Do you still have your old machine? You've not given a lot of detail but I imagine your files are saved as either document or database files in either a word processing or database program and that you have Zipped these files to make them smaller.Scottishlass wrote:Not sure if this is the correct place to ask , I have all my records presently on an old windows 98 with only the floppy availabe to save all my work to.
I have compressed it and saved it to a floppy but now having trouble transfering it to my new computer that has xp . Do I have to run an orginal program first.......which I don't have.
To open the files on your new computer you will need an equivalent program to unzip the files and a program to read them.
Even older programs offer a number of "Save As" options. You may have to use your old computer to save your files in a more universal format. In the case of Word Processing TXT (Text format) or RTF (Rich Text Format) if you have used tables colours etc.
Databases are a bit more tricky. The most commonly used method of ensuring that your data will be saved properly would be to create a CSV (Comma Separated Value [comma delimitted]) file, unfortunately not all the older programs offer this as an option.
Open your new XP program and go to File Open. Make a note of all the formats you are allowed to open using this program and then go back to your old machine where you Save/Export your files to the HIGHEST/NEWEST version formats available on BOTH machines.
If this is all gobbldeegook tell us what program you used to create the files, the format the files are saved in (the three letter extension after the dot tells you this e.g. MyFile.TXT is a text file MyFile.DOC is a MS Word document) and the program you used to compress the files (this will probably have a ZIP, ARJ or RAR extension after the file name).
Someone should be able to help.