Re: Reading Apple II CP/M diskettes

[Linards Ticmanis <ticmanis@gmx.de>]

mc wrote:
> Is it possible, in 2007, to read 20-year-old Apple II CP/M diskettes?
> They contain WordStar files and my understanding is that a CP/M Z80
> card was used rather than the native CPU.  I'm open to either acquiring
> software or using a service bureau.   (Is there software for older PCs
> that will read these?  I have a PC XT available.)   Thanks!

You won't need a Z80 card to read them, but having an Apple II helps
immensely - the only way to read them in a PC is with hackery of the
evilest type: it requires a MS-DOS system (or at least nothing newer
than Windows 98) with two 5.25 inch PC drives, a second DOS-formatted
floppy disk, and can't read the back side of most Apple disks. If you
can meet these requirements, use the program DSK2FDI (search Google).


With an Apple, all you need is a PC or Mac with at least one standard
old-style Serial Port (9 or 25 pins), the Apple II itself, and a floppy
drive. If the Computer isn't a IIc or IIgs model, you'll also need a
Super Serial Card to transfer the Data out of it. Also you need a cable
to connect the serial ports of both systems. ADTPro is the right
software for this kind of operation (Google for it.)

Once you have the needed hardware, simply follow the instructions
included in the Programs to transfer the disks to images. The files can
then be recovered from the Images with such software as "cpmtools".

-- 
Linards Ticmanis