Files and Data on 5 1/4 Floppy Disks need to move files but how?

Question

Hi my dear old dad has data on his 5 1/4 Floppy and his computer won't boot anymore. He does all of his taxes and paperwork on it. Yes, so old school... but he is 75 years old, so I had to remember to cut him some slack. But now... he needs the info off of the floppies to get onto anything, flash drive, 3 1/2, cd... he has a newer computer but was comfortable with the old one for his business. HELP! ;-)

Answer 1

This one is going to be tough.   If the computer does not boot up, than he needs to get access of a 5 1/4 drive.   Those things went out of service more than a decade ago.    Let hope it's just his computer and not the drive.   Here is what I would do.   Open the old computer and take out the floppy drive and cable.    Find out from the manual if the new computer has a FDD connector.    Most likely that it has, connect the old cable and floppy drive to this connector.    Now he should have access to a 5 1/4 drive.    Transfer all the files by using file copy on windows to the hard drive before the floppy drive croaks.   If the floppy drive dies, it would be difficult to find one.

If his floppy drive died, you might have to search for one at old computer store.   Good luck.