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Level 1

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Brand New Aluminum 20" iMac won't mount iBook in Target Disk Mode

The iMac won't mount (or even see) my old iBook in target disk mode. My iBook G4 has no problems mounting the new iMac in target disk mode. Disk utility from the OS X install disk doesn't even see the iBook when its in target disk mode. The cable is brand new, I've reset pram/open firmware on the iBook and even done an archive install. I've also left the iMac unplugged for ~5 minutes to attempt to reset the firewire bus. I'm also fully up-to-date with Software Update on both computers.

System.log on the iMac shows all kinds of fun stuff like:

Aug 9 00:23:14 xxx-computer kernel[0]: /SourceCache/AppleFWOHCI/AppleFWOHCI-299.4.1/AppleFWOHCI.cpp 3466: ERROR: FireWire (OHCI) Lucent ID 5901 PCI: handleUnrecoverableErrorInt

Aug 9 00:25:02 localhost kernel[0]: FireWire (OHCI) Lucent ID 5901 PCI now active, GUID 001b63fffe8e2c96; max speed s800.

Aug 9 00:27:01 xxx-computer kernel[0]: FireWire (OHCI) Lucent ID 5901 PCI: 95 bus resets in last minute.

Aug 9 00:33:34 localhost kernel[0]: FireWire (OHCI) Lucent ID 5901 PCI now active, GUID 001b63fffe8e2c96; max speed s800.

I'd appreciate any advice, I'm thinking this is a hardware issue but I sure hope it isn't because I just bought it less than 6 hours ago.

Edit: I should mention that I have been able to mount my iPod on the new iMac via firewire.

Aluminum 20" iMac, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Aug 8, 2007 10:13 PM

40 replies

DJJD

Level 1

0 points

Aug 30, 2007 5:48 PM in response to DJJD

I thought of something else: when my iBook did mount on my iMac that one time, it was really slow. Like somewhere between USB1.1 and USB2.0 slow, but closer to USB1.1.

[ShaunO]

Level 1

0 points

Aug 31, 2007 7:19 PM in response to zornme

I'm having the same issue connecting my iBook G4 (TDM)to my iMac Aluminum. It can't be the cable because I connected the iMac (TDM) to the iBook and it worked fine. I wish there was something that could be done here. Help Please...

[ShaunO]

Level 1

0 points

Aug 31, 2007 11:11 PM in response to [ShaunO]

Ok, So I just finished importing Music, Photos, Movies, and Documents onto my new iMac and here is what I did:

1. Create a folder called "transfer" on iMac desktop.
2. Connect firewire cable from iMac to iBook and start iMac in Target Disk Mode.
3. Once the iMac disk mounts on the iBook locate the files you want to transfer. I recommend
exporting your iPhoto library to a folder first. File-->Export
4. Copy the selected files to the "transfer" folder that was created on the iMac Disk.
5. Eject iMac Disk once complete.
6. Restart iMac and open up iPhoto and select File-->Import to Library and map to the "transfer"
folder where your exported iPhoto library is located.
7. Do the same with iTunes, Documents and then Movies.

These are the steps that I used and everything seems to be fine and accounted for on my new machine. Good Luck, and I hope this will help someone...

sabreur

Level 1

0 points

Sep 1, 2007 11:47 AM in response to [ShaunO]

Sorry, but I don't think this really solves the problem. It is an acceptable work-a-around, however.

My new aluminum 24" iMac should be able to mount my G4 Powermac, but it doesn't. Everything is running the newest operating system available. Apple has to address the problem.

[ShaunO]

Level 1

0 points

Sep 1, 2007 2:32 PM in response to sabreur

I do agree 100%, it's NOT acceptable to have to rely on workarounds, but I merely provided steps in order to get the job done in the meantime. Either way I got my files on my machine, and tried to help others out along the way. That was most important to me. Hopefully Apple will get this sorted out soon.

sharonAK

Level 1

0 points

Sep 1, 2007 3:33 PM in response to zornme

Yep. Same issue with Target Disk Mode.
--IMac will not see the iBook G3
--my Powerbook G4 can see the iBook
--my iMac can see the Powerbook
--disk utility cannot see it.
--ran disk utility on the iBook (no repairs needed)
--reinstalled OSX on the iBook (Apple support suggested this...)--did not help

--second call to Apple support still results in "It should be working fine"....

Sep 1, 2007 4:31 PM in response to zornme

Same issue here. My new iMac won't see either my iBook G4 or my PowerMac G4 in target mode, but both of them can see the iMac in target mode. The firewire works fine, as I've used my iPod, external drives, etc.

I was told that intel Macs and PPC Macs don't like each other much in target mode, so I forgot about it and just transferred my information manually, with an external drive (with iTunes it's as simple as copying the iTunes folder... I didn't use iPhoto so I didn't have to import anything there, just copy my photos), but it 5uck5 that Apple can't provide a solution.

Sep 1, 2007 7:29 PM in response to zornme

I had the same problem transferring files between an iBook G4 and a new 24" iMac.

I was able to successfully transfer user settings and applications from an old iMac G4 using target disk mode with the Migration Assistant, but when I tried to connect my iBook, my new iMac would not recognize it. I was using an Apple Firewire cable that came with my old iSight camera.

I finally had success with the iBook using the Migration Assistant when I plugged the iBook into its power adapter.

I assume, based on my experience of not having any problems with the old iMac and then only having success when the iBook was plugged into AC power, that the issues with forming a connection between the new iMac and the iBook must have something to do with laptop power management.

Try using a power adapter, and make sure system performance is set to maximum in the Energy Saver System Preferences when the laptop is plugged in.

Good luck!

Sep 1, 2007 9:01 PM in response to zornme

Just went through the same thing with a brand new iMac and older iMac DV. Spent 15 minutes with apple support and they thought it was either the cable or the fact that the old iMac was running 10.3.9. However since the cable was BRAND NEW and the old imac is not even running the OS in target disk mode, neither of these seemed likely to me. And now that I see this thread, I certainly apple follows up with a fix.

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Sep 6, 2007 3:40 PM in response to zornme

Workarounds

In most cases using a powered firewire "hub" between the target disk computer and the alu iMac seems to resolve this problem. (This worked for my daughter after we had tried a host of other solutions , and has also proved successful for many people reporting similar issues on the MacFixit site.)

If you don't have a powered "hub" then using an independently powered external FW drive (as long as it has two firewire ports), chained in between the two computers, should do effectively the same thing.

Another solution, if you have access to an external drive, is to "clone" your old computer's HD to the external drive, then use migration assistant to bring the stuff across from the external drive to your iMac.

Note that these solutions are relevant if you can't "see" the target computer on your imac. If you can see it, but are having problems with transfers stopping it may still be of assistance. In such a case, though, you should first run "disk utility" to repair the old computer's drive as the problem may be due to directory corruption rather than the firewire linkage itself.

Cheers

Rod

Sep 8, 2007 11:04 PM in response to Rod Hagen

I haven't tried the Firewire hub but I can report that on my new 20" aluminum iMac that just having independently powered firewire disk drives doesn't solve the problem. Actually, I had no problem getting my files transfered from old iMac to the new one using target disk mode. However, I have not been able to get either of my external self powered firewire drives to mount. Worse, the system hangs on boot if they are connected.

go4matt

Level 1

0 points

Sep 9, 2007 12:12 AM in response to Lee Zimmerman

I'm having the same problems. Just got my new iMac 20" 2.4GHz today and it won't recognize my Powerbook or any external hard drives.

Did anybody take their machine back to an Apple Store? I bought my machine from MacConnection.

Should I make an appointment at the Genius Bar?

This is a bad problem that Apple needs to address immediately. Lots of great TV commercials but the product doesn't work. Not good.

MB!

Washac

Level 3

836 points

Sep 9, 2007 1:49 AM in response to zornme

Hi All

Maybe worth reading through this......

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583

Hope this helps

Message was edited by: Washac

DJJD

Level 1

0 points

Sep 9, 2007 9:58 AM in response to Washac

I tried Target Disk Mode with my iBook G3 today, and it worked! Here's what I did, in order:
1. Boot iBook into Target Disk Mode
2. Plug firewire cable into iBook and iMac
3. Plug power adapter into iBook
Like another user said above, it may have something to do with power management settings (although I can use this iBook in Target Disk Mode on battery on other (non-Intel) Macs)
Edit:
This only seemed to work after the iMac had just been rebooted.

I tried some other combinations, none of which worked. Also of note, if you follow this procedure and unplug the power adapter on the iBook, the iMac hangs until you unplug the firewire cable (with some strange behavior following - my mouse pointer began clicking ~1/4 inch away from the point of the cursor)
Edit2:
Going through another firewire device (daisy-chain, like this: iMac -> external FW drive -> iBook) worked, even without the power adapter plugged in, as another user suggested above.

Message was edited by: DJJD

Sep 9, 2007 4:48 PM in response to DJJD

I am having this same problem and would just have taken the route of transferring my files using my hard drive but I am having serious issues getting preferences over so I'm back to trying to follow these discussions.

However, most of these solutions involve using "Target Disk Mode" (which I've never used and don't know how to do). As instructed within the Set Up Assistant I tried to get my iBook (G3 w/OS 10.3.9) to power up/down by holding the T down while pushing the on-off button but nothing happens but the iBook shuts down.

Can someone explain the exact steps involved in "Boot iBook into Target Disk Mode"?

Brand New Aluminum 20" iMac won't mount iBook in Target Disk Mode