Old Applications & files won't open in OSX-Tiger/Classic

Question

[post moved from other forum]
I finished my Powerbook's hardware upgrade with success yesterday(with thanks to JPL, Sig, A_Brody and other's great advice). System is now Powerbook G3 400 Firewire with 512mbRam, new 40GB HDD, and OS-X Tiger. However...
I can't seem to get the older Applications or their files to open. I get the error message:
"There is no default application specified to open the document Appleworks 6"
and/or
"Could not be opened because the application that created it could not be found--- could not find a translation extension with appropriate translators"
The upgrade/update procedure included...
===Back-up all files on the old 10GB HDD to an external USB drive.
===Remove old and replace w/new 40GB HDD, also install new 512MB PC-133 RAM module in lower slot.
===booted from old OS CD and ran Hard drive set-up utility with two partitions, one 30GB the other 10GB.
===Install OS 9.0.4 from that original Apple software CD onto the first 30GB partition.
===Onto same partition, ran OS-9 Update 9.1.0, then 9.2.1, then fireware update 4.1.8f5, then Update 9.2.1
===Installed OS-X Tiger onto the first 30GB partition
===Moved all backed-up files from the external USB drive onto the second 10GB partition.
I have tried running the old applications in both OS-X Classic mode and also after changing the "Start-up Disk" to the smaller partition (which should be a clone of how the original Hard drive was set-up i.e. folder structure etc.)
I'm quite surprised that when re-booting to the smaller partiton, that although it looks just like my system prior to upgrading, the apps don't run and the files don't open those older apps that created them. I assumed that the smaller Partition--and booting to it--would be the same as if the original Hard drive was still in the powerbook.
When I get those error messages above, I have followed the "Choose Application" button thru to where I could choose the application. I follow to the "Applications (Mac OS 9" folder to where the actual APPLEWORKS 6 app (for exmaple) is located, but it is greyed out and can't be selected. BTW later I did copy all of the contents of the original "Applications" folder from the backed-up HDD into the OSX "Applications Mac OS 9" folder. Also note, the apps in that folder are listed as KIND "Unix Executable File". The files (in this case AppleWorks files) are also listed as that file KIND.
===In the OSX's System Preferences/System/Classic/Advanced tab, I have tried the REBUILD DESKTOP procedure--with no effected change. I know I read elsewhere in discussions that there was a procedure to re-boot with a certain keyboard held-key combo that allows to re-build desktop upon booting?? I don't remember the keyboard combo. And,not certain how that procedure is different.
===In the change Start-Up disc Utility, I now see four Systems to choose from...
Mac OSX 10.4 on New 30GB HD
Mac OS 9.2.2 on New 30GB HD
Mac OS on Old 10GB HD (that's the smaller partition),
Mac OS 9.2.2 on New 30GB HD
Network Start-up
Both the second and forth choice will boot-up to OS 9.2, but as mentioned the apps won't run and files won't open
I'm guessing the reason the third choice won't boot (it reverts back to OSX Tiger when I try) is because that original System copy is OS 9.0.4 (backed-up prior to running the OS-9.1 and 9.2.1, 9.2.2 updates.). Also note, when in OS 9.2.2 when I go into that Utility... Apple/Control Panels/Startup Disk it doesn't list the old OS on the smaller partition. BTW could I now run/perform the OS-9 updates to bring that System on the smaller HD partition up to OS-9.2.2 with out causing problems (and maybe providing solutions?)
I wonder...
??? Why would I be having to choose which application would open an application---wouldn't an app open on its own (Unix Executable File")
??? When I moved the orig HD back-ups on the external USB drive I noticed a file with some kind of PC icon was being created within the folder. Currently I see that the file is now displayed as FINDER.DAT. Does this file relate to the error that refers to "appropriate translators"? Could the Apple Macintosh files being backed-up onto an external USB drive that may not have been formated as Apple HFS type be causing a problem?
??? Why wouldn't the smaller 10GB partition with the old HDD back-up copy moved to it not function like the original Hard drive? Particularly when I choose to boot to its SYSTEM w/Start-up Disc? BTW when I choose that route, the powerbook just boots to OSX Tiger.
THANKS for any replies, you all have been a great help with the challenges of upgrading...
MSG-PWRBkG3
PS:
Sorry for the long post. But, I have included as much up-front details as possible to assist in your replies. I also want to help others reading this thread later on as to what (correct or incorrect) procedures were followed... to help them see how these in-compatibility scenerios would be similiar to their situations... leading to solutions for all.

Answer 1

Thank you for including as much detail as you did. It makes it much easier to troubleshoot this type of issue. What I'll do is basically follow along with the procedure you used and point out where you (unknowingly) ran into problems.
"Back-up all files on the old 10GB HDD to an external USB drive."
Okay, I'm betting that this external USB drive was formatted as PC-Exchange/Windows format. Since this type of disk format doesn't have native support for the special "Mac" information about files (such as resource forks and HFS metadata like file type and creator codes), when Mac OS writes files to these disks, it needs to use a special method. When you copy the files from OS 9, OS 9 adds special "FINDER.DAT" files and also stores the resource-fork-parts of the original files inside a "RESOURCE.FRK" folder on the disk. My FAQ goes into more detail about this. When, from OS 9, you look at the files you just copied to the PC-formatted disk, and they appear identical to the files on your original 10 GB hard drive, that is in fact a complete illusion. The files as they exist on the PC-formatted disk are very different from what they appear. When you hook it up to your OS 9 Mac, the files appear fine, and you can copy them and have them work just like the original files did. If, on the other hand, you hook this PC-formatted hard drive up to your OS X Mac, it looks at the files in a completely different way. If you copy the files off of this disk from OS X, most of the files won't be usable.
"Remove old and replace w/new 40GB HDD, also install new 512MB PC-133 RAM module in lower slot."
"booted from old OS CD and ran Hard drive set-up utility with two partitions, one 30GB the other 10GB."
"Install OS 9.0.4 from that original Apple software CD onto the first 30GB partition."
"Onto same partition, ran OS-9 Update 9.1.0, then 9.2.1, then fireware update 4.1.8f5, then Update 9.2.1"
"Installed OS-X Tiger onto the first 30GB partition"
"Moved all backed-up files from the external USB drive onto the second 10GB partition."
If you did this from OS X, you will run into problems, whereas if you do this from OS 9, you'll be okay. The reason for this, as I mentioned above, is that OS X doesn't know how to "see" the files in the same way that OS 9 does.
This is what I would do. Make sure you still have the PC-formatted drive with the files you backed up from OS 9. Reboot into one of your versions of OS 9 that works properly. Hook up the external USB drive, and the files on it should appear properly and function properly. Now copy the files over onto your local hard drive and they should work properly as well. The files that you copied over from OS X won't be useful and can be deleted. Then reboot into OS X and you should be all set.
Hope this helps....
Dual 2.7 GHz PowerPC G5 w/ 2.5 GB RAM   Mac OS X (10.4.5)