Floppy Disks

[Coldicote]

I have about 20 old 2½ inch floppy disks that I don’t expect to use again - I prefer USB memory sticks My relatively recent computer will not operate the floppies, but I would like to check what is on them before formatting and disposing of them. I understand there is some kind of gadget that can be plugged into a USB socket that will play and format them. Can anyone tell me please what it is and where I may obtain one. Thank you.

[sidkid]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/computers-accessories/dp/B003UR9QQO

[sidkid]

did you mean 3 1/2 inch?

[sidkid]

you could get a cheaper one off Ebay if you don't mind 2nd hand...

[Coldicote]

Thank you very much sidkid .... and yes I should have said 3 1/2 inch. Just shows how out of touch I am!

[Spoonboy]

Beware! If you have not formatted the floppy disks ASCII, the computer will not read them, and ask you if you want to format them, which, if you do, you will lose whatever is on the disks.

[Coldicote]

I have ordered one of these floppy disk drives and it shoud arrive by the end of the week. Don't understand ASCII Spoonboy. I probably will want to format them - but after I've seen what is on them.