Sounds tricky all right.
can the agency that is getting them copy them to a mac?
or there is those emulator programs??

If you just experiment with making copies different ways - you'll still have the originals

Is there something like a Mac specific USB flash drive that might work?

add a second hard drive and make copies to it?
then try different things

good luck- I hope you can find a way.

Jo, you're thinking as I had thought: Release the machine to the agency (so that the originals can be viewed exactly as saved).

EnCase is the next best thing. It would "slave" to the master drive (or the one on the Mac) without altering anything. I will ask the agency (attaining the files) if its people will arrive with the means to do it - and create the hash values (data which should match exactly prior to and following a mirror of the hard drive).

I'm not opposed to releasing the machine - if it will make the transfer go more smoothly. But, since it does have other data, which I'd like to also keep, my pref. is to hold onto it.

Because the machine is obsolete, and isn't as ramped as newer ones; it doesn't have a USB port (or empty slot for adding a port). It has a CD R drive and a floppy drive; and two bays for including what I think would amount to something such as a zip drive or a CD writer. It was the first machine I had for Net access.

If only I had known then what I know now about computers .

I dunno if this has been addressed or not....

Newer Macs have the ability to run OS Classic as a session within OSX. This would still allow you to access the original documents within the older Mac OS (I'm assuming you're talking OS 7, 8, or 9 here).

Another option might be an external drive enclosure, wherein the hard drive is actually taken out of the old Mac, and dropped into an external enclosure which can be then connected to any Mac or PC via USB (or Firewire if the new computer has it)-I'd recommend checking with any local Apple stores' genius bar or service centers which should have similar personnel.

Hi Bobbi, if you go to http://www.techsupportforum.com/ , free tech help, just register [free] there is a Mac forum there, its just under the Microsoft support, i am sure they will be able to help you.
Brian

Wildcard, you're right; the original platform was OS 7 - and with driver and other upgrades booted at OS 8 (I believe; it's been a while since I've checked so I'd need to verify).

You and the person who suggested the use of EnCase are thinking along the same line, I think; slaving the master without compromising the integrity. Thank you.


Thank you, too, Brian. I will check it out.

I really wish I could say more online, but it's probably best that I don't.

What goads me, in a way: Forensics on Macs isn't something I studied . I didn't know that such even existed when I got into it.