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Participant
March 24, 2025
Question

really old backup files

  • March 24, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 2023 views

I have six illustrator files from 1993 that I had saved from a class I took then. I wanted to send the images to someone, but when I tried to open them, all I get is text files. I tried online conversion, but since the images are so old, they don't have suffixes and adding suffixes did not work.

 

I refuse to give in to not being able to convert them, so does anyone have any suggestions?

3 replies

Brad @ Roaring Mouse
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 25, 2025

When you open them in a text editor, do they look similar to this?

 

If so, they are definitely Illustrator files. Since they didn't have a suffix, they are old Mac files that didn't use them., and will  have lost their creator code on modern systems (that tells a program what type it is). Adding a suffix should do it, but make sure you're adding ".eps" and not ".ai". After which, Open the file from inside Illustrator; you shouldn't need to, but you might have to select "Illustrator EPS" or "Encapsulated EPS"  file format in the Open dialog.

 

If, however, you are seeing something else in the text editor, your files have been modified/compressed/corrupted in some way. But if you'd like one of to try, send them along.

 

 

 

CearaRedAuthor
Participant
March 27, 2025

"Creator: Adobe Illustrator(TM) 3.0.1"

But I don't currently own an updated version of the software, so I guess I can upload them.

They have no layers and I have little artistic talent.

Brad @ Roaring Mouse
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 27, 2025

"But I don't currently own an updated version of the software"

Ah! I thought you were having trouble opening them in a current version! Makes sense now.

In any case, they opened just fine here.  I've resaved them as Illustrator PDFs (with editing ability should you ever get a current Illustrator).

Here ya go:

 

Kurt Gold
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 24, 2025

You may share the files here, so one could at least give it a try.

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 24, 2025

1993 files could have been compressed by tools such as DiskDoubler.