[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Transfer Files From of a Really Old PC here

[HaydenMartz]

I have to agree, this is probably your best option. Personally i like and use this:
http://www.amazon.co...N/dp/B000QY9KIS

but im sure what you listed works exactly the same way. They are also very useful for moving data from an old computer that has failed for any reason other than the hard drive.

[A41202813]

Another 'One bit of advice':

If Your Power Adapter Fries Out ( Mine Did ), Extract And Use The Power Supply From The Old Computer Instead, And You Are DEFINITELY Set To Go.

[john3347]

I agree that the usb/ide adapter is the best, and easiest method to have files available for transfer to a new computer. Just remove the harddrive from the old computer and connect it as an external harddrive (with any of several brands of adapters available from a variety of online and big box suppliers) and transfer whatever files you wish to transfer over whatever period of time is convenient to you.

NOTE: you may have to change the jumper setting from your old harddrive to make it function in the configuration being discussed. If your new computer does not recognize the old harddrive as an external harddrive, just turn the computer off and move the jumper. Some applications seem to like the external drive in Master setting and others seem to like it in Slave setting. Your old application may have it set in Cable Select setting. This probably will not work, but you will not hurt anything by trying it. Your new computer just will not recognize the old harddrive if it doesn't like the jumper seting.

[pauline2]

Or just print it out and type it back into the new machine. Might take less time.

Actually saving it to common file extentions usually allows it to be converted. Word works very well. I have had to redo some of the puncuation but I used to like word Perfect and works.

[Tunz]

USB usually doesn't work at all on those old 98 machines, especially the first edition, but because there is usually very little data to be saved from these old timers, one can boot from a Linux Live CD like Puppy, on which USB is well implemented, and copy it off to a flash drive. It might be a little slow but someone who is just now moving from Win98, is obviously not in that much of a hurry anyway.
If there is a lot of data, or one is in a hurry, he can just mount the old drive into the new machine, using a BI-DIRECTIONAL SATA IDE CONVERTER ADAPTER, if necessary.
They're cheap, they're handy, and they work well. ("Mount" does not necessarily mean bolted.)
The IDE to USB2 adapter might be the best choice, if you have the hardware, but these suggestions might work for you as well.

This post has been edited by Tunz: 07 October 2011 - 10:21 PM

[john3347]

pauline2, on 07 October 2011 - 04:41 PM, said:

Or just print it out and type it back into the new machine. Might take less time.

Actually saving it to common file extentions usually allows it to be converted. Word works very well. I have had to redo some of the puncuation but I used to like word Perfect and works.

I would find it VERY difficult to "type" 8000 photographs into a new machine. This does not even consider the cost of printing 8000 photographs. This procedure may "work" if one had only a few text documents, but would not be feasible if one had hundreds - even in many cases thousands - of files including saved text documents, photographs, saved URL shortcuts, saved applications, etc.

[gordm]

If you don't have too much data, you can open a hotmail, gmail etc account and email the files to that account as attachments - then simply access these files on the new computer.