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Just got a new computer, target disk mode not showing up?

K

kadify

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 26, 2017
117
26
Finally received my new MacBook Pro. I'm trying to transfer all of the music and videos and a few documents off of it but can't get the target disk mode to show up on the new computer. The old computer is definitely working in target disk mode because it has the grey screen with the target disk mode icon on it and they're connected via a USB A to USB C cable which I know is working because my new computer is charging itself off of the old computer, but the drive isn't showing up... Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to enable a finder setting or something for it to access the old computer as a hard drive instead of just a power source?
[doublepost=1517028205][/doublepost]This may be in the wrong section, wasn't sure if I should post this here or in high Sierra forums
[doublepost=1517029056][/doublepost]Update: There is a remote disk that shows up in finder but there is nothing listed in that folder when I click on it and when I try to eject it, it won't eject. Even if I unplug the cable it still says I have a remote disk device... Not sure what that means...
[doublepost=1517029639][/doublepost]Well super annoyed now =/ Since target disk mode wasn't working I tried restarting my old computer and since it's a dying 2011 GPU computer now it won't restart
 
kadify said:
Finally received my new MacBook Pro. I'm trying to transfer all of the music and videos and a few documents off of it but can't get the target disk mode to show up on the new computer. The old computer is definitely working in target disk mode because it has the grey screen with the target disk mode icon on it and they're connected via a USB A to USB C cable which I know is working because my new computer is charging itself off of the old computer, but the drive isn't showing up... Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to enable a finder setting or something for it to access the old computer as a hard drive instead of just a power source? Is it a problem since the old computer is running El Capitan and the new one has high Sierra?
[doublepost=1517029007][/doublepost]Update: There is a remote disk that shows up in finder but there is nothing listed in that folder when I click on it and when I try to eject it, it won't eject. Even if I unplug the cable it still says I have a remote disk device... Not sure what that means...
[doublepost=1517029595][/doublepost]Well super annoyed now =/ Since target disk mode wasn't working I tried restarting my old computer and since it's a dying 2011 GPU computer now it won't restart
Click to expand...

Does TDM over USB-C supposed to work on with an older machine with out it? Assuming of course you know the details here https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201462

I've only done this with FireWire, but I used to fire up the machine that will be running and that will mount the TDM computer, then Id connnect the cable to the TDM machine, fire it up and hold the T key down until the icon appeared then plug it into the running machine that would then mount its disks.

I would think the new machine has the APFS that should detect a machine with the HFS file system...
 
drayon said:
Does TDM over USB-C supposed to work on with an older machine with out it? Assuming of course you know the details here https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201462

I've only done this with FireWire, but I used to fire up the machine that will be running and that will mount the TDM computer, then Id connnect the cable to the TDM machine, fire it up and hold the T key down until the icon appeared then plug it into the running machine that would then mount its disks.

I would think the new machine has the APFS that should detect a machine with the HFS file system...
Click to expand...
I honestly don't know if the cable matters or if the file system does either. I ended ups managing to get my old computer to finally boot and have been using airdrop to send everything. It's going to take forever to transfer 300gb worth of stuff but at least it works
 
kadify said:
Finally received my new MacBook Pro. I'm trying to transfer all of the music and videos and a few documents off of it but can't get the target disk mode to show up on the new computer. The old computer is definitely working in target disk mode because it has the grey screen with the target disk mode icon on it and they're connected via a USB A to USB C cable which I know is working because my new computer is charging itself off of the old computer, but the drive isn't showing up... Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to enable a finder setting or something for it to access the old computer as a hard drive instead of just a power source?
[doublepost=1517028205][/doublepost]This may be in the wrong section, wasn't sure if I should post this here or in high Sierra forums
[doublepost=1517029056][/doublepost]Update: There is a remote disk that shows up in finder but there is nothing listed in that folder when I click on it and when I try to eject it, it won't eject. Even if I unplug the cable it still says I have a remote disk device... Not sure what that means...
[doublepost=1517029639][/doublepost]Well super annoyed now =/ Since target disk mode wasn't working I tried restarting my old computer and since it's a dying 2011 GPU computer now it won't restart
Click to expand...

Isn't there a migration assistant you can use?

My suggestion is to get a cheap 1 TB external drive and move your files manually using Finder or your favorite file manager. At least you will a backup copy when you are done with your file transfer.
 
Adam.Kb2Jpd said:
Isn't there a migration assistant you can use?

My suggestion is to get a cheap 1 TB external drive and move your files manually using Finder or your favorite file manager. At least you will a backup copy when you are done with your file transfer.
Click to expand...
I tried that also but for whatever reason it wouldn't work. I'd get to the screen where I select the documents and files that I want to transfer then hit continue and the next screen said I had a conflict because both profiles had the same name and I needed to rename one and so I did but hitting the continue button didn't do anything.
[doublepost=1517078231][/doublepost]Does Apple offer assistance with migrating to a new computer? I remember they used to but can't find anything listed on their website about it.
 
kadify said:
Finally received my new MacBook Pro. I'm trying to transfer all of the music and videos and a few documents off of it but can't get the target disk mode to show up on the new computer. The old computer is definitely working in target disk mode because it has the grey screen with the target disk mode icon on it and they're connected via a USB A to USB C cable which I know is working because my new computer is charging itself off of the old computer, but the drive isn't showing up... Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to enable a finder setting or something for it to access the old computer as a hard drive instead of just a power source?
[doublepost=1517028205][/doublepost]This may be in the wrong section, wasn't sure if I should post this here or in high Sierra forums
[doublepost=1517029056][/doublepost]Update: There is a remote disk that shows up in finder but there is nothing listed in that folder when I click on it and when I try to eject it, it won't eject. Even if I unplug the cable it still says I have a remote disk device... Not sure what that means...
[doublepost=1517029639][/doublepost]Well super annoyed now =/ Since target disk mode wasn't working I tried restarting my old computer and since it's a dying 2011 GPU computer now it won't restart
Click to expand...

You want to make sure you’re using the right kind of cable as all of them won’t work. Look at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201462.
 
OP wrote:
"Well super annoyed now =/ Since target disk mode wasn't working I tried restarting my old computer and since it's a dying 2011 GPU computer now it won't restart"

Is the "dying 2011 GPU computer" a 15" or 17" MacBook Pro?
If the answer is "yes", you can do this:
- take the back cover off (requires a Philips #00 driver)
- take the internal drive out
- use a USB3/SATA adapter/dongle like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-2-5-...478&sr=1-2-spell&keywords=sabremt+usb3+to+ssd
- connect it to the new Macbook
- get the data that way.

Doing the above is actually quite easy.
Once the old drive is removed, you could use it for backups, extra storage... etc.
 
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Fishrrman said:
OP wrote:
"Well super annoyed now =/ Since target disk mode wasn't working I tried restarting my old computer and since it's a dying 2011 GPU computer now it won't restart"

Is the "dying 2011 GPU computer" a 15" or 17" MacBook Pro?
If the answer is "yes", you can do this:
- take the back cover off (requires a Philips #00 driver)
- take the internal drive out
- use a USB3/SATA adapter/dongle like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-2-5-...478&sr=1-2-spell&keywords=sabremt+usb3+to+ssd
- connect it to the new Macbook
- get the data that way.

Doing the above is actually quite easy.
Once the old drive is removed, you could use it for backups, extra storage... etc.
Click to expand...

Do you think this USB3/SATA adapter will work for 2013 MacBook Pro? Thanks!
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
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