Old IBM, Version 3.0 Program - Need advice on what emulator I can use

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I have tried to access an old, late '88 '89 Sportscard inventory program I had used in the past to manage sports cards I and my sons have collected back then. I last ran it in 1993. Since then I have owned Windows machines but switched to MAC a dozen years ago. I have tried to read the disks, even one that has Lotus files on it via a USB 3 1/2 floppy drive. No luck. I also won a Sony Vaio Laptop running Windows XP. No luck in being able to even see what is on the floppies. Info I saw online noted the USB drive may not work and would be better to find a machine with a floppy drive. I have not pursued that avenue yet.

I have a program floppy, a floppy with data (as I remember the content) a floppy with Lotus files, and another with some zip files, etc. I know the contents only due to the fact I have written info on the labels.

For your edification, the program is LINEUP, Baseball Card Inventory &Value System, PROGRAM DISK, IBM VERSION 3.0. 1988 & 1989 Copyright.

Today, I called a local computer service company and was advised that the USB floppy should do the trick BUT I need an IBM emulator for any chance of success.

Going online I became confused not knowing exactly where to head!

FYI I have a MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015) running Mojave 10.14.6.

So folks, any help you can provide to lead me to the best emulator that I can download would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance to all who view this.
 
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Raz0rEdge

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Not even sure what an IBM emulator means. :) IBM used to make x86 architecture computers and that's what the latest generation of chips are based on. It's one thing to create a virtual machine to run Windows on there, but emulating x86 on a x86 machine is just silly.

One thing to keep in mind is that the floppy might not even have retained the data over the past couple of decades, exposure to sun or other elements and magnetic fields would've likely killed it anyway.

So before you got spending real money on this, be aware of that.

Your best bet to check freely is to see if anyone has an old PC running some version of DOS around. The problem with that scenario, however, is that the floppy heads on those old machines are likely useless now, but if not, go that route to see if you can get the data off the floppy and into some other media/location.

If you get just the data files, you can figure out how to load that up in modern software or convert it or something.
 
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A 3.5 USB Floppy drive is not that expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=usb+floppy+drive+3.5-inch&crid=3AQN0UTSWLNMG&sprefix=usb+floppy,aps,128&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_10?tag=macforums0e4-20

If you get one, you can copy the files from the floppy to the internal drive or to a USB stick to preserve them a bit better than on the floppy. You don't need an "IBM Emulator" (whatever that might be). You just need to be able to install the program in a Windows or DOS emulator. Something compatible with technology from 1988 (31 years ago!). That will be the bigger challenge. IF, and that is a big IF, the floppies can be read, finding a DOS emulation may be the adventure. I did a quick search for "DOS Emulator Mac" and found a few hits that MIGHT work. None of them seem current.

Do you remember if the application was DOS or Windows? If you remember which version of Windows, you might look for that in an emulator, too. But what you need to do first is to see if the floppies can even be read at all.
 
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As already mentioned, a USB floppy Drive is not expensive at all.

But overcoming the particular formatting the floppy disk used maybe something else again as to whether the data can actually be accessed.

You may be better off if you can contact someone at a the local PC Big Blue And Cousins Club (if they still exist) who may just still have the equipment you could use, or at least rescue the data you want to use if you could use it.

Even old Mac models with floppy Drives could normally access Windows, DOS, PROdos etc. and other formats.

I have no idea what sort of emulation would be needed or if it would even be available for Mac use or if it would even work.



- Patrick
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Thanks for the reply. I was only quoting back what a computer service provider I spoke to used in our discussion.

Regarding floppies. They have been stored in a floppy file box in a cabineet in my den for many years.

I agree finding an old PC would help. I had thought the Windows xp Sony Vaio laptop I won for $10 (with some Bose speakers) at an auction would be the trick.

My goal was and still is to be able to extract the data and then work with it with EXCEL, or Bento / another database program.

As I proceed AND hopefully suceed, I will post again.

Thanks
 
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I purchased a USB floppy through AMAZON. It works but doesn't help with the floppies I am trying to access.

I will check out the "Club" you mentioned.

Using an old MAC might work. I think I know someone who may have one.Thanks again.
 
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AS I noted in a reply to anopther post, I do own a floppy. It was purchased with the hope I could at least see what files I moight be able to access.

I will try the search for DOS Emulator.

Thank you!
 
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AS I noted in a reply to anopther post, I do own a floppy. It was purchased with the hope I could at least see what files I moight be able to access.

I will try the search for DOS Emulator.

Thank you!


IF you can get the floppy's and files to mount, you may be able to access any usable data by opening the files in TextEdit,app or BBEdit.app.

At least they should be able to show any "text", whether it's readable or useable or not is a different matter, and regardless of any emulator.

If it was spreadsheet type text, it was often just stored in space or comma, or tab-delimited text that can be used or imported to more modern spreadsheet formats.


- Patrick
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