Big files copy on 1.44 floppy disks

[andreadebiase]

I always wondered why Win98 does not allow to copy/transfer a file bigger than 1.44 Mb to a 1.44 floppy disk by "simply" distributing the file on more than one disk. The only message is: file to large, insert a higher capacity disk!!!.....I hate that!......the alternative could be: insert a second disk to complete transfer!!! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
Is there a way to go around this problem (excluding the purchase of a cd burner or a Zip!!).
thanks

[Randy_tx]

This problem has been around since DOS.....I remember having to "break up" a program into 1.4 mb chunks in order to put the whole thing on floppies....but with the advent of Zip Drives and burners I've never had to jack with floppies that much.....good question for PETE...... http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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"As hard as a rock & dumb as a brick"...Windows CEMeNT

[andreadebiase]

Well, I know that even today`s software shows a bit of "anchient" behaviour to allow back-compatibility, but Microsoft could do something about certain issues as the one with floppies. At least I remember that old Win was on floppies before CD-ROM showed up and softaware was distributed among several floppies so it can be done. Anyway, does anyone know anything about those 100Mb floppies? i mean like the Imation ones?
are they worth?

[Randy_tx]

Well......there are Large Capacity Floppy Drives out( I think) but you are better off with a Zip Drive if you want large capacity (they go all the way to 250 mb).....and cost about $125. For a little more money you can get a decent Cd Writer and put upwards of 700 MB on a writable disk !

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"As hard as a rock & dumb as a brick"...Windows CEMeNT

[BigBlue66]

Hi Andrea,

I believe what you want is the Backup command. I think it's MS-DOS based but can be run from Windows at the MS-DOS prompt.

There is way too much information about it to relay here, so I suggest you look in the help files for the command. It will do what you want, in that, it will back up large files to more than one floppy, prompting you after each floppy is full, for the next one. I believe it numbers the disks also, which you also have to physically do in order to keep the sequence correct for restoring.

Go to Start/Help/Index and type in Backup. Happy reading. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Cheers,

Big Blue 66

[andreadebiase]

I can`t belive I had the Backup option under my nose for all this time!! thanks BigBlue, this will help

[Randy_tx]

I better stick to Hardware ......GAD I didnt even think of using Backup http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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"As hard as a rock & dumb as a brick"...Windows CEMeNT

[mjc]

If what you want to do is transfer something like graphics or large text files between a couple of computers there are some file splitters available from various download sites.

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mjc
To ME or NOT to ME....

[Ghel]

You can also use PkZip or WinZip to compress the file. That program will span multiple disks as well.

[rdaniels]

Originally posted by andreadebiase:
I always wondered why Win98 does not allow to copy/transfer a file bigger than 1.44 Mb to a 1.44 floppy disk by "simply" distributing the file on more than one disk. The only message is: file to large, insert a higher capacity disk!!!.....I hate that!......the alternative could be: insert a second disk to complete transfer!!! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
Is there a way to go around this problem (excluding the purchase of a cd burner or a Zip!!).
thanks

As for the 1.44 MB limit, there are utilities that can increase the size to around 1.68MB (such as WINIMAGE.exe). The only drawback is that you can not make it bootable. As for the Imation disk (LS-120), I have one, but it can not be booted to either, at least on the older pc that I installed it on. First, it is an IDE device, do it will never replace your FDD, and second, so far I haven't discovered how to make a bootable 120MB diskette for it even if the target pc could boot to an IDE device specified by the BIOS

[Paleo Pete]

Check SimTel (http://www.simtel.net) for file splitters, they've been around for many moons for this purpose. WinFiles (http://www.winfiles.com) might be worth a look too.

The LS-120 is excellent, but to get the most out of it the floppy version is much better than the IDE. I've used them, they will be seen by the system as a standard floppy and booting to one is not a problem. From what I've seen about the IDE versions, they're not as flexible. The floppy version completely replaces the existing floppy drive, or you can add it as floppy B.

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Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[Reid]

PC Magazine's Slice32 (http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/stories/solutions/0,8224,2385358,00.html) is a good file splitter with a graphical user interface.

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reido@my-deja.com

Friends don't let friends install Windows ME