Dealing with File(s) Greater than 1.44 MB
  If you can access Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering website to download computer models directly to your home PC, than you don't need following. If you do not have any network/dial-up capability at home, or concerned about the speed & time to download big computer models, please keep reading.

You may want to download Environmental/Hydrologic/Hydraulic/Water Resources computer models mirrored in the Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, ODU to a computer in one of ODU campus computer lab. first, then copy them to your home personal computer. Problem is that many of computer models available are greater than 1.44MB and wouldn't fit into a single High Density floppy disk. (of course, CD-RW or Zip disk is a completely different story)

Here's a way you can copy file(s) bigger than 1.44 MB to several 1.44 MB floppy disks, and bring them to your home PC. To do this, you need to first download and install Winzip for Windows or ZIP/UNZIP utilies (PKZIP v2.04g) for MS-DOS to a computer in one of ODU campus computer lab.

Dealing with a File Greater than 1.44 MB

  1. First, download computer model(s) to C:\TEMP subdirectory in one of ODU campus computer lab.'s computer using your browser sucha as MSIE, Netscape, etc. Let's say the file you just downloaded is 'real_big.exe' and it's 3.5 MB in size.

  2. Calculate the number of 1.44 MB floppy disks you need to copy 'real_big.exe'. Devide actual size of file you want to copy to floppy disks by 1.44 MB. For example, 'real_big.exe' is 3.5 MB in size, and 3.5/1.44=2.43. This means you need at least THREE 1.44 MB floppy disks.

  3. Format number of floppy disks as you calculated in step 2 if necessary.

  4. You'll split (or 'span') 'real_big.exe' into several floppy disks. If you're using Winzip, select and drag 'real_big.exe' to Winzip, and select 'Multiple file spanning' option.

  5. Id you're using PKZIP at the DOS prompt, type following at the DOS prompt;

    pkzip -m -ex -& -rP A:\GOT2HAVE.ZIP READ_BIG.EXE <enter>

    where

    -m
    move 'real_big.exe' to floppy disk in A: drive. (will delete 'real_big.exe' from C:\TEMP after copying it to floppy disk in A: drive)

    -ex
    use maximum compression method

    -&
    split 'real_big.exe' into several floppy disk (or so called 'span' it over several floppy disks)

    -rP
    also transfer subdirectory information. By using this, 'real_big.exe' will be automatically restore under C:\TEMP subdirectory of your home PC when you uncompress 'got2have.zip' at home. Keep in mind it's a lower letter 'r' and upper letter 'P'

    A:\GOT2HAVE.ZIP
    filename to be used in floppy disks. It'll contain splited 'real_big.exe' over three 1.44 MB floppy disks. You can give any filename you'd like to use. Also, substitute floppy drive letter to B: if it's not A:.

    REAL_BIG.EXE
    file to be splited & copied to floppy disks. (computer model)

  6. Follow screen instructions such as 'Insert next floppy disk..."

  7. Now at your home PC, first install ZIP/UNZIP utilies (PKZIP v2.04g) for MS-DOS.

  8. Insert the first floppy disk (=1/3) you copied 'real_big.exe' to a floppy disk drive (assuming A:). You'll put splited 'real_big.exe' back to one piece and install the computer model. To restore 'real_big.exe', type at C:\> prompt;

    pkunzip -d A:\GOT2HAVE.ZIP <enter>

    where
    -d
    restore the original subdirectory information. By using this, 'real_big.exe' will be automatically restored under C:\TEMP subdirectory of your home PC.

  9. Follow screen instructions such as 'Insert next floppy disk..."

  10. After uncompressing 'got2have.zip' from floppy disks is done, change to C:/TEMP subdirectory. You should have 'real_big.exe' ready to be installed. Type

    real_big <enter>

    to install the computer model.

Dealing with Several Files Greater than 1.44 MB

  1. First, download computer model(s) to C:\TEMP subdirectory in one of ODU campus computer lab.'s computer using your browser sucha as MSIE, Netscape, etc. Let's say the files you just downloaded are 'big_1.exe' (3.5 MB), 'big_2.exe' (0.95 MB), and 'big_3.doc' (1.65 MB). As you guess, only 'big_2.exe' (0.95 MB) file is small enough to fit in a 1.44 MB floppy disk. Either 'big_1.exe' or 'big_3.doc' wouldn't fit in a floppy disk.

  2. You'll compress and combine all three files ('big_a.exe', 'big_2.exe', and 'big_3.doc') into a single *.zip file (let's say 'jumbo.zip') first, then split/span it over several floppy disks.

  3. To compress all three files into a single *.zip file, type at the prompt

    pkzip -m -ex JUMBO.ZIP BIG_1.EXE BIG_2.EXE BIG_3.DOC <enter>

    where

    -m
    move files to a *.zip file in current directory, C:/TEMP. (will delete 'big_*.*' from C:\TEMP after compressing it to 'jumbo.zip')

    -ex
    use maximum compression method

    JUMBO.ZIP
    compressed *.zip filename to be used. It'll contain all three files ('big_a.exe', big_2.exe', and 'big_3.doc'). You can give any filename you'd like to use.

    BIG_*.*
    files to be compressed (computer models and document)

  4. Calculate the number of 1.44 MB floppy disks you need to copy 'jumbo.zip'. Devide actual size of file you want to copy to floppy disks by 1.44 MB. For example, if 'jumbo.zip' is 5.40 MB in size, and 5.40/1.44=3.75. This means you need at least FOUR 1.44 MB floppy disks.

  5. Format number of floppy disks as you calculated in step 4.

  6. You'll split 'jumbo.zip' into several floppy disks. Type at the prompt

    pkzip -m -ex -& -rP A:\HUGE.ZIP JUMBO.ZIP <enter>

    where

    -m
    move 'jumbo.zip' to floppy disk in A: drive. (delete 'jumbo.zip' from C:\TEMP after copying it to floppy disk in A: drive)

    -ex
    use maximum compression method

    -&
    split 'jumbo.zip' into several floppy disk (or so called 'span' it over several floppy disks)

    -rP
    also transfer subdirectory information. By using this, 'jumbo.zip' will be automatically restore under C:\TEMP subdirectory of your home PC when you uncompress 'huge.zip' at home. Keep in mind it's a lower letter 'r' and upper letter 'P'

    A:\HUGE.ZIP
    filename to be used in floppy disks. It'll contain splited 'jumbo.zip' over four 1.44 MB floppy disks. You can give any filename you'd like to use. Also, substitute floppy drive letter to B: if it's not A:.

    JUMBO.ZIP
    file to be splited & copied to floppy disks. (compressed computer models and document)

  7. Follow screen instructions such as 'Insert next floppy disk..."

  8. Now at your home PC, first install ZIP/UNZIP utilies (PKZIP v2.04g) for MS-DOS.

  9. Insert the first floppy disk (=1/4) to a floppy disk drive (assuming A:). You'll put splited 'huge.zip' back to one piece to restore 'jumbo.zip' and install the computer model. To restore 'huge.zip', type at C:\> prompt,

    pkunzip -d A:\HUGE.ZIP <enter>

    where

    -d
    restore the original subdirectory information. By using this, 'jumbo.zip' will be automatically restored under C:\TEMP subdirectory of your home PC.

  10. Follow screen instructions such as 'Insert next floppy disk..."

  11. After uncompressing 'huge.zip' from floppy disks is done, change to C:/TEMP subdirectory. You should have 'jumbo.zip' in there.

  12. Next, you need to uncompress 'jumbo.zip' again so that you'll have original 'big_1.exe', 'big_2.exe', and 'big_3.doc' files you downloaded in the first place. (little bit confused at this point? Please see below schematic to refresh your memory on what has been going on. )

  1. O.K. To uncompress 'jumbo.zip' back to original three files, type

    pkunzip jumbo.zip <enter>

    Now, you should have 'big_1.exe', 'big_2.exe', and 'big_3.doc' files in C:/TEMP subdirectory (=current directory)

  2. Models are ready to be installed. Type

    C:\TEMP> big_1 <enter>

    C:\TEMP> big_2 <enter>

    to install the computer models 'big_1' and 'big_2'.