Free File Transfers from Obsolete Media and File Types
    (5-1/4" DOS Diskettes, 3-1/2" diskettes, ZIP disks, SyQuest disks, some old system files, &c.)
    Offered by ITS Until Further Notice

    We at ITS are concerned about some old-format files that USC people (faculty, staff, students) might still have on media that are fast becoming obsolete. For example, ITS public user areas, and most individual employee offices and private work areas, no longer have any 5-1/4" ("floppy") or 3-1/2" diskette drives or even ZIP drives that can be used for file retrieval.

    Until further notice, ITS will be performing retrievals from these types of media -- 5-1/4" diskettes (DOS only), 3-1/2" diskettes, and SyQuest drives (44MB and 88MB), and ZIP drives -- at no charge. (Retrievals from tape, and restoring to tape, are no longer possible at ITS.) Turn around time will generally be a week or less, and some will be able to be done while you wait if prior arrangments are made. Restorals can be made to 3-1/2" disk, ZIP disk (disks provided or replaced by the user), CD or UNIX.

    Please note that we will be offering these file retrieval services without any guarantees 1) that we will be able to retrieve files successfully or 2) that files retrieved will be complete, have integrity, or be usable. Most, of course, will be complete, usable, and restored to their original state, but old media and possibly incompatible file types (e.g., EBCDIC files originally stored on an IBM mainframe) will sometimes compromise our efforts.

    Some old file formats also can still be retrieved, and ITS will attempt to recover data from these as well. A partial list includes Wordstar files, MS Word or Word Perfect files from old releases, and SAS Data Sets created under SAS-PC (SAS for DOS, Version 6.04). If in doubt, ask us and we'll do whatever we can. A few file types are known to be unusable, even if they are retrieved. For example, SAS Data Sets, SPSS Save Files, BMDP Save Files, and other so-called 'system files' stored under operating systems that we no longer support (with the possible exception of SAS-PC 6.04 created under DOS) will definitely be unusable. On the other hand, SAS Transport Files, SPSS Portable Files and BMDP Portable Files, for example, may well be both retrievable and usable, regardless of how, where or when they were stored.

    To take advantage of this service, please contact Mushtaq Khan by eMail (<mkhan@usc.edu>) or telephone (213.740.5555).

    ITS will continue to offer these, and all of our other file-transfer services as long as we are able, though we may need to charge the regular fees again at some point in the future for retrievals from some types of media. For more information on ITS's file transfer services and policies, please visit:

      www.usc.edu/its/doc/statistics/policies/media-transfer.html

    ITS staff do not recommend or endorse outside companies who provide such services; however, for suggestions on how to find outside vendors who can read tapes or do other media transfers that ITS cannot provide, please see:

      www.usc.edu/its/doc/statistics/policies/dataxfervendors.shtml