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Cbtrfly

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Q: Are you able to use migrate assistant if your old computer is unable to start/boot up?

Are you able to use migrate assistant if your old computer is unable to start/boot up? If not, what are the alternaitves?

MacBook (13-inch Late 2009)

Posted on Apr 30, 2014 11:12 AM

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Q: Are you able to use migrate assistant if your old computer is unable to start/boot up?

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by Barney-15E,

Barney-15E Apr 30, 2014 12:55 PM in response to Cbtrfly
Level 9 (50,094 points)

Mac OS X

Apr 30, 2014 12:55 PM in response to Cbtrfly

Depends on why it doesn't boot up? If the drive is dead, then there isn't much hope.
If the drive works, you may be able to boot it into Firewire Target Disk Mode and access the drive from the new Mac.
Or, you could take the drive out and put it into an external enclosure and access it that way.
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by Cbtrfly,

Cbtrfly Apr 30, 2014 1:02 PM in response to Barney-15E
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Apr 30, 2014 1:02 PM in response to Barney-15E

I took into Apple yesterday, because it will no longer hold a charge, so it is just dead. The computer was working great, just won't charge anymore. They said it might be something with the Logistic's Board. The computer is 4 years old, so instead of spending 300+ to fix it, might as well get a new one.

Is the Firewire Target Disk Mode easy to do?

Thanks so much for your help!
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by Barney-15E,

Barney-15E Apr 30, 2014 1:07 PM in response to Cbtrfly
Level 9 (50,094 points)

Mac OS X

Apr 30, 2014 1:07 PM in response to Cbtrfly

It's pretty simple, but your Mac has to be able to power up. If it won't power up, you'll have to pull the hard drive and purchase an external hard drive enclosure.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1661
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by Barney-15E,

Barney-15E Apr 30, 2014 1:09 PM in response to Barney-15E
Level 9 (50,094 points)

Mac OS X

Apr 30, 2014 1:09 PM in response to Barney-15E

Sorry, there was a lot of info in that article. To boot, you just hold down the T key when you restart. You'll see a Firewire symbol bounce around the screen if it has booted into target disk mode.
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by Cbtrfly,

Cbtrfly Apr 30, 2014 1:46 PM in response to Barney-15E
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Apr 30, 2014 1:46 PM in response to Barney-15E

Thanks for the clarification . I haven't been able to get it to boot up, so looks like pulling the hard drive will be the only way. I hope that's not to difficult!
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by Barney-15E,

Barney-15E Apr 30, 2014 3:25 PM in response to Cbtrfly
Level 9 (50,094 points)

Mac OS X

Apr 30, 2014 3:25 PM in response to Cbtrfly

iFixIt has good instructions you can download. Just look for the one to replace the hard drive in that model Mac.

I just purchased a cable that connects to a laptop hard drive and has USB on the other end. It was a PC Notebook Upgrade kit that came with software which you wouldn't need. This is what I got: http://www.amazon.com/Apricorn-Notebook-Upgrade-Connection-ASW-USB3-25/dp/B005C9 83NA

Or, you could get an external drive enclosure and use the drive as external storage after you migrated from it.
You'd be looking for a 2.5" Laptop drive enclosure, SATA, with USB 3.0 interface. Some examples:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100008040%2060000625 5%20600006269%20600006293&IsNodeId=1&name=USB%203.0
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