target mode not working

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Level 2

147 points

target mode not working

I have my 2011 iMac in target mode to my new 2017 imac via ethernet. It's worked twice before without a hitch, now the 2011 mac is not showing up on the desk top OR in disk utility.

Any thoughts?

I can connect to the mac in migration assistant (which is glacial) and I just want to do one more visual sweep of the old hard drive before I erase it and copy over any last minute stuff but something's not connecting. Cables seem tight, it worked perfectly before.....

would love to get this thing off my desk asap and this is all I need to do.

Any thoughts?

iMac, macOS High Sierra (10.13.3)

Posted on Feb 28, 2018 5:26 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Feb 28, 2018 6:02 AM in response to boloney

I usually connect the 2 Macs then start the Mac I want to use as a disk in TDM.

How to use target disk mode to move files between two Mac computers - Apple Support

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Answer 2

boloney Author

Level 2

147 points

Feb 28, 2018 5:50 AM in response to macjack

Yeah, Migration Assistant is slow and I just want what I had before - being able to look at it folder style and quickly pop stuff over. Migration Assistant was 3x as slow as Target Mode had been. It's just odd.

Does the order of turning stuff off and on matter?

-

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Answer 3

Feb 28, 2018 9:53 AM in response to boloney

Hi boloney,

Turns out that according to the article that macjack posted, Ethernet isn’t a supported method for connecting your Macs to each other in Target Disk Mode. You’ll need to use one of these cables:

FireWire

Thunderbolt 2

Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C)

USB-C (but not the USB-C charge cable incfor newer MacBooks)

Hope this helps!

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Answer 4

boloney Author

Level 2

147 points

Feb 28, 2018 9:57 AM in response to Encryptor5000

Funny you mention that - the tech at the Apple Store gave me the info and recommended it - rather than using an expensive TB cable I didn't have. And it worked 3 other times flawlessly but has stopped working as of today.

So I'm guessing it's a bad cable maybe?

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Answer 5

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Feb 28, 2018 5:40 AM in response to boloney

I'm to sure why Target Disk Mode isn't working now, but you can use Migration Assistant again. It won't copy over any files that have previously been transferred.

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target mode not working

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