Old Apha 4

**Richard Holden** · 06-13-2006, 02:56 PM

I purchased alpha 4 in 1998. It was running on a 386 Packard Bell. Unfortunately the 386 became so old it simply died and would not reboot. I am looking for someone who can access the database of about 5,000 names and addresses on the hard drive. I assume it will have to be a very early version. Thanks.

**DSG** · 06-13-2006, 05:33 PM

Richard;
If you bought A4 in 1998, it likely was A4 v6. The newest DOS version of A4, version 8, is really just a "gussied up" version of v6. This version runs on the newer versions of Windows (although a DOS product). Older A4 versions on any Windows vrsion newer than Win 98 will be corrupted when reconfigured. So buy v8 and keep all of your "old" A4 "stuff".

Duncan

P.S. As I'm sure several people will comment, the other alternative is to go "21st" century and get A5 v7. It will read your old data, but all reports and other layouts will have to be recreated, plus there is a significant learning curve associated with the move to A5.

**Richard Holden** · 06-13-2006, 06:06 PM

I made a major typo in my message. I didn't purchase in 98 it was either 1988 or1989. So its even older than I said. I imagine it was a version 1 or 2. Any suggestions

**DSG** · 06-13-2006, 06:28 PM

Richard;

As I recall A4 v6 was compatible all the way back to at least A4 v3 (I first used Alpha in '91 and all my data from then worked). And as I said, A4 v8 is really v6 with new clothes. So my guess is everything should be fine. But I would call Alpha just to be sure.

Duncan

**Richard Holden** · 06-13-2006, 07:02 PM

Thanks. You're right, I need to talk to Alpha to be sure. Richard

**Richard Holden** · 06-30-2006, 02:26 PM

Duncan, I've got my alpha4 version8, I installed it. I cannot open the CD to read the files with it. It gives options of Lotus, Dbase II, Sympathy, 1-2-3, and none of them seem to work. The message that keeps on showing is: Bed Path! or Error! If we email you the files, would you be able to work with them? All we need to do is convert them to a readable version. We can even overnight the CD to you. Of course, for a pay, nothing is free. We'd greatly appreciate your help.

**DSG** · 06-30-2006, 02:37 PM

Richard;

I assume you are talking about your old data files on the CD (and not the A4 v8 CD).

Assuming that I am correct, then you need to do a couple of things.
-- copy the files from the CD on to your hard drive
-- make sure you unclick the "read only" attribute on all your CD files after they are copied to your "C" drive
-- when you are in A4 v8 go to the Main Menu and try and open the data base (i.e."yourfile".dbf you have copied)

If this does not work, yes you can send me the files.

Good luck!
Duncan

**Richard Holden** · 06-30-2006, 03:18 PM

Duncan, we have copied the files to disk C, unchecked "read only", and tried to open them up in the a4v8. However, we have to enter the file name with .dbf but our files are not in that format. The company who copied the hard drive to the disk, have put the files in the Excel format, and others are in _YS format. Can we convert them to .dbf? Or how do we go about it? We have the original hard drive 40KB, could we go back to it with our a4v8 and convert them in that way?

**DSG** · 06-30-2006, 04:16 PM

Richard;

If the files are really in MS Excel format, then you are amost there! The easiest thing to do is to open the file (i.e. "yourfile.xls") in MS Excel. Once it is open, then you can save the file in DBIII format (which is Alpha 4's native format). With the file open in Excel, click on "save as" and scroll down in "save as type" to "DB 3". Save your file as "yourfile.dbf" in the folder/directory you want.

Then you should be able to open it in A4v8 from the A4 main menu.

Hope this works for you!

Duncan

**DSG** · 07-07-2006, 04:04 PM

Richard;

Did you ever get this to work?

Duncan

**Richard Holden** · 07-11-2006, 02:02 PM

Duncan, I took the whole machine to an "old" computer repairman who has been around a long time. He is big on DOS and is trying to get the hard drive to wakeup. The data that the other people put on a CD is in some strange code that he has been unable to use. Talked with him yesterday and he said he is working on it between regular jobs. Does not sound like the old hard drive is in very good shape, but I will let you know how he does. Richard

**Augur** · 08-05-2006, 06:32 PM

Richard/DSG,

Hello, I just got involved with Alpha Four today. and the computer DBF files I have been working with are from 1989 and I can access these just fine in Microsoft Access 2003.

If you would like me to try to open your DBF file and convert them to something you could use on something else, let me know. My email is markrob@inebraska.com title the subject of your email to include Alpha Four so my filter doesn't "junk" you message by accident.

I have been converting DOS files for many years now. Mainly when businesses here in Nebraska were converting their WordPerfect DOS files over to Microsoft Word. I have many capabilities of converting the stuff if you need a second source for assistance.

-Augur