Crashed Hard Drive - Transfer via Ethernet

[jmporter]

My 2008 MacBook has crashed and I need to backup the data temporarily to a Dell computer that we don't use anymore while I restore the hard drive (the repair module says that's what's needed.)

My issue is that while I've set up the network connection on the Dell, which is recognizing the MacBook, I can't get the Disk Utility to recognize that there is anything networked to the Mac.

 

[Fishrrman]

Is it a hard drive crash, or do you suspect it's something else?

Do you have the original DVD's that came with it?

If so, can you boot from the Apple system DVD?

 

[jmporter]

Yes, it's the hard drive. I have booted from the original set-up disks, and it sees 700,000 files in the computer, however when I access the disk utility it doesn't recognize the Dell that I've attached via Ethernet. The Dell does recognize the Mac being networked.

So, I don't know how to A) access those files to move them, B) how to force the Mac to recognize the network for transfer.

 

[Fishrrman]

OK, since you can boot from the DVD, it looks like the computer is good but the internal drive has a problem.

What you need to do is
- get an external drive or "bare drive" and a USB/SATA docking station
- connect the external and install a clean copy of the OS from the install DVD
- boot from the external drive so you have access to the Finder
- From that point, see what you can do to access the OLD (internal) hard drive

Alternative course of action:
- Get a new HDD or SSD to go internally
- Swap out the bad internal drive for a good one -- use "ifixit.com" to find the guide on how to do it -- AND BE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS (shouting intentional, wrong tools can SCREW UP the job).
- Install a clean copy of the OS onto the newly-installed internal drive
- Once you're back up and running, you can put the [old] damaged drive into a dock or enclosure, and "go to work" on it….

Decide which way you want to go, and we can progress from there.

 

[old-wiz]

and make a backup! so you don;t have to go through the run around again. Fishrrman has good advice.