ALL Files corrupted including (JPG's and Photoshop 6)on Hard drive w/ OS9

Thanks guys for some quick responses to a painful problem.
#1:_out of these options and opinions so far, do any of you vote for me to crack open the old iMac G3 and swap hard drives to attempt a recovery?_ (I beliveve I have that DATA recovery software that came on a disk with a Sandisk Extreme IV, compact flash drive- If that would work for this; I sure had NOT even thought of that software!)

-SINCE the Power mac G4 MDD did not let me access Nortons tools to even try a recovery when i had that drive hooked up inside it? ( and I tryed everything I knew and new things i learned, but was stonewalled at every try)
#2: Or( as Ron says:) is it basic as; Norton has scrambled my files from when the machine had its video malfunction? and I assumed the info was damaged while in his shop. since he was mostly interested in selling a new battery and hard drive and never did fix or understand the video problem.??
I know I can't spend $1000 - 2500 on recovery. I emailed about that after I read an article in MacWorld! if i was rich I might give a hail mary pass to those recovery folks, but i am too low on the food chain, and forgetting about the 1000's of photos seems more likely.
I am still open to your thoughts before i get out my screw drivers and reading glasses! AND a big THANK YOU for responding to my problem.
Sincerely, Barbara

I can NOT run it in CLASSIC MODE, that explains many hours of wasted time. I did restart with disk in optical drive a few times more than i should have probably.
I Never was able to ACTUAL SELECT THE DISK. That was a huge point of frustration - at one point it asked me to install a newer OLD VERSION of QuickTime... which I started up classic INTERNET EXPlorer 5.0 and searched and found it! and downloaded and installed that - eventually. Did not seem to make the over all situation better. but I think Classic mode was happy or happier...
The thing about the C KEY holding it down in my restart attempts Never worked. I never understood that, except now by what you said that it won't run in classic mode: that is as close to "getting it" as I have gotten, so far. working with the dual systems is not my strong suit; I have had to teach myself Tiger cold turkey style. I was great with OS 9 and when i jumped in the PANTHER pond I did OK but it (OS X) is a level (or a few) above my mental pay scale it seems.
THANKS.
Barbara

Thanks for the links to these data recovery info. they look interesting and I will have to take some time to read over them more closely. The one said it was $10 for download, I could almost afford that on payday!. Thanks!
I appreciate the help.

Richard:
*_This sounds logical about using the firewire to send the drive info to the iMac. The only part i think I will still have problem with is STARTING UP IN TARGET MODE_*.
That was one of those issues i ran into with trying to get the old disk to run while _in MDD_.
I also checked my software box and i _was mistaked about what software came with_ my Compact Flash cards; it is just for memory cards recovery. and it was Not DR II_.

i tried to email you: but truthfully i do not know how these forums work too much. and i have a big wiggly cat tring to take over my keyboard as i speak!

*My question first;* *is HOW CAN I GET A START UP IN TARGET MODE ( OR WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IF I HAVE A OS9 HD INSIDE THAT IS ILL?)

_I GET THE IDEA OF USING THE IMAC AS A HOST FOR THAT ILL DRIVE_. BUT FROM ALL THAT HOURS AND HOURS OF WORK I DID FROM THIS MDD MACHINE _I QUESTION IF "I" AM CAPABLE OF CONTROLING THE MACHINE TO DO WHAT YOU SUGGESTED....?_ with TRAGET mode start up?

if you have any hints to help me "get it", i think (along with this cat here) we can give a good effort!

Also, I will check into the free part of Data Rescue II, and see if that can be used.

I want to try this before any SURGURY!!

*AND yes you are sure right about the "NORTON FOUND ERROR" and "MACHINE IS QUITTING NOW" thing, that stonewalled me in sorts while i was trying to use it on this MDD, but the other man(JEFF) said i could not use CLASSIC MODE with my Norton OS 9 program anyway. but I hacked at it for long enough!

THANKS So much.
I will take it one thing at a time at this point. everyone is being great with this info!
I think us MAC folks are great anyway.

**I saw on CNN tonight that in the amount of emails sent every day - 2 million per second are sent and 70% is spam and virus. THAT IS the WIndows OS world for you. the spam i understand to a point, they're selling some crap. but virus activity is well; counter productive and I have things to do that are productive. (confession; i do have a cheap, windows xp laptop too)

-- SO IN MY QUEST FOR HELP HERE: THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE reached out to me so far (and I appologise for my lack of OS X knowledge) it hasn't helped i have been feeling ill myself! but i try to keep at it.

Photogirl - BARBARA

Message was edited by: PhotoGirl1959