In dire need of help with Win98 - Win XP transfer

[Darizuka]

G'day,

im just wondering if anyone can help me with this...

i have all these important data under ms-dos in my old windows 98 computer... and i was wondering if its possible to send all the data into a more modern computer without losing/corrupting any files?

if so, can anyone help guide me how to move my win 98 MS-DOS data into a win XP (and any other more modern versions)
and would i still be required to use MS-DOS or is there a more new and efficient program available? but can also use the data within MS-DOS.... like... imported into the new program?

Cheers Mate

[Ancient Dragon]

If the files are small enough why not just copy to 5 1/4" floppy diskette? Then copy then onto the XP file system. You might also be able to create a LAN and copy them directly.

[rajarajan2017]

The important data is your folder and files r8. Then create an zip from dos and copy the data to floppy and try to unzip in moder windows os with the same ms-dos. For zip help please google it or read the help documents in msdos. I think that was mkzip and for help use /? in dos prompt.

[Darizuka]

i dont understand how i can save it through alternate means

. . .

[rajarajan2017]

Ms-Dos version is available in win98 and winXP. You know MS-DOS copy command r8. Then copy your files from win98 to a floppy disk (I never know you have a floppy drive or not?). Come to WinXP, copy the files from your floppy disk to your winxp. If not the solution, then exactly explain what you need?

[jwenting]

MS-DOS is NOT available in Windows XP, nor is it in Windows 98.

It was retired with Windows 95. There is a command shell that has pretty similar commands available to it, but that's not the same.

[rajarajan2017]

oh! I am not sure about that, but its possible to copy the files from there through that command shell r8?

[WaltP]

Do you know how to use the computer you are trying to copy the files from?

MS-DOS is NOT available in Windows XP, nor is it in Windows 98.

It was retired with Windows 95. There is a command shell that has pretty similar commands available to it, but that's not the same.

As far as anyone is concerned, this is a worthless pedantic detail. The operation of CMD.EXE is virtually identical to DOS from a user standpoint, and any idiosyncrasies are immaterial for the requested task.

[jwenting]

certainly not. It's a 32 bit command shell, not a 16 bit operating system :)

Anyway, I doubt you will be able to mount a 5 1/4" drive under WinXP (or if you can, whether you can actually get one for the computer it's running on).
3 1/2" would be a better bet :)

[WaltP]

certainly not. It's a 32 bit command shell, not a 16 bit operating system :)

And I repeat: That is a worthless pedantic detail. I have never used the 32bit command shell any differently than any 16bit DOS/DOS Clone prompt. Each and every command I've used works and what's "under the hood" is completely invisible.

[jephthah]

just go to a used computer parts and accessories store near you and buy an old ZIP drive.. remember the Iomega ZIP drives from the late 90s? you can still get them, and drivers are available for both Win98 and WinXP

use it to transfer all your important files from the old machine to the new.

the drawback is the zip drives are typically limited to 100MB or so, so it may take a few rounds depending on what you've got.

but overall, it's probably the easist and cheapest way to do it, and a helluva lot faster than using 1.44 MB floppy disks