Mount new MacBook Air as ext. HD to Mac Mini

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Level 1

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Mount new MacBook Air as ext. HD to Mac Mini

Hey!

So I finally set me up some very awesome system (DJ set combined with ps3, underlaid with a server, airport express and alooot of nice stuff :3) which im proud of. Now, I was thinking about moving my real work onto my Mac Mini, now that it has the DJ software and supports the audio interface and pretty much everything works. The problem is, I kinda need to hook my MacBook Air onto my server - as automated as possible.

I googled... "Target Disk Mode". Turned out I cant use it:

- No Thunderbolt

- No Firewire.

Derp.

I tried using AFP. Well it worked. Biggest problem is, when the Macbook is closed, AFP goes down. Sweet... So I must run the Macbook and cant put it in something like a dock.

Now, I'd like to know any posibillity to hook up the entire Macintosh HD from my macbook onto my mac mini server. I can hook the book onto lan via the ethernet-usb adapter; no problem. I just need a way to mount my macbook into my mac mini.

Any ideas? :3

Regards, Ingwie.

Posted on Feb 18, 2013 12:21 PM

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Answer 1

Lanny

Level 6

13,183 points

Feb 18, 2013 12:33 PM in response to Ingwie

New MacBook Air's have Thunderbolt.

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Answer 2

Eric Root

Level 10

684,015 points

Feb 18, 2013 12:39 PM in response to Ingwie

If I understand what you want to do correctly, in Finder/Preferences/Sidebar, select sharing and devices. This should enable you to see the 2 computers in Finder.

Go to System Preferences/Sharing and select the first several items.

Now you should be able to log on to the other computer so you can copy things between them.

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Answer 3

Ingwie Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 18, 2013 12:50 PM in response to Eric Root

Thanks for the reply.

Yes I have done this already (is what i mentioned with AFP). I can in fact mount my mac this way, and see it in the sidebar.

I actually want to come back from school, put my macbook in some place of my room and close it. Then I'd want to go onto the mac mini and boot it up and be able to use my macbook's data.

I know newer Macbook air's have thunderbolt; mine doesnt. It is an early 2012 one 😝.

The best thing would be to automatically mount the macbook, if this was possible. o.o

But most important, I just want to store my macbook away while working with the mac mini, but still being able to use it's data.

Regards, Ingwie

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Answer 4

Eric Root

Level 10

684,015 points

Feb 18, 2013 12:57 PM in response to Ingwie

Based on some tests I've done with our 2 computers, the MacBook can be asleep and you can connect to it without waking it up. I had the lid open.

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Answer 5

Ingwie Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 18, 2013 1:15 PM in response to Eric Root

Yup, it appearently keeps the AFP-demon running. Means that I can access the files. Well what can I do now to "auto-mount" it as soon as it is detected?

EDIT: Ok, new issue x.x

I just activated sharing of a fat32 formated drive - and it doesnt appear on the mac mini O.O

EDIT2: O_o apple confuses me. When I share the fat32 vis AFP, it doesnt appear. BUT if I use SMB - it suddenly works. wth?...

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Answer 6

Eric Root

Level 10

684,015 points

Feb 18, 2013 4:58 PM in response to Ingwie

Paragraph 1 - I don't know of a way to auto-mount it unless the two computers are constantly connected.

Paragraph 3 - I think you have to use SMB to mount FAT 32.

Brain dump on SMB:

SMB Shares - Mount

SMB Shares - Mount (2

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Answer 7

sinoue

Level 2

236 points

Mar 19, 2013 3:30 PM in response to Ingwie

What monitor do you have setup to your Mac Mini? There are times when you may want access to both without having to use the Mac mini to access your Macbook Air. You'll need to toggle Apple's keyboard and trackpad via bluetooth, but there are times when a direct connection is preferrable.

http://twelvesouth.com/products/BookArc_for_Air - useful dock

http://www.macworld.com/article/1158536/pairing_trackpad.html - how to toggle keyboard, mouse, trackpad

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