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Using older iMac as second monior

I have a mid-2010 iMac 27 I want to use as a second monitor with my mid-2011 iMac 27. I thought I only needed the Thunderbolt cable and set the second monitor to Target Display Mode. Nothing happens. The second monitor only displays the Target Display Mode symbol (Y). Command + F2 doesn't make any difference either.


I just read on the Apple site that maybe I need the Mini DisplayPort cable. Is that correct? Will both iMacs support that cable?


Or am I doing something else wrong?


Thanks.

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), 16 GB RAM

Posted on Oct 1, 2018 4:16 PM

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Question marked as Apple recommended

You need a Mini DisplayPort cable.


(164707)

Posted on Oct 1, 2018 4:19 PM

10 replies

Oct 2, 2018 4:47 PM in response to Niel

Sorry - had another question I hope you can help me with. The ports on the back of the 2 iMacs are different.


The mid-2011 iMac has 2 Thunderbolt ports, a FireWire 800 port and 4 USB 2.0 ports. I don't see a port marked as a Mini DisplayPort even though the specs say it has one.


The mid-2010 iMac has 1 FireWire 800 port and 4 USB 2.0 ports. It does have a Mini DisplayPort slot and the corresponding icon above it, and the specs say that's what it is.


Do I need a Mini DisplayPort cable and an adapter to connect the older iMac to the newed iMac?


Thank you!

Oct 3, 2018 9:58 AM in response to Malcolm J. Rayfield

Thank you. I'm getting conflicting answers as to whether or not a single keyboard and mouse can be used. If the older iMac is set as a monitor using Target Display Mode doesn't that allow me to move items from one screen to the other?


I have an HP laptop with 2 Dell monitors and they're connected using the extended display function. One keyboard and mouse works on either screen.


Thank you.

Oct 3, 2018 3:21 PM in response to Crash777

You will need to connect a keyboard to the old iMac to enter Command-F2 to start Target Display Mode. You could borrow the new iMacs keyboard for this, then return it to the new iMac.

https://support.apple.com/HT204592

After that you use only the new iMac's keyboard and mouse for both screens. In extended desktop mode you will be able to drag widows between displays.

Oct 11, 2018 4:35 PM in response to Crash777

I plugged in the Mini DisplayPort to both iMacs. The second, older iMac does switch when I press Command+F2, but that's as far as it gets. I'm not able to move anything to that screen or access any of the desktop items.


Thoughts? I followed the instructions so I would think it would work, especially when the screen did switch.


Thank you.

Using older iMac as second monior

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