OS14.3 to OS9.2 Possibilities

[Northy]

This is my first post!

Thanks for reading, people! 


OK So I run a micro Sign business (Some are huge signs, the micro refers to my TURNOVER) and I have been, for 12 years, enjoying using an Old Mac G4 running OS9.2 as my Vinyl Cutting production tool.  The Mac I use to design and other stuff on is a 2022 iMac running OS14.3.  Recently when I save cut files to a USB stick it would save two files, one with the same name but an underscore to start with.  Today I couldn't get the G4 to recognise the files, I formatted the USB sticks I use but no luck.  I am a RANK AMATEUR if anyone can help I would be eternally grateful>

Many thanks

Mike

[Mat]

Welcome Northy!

We need more informations. At which machine did you format the USB stick? And what do you mean by "couldn't get the G4 to recognise the files"?

Does the stick itselve appeare at the G4's finder?
Are the files are unusable or not appearing at all?
Or is the stick not seen at all?

The 2nd file with the underscore is typical for X, it should always appeare in 9. How did you transfer the files the last 12 years?

[Jubadub]

Is the USB stick formatted as HFS+ (also known as "Mac OS Extended" format)? You need this. HFS would also work, but I don't think your source OS is able to do that.

[...] when I save cut files to a USB stick it would save two files, one with the same name but an underscore to start with. [...]

The file, for one reason or another, seems to be split in two. You can join them back as one using Decode AppleFile. If needed, extra instructions are available in this thread. The program will refer to your underscored file as the "%" file, and the other file as the "non-%" file.

Hope this helps.

[aBc]

If there have been no problems prior to this - transferring “cut files” created on the 2022 iMac to the G4 machine running OS 9.2 via USB sticks for cutting… what possibly has been changed, recently?

• Any change in the Sonoma OS or app preferences for file writes?
  From whatever software (or the OS) that you use to create the cut files?

• Any recent OS changes, updates or additions to either machine?

• Using a USB 3.1 stick, now instead of earlier versions?

IF all was well before now… what has been changed?
(And can you change it back?)

What software are you using to design / create the “cut files”?
(And is there a version of it that can run under OS 9 or earlier, OS X?)

More info: https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/file-system-formats-dsku19ed921c/mac

[Mat]

[...] when I save cut files to a USB stick it would save two files, one with the same name but an underscore to start with. [...]

The file, for one reason or another, seems to be split in two. You can join them back

Please do not bemuse new users ;) Northy is simply talking about Apple Double format files. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppleSingle_and_AppleDouble_formats
No need to join anything back.

[Jubadub]

@Mat Yes, AppleDouble is precisely what I was referring to: Decode AppleFile converts the AppleDouble format back to the regular format Mac OS expects.