Target disk mode iMac, MacBook Pro and Windows 10

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Level 1

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Target disk mode iMac, MacBook Pro and Windows 10

Hi, I have a 27 inch iMac (late 2012 build, 3 T HD, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i7) that I run Boot Camp on. I understand from Apple's support documents that I can not upgrade to Mojave on this particular model iMac and run Boot Camp on it. It is the only model iMac that this is true for. Hey, I understand the build is 6 years old and age happens to all computer stuff.

Thing is, I need to run Windows 10 to use MS Publisher

I also have a MacBook Pro, 13 inch 3.1 GHz Intel Core i5 running Mojave and Boot Camp with Windows 10.

My question is: Will the below work?

1) Connect a Thunderbolt cable between the two.

2) On the MacBook set the default startup disk to Windows,

3) Start the MacBook Pro and hold the "T" key down to put it into Target Disk Mode

4) Boot the iMac holding the "Option Key" down,

5) Select the MacBook hard drive as the startup disk.

Will it boot up the iMac into the BootCamp Windows OS on the iMac so I can access Windows on the 27 inch screen with the keyboard and mouse working?

I'd hate to have to go out and buy a new $2600 iMac that has the same Intel i5 or i7 processor and slower speed than my current iMac. I dont really need the 5K but I do need to run Windows for Publisher.

Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated.

Craig

Posted on Sep 26, 2018 3:16 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

John Lockwood

Level 6

13,697 points

Sep 27, 2018 4:17 AM in response to HCraigF

The install of Windows on the iMac will have been built with drivers configured for the hardware of that iMac, furthermore the product activation will also be linked to that iMac.

So when you boot it via Target Disk Mode - if that is even possible the drivers will not match the different hardware of the MacBook Pro and likely fail.

I tried a slightly similar process a while ago moving a hard drive from an older Mac mini to a newer Mac mini which is a much more similar configuration than yours and this failed and this was with the same physical hard drive!

To move a copy of Windows from one machine to another you are supposed to use the SysPrep tool which converts the Windows installation to a generic model independent setup and it will then when restored look for and load a fresh set of drivers. See - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/sysprep--g eneralize--a-windows-installation

I therefore for my Mac mini move did a SysPrep, a backup using WinClone, and a restore using WinClone on the new Mac mini and let it redo the drivers. I then had also to do a new product activation.

For you an alternative to consider is converting the Boot Camp install to a virtual machine to run via either Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion.

See - KB Parallels: How to transfer a Boot Camp installation to a new Mac using Parallels Desktop for Mac

or - https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1015088

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Answer 2

HCraigF Author

Level 1

23 points

Sep 27, 2018 6:15 AM in response to John Lockwood

John,

Thank you for responding. I'm just hoping that if I run Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion they will work on this particular iMac with Mojave as Boot Camp won't.

I'd hate to uninstall Boot Camp, install Mojave and then find out neither will work. I may just stick with High Sierra for the time being.

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Target disk mode iMac, MacBook Pro and Windows 10

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