[comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d] File Transfer Possible Between Mac and PC Using Diskettes?

noring@vaxr.llnl.gov (03/22/91)

Hello,

I have a need at work to be able to transfer binary and ascii files back
and forth between my Macintosh and my ibm-pc.  The only way I can think of
(short of hooking the pc into the Internet, as the Mac now is) is to write
the files onto 1.2 Mbyte 3-1/2" diskettes using appropriate software
(I'm assuming that the diskettes themselves are compatible between machines,
which I'm not sure about).

Any advice out there in Usenetia would be most appreciated.

Jon Noring

berger@iboga (Mike Berger) (03/24/91)

noring@vaxr.llnl.gov writes:
>I have a need at work to be able to transfer binary and ascii files back
>and forth between my Macintosh and my ibm-pc.  The only way I can think of
>(short of hooking the pc into the Internet, as the Mac now is) is to write
>the files onto 1.2 Mbyte 3-1/2" diskettes using appropriate software
>(I'm assuming that the diskettes themselves are compatible between machines,
>which I'm not sure about).
*----
No, that's not a good assumption unless you have the newer FDHD drives, in
which case you could write ms-dos compatible diskettes.

The easiest way with standard equipment is to buy a Central Point Systems
Copy-II-PC Options Board for around $ 100.  It connects between your existing
diskette controller and diskette drives.  Software is included to read/write
Mac disks on a standard 3.5" PC drive.
--
	Mike Berger
	Department of Statistics, University of Illinois
	AT&TNET     217-244-6067
	Internet    berger@atropa.stat.uiuc.edu

aslakson@cs.umn.edu (Brian Aslakson) (03/24/91)

In one o' the Mac groups, noring@vaxr.llnl.gov writes:

>I have a need at work to be able to transfer binary and ascii files back
>and forth between my Macintosh and my ibm-pc.  The only way I can think of
>(short of hooking the pc into the Internet, as the Mac now is) is to write
>the files onto 1.2 Mbyte 3-1/2" diskettes using appropriate software
>(I'm assuming that the diskettes themselves are compatible between machines,
>which I'm not sure about).

1.44 Meg.  1.2 is 5 1/4 HD MS-DOS format.

I transferred files from an MS-DOS 360K floppy using an Apple 5 1/4" floppy
drive attached to a Mac, used NCSA Telnet to upload to the mainframe, used
Telnet again to transfer to a Mac with a SuperDrive, transferred the files
to a 720K MS-DOS floppy, tested it on a clone, and it worked fine.
Binaries and everything.  If you want binaries to work on both the Mac and
PC, you'll need to get "SoftPC" which is a Macintosh software program that
will emulate a PC in software (you can even run Windows!).  There are also
some cards that fit into Macs that have a PC on them.  The Mac program that
does the translation is Apple File Exchange.  There are init's available
that will mount the MS-DOS formatted floppy and you can directly use compat-
ible formats (Excel on a Mac will read PC Excel, all Lotus formats....).

I'm gonna move the 5 1/4" drive soon....


-- 
Brian Aslakson
	brian@cs.umn.edu (mail)
		aslakson@cs.umn.edu (talk)
			mac-admin@cs.umn.edu  (Eric gets this too)

Brian.Aslakson@voice (Brian Aslakson) (03/29/91)

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