LocostUSA.com

In the off chance somebody here has one sitting around. I am looking for an Iomega Zip drive with USB interface. A Zip100 or 250 would be great. It must have a USB interface. From my research the parallel devices are no longer supported in Windows. The USB cable is not necessary. I have one. Yeah, I keep a lot of old computer stuff. My 1st PC was a home-built IBM-XT clone. I never had a Zip drive though. I did have a tape backup once though with SCSI interface that one is long gone.

I only need to read these 12 disks one time to see what family tree info might be on them. Ideally, I would like to just borrow it, use it and return it. I would pay shipping both ways. If the price was right, I could buy it outright. But I don't really want to own one or turn around and then sell it when done. The prices on eBay for a known working drive are stupid high for just my one-time use.

Anyway, can you help a buddy out?

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Wasn't even aware these existed.
Looks like ~$50 on Amazon.

If we had one, I'd gladly loan it out your way.

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1975 MG Midget
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=24382
13B Powered Rotus Geauxkart
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=20899

I believe I have a zip drive boxed up in high storage. I just need to climb up and rifle through a few boxes.
Most haven't been open since being packed. I am not sure what interface it used, It has been a while since it was being used.
I should have an answer by Sunday.

You may want to check out this reference https://oemdrivers.com/drive-iomega-zip-100-250-750

Waltj

I tested mine yesterday, and either the disc I grabbed was bad, or the drive failed, or both.

These have the unsettling habit of drives chewing discs which then kill drives, or discs chewing drives that then kill discs...

Hoping it's just the "bent guide" issue from the following link.
https://siber-sonic.com/mac/Zip250fix.html

This thread caused a flashback - I don't even know what I did with my SCSI and USB zip drives, probably sold them over a decade ago. Flash storage really killed them. Pretty sure I had a Jazz drive for a minute there, too - 2GB on a disk the size of a floppy? Incredible!

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Ford 5.0 into an M3
mikaelvroom.com | @MikaelVroom

Thanks guys. If you find one working, I'd gladly pay shipping both ways and a bit extra for the effort. I could turn it around in a few days. I would just unload them all to a USB thumb drive and that's all I need to do.


waltj, thanks for looking. I have a desktop with no parallel port. I believe that the parallel Zip Drives do not even work with a usb to parallel adapter. If necessary, I have a decommissioned PC with no HD. I still have a few erased small HD's and the XT install dscs somewhere. There should be drivers available for that operating system. Not sure I still have a parallel extension cable though.

300D5, thanks for checking it out. did you try to fix it per those instructions?

Laminar, I never had the need for a Jazz drive myself. Tell me about flashbacks. I go back to 180kb 9" SSSD floppy discs. before that I learned to program an 8080-family processor in machine language using a panel with 17 switches, 8 bits for the address, 8 bits for the word and another switch to write that to the chip. There might have been one more on/off switch.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

I'm going to try the fix tonight, will report back.

Chuck,
Here's what I have. The cable I used is for Mac firewire, but, underneath the adapter there's a USB 2.0 type-B input. So, if you have a type-B to usb cable or can use the mac/firewire, let me know.

Ron

Hey Ron, is it currently operational? I wouldn't want to give USPS money for no reason.

Is that the Z250USBPCI model Zip drive?

I have the "USB-type B to USB" cable from an older printer. It should be good, no? BTW, I have no use for a mac unless you have cheese to go with it

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

It's operational and it's model Z250USBPCM. Got it - no need for snacks.
If that's acceptable, pm your address and I'll ship it to you after Christmas.

PM sent. Really appreciate all the help Ron.

Some background, I am trying to read some discs found in the estate of my mother-in-law. I know her husband did a lot of family history research and did some accounting for small businesses in his retirement. I will reformat the discs once read to keep any personal info, ummmm, personal.

Thanks to 300D50 and waltj too for checking.

This group is such a great resource. Not just for car stuff, but for just about anything.

Chuck

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Click of death on the one I have, bad enough it had loosened the screws holding the head-sled down.
Didn't end up being bent guides. Got it to read the disk once or twice but it wasn't reliable.

Makes me wonder what iomega was thinking when the built these.

Sorry yours no longer working/reliable. Thanks for offering and checking.......

I saw that there are a lot of "for parts" or "untested" Zip drives on fleaBay. I didn't want to take a chance on those. I would likely end up with the same issues as yours. Unfortunately, some of us occasionally have to read Zip discs with unknown data and need one of these archaic devices to read them.

Which brings me to: I still have some floppy disks laying around with no floppy drives to read them. I think I have a lot of hacked early video games on them. They may even be DOS programs. Maybe I should build a system from the parts laying around and resurrect them for my grandkids to play with. Now to find a computer with a joystick port.

Technology stops for no one. My laptop doesn't even have a CD/DVD drive. At least it does have an SD card reader. I wonder how much longer USB ports will be around.

Peace!

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

For ~$10 you can get a floppy disc drive that plugs into USB.

I have a zip drive, let me see if I can find it.

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Honey anyone?

Damn the luck, it's a parallel one....

Even has a power supply, spare disc and a carrying case!


https://www.amazon.com/DTECH-Serial-Adapter-Supports-Windows/dp/B01AT2FTOU/ref=sr_1_13

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Honey anyone?