Recovering Win98 Drivespace Files With Windows XP??????

Question

I have files that were saved on Iomega 100MB disks using Drivespace under Windows 98.  That computer and Win98 long ago bit the dust.  Now I'm trying to recover those files with a computer running Windows XP.  WinXP doesn't understand what I'm talking about.  Microsoft KB doesn't appear to understand my search criteria.  Nor have I found anything by searching the Dell Forum.   Does anyone have a suggestion?   Thanks for any help.

tgsmith · Answer

Hank,

Drivespace was a disk compression utility of MSDOS 6.22. Are you talking about IOmega's compression utility for ZIP disks? If so you may want to visit www.iomega.com. IOmega ZIPTools for ZIP100 uses a FAT12 format. Best bet would be to download a free trial of BackupMyPC at www.stompsoft.com. It can restore almost any form of DOS and Windows 9x backup to Windows XP.

Note: If you have updated IOmega ZIP software for Windows XP, be careful. Have had many problems when files were saved to the same ZIP disk by Windows 9x and Windows XP. Biggest problem occured when file created in AutoCad 2000 on Windows XP was read, modified and saved back to ZIP100 by Autocad 2000 running under Windows 98. Neither OS could read the disk after this scenario occured. Had to use expensive data recovery software to get file back.

Tony

LCDmaster · Answer

Hank, I recomend you upgrade your OS to WindowsXP

Denny Denham · Answer

@LCDmaster wrote: Hank, I recomend you upgrade your OS to WindowsXP Hank Coolidge wrote, 'Now I'm trying to recover those files with a computer running Windows XP.'

X-Rogue · Answer

A 'da-phantom' entry if I ever saw one :D ! 'Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.' -- Albus DumbledoreFor the newbies ~ www.djdenham.com/etiquette.htm

Hank Coolidge · Answer

TGSmith, thank you for your suggestions

Sadly, neither IOMega nor Stompsoft could decipher the file structure, nor could PhotoShop. The file structure is just too old, I guess. Also, I am reluctant to pay IOMega to recover the files without exhausting all other reasonable (and free) alternatives.

A possibility just occurred to me as I am writing this...a close friend still has a Dimension 350 running Win98. (He hates change...BIG TIME!) His system still has the Zip 100 drive that I installed years ago. So it's possible that between his WIN98 and the 100 drive, I can recover my wife's original artworks.

Now you can understand why it is imperative that I succeed, especially since I was the one who recommended Zip100 disks as the backup medium. Of course this was about a year before our Dimension 450 wiggled its tiny feet towards the heavans, and I just HAD to buy an 8200 with XP.

Too soon old, too late smart......~(:-o)

Message Edited by Hank Coolidge on 11-27-2005 08:20 PM

tgsmith · Answer

Hank, Now we're getting somewhere.  You've got the right idea.  If you can't read the files on your friend's Win98 setup, let us know.  Don't panic, and resist any urge or suggestion to change your ZIP disks in any manner.  They are readable.  We simply need to replicate your original setup.  Once replicated, you need to restore the data using the same software and operating system used to backup the data.    Still would like to know what version of Drivespace was used. Did you compress the ZIP disk from Windows or DOS. It makes a difference. Drivespace 3 was a little quirky, but no big deal.  Windows 95 could both read and write to drives compressed with  DOS 6.0 and DOS 6.2 Doublespace and DOS 6.22 Drivespace.  FAT12  and FAT16 drives could be compressed with these utilities. Since Windows XP cannot read anything below FAT32, there's the rub. If your disk was formatted with IOmega software, it most likely is a FAT12 disk. If it was formatted with original Windows 98 or 95 it is most likely a FAT16 disk.

Hank Coolidge · Answer

TGSmith, thanks for your interest and suggestions.

This is the README.TXT file that was recorded with the DRVSPACE.000 file:

.....................................................................................................................

This disk was compressed using DriveSpace 3, which requires Windows 98.

To use this disk, you must first mount it. To mount it:

1. Run DriveSpace by choosing Run from the Windows 98 Start menu,
and then typing DRVSPACE.

2. In DriveSpace, click the drive that contains this disk,
click the Advanced menu, and then click Mount.

(If this file is located on a drive other than the physical drive
that contains the disk, then the compressed drive is already mounted).

To automatically mount all available compressed drives, click the
Advanced menu, click Settings, and then check the "Automatically mount
new compressed drives" box.

IMPORTANT: To mount and use this compressed disk, you must be running
Windows 98.

...........................................................................................................................

The DRVSPACE.000 file does not show any meaningful Properties other than the standard WinXP interpretation.

I will coordinate with my friend and his computer tomorrow. Hopefully that will be successful.

Thanks again.

Windows General

Recovering Win98 Drivespace Files With Windows XP??????

Was this post helpful?