HELP! I can't get data off a ZIP disk!

[Murph]

My mother-in-law has a zip 100 drive that she uses once a year to back
up tax files (she does returns for people out of the house). This
fall she bought a new computer and in the process changed operating
systems from Windows 95 to XP. Since it's tax time again she wants to
get the old returns off the zip disk. So I went there and attempted
to do this for her. I went to Iomega's web site and downloaded the
latest version of iomegaware (4.02 I believe), which is what they say
to do for Windows XP. First strange thing is it only showed that it
installed a help file and an update file under the Start-Programs. I
assumed that this is becasue the rest of the software is to just get
the drive working efficiently.

So everything seemed to be hunky-dory until I looked at what's on the
zip disk she backed up her files on. The only thing ont here was a
backup job (I'm assuming this is from the one step backup process).
This baccup job is contained in a file that is listed as a STEP file
type. I copied this file to her new PC and nothing will oppen this
file.

I've never owned a zip drive, am just familiar with Winzip to zip and
unzip files. But all the files I've ever worked with like that are
.zip files. Does anyone have any ideas on how to open this file? The
only time I've ever heard of STEP files is the files used with 3D CAD
systems. I can't imagine this is the same file type (or is it?)

Please share any and all ideas with me, as things are getting a little
nervous right now. If she can't get her old files, she's going to
have a lot of extra work on her hands.

Thanks.

[Sky Fly]

Post by Murph
My mother-in-law has a zip 100 drive that she uses once a year to back
up tax files (she does returns for people out of the house). This
fall she bought a new computer and in the process changed operating
systems from Windows 95 to XP. Since it's tax time again she wants to
get the old returns off the zip disk. So I went there and attempted
to do this for her. I went to Iomega's web site and downloaded the
latest version of iomegaware (4.02 I believe), which is what they say
to do for Windows XP. First strange thing is it only showed that it
installed a help file and an update file under the Start-Programs. I
assumed that this is becasue the rest of the software is to just get
the drive working efficiently.
So everything seemed to be hunky-dory until I looked at what's on the
zip disk she backed up her files on. The only thing ont here was a
backup job (I'm assuming this is from the one step backup process).
This baccup job is contained in a file that is listed as a STEP file
type. I copied this file to her new PC and nothing will oppen this
file.
I've never owned a zip drive, am just familiar with Winzip to zip and
unzip files. But all the files I've ever worked with like that are
.zip files. Does anyone have any ideas on how to open this file? The
only time I've ever heard of STEP files is the files used with 3D CAD
systems. I can't imagine this is the same file type (or is it?)
Please share any and all ideas with me, as things are getting a little
nervous right now. If she can't get her old files, she's going to
have a lot of extra work on her hands.
Thanks.

Hello Murph,

Have you confirmed with your mother-in-law that she *definitely*
used the 1-Step Backup process? If so, can she tell you how
she used to open files backed up using this process?

I'm thinking that if things get desperate, you can seek out a
Windows 95 machine, plug the Zip drive (I'm assuming it's
external) to that machine, install the necessary Iomega
software and copy the file to that machine. Then you can open
the file there and your mother-in-law can get the files she
wants (perhaps through lots of floppies).

HTH,

--
Akin

aknak at aksoto dot idps dot co dot uk

[Rick]

Post by Murph
My mother-in-law has a zip 100 drive that she uses once a year to back
up tax files (she does returns for people out of the house). This
fall she bought a new computer and in the process changed operating
systems from Windows 95 to XP. Since it's tax time again she wants to
get the old returns off the zip disk. So I went there and attempted
to do this for her. I went to Iomega's web site and downloaded the
latest version of iomegaware (4.02 I believe), which is what they say
to do for Windows XP. First strange thing is it only showed that it
installed a help file and an update file under the Start-Programs. I
assumed that this is becasue the rest of the software is to just get
the drive working efficiently.
So everything seemed to be hunky-dory until I looked at what's on the
zip disk she backed up her files on. The only thing ont here was a
backup job (I'm assuming this is from the one step backup process).
This baccup job is contained in a file that is listed as a STEP file
type. I copied this file to her new PC and nothing will oppen this
file.
I've never owned a zip drive, am just familiar with Winzip to zip and
unzip files. But all the files I've ever worked with like that are
.zip files. Does anyone have any ideas on how to open this file? The
only time I've ever heard of STEP files is the files used with 3D CAD
systems. I can't imagine this is the same file type (or is it?)
Please share any and all ideas with me, as things are getting a little
nervous right now. If she can't get her old files, she's going to
have a lot of extra work on her hands.
Thanks.

If she used Iomega's 1 Step Backup (it sounds like she did) then you
*must* use the same version of the program to restore the backed up
files. The Iomega backup software is notoriously incompatible with
previous version. In other words, if Iomega has released any XP
version of 1 Step Backup chances are it won't be able to open the
Win 95 backup files.

Get out the old Win 95 computer and restore the files. Then copy
them to the Zip disks, without the backup program.