Target Disk Mode - won't "mount"

[terryjohnson10]

My Macbook crashed on us yesterday. While the majority of the information on the computer is backed up, there are some things that were not. I've tried to do the Target Disk Mode thing, and I don't know if I am doing it right or if I am and I am just out of luck. Would appreciate your help. This is what I am doing...

Hooking it up to a mini or a newer macbook pro...

1) Turning on Macbook while holding t until the floating firewire icon comes up.
2) Then I am hooking the firewire up to the other computer (and I have connected with it on and connected with it off and turning it on)
3) Then I wait and nothing shows up on the other computer - apparently not mounting.

I would hate to spend a ton of money on data recovery if it can't be done.

The computer crashed (apparently did so on my wife) while she was on the internet. It got stuck on her and she left it going all night as she thought it would simply go into sleep mode. It didn't so she just powered down and when we woke up it went straight to the blank screen.

I have tried all of the other ways to boot the computer and with the disks I just get a blinking folder and question mark.

Would love any help if I can get it - does Apple Care have data recovery?

 

[rdowns]

The cable should be attached as you boot into target dick mode.

 

[MacDawg]

The cable should be attached as you boot into target dick mode.

You really need to get that keyboard fixed rdowns

Yes, attach the cable and boot into Target Disk Mode
And "no", Apple Care does not have data recovery

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[terryjohnson10]

So just to make sure -

1) connect firewire to both computers.
2) start "crashed" mac holding t until the firewire logo appears
3) then turn on the other computer

I actually think I have had the firewire connected when I was doing this - but will try again to make sure.

Thanks!

 

[MacDawg]

If the drive is truly dead, then it may not work in Target Disk Mode either
It really depends on what is wrong with the drive

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[terryjohnson10]

Yeah that didn't work either - any other suggestions?

 

[spinnerlys]

Do you see the MB's drive in the other's Mac Disk Utility?

Maybe it has to be mounted there, or it could show you what problem there might be.

Also you could get an external USB 2.5" (you can get one for 14€ around here at least) enclosure and put the MB's HDD in there and connect it to the other Mac and see if that helps.

 

[terryjohnson10]

Yeah that was over my head, but I will see if someone can help with it.

 

[spinnerlys]

MB in Target Disk Mode, connected to the other Mac.

The open Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities) and see if the MB is shown there.


The following picture is just an example of the Disk Utility window.

As you can see there is a greyed out volume called "Time Machine Backups", which can be selected and then mounted via the Mount icon in the top toolbar of Disk Utility.
The same could be done with your MB's drive, if it's even recognized.


The other possibility is to remove the HDD from the MB (quite easy with the help of online guides like on ifixit.com and not voiding the warranty) and put it into an external 2.5" USB enclosure, which is easy as hell.

 

[terryjohnson10]

Thanks, that is much clearer. The disk utility option didn't work. So I will try the other option - I guess it is worth it.

Does it make a difference on Operating System - the mini has the same as the macbook - but I have a macbook pro with the newer OS.

Again - I appreciate your help!

 

[spinnerlys]

The operating system shouldn't be an issue.

If you have 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 or 10.5, it should work either way.

It could just be that the FW port of one Mac is broken, or more likely, that the HDD of the MB is broken.

Do you hear it spinning up like a normal HDD, or does it make a repeating sound?

 

[terryjohnson10]

It doesn't really make a noise...but you can feel it thinking.