External Dock for SSD on Late 2013 Mac Pro?

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External Dock for SSD on Late 2013 Mac Pro?

My loyal 2013 Mac Pro won't boot and appears to want to retire.

While I have a cloud backup of it, I would like to save myself the hassle of pulling it all down. I'm wondering if there's a way to connect its SSD to a dock so I can easily clone it. I thought doing so would be easy until I read this thread saying that Apple used a different housing for the SSD.

Can I pull the SSD from my Mac Pro and attach it to some kind of dock so I could dupe it? Is there a dock you would recommend?

Thanks!

Gary

Mac Pro

Posted on Mar 9, 2023 1:37 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Level 9

60,284 points

Mar 10, 2023 9:15 AM in response to Gary Beberman

You can use the OWC Envoy Pro Enclosure for the Apple proprietary SSD in this Mac Pro. Assuming the SSD is not failing. I find SSDs are typically the weakest link, although this 2013 Mac Pro is not a very good or reliable system unless a later firmware/OS update resolved some of the issues.

You may want to try running the Apple Diagnostics to see if any hardware issues are detected.

In case you have some software issue, have you tried booting into Safe Mode?

Also make sure to disconnect all unnecessary external devices in case one of them is causing a problem.

Target Disk Mode may also be an option if you have the necessary cables & adapters.

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Answer 2

Mar 10, 2023 12:02 PM in response to HWTech

Thanks, HWTech for the recommendation and the advice. I'm getting one of the enclosures from OWC.

On the diagnostics, the computer is in really sad shape. Hitting (or holding) the power button results in the area around the cabling lighting up for 15 or so seconds and then fading out. I never get a happy, self-check gong.

Gary

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Answer 3

Mar 10, 2023 5:16 PM in response to Gary Beberman

The initial "chime" sound is generated in software when your Mac passes the Power-On Self Test. If the chime occurs and/or startup continues, your Mac is working. The blank gray screen should light up. Then on to the disk Drive, which need not be working or even present to get this far.

Accessing the Boot drive:

The solid Apple is not in the Mac's ROM at Cold start. The Apple logo can only appear when it is fetched in the first "blob" of software loaded from a 'magic' place on the boot drive, or re-run after a Restart. Then a whole lot of stuff is initialized, and the progress Bar moves part way across. After a cold start, seeing the solid Apple appear says your drive is not completely dead.

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Answer 4

Mar 10, 2023 6:29 PM in response to Gary Beberman

correct.

even a drive that is in terrible condition, or unbootable, or completely absent, will not interfere with the chime.

Absence of a chime could mean your Mac failed the power-on self test.

¿is the power indicator blinking a code when this happens?

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Answer 5

Mar 10, 2023 6:20 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks much, Grant

As I understand you, the failure to hear a chime says nothing about the the drive. Do I have that right?

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Answer 6

Mar 11, 2023 8:27 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

No blinking on the power button. Lights go on. 15 second pause. Lights go off.

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External Dock for SSD on Late 2013 Mac Pro?

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