# Floppy disks for files



## islandtees (Nov 20, 2007)

We are using a thumb drive to bring files to the embroidery machine.We have a new girl who likes using floppy disks to save and transfer files.We are trying to use floppys but they are corrupting or hard to format.Does anyone have any tips on a brand of disk or a way of doing this.Thanks


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## sassystitches (Sep 16, 2010)

islandtees said:


> We are using a thumb drive to bring files to the embroidery machine.We have a new girl who likes using floppy disks to save and transfer files.We are trying to use floppys but they are corrupting or hard to format.Does anyone have any tips on a brand of disk or a way of doing this.Thanks


Train the new girl on 1990's technology maybe? lol, sorry. I have always had bad luck with floppies and hope to never have to use them again. Are the floppies you are using old?


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## islandtees (Nov 20, 2007)

Disks are new.She likes putting a sewout with the disk when done.She feels this is a better file system.We are screenprinters and are now into embroidery and trying to figure out the best way to catalog the files for the future.In screenprinting we put a test print with the films in a file for storage.Any input on a easier way to do it would be great.


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## sassystitches (Sep 16, 2010)

islandtees said:


> Disks are new.She likes putting a sewout with the disk when done.She feels this is a better file system.We are screenprinters and are now into embroidery and trying to figure out the best way to catalog the files for the future.In screenprinting we put a test print with the films in a file for storage.Any input on a easier way to do it would be great.


Sorry, I don't have any input on an organization system. I am a very computerized type person. We only operate a single head so I am sure someone will come along with a more large scale solution. I don't save every sewout we do. I save the design files on a hard drive which gets backed up to an external drive automatically. 

If the disks are new I am not sure what could be causing the corruption unless the disks were just sitting in a warehouse for years. I never had good luck with floppies and like you had corruption even with new disks. Perhaps reformatting them might help? Maybe you can run a checkdisk on them?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Whatever works.

For the new girl, tell her the flash or USB is a new Floppy Disk.


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

fire them. YOU set the file requirements NOT the customer.


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

I print a worksheet, save the file to disc, do a sewout & put all of this in a plastic sleeve and file it. On the worksheet I add notes about the job. We always know that the file on the disc, matches the sewout and was used for that job. I've been doing it this way for a long time and it works.

I know that I have to change how I have been saving my embroidery files. I have to come up with a numbering/filing system, of some sort. I need to get the files off of the floppies but we need to be able to retrieve the correct file when needed.

Until someone can offer advice on a better way to save my files, I'll stay with this system.

I also want to mention that my 4 head Barudan & single head Tajima both read floppies only. So if I have the file on a USB I would need to download it to a floppy for the operator to use the file.


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## islandtees (Nov 20, 2007)

jiarby said:


> fire them. YOU set the file requirements NOT the customer.


 Who ever said the customer is setting the file requirements?


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

didn't you say that someone was trying to make you use a floppy? Just say no...
What if they bring you a ZIP disk, JAZ disk, or maybe an LS120? Syquest EX-135?
Eventually you have to cut the cords to the old technology. 

(disclaimer) 
I did recently pick up a FREE USB Floppy disk drive at a garage sale in case someone ever brought me a floppy... so I guess I am a hippocrite! But hey... It was free!

Maybe they are using some old machine (Pre-Windows 98) that does not support USB technology... I can imagine some old embroidery controller running Win95 still in production that only has the ability to save to a floppy.


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

islandtees said:


> We are using a thumb drive to bring files to the embroidery machine.We have a new girl who likes using floppy disks to save and transfer files.We are trying to use floppys but they are corrupting or hard to format.Does anyone have any tips on a brand of disk or a way of doing this.Thanks


I've used many brands and the only one that I've had a problem with is Verbatim discs with a see through cover. They are colored clear pink, purple, lime, gold 
Most of the time the design will save but the embroidery machine won't read it. I gave up trying to figure it out.


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## JohnBee (Nov 28, 2010)

saving on those floppy is scary. especially if you plan to store files for safekeeping. not a good idea.
you may want to burn CD as backup everytime (but that's an expensive way).

i suggest...buy one of those D-link file server ($80-$110).
add it into your network (if you have one). or just connect it as external harddrive of your PC.

this gadget has 2 separate physical HardDrives (one HD for saving file, the other HD backups the first HD. so when the first HD fails, you have the 2nd HD to retrieve files.)

other versions of this D-link gadget have 4 or more HD so more backups for you.

as for the filing system, you can just dump a job into the file server.
create a folder PER COMPANY or PER CLIENT.... and then save all their files in the folder.

illustration:

[ABC COMPANY FOLDER]
........capembroidery.dst
........pillowflowerdesign.dst
........pillowdoggiedesign-rev1.dst <-----"revision 1"
........pillowdoggiedesign-rev2.dst <-----"revision 2"
........pillowbutterfly.dst.

note: filenaming should be very descriptive. add revision numbers (highest number is the most recent, lowest is the oldest).

.....just my suggestion. it works well in my companies.


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

I don't use the floppy as my only copy of the design. On my computer I have my designs set up in folders by customer name. That computer has a mirrored hard drive. I have an external hard drive that does auto back up daily. Every month I back up designs on 2 DVD's. My husband takes one DVD to work & my daughter take the other one. I also back up all documents to a USB every month.
As you can tell I'm very concerned about loosing my data.


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

Do not understand why this has to be so puzzling/hard. Put the sewout in a plastic bag in a file folder with a label the same as the file name. If you need to sew it out again, pull the file up and send it to the machine. The external hard drives are great to use for storage. That way if our computer crashes, you still have your files. You can also use Carbonite an online backup service. As long as your file name matches the label on the file folder, you should be fine. No need to store the storage device with the sewout. Sounds like your employee needs to update the knowledge of technology. If you put the floppies in the plastic bag, that could be your problem caused by a little thing called static.


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

Is this therad about how to back up a computer or about how to get files to the embroidery machine without using a floppy diskette?


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## Brian (May 18, 2007)

I have a total of 368 floppys that each have at least 10 designs stored on them. I have a print out of each new design and on the printout I write the thread colors beside the color sequence chart(printout has a section for color sequence). I put these in a file jacket for future reference. I probably have about 4 disks that have failed. I keep the Floppys in the same box that they came in and each disk has a number on it and each printout has the disk number on it & each box has the numbers of the disks on them.
Been doing this for years without a problem. Of course I also use an external HD for storage as well as the built in HD.
My Brother machine only reads Floppys unless connected directly to the computer. If you use the thumb drive then you save the design to your HD and use the thumb drive to transfer files to machine. Teach her that!!!!!


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## justemb (Jan 13, 2011)

Storing (and keeping) files - always been some risk, thus backup and store wherever possible ( within practical limits). In my hosehold there are 3 hard drives ( each contains a set of embroidery files). Touch wood, I have lost files and drives for various reasons, including very few embroidery designs.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

try this for a win/win situation.


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## Brian (May 18, 2007)

Can you explain for the "more dense" brains like myself?


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

It's a USB storage device that looks like a floppy. No doubt meant to lessen the withdrawal for those that have a hard time parting with the floppy.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

That is awesome. 

It's funny though. Many of the kids in College and coming out are using camera memory instead of Flash drives. 

It's much smaller, and can be put in your wallet.


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

Is that the very tiny thing that is easy to lose?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Yup, exactly. You can keep it between your Cheek and Gum. Lol. Maybe even keep it in your computer so you don't loose it. 

The laptops have little slots for them, as well as printers. I believe many Desktops have slots for them too.


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

I'm laughing because I don't use any SDxD/CF/Smart Media...there are so many choices between my monitor, printer & desktop...Don't laugh...we called it CPU in my day. WOW, it's hard to keep up with all of the changes.
As long as I can get my designs to my machine I'll be happy.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I understand. I was one of those guys that corrected people when they called it a CPU. 

Part of my OCD issue I guess.


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## Lees Custom (Mar 1, 2013)

Floppys are not a reliable means of back up at all. They are way to easy to become corrupted. For the cost and effort, you are better off burning CDs or buying 512MB thumb drives bulk.

I always just create a Folder in my computers My Documents folder called Client Orders. Then I create sub folders in there to house their files.

If you are worried about your computer crashing at all, buy an external hard drive and back it up once ever few days or buy a Dropbox storage and back it up to there.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

This is a five year old thread. Also, some of the equipment still had Floppies even though the equipment was new.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

Convert the floppy to a usb and give the floppy drive back to Noah. Floppy to USB | eBay


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## lalove (Aug 16, 2007)

I use a floppy with my embroidery machine as well as a usb. I do a print out and a stitch out of the design staple the stitch out tothe print out and store. In addition I have the files stored on on external as well as the hard drive.

I find if you format the diskettes in the software, it works better than going to the comand prompt to do so. Try formatting through the software


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