How do I get data off my old Acorn?
Linda Fox
want to chuck it out unless anyone can make a use for it (is there
even such a possibility?) but I want to be able to get at what's still
on it - if I do let someone else have it, there are a lot of personal
letters saved which I'd need to wipe, and even without that
possibility, I've realised it's the only place now which keeps a copy
of my translation of Figaro and a couple of other operas, and I now
need them.
So, please, can someone tell me where or how I can
1)Retrieve all the data on the Acorn, where possible in a format that
can be re-accessed now that I have only a PC (such as text)
and/or
2)Take it somewhere where I can connect it up and have a last little
play with it for old times' sake (would I ever be too old for a last
game of Pushy2?) before wiping what I don't want and saving what I do?
Trying to connect it at home is out of the question; I did use a
switchbox for a few months, which flipped between A for Acorn and B
for Bloody-etc, but I'd need a different mouse and lord knows what
else and also there isn't room now.
I'm sure one of you will know what to advise.
Linda ff
Ben Harris
Linda Fox <lind...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>I've got an Acorn computer which I haven't used for about 9 years.
What kind of Acorn computer is it? Merely knowing when it was made
would probably be enough. How easy it is to transfer data off and how
desirable it is varies rather a lot between a System 2 and a Risc PC.
Assuming it's something recent, a Risc PC can be connected to a PC
monitor and keyboard but will need an Acorn mouse and can write MS-DOS
floppies. An A5000 is similar but needs an Acorn keyboard as well.
Anything older will have a somewhat awkward monitor connector and may
not have an OS that can write MS-DOS floppies.
I've probably got bits that will help with dealing with an older system,
but it's not something I usually do so it may be a bit messy.
--
Ben Harris
Paul Gotch
> I've got an Acorn computer which I haven't used for about 9 years.
Exactly what Acorn is it? The difficulty of getting data off it depends
on what it is.
In terms of doing something with the data once you have it off you can
use http://www.virtualacorn.co.uk/index2.htm to run the original
programs if you like or just to convert the data into some other format
and save it somewhere else.
-p
--
Paul Gotch
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Jules
> I've got an Acorn computer which I haven't used for about 9 years.
What age/model? Acorn hardware spans several decades...
> want to chuck it out unless anyone can make a use for it (is there
> even such a possibility?)
Heh, I collect them - I had about fifty at one point (with very few
duplicate models), but I thinned things out a lot prior to moving. I
never had much interest in the newer stuff though (which I suspect is what
you have), but there are still a lot of collectors around who would be.
(I bet it'd find a home via freecycle even)
> but I want to be able to get at what's still on it
Try a post to comp.sys.acorn.hardware - I'm sure someone there can help
out. Perhaps give the nice folks at the Centre for Computing History out
at Haverhill a prod, too (www.computinghistory.org.uk) as it may* be
they'll let you bring the system in and make use of the necessary bits to
try it out.
* I'm not sure what their policy is on such things, but it can't hurt to
ask.
cheers
Jules
Linda Fox
<pa...@at-cantab-dot.net> wrote:
>Linda Fox <lind...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>> I've got an Acorn computer which I haven't used for about 9 years.
>
>Exactly what Acorn is it? The difficulty of getting data off it depends
>on what it is.
Well, you know, that was the first thing I looked for when I got it
out from the back of the cupboard, as I knew I had to be specific, and
all it says on it is Acorn! There is a serial number and some small
stuff engraved on the back, but nothing that looks like a model
number.
However: to narrow it down, I got it in 1997. I THINK it's a RISC PC,
certainly looks like the photo, it's not an Archimedes, we never used
that name referring to it, and it's not whatever it was they were
threatening to make later (Phoebe, did that even get off the ground?)
Whereabouts on it will I find any further details, or is that enough
for me to be going on with?
I like the sound of virtualacorn - now I have to find a way of pulling
all the stuff off it.
Thanks to all of you who've replied so far. I may be in for some fun!
Linda ff
Andrew Hodgkinson
> [ Old Acorn computer ] [...] can someone tell me where or how I can
> 1)Retrieve all the data on the Acorn, where possible in a format that
> can be re-accessed now that I have only a PC (such as text) [...]
I used to work for Acorn and have lots of Acorn kit along with the odd
bit of hardware from the post-Acorn era, such as an Iyonix computer which
runs a version of the same operating system.
I'm also involved with RISC OS Open Limited ("ROOL"), an organisation
which is releasing the source code to that operating system to the
public. ROOL has generated a small amount of renewed interest in
emulators for the ARM-based hardware. Of these, RPCEmu is probably the
best developed and is available for free on Windows, Linux or Mac OS.
Networking is supported on Windows and (with some effort) Linux; if you
are at least able to boot your old Acorn machine and get a display out of
it, then should be able to use ShareFS (shared discs) to transfer data to
the emulator very easily:
http://www.marutan.net/rpcemuspoon/
http://www.riscosopen.org/
The advantage of using an emulator is that you can view your old files
using your original RISC OS software for as long as you have a version of
Windows, Linux or Mac OS which runs the emulator. If you wish to convert
files to other formats, you can then do so at your leisure without
worrying about (for example) whether or not your old Acorn machine is
going to break down!
Presently no version of RISC OS which runs fully on the emulator is
available for free - RISC OS computer owners need to extract copies of
their operating system images, which is fiddly. However, RISC OS Ltd, a
commercial vendor who sell versions of the operating system with various
extra features, sell RISC OS version 4.02 in what they call a "Virtually
Free" release. This is £5 on CD and will run on the RPCEmu emulator:
http://www.riscos.com/ (general info)
http://www.e-junkie.com/43789 (online ordering)
In a related and shameless plug, I write bits of software for RISC OS as
a hobby from time to time - I released a new game just earlier today! In
the unlikely event that there's anyone reading who is interested, see:
http://pond.org.uk/superchain/
--
TTFN, Andrew Hodgkinson
Find some electronic music at: Photos, wallpaper, software and more:
http://pond.org.uk/music.html http://pond.org.uk/