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How do you backup a MacBook Air 2016 that won’t boot up? I have to erase the hard drive but I need to backup files first. Thank you.

How do you backup a MacBook Air 2016 that won’t boot up? I have to erase the hard drive but I need to backup files first.


Thank you.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Mar 25, 2022 7:37 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 26, 2022 6:33 AM

First exhaust all the options in If your Mac doesn't turn on - Apple Support, which has additional instructions in its Step 4, but stop short of erasing the Mac when you can proceed no farther.


For your information If your Mac doesn't turn on - Apple Support was recently updated, removing some outdated but potentially helpful suggestions in its earlier iteration. At your option, review those steps here: If your Mac doesn't turn on (archived)


Next: before you completely give up on that Mac, determine if you can use Target Disk Mode: Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode - Apple Support.


If you exhaust all those options consider the possibility the Mac's startup disk (flash memory) has suffered a catastrophic failure. Flash memory can fail in that manner, in which case it might as well not even exist. Before reaching that ultimate conclusion, consider having its flash memory module removed so that you can possibly install it in an external device, and possibly (again) using another Mac to retrieve its contents. If and when you reach that conclusion please write back for suggestions.

8 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 26, 2022 6:33 AM in response to JasonT1031

First exhaust all the options in If your Mac doesn't turn on - Apple Support, which has additional instructions in its Step 4, but stop short of erasing the Mac when you can proceed no farther.


For your information If your Mac doesn't turn on - Apple Support was recently updated, removing some outdated but potentially helpful suggestions in its earlier iteration. At your option, review those steps here: If your Mac doesn't turn on (archived)


Next: before you completely give up on that Mac, determine if you can use Target Disk Mode: Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode - Apple Support.


If you exhaust all those options consider the possibility the Mac's startup disk (flash memory) has suffered a catastrophic failure. Flash memory can fail in that manner, in which case it might as well not even exist. Before reaching that ultimate conclusion, consider having its flash memory module removed so that you can possibly install it in an external device, and possibly (again) using another Mac to retrieve its contents. If and when you reach that conclusion please write back for suggestions.

How do you backup a MacBook Air 2016 that won’t boot up? I have to erase the hard drive but I need to backup files first. Thank you.

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