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-7-
09-19-2004, 06:39 AM
Greetings all,

Not too sure whether this is the right sub forum to post this thread... should anyone think that it belongs to another sub forum, pls. help me to move it over and drop me a mssg :vv

Well, recently encounter a difficulty (in fact 2 difficulties, but 1 solved).

1st: (Though this is solved but would like to know whether there are other solutions out there) Have some important data in a diskette formatted into 1.2M. Hence, I hunt and use 1.2M Format Floppy Drive to read and retrieve data stored in those diskettes.

:help Q: Are there any other solutions instead of getting a physical 1.2M Floppy Drive to read and retrieve data in a 1.2M diskette?


2nd: Data stored in the diskette is .PAR file.

:help Q: Any method that I can use to read and edit (if possible)? What kinda medium that is needed to read or output this info. to a more end user friendly data?

Cheers...

mvidas
09-20-2004, 09:33 AM
Hi 7,

PAR files (as you probably know) are pieces of bigger files to be combined later on, short for PARity files.
The most common program to deal with these is called SmartPAR. When the PAR file is opened in SmartPAR it lists out all the pieces of the bigger file, and any pieces meant to fill in the holes (.P## files). I personally use QuickPAR, a similar program that also combines PAR2 files, a next-generation version of PAR files.
But what concerns me is that PAR files are generally only the 'table of content' files for the spanned file(s), not one of the actual data files itself. I would say try opening the PAR file in smartpar, and see what it says. See if it is a standard PAR file, like I described above, and if so see if there are more parts than just the PAR file.
I hope this helps, if you need any more help I'll be glad to if I can.

Matt

-7-
09-21-2004, 06:50 AM
Hi 7,

PAR files (as you probably know) are pieces of bigger files to be combined later on, short for PARity files.
The most common program to deal with these is called SmartPAR. When the PAR file is opened in SmartPAR it lists out all the pieces of the bigger file, and any pieces meant to fill in the holes (.P## files). I personally use QuickPAR, a similar program that also combines PAR2 files, a next-generation version of PAR files.
But what concerns me is that PAR files are generally only the 'table of content' files for the spanned file(s), not one of the actual data files itself. I would say try opening the PAR file in smartpar, and see what it says. See if it is a standard PAR file, like I described above, and if so see if there are more parts than just the PAR file.
I hope this helps, if you need any more help I'll be glad to if I can.

Matt
Hi Matt,

Thanks for the reply...
SmartPAR, QuickPAR, etc... they are all in my PC. Had tried once to open one of the files, in a hurry, so did not really look at the info. Will try again tomorrow when I'm back to my work place.

Actually, the PAR files that I have belong to a machine setting. I'm trying to find a way to so called decode the info. and translate it into a excel file and readable data. :roll:

Anyway, I definitely need helps on this matter... hope can find some solutions or ideas from you :bink:

mvidas
09-21-2004, 08:02 AM
OK, must not be a parity file, but just another PAR file (like a windows swap file maybe?)

Is the data confidential? If not, would you be able to zip it up and post it? We can take a look and see how to decode/extract. I just did a quick search about it (as im sure you did) and couldnt find much, perhaps with file details we could.
Matt

-7-
09-23-2004, 05:43 AM
OK, must not be a parity file, but just another PAR file (like a windows swap file maybe?)

Is the data confidential? If not, would you be able to zip it up and post it? We can take a look and see how to decode/extract. I just did a quick search about it (as im sure you did) and couldnt find much, perhaps with file details we could.
MattHi there,

First of all, I'm so glad to have such a feedback from you... I attach a sample file here... have a look.

Thanks in advance!!!! :rofl

mvidas
09-23-2004, 06:00 AM
I just quickly looked at it and nothing in it (which wasnt much at all) looked familiar. When I get home tonight I'll try it again, I have better programs at home for analyzing the file. Hopefully either someone else can help, or I'll figure it out tonight. I'll keep you updated!
Matt