Data transfer from BBC micro 5.25" floppy discs. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Joe Ingle · 2nd Jan 2014, 2:42 pm

Hi,

I normally visit the vintage radio pages of this forum, but wandered if there were any vintage computer people who might be able to help with this one...

My father has 4 or so 5.25" floppy discs with about 10 documents between them. They were created in the very early 1990s on a BBC micro using the Merlin Scribe word processor. The discs are probably recorded on 80 track (the Cumana drive we had then was capable of using either 40 or 80).

Is there anyone out there who has the kit to be able to read them and copy the data over to an email / flash drive etc? He wants to be able to read through the text and use it as a source for something new he's working on.

I imagine the most tricky bit would be stripping out the data formating used by Merlin Scribe to leave the pure text. Unless there's an automated way of doing that then it's probably not necessary - his documents were pretty much plain text anyway, so as long as the files can be read on notepad (or similar) then I expect he'll be able to find the bits he's interested in and then cut and paste across to MS Word or similar.

Is anyone able to help with this? Happy to discuss a payment for time taken!

Joe Ingle

cmjones01 · 2nd Jan 2014, 2:59 pm

I've got all the necessary bits and pieces to do this, including Merlin Scribe. I never thought I'd hear of another user of Merlin Scribe! It wasn't exactly a mainstream Beeb wordprocessor. I have a feeling it did something odd with the disc format, or something, but my memories are hazy. Wasn't it part on ROM and part on disc?

I'd be very happy to attempt the transfer task. The only catch is that I'm in Warsaw, Poland, though will be visiting the UK in the next couple of weeks.

Chris

Joe Ingle · 2nd Jan 2014, 3:07 pm

You're right about Scribe needing a ROM chip, plus a disc for some of the functions. My Dad wrote several books with it in the 1980s so it must have worked pretty well (although I also remember using another ROM based utility - 'DISC DOCTOR' to recover his occasionally corrupted files so it can't have been perfect!)

Thanks very much for your offer to help. My only concern would be sending the discs to Poland (not so much the cost, but in case they got lost or damaged in transit, or by security scans at airports).

If there's no-one UK based who can help then I'll take you up on it though, so thanks for the reply.

Joe

cmjones01 · 2nd Jan 2014, 3:16 pm

Yes, Disc Doctor was a permanent fixture in my Beeb too...the offending machine still has the Merlin Scribe function key strip fitted, believe it or not!

I'll be visiting my parents in the UK, so it would be possible to ship the discs to them and I can carry them back here, where the Beeb is, by hand.

Chris

mike_newcomb · 2nd Jan 2014, 4:22 pm

Hi Joe, there appears to be some programs (and other information) here:-

http://www.stairwaytohell.com/bbc/in...age=diskimages

that may help.

If Chris is successful printing the files, but unable to convert/transfer them, I have a 5.25" drive on my pc and am happy to try for you.

Regards - Mke

Courtney Louise · 2nd Jan 2014, 6:07 pm

I can get the files off easy enough, I have a CF Drive that can transfer disks and files, I don't however have Merlin Scribe, so I am not sure what you could do with the files after. I am in Birmingham

ScopeMonkey · 3rd Jan 2014, 6:58 am

Just to get the info into this thread for anyone searching in the future (or reading now, indeed):

Chris at 8-bit software is able to carry out the reading/writing of BBC Micro floppy disks as a commercial service.

I was very happy with the turnaround time when he wrote some disks for me, and all performed flawlessly.

No connection other than as a satisfied customer.

Ed.

Nuvistor · 3rd Jan 2014, 2:41 pm

If you have the files on a CF drive and you can read that on a modern computer, have you tried looking at the files with a Hex editor. There would be no formatting but if the text is in ASCII code it would be easy to get that back.

2nd Jan 2014, 2:42 pm	#1
Joe Ingle Tetrode Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Posts: 92	Data transfer from BBC micro 5.25" floppy discs. Hi, I normally visit the vintage radio pages of this forum, but wandered if there were any vintage computer people who might be able to help with this one... My father has 4 or so 5.25" floppy discs with about 10 documents between them. They were created in the very early 1990s on a BBC micro using the Merlin Scribe word processor. The discs are probably recorded on 80 track (the Cumana drive we had then was capable of using either 40 or 80). Is there anyone out there who has the kit to be able to read them and copy the data over to an email / flash drive etc? He wants to be able to read through the text and use it as a source for something new he's working on. I imagine the most tricky bit would be stripping out the data formating used by Merlin Scribe to leave the pure text. Unless there's an automated way of doing that then it's probably not necessary - his documents were pretty much plain text anyway, so as long as the files can be read on notepad (or similar) then I expect he'll be able to find the bits he's interested in and then cut and paste across to MS Word or similar. Is anyone able to help with this? Happy to discuss a payment for time taken! Joe Ingle

2nd Jan 2014, 2:59 pm	#2
cmjones01 Nonode Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Warsaw, Poland and Cambridge, UK Posts: 2,679	Re: Data transfer from BBC micro 5.25" floppy discs. I've got all the necessary bits and pieces to do this, including Merlin Scribe. I never thought I'd hear of another user of Merlin Scribe! It wasn't exactly a mainstream Beeb wordprocessor. I have a feeling it did something odd with the disc format, or something, but my memories are hazy. Wasn't it part on ROM and part on disc? I'd be very happy to attempt the transfer task. The only catch is that I'm in Warsaw, Poland, though will be visiting the UK in the next couple of weeks. Chris __________________ What's going on in the workshop? http://martin-jones.com/

2nd Jan 2014, 3:07 pm	#3
Joe Ingle Tetrode Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Posts: 92	Re: Data transfer from BBC micro 5.25" floppy discs. You're right about Scribe needing a ROM chip, plus a disc for some of the functions. My Dad wrote several books with it in the 1980s so it must have worked pretty well (although I also remember using another ROM based utility - 'DISC DOCTOR' to recover his occasionally corrupted files so it can't have been perfect!) Thanks very much for your offer to help. My only concern would be sending the discs to Poland (not so much the cost, but in case they got lost or damaged in transit, or by security scans at airports). If there's no-one UK based who can help then I'll take you up on it though, so thanks for the reply. Joe

2nd Jan 2014, 3:16 pm	#4
cmjones01 Nonode Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Warsaw, Poland and Cambridge, UK Posts: 2,679	Re: Data transfer from BBC micro 5.25" floppy discs. Yes, Disc Doctor was a permanent fixture in my Beeb too...the offending machine still has the Merlin Scribe function key strip fitted, believe it or not! I'll be visiting my parents in the UK, so it would be possible to ship the discs to them and I can carry them back here, where the Beeb is, by hand. Chris __________________ What's going on in the workshop? http://martin-jones.com/

2nd Jan 2014, 4:22 pm	#5
mike_newcomb Rest in Peace Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: West London, UK. Posts: 665	Re: Data transfer from BBC micro 5.25" floppy discs. Hi Joe, there appears to be some programs (and other information) here:- http://www.stairwaytohell.com/bbc/in...age=diskimages that may help. If Chris is successful printing the files, but unable to convert/transfer them, I have a 5.25" drive on my pc and am happy to try for you. Regards - Mke

2nd Jan 2014, 6:07 pm	#6
Courtney Louise Octode Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Welshpool, Powys, Wales Posts: 1,327	Re: Data transfer from BBC micro 5.25" floppy discs. I can get the files off easy enough, I have a CF Drive that can transfer disks and files, I don't however have Merlin Scribe, so I am not sure what you could do with the files after. I am in Birmingham __________________ *33, 45, 78, around and around they go...*

3rd Jan 2014, 6:58 am	#7
ScopeMonkey Pentode Join Date: May 2008 Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 236	Re: Data transfer from BBC micro 5.25" floppy discs. Just to get the info into this thread for anyone searching in the future (or reading now, indeed): Chris at 8-bit software is able to carry out the reading/writing of BBC Micro floppy disks as a commercial service. I was very happy with the turnaround time when he wrote some disks for me, and all performed flawlessly. No connection other than as a satisfied customer. Ed.

3rd Jan 2014, 2:41 pm	#8
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,433	Re: Data transfer from BBC micro 5.25" floppy discs. If you have the files on a CF drive and you can read that on a modern computer, have you tried looking at the files with a Hex editor. There would be no formatting but if the text is in ASCII code it would be easy to get that back.