I am in the midst of transferring image files from my floppy disks via an external floppy drive to my new computer ... on one of the floopies (I am transferring about 20) I got a message 'disk not formatted, do you wish to format now?' first of all, I'm curious how was I able to file images on this disk if it had not been formatted already? (I know for a fact that I had to deleted whatever was on it to make space for these images). But, more importantly, how do I get access to these images? ... as I know to format it will erase everything? There must be a way ... otherwise I would not get an 'alert message' telling me that 'formatting will risk erasing all files'. The floppy is filled ... I double-checked Properties and there is no free space remaining on it. Thank you so much to anyone who has the answer or who can point me in the right direction. What machine was used to put the images on floppies ? ?
Was it by chance NTFS or perhaps FAT 32 ? ?
What type of images are these and what format are they in ? ?

As you can see we need a little more info to proceed here...okay, i'm sorry, this is my first time here ... first of all i do not know what an NTFS or a FAT 32 is ... i will give you all the information that i have ... these images are family photos that I cropped and enhanced using PAINT and INFANVIEW software ... i ultimately saved these images as jpeg files, and when my Gateway laptop SOLO 5300, operating system Windows ME, which i purchased in May of 2001 was about to die on me (it has since bit the dust), i transferred all my files to floppies because that computer did not write CDs. my new computer, Compaq Presario desktop, operating system Windows XP does not have a floppy drive, so i have attached an external floppy drive in order to transfer these jpeg images to MY PHOTOs or to a Flash Drive (i haven't decided). when i inserted this one particular floppy ... one which i had previously deleted something from it (there was old ... i mean really old, maybe 10YEARS or longer of memos or letters on it ... i really wasn't paying much attention to what i was deleting) once i freed up space i transferred my photo images to the floppy ... a week later ... when i inserted this floppy into the external floppy drive, i got a message on my screen something to the effect that "this disk has not been formatted" ... "do you wish to format this disk?" this surprised me because I checked 'properties' and i could see that the disk was filled up and there was no free space available ... and i didn't understand that if it had not been a formatted disk, then how was i able to move the jpeg files there??? like i said, i went through this same routine with about 20 floppies and this one was the only one that said it 'had not been formatted.' so what did i have to lose ... i clicked 'yes' to the formatting ... the next message was "if you format this disk you RISK losing everything on it" ... so, of course i cancelled that request. my question is this: if the alert is informing me that i risk losing the files if i format it ... then there MUST be a way i can access the files on it ... right? so, how do i ACHIEVE that end? i no longer have the laptop so it's not like i can redo anything with that floppy or copy the images again, because the only place they exist is on the disk that i'm being told has NOT been formatted ... i hope this enough info, because that is everything i know about this situation ... i do not believe i have left ANYTHING out of my story ... so Patio ... do you have the answer to my prayers?When you say that you no longer have the laptop...is that simply because it died or do you no longer have physical access to it?Is your BIOS set properly for a 3.5 floppy disk?

Recover FloppyPro is a program you can buy.
I haven't seen a freeware one.

http://www.bestdiskrecovery.com/index.html#rfp12There are several freeware utilities here http://www.smartpctools.com/products/ that can be used to recover your files.i no longer have the computer ... it's gone ... i no longer have access to it. i do not know what a BIOS is and how to set it ... can you explain? i will check out smartpctools ... what type of software am i actually looking for? it's only ONE floppy ... i really don't want to go out and BUY software to recover the images on a single floppy --- i'd like to have access to them ... but it's not the end of the world if i cannot ... thanks you guys for all your assistance. Is your external floppy drive bootable? If so, boot from a DOS floppy and try copying the files under DOS.I wish i can help, the only answer I do know is what BIOS is. Its just means basic input output system. It has to do with the way the computer reads what you put into it and how it reads out to you your requests. since I joined this SITE I am trying to find out what yaBBC tags are?!! There will always be questions , it just never ends with this stuff. good luck to you. I hope you will be able to get your pictures back. these guys are pretty good at helping people like you and me.

from headacheone!