Q: I'm trying to retrieve and print documents from an old Windows 98 PC, but I'm not sure how to do it.
The PC has never been connected to the Internet. It lacks the capability to burn CDs. It stores information on floppy disks that new PCs don't use. And my old printer for the PC quit working (I have a newer printer, but it doesn't have the right connectors for such an old PC.)
How can I retrieve and print these documents?
Janet Ikola, Richfield
A: Your situation is a textbook example of the rapid obsolescence of PC technology, and a good reason why all consumers should regularly move important documents and photos to newer storage devices. But there are at least two solutions to your problem.
One is to connect the PC to the Internet, then e-mail the documents to another PC for printing. Or you could e-mail the documents to a printing service, such as FedEx Office or Office Depot. For details on how to connect the Windows 98 PC to a modern high-speed Internet service, see tinyurl.com/pmqqkeh.
Or you could store the documents on one or more floppy disks, then transfer the disks to a newer PC that is equipped with an external floppy disk drive. You can buy such a drive, which connects to a PC's USB port, for about $25 at a computer store.
Once you've moved the documents to a newer PC, you can print them on an attached printer, e-mail them to a printing service or store them on a $5 flash drive and take the flash drive to a printing service store. (Most printing services no longer print from floppy disks.)
