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User profile for user: techguy5000
techguy5000 Author
User level: Level 1
41 points

Using 2008 iMac as an External Display for my 2016 MacBook Pro

Hi, so have had a 2008 iMac for a good while now and it has just been sitting in a another room collecting dust. While my 2016 MacBook Pro has been in repair (for the keyboard) these past couple days, I have once again grown fond of the huge 24-inch display on this iMac. So I was wondering if there was a way to connect my 2016 MacBook Pro to the 2008 iMac and use the iMac as an external display for my MacBook Pro.

I am aware that only models starting in 2009 were able to use the Target Display Mode, which kinda stinks. I also know that I would be unable to use the mini-DVI port. So I was wondering if there was another way (like through CAT5/Ethernet or maybe firewire) to do this and how I would go about doing so.


Thanks for any suggestions!

Tyler

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Sep 8, 2019 1:32 PM

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User profile for user: rkaufmann87
rkaufmann87
User level: Level 10
144,946 points

Posted on Sep 8, 2019 1:37 PM

Your question is asked almost daily and the answer is no it will not work and no there are no work arounds. Your 2008 iMac is a computer, not an external display for another computer. Please read Use your iMac as a display with Target Display Mode and this will tell you which iMacs will work and what connections they need, your 2008 iMac is not among them.

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User profile for user: rkaufmann87
rkaufmann87
User level: Level 10
144,946 points

Sep 8, 2019 1:37 PM in response to techguy5000

Your question is asked almost daily and the answer is no it will not work and no there are no work arounds. Your 2008 iMac is a computer, not an external display for another computer. Please read Use your iMac as a display with Target Display Mode and this will tell you which iMacs will work and what connections they need, your 2008 iMac is not among them.

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Using 2008 iMac as an External Display for my 2016 MacBook Pro

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