15-20 US dollars.  

[scoundrel]

http://tinyurl.com/cwu29fs

[Nish]

oh my 5.25.  Would be interesting to see what is on them, wouldn't it?

Chief you must let us know if you get this going what you find on them.

[The Chief]

http://tinyurl.com/cwu29fs

Well, that wasted a good half hour!    Nothing helpful at all.

I'm about to come to the conclusion that such a thing does not exist, so I'll have to dig around in the basement (a dozen or so old desktops down there) and see if I can resurrect one of the old boxes. 

I kinda doubt the hard drives will still boot (if they haven't already been cannibalized for something else), so hopefully one that can boot up a LiveCD.... 

I'll let everyone know how it turns out.  However, I really don't expect to find anything of any real value on those diskettes.  Maybe some nostalgia.... 

[scoundrel]

http://tinyurl.com/cwu29fs

Well, that wasted a good half hour!    Nothing helpful at all.

I'm about to come to the conclusion that such a thing does not exist, so I'll have to dig around in the basement (a dozen or so old desktops down there) and see if I can resurrect one of the old boxes. 

I kinda doubt the hard drives will still boot (if they haven't already been cannibalized for something else), so hopefully one that can boot up a LiveCD.... 

I'll let everyone know how it turns out.  However, I really don't expect to find anything of any real value on those diskettes.  Maybe some nostalgia.... 

glad I could waste your time..

[horusfalcon]

You guys know that any machine that has a floppy controller can talk to that 5.25 inch drive, right?  Just because it doesn't have a 5.25 inch bay doesn't mean you couldn't open the case, hook up your drive to the existing system (after setting the jumpers on it for proper operation) and just lay it in the bottom of the case on a piece of cardboard until you got all your diskies read/copied.

If worst comes to worst, you could find a floppy controller card for it.  Here's just one example:

http://www.amazon.com/MASSCOOL-XWT-RC018-controller-Motherboard-Retail/dp/B000UMM3M6

Twenty bucks plus shipping.  Cheap.  PCI interface, too.  Lots of others still out there, but this one's actually pretty neat from the look of it.

Later On,
D

[The Chief]

You guys know that any machine that has a floppy controller can talk to that 5.25 inch drive, right? 

That's the theory, but the BIOS gets involved somewhere in there, too.

[horusfalcon]

You guys know that any machine that has a floppy controller can talk to that 5.25 inch drive, right? 

That's the theory, but the BIOS gets involved somewhere in there, too.

Yeah, you're right, but you can find that out before attempting the install by getting in the BIOS and scrolling through the selection list for floppy drives, or, if all else fails, by reading the motherboard manual.

The controller card has the added advantage of bringing its own BIOS extension, usually.

Later On,
D

[The Chief]

Well, I've got a dozen or more down in the basement to go through. 

Unfortunately, it's the time of year when it gets cold and damp down there...  And I don't feel very enthused to dig around down there at the moment.

[Just17]

I recently came across a rather large box of old 5 1/4 floppies and I'd really like to see what's on them.  I have a brand new, still in the box, high density 5 1/4 drive.  Unfortunately, I don't have anything to mount it in, since every thing is too new for the BIOS to recognize it.

Does anyone know if a USB adapter cable exists for 5 1/4 inch floppy drives?  And where I might acquire one?

I have a couple of IDE and SATA USB adapter cables - does anyone make an IDE (drive connector) to floppy adapter?  And again, where I might acquire one?

Thanks anyway....

http://www.deviceside.com/
http://www.deviceside.com/fc5025.html
http://ascii.textfiles.com/archives/2503

http://www.softpres.org/glossary:kryoflux
A bit costly methinks 
http://www.kryoflux.com/
http://webstore.kryoflux.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=25a295e5f08a2dd37e519b9cc2d8dd06

Hope something there helps 

Depending on the 5.25" drive it may require 12V or newer models may work with 5V, I believe.

[smileeb]

Would this work? Tiger Direct

4.    
DiabloTek Deluxe USB to SATA/IDE Cable for 2.5-Inch / 3.5-Inch / 5.25-Inch Drives /
with Power Adapter
Item #: D15-1084
COMPARE
      DiabloTek Deluxe USB to SATA/IDE Cable for 2.5-Inch / 3.5-Inch / 5.25-Inch Drives / with Power Adapter
You can do everything you like as if using a disk driver. Since it can support large capacity disk, you can also play MP3 files.
$19.99
   
In Stock
Manufacturer: Diablo Tek    

[Just17]

Would this work? Tiger Direct

4.    
DiabloTek Deluxe USB to SATA/IDE Cable for 2.5-Inch / 3.5-Inch / 5.25-Inch Drives /
with Power Adapter
Item #: D15-1084
COMPARE
      DiabloTek Deluxe USB to SATA/IDE Cable for 2.5-Inch / 3.5-Inch / 5.25-Inch Drives / with Power Adapter
You can do everything you like as if using a disk driver. Since it can support large capacity disk, you can also play MP3 files.
$19.99
   
In Stock
Manufacturer: Diablo Tek    

That is for HDDs .........

[The Chief]

I recently came across a rather large box of old 5 1/4 floppies and I'd really like to see what's on them.  I have a brand new, still in the box, high density 5 1/4 drive.  Unfortunately, I don't have anything to mount it in, since every thing is too new for the BIOS to recognize it.

Does anyone know if a USB adapter cable exists for 5 1/4 inch floppy drives?  And where I might acquire one?

I have a couple of IDE and SATA USB adapter cables - does anyone make an IDE (drive connector) to floppy adapter?  And again, where I might acquire one?

Thanks anyway....

http://www.deviceside.com/
http://www.deviceside.com/fc5025.html
http://ascii.textfiles.com/archives/2503

http://www.softpres.org/glossary:kryoflux
A bit costly methinks 
http://www.kryoflux.com/
http://webstore.kryoflux.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=25a295e5f08a2dd37e519b9cc2d8dd06

Hope something there helps 

Depending on the 5.25" drive it may require 12V or newer models may work with 5V, I believe.

Both rather pricy.  90 Euros?  And are just the beginning, neither seems to come with a power supply for the drive.

[The Chief]

Would this work? Tiger Direct

4.    
DiabloTek Deluxe USB to SATA/IDE Cable for 2.5-Inch / 3.5-Inch / 5.25-Inch Drives /
with Power Adapter
Item #: D15-1084
COMPARE
      DiabloTek Deluxe USB to SATA/IDE Cable for 2.5-Inch / 3.5-Inch / 5.25-Inch Drives / with Power Adapter
You can do everything you like as if using a disk driver. Since it can support large capacity disk, you can also play MP3 files.
$19.99
   
In Stock
Manufacturer: Diablo Tek    

Nope - only for hard drives.  I have two of those, one IDE only, the other IDE and SATA.