OT: computer data file help please

[DMartin9N-2N]

Good evening: In my attic, I have an older HP computer that runs MS XP. It contains several data files along with the Microsoft program Access. I want to recover the data files so I can use them in a newer computer, possibly importing the files into Microsoft Excel since I don't have the program Access in my newer computer.

Assuming I can make the old XP-system computer run a few more hours, is it actually likely that I can copy my original data files to a thumb drive, and then use the files in a newer computer? Will I need to also copy the original Access program and bring it along?

BTW, I think I am using the right name for my old data program, "Access". Thanks much for any useful responses.

Dennis M. in W. Tenn.

 

[jniolon]

been a long time but you might be able to export the access database files to excel file and use it that way...

you can also run an "XP" emulator on your windows 7 or 10 machine... it sets up a seperate operating system that you switch to and use access... I bet you can find an older version of access on the internet for cheap... once you get the HP running you can find out what version you need to look for.

I ran Microsoft front page that was a ancient version 2003 edition
(they don't even make it anymore) till I found a newer old version that would run on win 10

john

 

[MarkB_MI]

There are a number of ways you can get your files from the old computer to the new one. You might be able to install the old hard drive in your new computer, but the old computer is probably parallel ATA (SATA), while newer computers use serial ATA (SATA) and may not have a PATA port.

If you have an older USB drive laying around, that is your best bet. Larger USB drives will be formatted in exFAT, which Windows XP doesn't support out of the box. There's an exFAT update for XP, but you'll need to get your old computer online to install it.

Of course, if you can get the old computer online, you can just upload your files to a file sharing service and download them to the new machine.

Do the old and new computers have CD or DVD burners? That's another option.

The old-school solution is to use a null-modem cable. This will allow the two computers to talk over a serial or ethernet connection, depending on the type of cable, with no other hardware. This is a fairly complicated solution and I'm not going to describe it further except to say it will work when nothing else will.

Once you have your access files, you'll still need to convert them into something you can read. MS Access is still available, but not for free. Yes, I think you can import Access files into Excel, but Access is a relational database and Excel is not. If your access files are just flat databases, importing into Excel might be satisfactory. Otherwise, you should use a relational database. Rather than buying Access or trying to copy it off your old computer, your best bet is to install an open source database program. One option is LibreOffice Base, which would involve installing the full LibreOffice package.

 

[kencombs]

Your version of excel may include an import function. If it does you
can save the access file to a thumb drive from the old system and
use the import function on the new one.

 

[thdrduck]

"Once you have your access files, you'll still need to convert them into something you can read. MS Access is still available, but not for free. Yes, I think you can import Access files into Excel, but Access is a relational database and Excel is not. If your access files are just flat databases, importing into Excel might be satisfactory. Otherwise, you should use a relational database. Rather than buying Access or trying to copy it off your old computer, your best bet is to install an open source database program. One option is LibreOffice Base, which would involve installing the full LibreOffice package."

I agree. And I think installing LibreOffice is the best solution. It will read his Access file and let him use the data like he could in Access. Plus side is after using LibreOffice he may never use MS Office again (I haven't in maybe 10 years or more).

 

[3000OH]

Would an external hard drive enclosure with a USB port work? Would have to find one that would handle an older drive. I did this 2-3 yrs ago. Took a little searching to find one but it was fairly inexpensive and worked like a champ. Granted, the file format on the old drive was compatible.

 

[MarkB_MI]

> Would an external hard drive enclosure with a USB port work? Would have to find one that would handle an older drive. I did this 2-3 yrs ago. Took a little searching to find one but it was fairly inexpensive and worked like a champ. Granted, the file format on the old drive was compatible.

Yes, that's one solution. Probably the best one if the old computer won't boot and the new one doesn't have an HDD interface that's compatible with the old drive. One nice thing about using a USB interface is you can plug it in after the computer has booted, so the new computer won't try to boot from the old HDD.

 

[DMartin9N-2N]

. Answering my own post and the replies: Several replies give me a good bit of information to go forward on. Thanks much!!

Dennis M. in W. Tenn.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

If the computer fires up, YES, you can copy the data to a thumb drive and bring it over to your new/current computer.

You can NOT "bring Access along." It's an installed application that has its "hooks" into a lot of places on the system.

There might be a free Access reader available online, or maybe Excel can import it. Not really all that familiar with Access.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I lost my train of thought, but most of these guys are making it much more complicated than it really needs to be. A thumb drive will work fine if the computer boots up. You don't need to resort to extreme data recovery measures unless the computer won't boot.

 

[Duner Wi]

If the Access database was created using Access 2007 or later you can get free from Microsoft the MS Access Runtime program. Thia allows you to open and run a database. You can't modify it in any way. It is efectively Access with all the deaign features removed.

 

[steve_in_mo]

I agree with the others about using Open Office under one of its many names on your new machine.
I also agree that most people are making this too difficult.
If you get the old computer up and running and it has an email program, send the files to yourself.
That should let you load the files into your new computer in a form it can understand.
Save the files to your new hard drive and open them or import them in your new database program.
I agree (again) with the others that you can do quite a bit with a database file in Excel but it's not a database program.

 

[jsr8011]

What I did. Trying to run XP was very painful (click, wait two minutes, click, wait two minutes, over and over). Moved the entire disk drive to my windows machine to get to the data files. Bought Office home version, maybe $60 a year, don't remember. That gives you current versions of Word, Excel, Access. Then you can do whatever you want to your data files.