Introduction

The computers of the 1980s to mid 1995s all had Word processing, Spreadsheet and Database programs to manipulate text and data. However, unlike today, back then a variety of different formats existed. This means that even if the files have been stored and are available, modern systems are simply unable to read them. The data cannot be viewed or exported without conversion!

Unknown File Format

Figure 1. Even if I get these files off, can I read them?

Having a range of vintage computer models and some experience with these older formats means I can often convert these files into something readable in a modern system.

Who is this service for?

There are tools on the web for converting file types but these only tend to deal with formats popular from 1995 onwards. Conversely, this service is primarily for people who have (now-) unreadable document, spreadsheet or data files archived from older late 1970s to Mid-1990s systems, who wish to recover this data so it can be read or used in a modern system either for checking, preservation or use.

What type of files and formats can be converted ?

Potentially, documents and/or data which was originally produced on the following machines...

  • Apple II/IIe
  • Acorn Models
  • Amstrad CPC 464/664/128
  • Apple Macintosh
  • Atari 400/800 and XL/XE series
  • Atari ST Models
  • BBC
  • Commodore Amiga
  • Commodore 64 and Vic-20
  • CP/M
  • IBM PC/XT/AT and Clones
  • TRS 80 Model I, III and IV

If your machines are not in the list above, ask anyway. I might be able to help anyway. I can work with the individual files, or disk images if that is the format used. In most cases, I would envisage recovering the data into a format where it could be used in either MS Word or Excel (or modern open-source equivalents such as OpenOffice)

How much does it cost?

It depends. Some old formats are relatively easy to convert. Others are far more difficult and a multi-step process must be used to get something that's useable. After I know exactly what we are dealing with, I can provide a quote.

How to use this service?

Let me know details of what's needed using the email below. Give me as much information as you can i.e. the machines the files were made on and the package that might have been used to create them. If you don't know that information, don't worry. I might be able to figure it out. We can then determine what needs to be done and I can tell you what it might cost.

Send me details using the address below to obtain a no-obligation quote. Use "File Format Conversion" as the Subject Heading.
(Note: you can't copy and paste the email address as it's actually an image to deter spam harvesters. You'll need to type it out in your mailer. Sorry about that.)

Terry Stewart

(This page last changed 5th March, 2025)