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How to fix or get data off Mac Pro with display/restarting issues

Hi, my early 2008 Mac Pro running El Capitan suddenly started showing lines all over the display, then it restarted, displaying an error message and since it's been stuck in a restart loop never getting passed the progress bar and with the display very distorted. Two questions:


1) Any solution to this? It's an old machine, was working fine so would like to keep using it if possible, but don't want to put money into it at this stage.


2) What's the best way to get data off the two internal hard drives in the machine on to my Mac Air? I need access to the files on it, also as its 2 x 1 TB hard drives I won't be able to transfer the data onto the Air but will need to use them as external drives.


Help appreciated!

Mac Pro, iOS 9.3.1

Posted on Apr 4, 2016 1:00 PM

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Posted on Apr 4, 2016 1:13 PM

Get a dock like this

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/feline-health-the-main-forum.28/

and take the drives out of the Mac Pro and put them in the dock and connect to new mac via USB

You can also get an enclosure that accept 3 1/2 inch drives


Also, you can get a Thunderbolt>FireWire adopter and connect the two Macs via FireWire and boot the old mac in Target Disk mode

How to use and troubleshoot FireWire target disk mode - Apple Support


What does the error message say? Problem could be bad graphics card or maybe bad memory.

If you open side cover are any diagnostic light lit?

6 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Apr 4, 2016 1:13 PM in response to J80s

Get a dock like this

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/feline-health-the-main-forum.28/

and take the drives out of the Mac Pro and put them in the dock and connect to new mac via USB

You can also get an enclosure that accept 3 1/2 inch drives


Also, you can get a Thunderbolt>FireWire adopter and connect the two Macs via FireWire and boot the old mac in Target Disk mode

How to use and troubleshoot FireWire target disk mode - Apple Support


What does the error message say? Problem could be bad graphics card or maybe bad memory.

If you open side cover are any diagnostic light lit?

Apr 4, 2016 1:18 PM in response to lllaass

Thanks- have you a link to that dock, it seems to link to something else?


Re target disc mode, is it possible to do this considering that I can't boot the old mac?


The error message just says the computer restarted because of a problem. I've taken the side panel off- where would I see a diagnostic light? I didn't notice anything.

Apr 4, 2016 1:58 PM in response to J80s

Sorry about the link

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/NewerTech/Voyager/Hard_Drive_Dock

Try booting with the T key depressed and see if you get a reboot. What you should get is moving FireWire icon


You can ry the following:

- Try resetting the SMC and NVRAM/PRAM

Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)

About NVRAM and PRAM

- Try starting in Safe Mode

OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?

I would try to get data off the disk before you go further

- Boot to Recovery and repair the startup disk

OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support

- If it is repairable reinstall the OSX

How to reinstall OS X on your Mac - Apple Support

- If you do not have a backup use disk utility to restore the internal disk to an external disk so you can try to recover data.

Then format the startup disk and do a fresh install of OSX

How to fix or get data off Mac Pro with display/restarting issues

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