Recovering data from A1465 model

[slippyjim]

Hi,

I have an old macbook air model A1465 that I recently updated to Big Sur and the update has broken everything, I login as usual (correct photo and username) but then it gets stuck at the black screen with white bar not moving, I've tried turning it off , pressing Command + L, but nothing changes.
Then this is where things get weird
I go into recovery mode and it looks nothing like I've seen before - not the usual Mac Utility screen, its a dark screen a message flashed up something like "no user profiles" and asks me to sign in to Apple ID then does nothing, I can go back to a screen where it shows the encrypted disk and if I click on unlock nothing happens, on this screen I can also put it in target mode
If I start in safe mode it doesn't do the update but instead it is as if I am setting up a brand new Mac so I am worried this will delete my existing documents

So I was going to ake the SSD out and connect it up to my new M1 Mac - A2337 via USB adaptor but had forgotten Mac's use non standard SSD's, grrrr..........

Is there anyway i can connect these 2 macs together in target disk mode

A1465 - 1 thunderbolt (square connector with cut off corners), 2 USB3 A connectors
A2337 - 2 thunderbolt USB C connectors

Is it possible to get a connector from old thunderbolt connector to USB C or another way to connect n target disk mode?

Thanks

 

[slippyjim]

Ive managed to now create a new user from safe mode and eventually log in after a few attempts and i can access my old files so copying them to USB memory stick right now.

Big Sur is installed according to About this Mac from my new user account in safe mode