20mb hard drive problem

[rod mckenzie <rodmcken@almaak.usc.edu>]

Have a great old Apple IIe system with 2 5 1/4 floppy drives and a 20mb
hard drive attached.  System always booted up by turning on all save the
central unit and it automatically went to the hard drive for start up.  On
those occasions when it didn't and went to the floppy drives first was
able to remove the main unit's cover, tweek the innards, blow out some
dust, etc. and start the system again - and it always worked until this
last spring when nothing I do seems to alert the system to the presence of
the hard drive.  Now have a new Dell computer but before donating the IIe
to one of the local schools would like to recover and hard drive files and
have not only them but all the other 5 1/2 disks convered to compatibility
with the Dell.  Need someone with knowledge/time/etc. in the greater Los
Angeles area (preferably Pasadena area) who might be able to help.  Have
inquired at the university's information systems division but they all
deny any familiarity with Apple.  Advice??  Assistance??  Many thanks.