My MBP isn't booting (or rather shutting off as soon as it boots) because the internal drive is almost full. So before attempting powering it on again, I would like to move access and move some of the files to my external HDD. How do I go about doing that?
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How do you move files from non-booting MBP to external HDD?
- Thread starter levmc
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Generally you can restart your MBP in Target mode, and connect it to another Mac via cable. From there you can remove some of your files.
Juicy Box
macrumors 604
More info is needed, like what exact iMac will you be connecting to your MBP in Target Disk Mode?
There could be a bunch of different cable and/or adapter configurations possible, depending on the Mac you will be connecting your MBP to.
You would connect the MBP to the iMac with a USB3 cable. Then when booting up the MBP, hold down the T key. That should boot it into target disk mode. The iMac should see the MBP as an external USB drive. Google ‘Target Disk Mode’ if you run into any problems. Good luck!
Hmm, but then I would have to buy the cable. How would you do it if you don't want to use the iMac in the process and just use external drive?
MacGizmo
macrumors 68040
You don't.
The only option is placing the internal drive of the laptop into an external drive enclosure to connect to the iMac to transfer files, or connecting it to the iMac directly with a cable and transferring the files.
The cable is cheaper than the drive enclosure, and a lot easier to do.
Which type of USB cable would it be?
Would it be a type A to type A like this one? https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Trans...=1&keywords=usb+3+cable&qid=1596905584&sr=8-8
Would it be a type A to type A like this one? https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Trans...=1&keywords=usb+3+cable&qid=1596905584&sr=8-8
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Apple's support page for this feature has more details: https://support.apple.com/HT201462 - in includes a description of what cables can be used and those that cannot. A USB-A to USB-A cable cannot be used.
An alternative to using Target Disk Mode would be to create a bootable external HD. However, since you have the iMac, Target Disk Mode tends to be the more direct route.
An alternative to using Target Disk Mode would be to create a bootable external HD. However, since you have the iMac, Target Disk Mode tends to be the more direct route.
There is another possibility. If you have a USB3 flash/thumb drive (16GB+), you could install MacOS on that then use it to boot up your MacBook. Just plug it into the MBP and hold down the Option key when you boot, then select the flash drive. You would need another drive for the files you move from the internal hard drive.
From the website:
"
If one or both computers has a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C port, you can connect them as follows:
- To connect a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port to either another Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port or a USB-C port, use the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Cable.
- To connect a USB-C port to either another USB-C port or a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port, use the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Cable.
- To connect a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port to a Thunderbolt 2 port, use the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter combined with a Thunderbolt 2 cable.
- To connect a USB-C port to a USB-A port, use a USB-A to USB-C cable that supports USB 3.0 or USB 3.1, such as the Mophie USB-A Cable with USB-C Connector."
It looks like that involves an adapter.
Would this enclosure work with the internal SSD of 2014 MBP? https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-Alumin...orums-20&keywords=orico+usb3.1+gen2+enclosure
Would this enclosure work with the internal SSD of 2014 MBP? https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-Alumin...orums-20&keywords=orico+usb3.1+gen2+enclosure
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I think you would use a USB-C to USB-A cable from iMac to MBP.
”To connect a USB-C port to a USB-A port, use a USB-A to USB-C cable that supports USB 3.0 or USB 3.1”
”To connect a USB-C port to a USB-A port, use a USB-A to USB-C cable that supports USB 3.0 or USB 3.1”
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Would this be the same kind of cable used to charge newer phones? I guess I could just use the cable that came with my Android phone then?
That cable only does USB 2.0 data. You want USB 3.0 data (5Gbps), so this one will work:
Anker Cable, PowerLine+ USB-C to USB 3.0 cable, High Durability Type C Braided Charging Cable for Galaxy S10, S9, Sony XZ (3FT,Red)
PowerLine+ USB-C to USB 3.0 The Premium Nylon-Braided Cable From ANKER, America's Leading USB Charging Brand • Faster and safer charging with our advanced technology • 55 million+ happy users and counting Superspeed Syncing Transfer data to and from all your USB devices at speeds of up to 5 Gbps....
www.amazon.com
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Fishrrman
macrumors Nehalem
OP:
Don't make things too hard on yourself.
If the drive won't boot because it's "too full", the simple solution is:
Boot from ANOTHER drive, then delete a lot of stuff.
Now, the internal drive should be "re-bootable" on its own.
The easiest way to create that bootable drive:
- Get an USB flashdrive 32gb or larger
- Boot to internet recovery on the iMac
- Use internet recovery to install a bootable OS to the flashdrive (NOT to the iMac!).
- Set it up with a basic account -- username and password is all you need.
- Use this to boot the MBP
- Once booted, you can now access the MBP's drive and delete files. You will need to select the icon of the internal SSD, then do "get info", and then put a checkmark into "ignore ownership on this volume". Now you can delete whatever you wish.
- BE CAREFUL what you delete. I would get rid of movie files first, because they're the largest and removing them will "clear up" space quickly.
- Once you have about 20gb of the SSD "free", now try rebooting the MBP on its own.
One more thing...
In the future, BE MINDFUL of "how much stuff" is on your internal drive. You probably want to keep around 15gb "free", so that the OS "has room" to do the things it needs to do (stuff that is "normally invisible" to the user).
Don't make things too hard on yourself.
If the drive won't boot because it's "too full", the simple solution is:
Boot from ANOTHER drive, then delete a lot of stuff.
Now, the internal drive should be "re-bootable" on its own.
The easiest way to create that bootable drive:
- Get an USB flashdrive 32gb or larger
- Boot to internet recovery on the iMac
- Use internet recovery to install a bootable OS to the flashdrive (NOT to the iMac!).
- Set it up with a basic account -- username and password is all you need.
- Use this to boot the MBP
- Once booted, you can now access the MBP's drive and delete files. You will need to select the icon of the internal SSD, then do "get info", and then put a checkmark into "ignore ownership on this volume". Now you can delete whatever you wish.
- BE CAREFUL what you delete. I would get rid of movie files first, because they're the largest and removing them will "clear up" space quickly.
- Once you have about 20gb of the SSD "free", now try rebooting the MBP on its own.
One more thing...
In the future, BE MINDFUL of "how much stuff" is on your internal drive. You probably want to keep around 15gb "free", so that the OS "has room" to do the things it needs to do (stuff that is "normally invisible" to the user).
MacGizmo
macrumors 68040
Another thing to consider once you get all this sorted out is that replacing the SSD storage drive on that MacBook Pro is insanely easy.
OWC sells very affordable SSD storage drives, and a fairly inexpensive external SSD enclosure kit to put the old one in and use as extra backup. The linked kit is the one I got over a year ago and it has worked great since I replaced the internal drive on my 2014 MBP with a 1TB SSD.
OWC sells very affordable SSD storage drives, and a fairly inexpensive external SSD enclosure kit to put the old one in and use as extra backup. The linked kit is the one I got over a year ago and it has worked great since I replaced the internal drive on my 2014 MBP with a 1TB SSD.
That cable only does USB 2.0 data. You want USB 3.0 data (5Gbps), so this one will work:
Anker Cable, PowerLine+ USB-C to USB 3.0 cable, High Durability Type C Braided Charging Cable for Galaxy S10, S9, Sony XZ (3FT,Red)
PowerLine+ USB-C to USB 3.0 The Premium Nylon-Braided Cable From ANKER, America's Leading USB Charging Brand • Faster and safer charging with our advanced technology • 55 million+ happy users and counting Superspeed Syncing Transfer data to and from all your USB devices at speeds of up to 5 Gbps....www.amazon.com
Ok, I got the cable and connected it.
I started the target mode but I don't see it in the Finder.
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You said your MBP wasn’t booting because the internal drive is full. What made you come to this conclusion? Is it possible the drive is just dead?
Fishrrman
macrumors Nehalem
I've said it before, and I'll repeat:
The MBP owner needs to boot FROM ANOTHER DRIVE, get booted to the finder, and then:
- see if the internal drive can be mounted on the desktop
- if it can, can it be accessed?
- If it can, can files be deleted until about 20gb is free?
- Once that's done, can the owner run disk utility's "first aid" option on the internal drive?
- If that can be done, can it now boot "by itself"...?
By "from another drive", I DO NOT mean "target disk mode".
The owner needs to connect another bootable drive to the MBP, and boot from the MPB itself.
If the owner doesn't HAVE another bootable drive, he needs to MAKE one.
The MBP owner needs to boot FROM ANOTHER DRIVE, get booted to the finder, and then:
- see if the internal drive can be mounted on the desktop
- if it can, can it be accessed?
- If it can, can files be deleted until about 20gb is free?
- Once that's done, can the owner run disk utility's "first aid" option on the internal drive?
- If that can be done, can it now boot "by itself"...?
By "from another drive", I DO NOT mean "target disk mode".
The owner needs to connect another bootable drive to the MBP, and boot from the MPB itself.
If the owner doesn't HAVE another bootable drive, he needs to MAKE one.