FAQ
Questions, answered.
Everything people usually ask before mailing us a box of disks.
How much does it cost?+
Pricing is per disk, from $16.95 for a standard PC floppy, with a two-disk minimum. Converting common word processing, spreadsheet and photo files is included. We don't charge for disks that turn out to be blank or unreadable (down to the two-disk minimum), and if we can't retrieve anything at all and you don't want the disks back, you owe nothing.
What if you can't read my disks?+
Disks do deteriorate — some grow mold (really!) and some are simply cursed, like the Zip click-of-death. If nothing is readable and we securely dispose of the media, you owe nothing. If you want them back, you pay only the return shipping you were quoted. If some disks work and some don't, you pay only for the ones that worked (two-disk minimum if at least one is viable).
Where do I send my disks?+
Request a quote first. Once we know what you have and what you'd like back, we email a quote and mailing instructions with our address. We focus on spinning computer media — we don't handle tape — so this step keeps expectations right before you head to the post office.
How do I package my disks?+
One or two disks: rubber-band them to a piece of cardboard and drop them in a padded or manila envelope. More than five or six: use a cardboard box and bundle the disks (bubble wrap, a zip bag, paper) so they can't slide around. Hard drives need stiff padding — dense foam or small-bubble wrap, never packing peanuts.
How will I receive my results?+
After your invoice is settled (PayPal, or a check drawn on a US bank), we send a download link to a zip of your results from a RetroFloppy-owned server. Results over 1GB come through a private Dropbox link. You can add a CD or USB stick if you prefer something physical.
Do USB floppy drives work? Can I do this myself?+
Sometimes! If your disks are fairly recent 1.44MB PC disks with modern Word or Excel files, a USB drive may do the job. But USB drives can't read 720K, Mac, Apple II, word processor or most other disks — that's when you see "This disk is unformatted." We don't use USB drives, and we can read just about any disk ever written.
Will my old program run on my new computer?+
No — and you don't need it to. We don't make WordStar run on your Mac; we convert the files WordStar created so they open in the software you use today.
Can you put everything in the cloud?+
Yes. If you have Dropbox or Google Drive, we can upload your results there so they follow you from device to device. Just mention it in your quote request.
How long is my quote good for?+
Quotes are honored for 90 days from the date we send them.
What happens to my files afterward?+
Downloads are deleted from the server as soon as you confirm receipt (or within two months). We keep an offline copy for one year in case you need it again, unless you ask us to destroy it immediately. Downloads can be password-protected on request.
Got a box of old disks?
Tell us what you have. We'll reply with a quote and mailing instructions — quotes are good for 90 days.