Firewire target disk mode install leopard

Does anyone know if it is possible to install Leo via dvd to another computer booted in target disk mode?
My work computer somehow lost some important OS files during an system update, and now I can't get past single user mode, nor can I seem to boot from CD (although I haven't tried in awhile, may not have had a bootable disk at the time). What I want to do is wipe the HDD, and install the OS.

Leopard OS Disks are universal (ppc and intel), so it was irrelevant to include that information.
No it wasn't. I see many posts where people are trying to use installer discs that come with another computer to install the OS on a second model. TDM is a popular way of trying that. Since you did not provide full information in your question as to which discs you had I could not rule this out.
You also don't say anything about the computer models, which would help in answering your questions. The question immediately comes to mind, why don't you just boot from the installer DVD?
Anyway, put the newer computer into TDM with the two connected, you should hopefully be able to see the DVD in the drive on the TDM computer and select it as a startup disk on the older computer. Another way is to hold down the option key while booting, but some computers don't have that capability.
Message was edited by: Limnos

Similar Messages

Install Leopard Server Onto Mac Mini via Firewire Target Disk Mode?

From the answers I have seen, so far anyway, the short of it is this can be done. Other than partitioning the Mini's hard drive as a GPT, which I don't know how to do.
Is there anyway to install via firewire target disk mode? The Server Assistant on my MacBook Pro wants to connect to the Mini via a network connection... but, the Mini has no monitor and no OS installed (it has an empty 500 GB hard drive). Thus, I can't get them to talk to each other over a network connection, can I?
I could try and plug it into a monitor and install locally, but the Install disc is on my MBP and currently it is in Firewire TDM, with the Mini's hard drive mounted on the Pro.
I don't want to have to get a monitor to do this... The Mini is brand new 1.83 with 2 GB of RAM and a Samsung 500 GB internal hard drive. It is mounted and the Server Installer sees it, but cannot use it because it just sees it as a firewire drive (the installer won't install to these drives I guess).
Any suggestions?
Message was edited by: Ryan Vetter1

you can configure it using server admin and workgroup manager running on another machine. you can also use screen sharing/ard if you need to see what you're doing. as long as it has a valid address on the lan, you can configure it. just be sure to give it a static address is you're going to use it as a server.
you could have installed the os from your dmg with the mini booted in target disk mode, too. the installers are in /System/Installation/Packages. you should be able to run them by double-clicking the OS installer or using the /usr/sbin/installer command from the command line.

Installing in Firewire Target Disk mode

I know this is a kind of silly question, but is it advisable to install OS X on my iMac when it's booted into Firewire Target disk mode? I mean, would it get funky stuff in there that the iMac doesn't need if i install from, say, my PowerMac? I know it's quite possible to do this, as I used to do it when I had two identical iMacs. But those were, of course, identical, so the target machine had the same specs as the one that was installing.
Any thoughts?
Oh, and let me say a quick "hi" to all the regulars. I haven't really been on this baord too much the past year or so. Who's still around?

Hi, Trey.
I installed Tiger via Target Disk Mode, but my G3 has been having kernel panics in the couple weeks since the upgrade. On another post someone said that they'd heard that the Target Disc Mode can be a problem. So I'm checking the posts to find out more.
My G3 has a CD-R/W drive, so I didn't have an alternative, other than to buy an external drive, or to send Apple my commercial Tiger DVDs and pay them MORE to convert it to CDs. I just paid big bucks for the G5 a month before they came out with a cheaper upgraded version, which I am unhappy about. Of course those Tiger disks are for G5 ONLY, so I couldn't install to my G3 from them, so I coughed up the cash for the DVDs. I couldn't fathom giving them even more for a CD transfer.
Of course, if the G3 keeps crashing, and I hear from others that a direct install from CD may cure the problem, what choice will I have? As much as I've loved Apple over the years, there's starting to be a more corporate (and dare I say it, Gates-like) vibe from their method of doing business. Now the kid wants an iPod for Christmas, and I have to check those boards to see how they're performing. As helpful and fun as all this technology is, it is also quite stress-inducing...
Good luck with your upgrade! --kat
iMac G5 20" (ALS); 2G RAM | iMac G3 500MHz slot-load CD-R/W CRT; 1G RAM Mac OS X (10.4.3) Using Apple since IIe, and Macs since 1984
iMac G5 20" (ALS); 2G RAM | iMac G3 500MHz; slot-load CD-RW; 1G RAM Mac OS X (10.4.3) Using Apple since IIe, and Macs since 1984

Firewire Target Disk Mode Battery Icon

When trying to enter TDM with Lacie drive connected by firewire I get the TDM yellow icon and an icon at the bottom that appears to be a charge or battery icon. It appears red.
Note:
-Power is connected (third-party ac adapter by macally)
-When in Leopard, I can access the Lacie drive and the files (I want to start up in Tiger)
Thanks.

Hi, Rob. Quoting from Apple's article How to use FireWire Target Disk Mode:
"Important: Unplug all other FireWire devices from both computers prior to using FireWire target disk mode. Do not plug in any FireWire devices until after you have disconnected the two computers from each other, or have stopped using target disk mode."

Firewire Target DIsk Mode Mac partition not Boot Camp partition

Hi I'm having issues starting up my Mac and would like to Firewire mount the drive then image it. However, when I do so the Boot Camp partition mounts instead of the Mac partition. I've tried using Disk Utility on the host machine to mount the Mac partition (it does show up in Disk Utility) without success, Is there anything I can do.
(Yes I have yesterday's Time Machine backup, but would still prefer to do a full image before wiping and installing the OS).

Are you talking about starting up one computer in Target Disk Mode and then seeing it with a second computer (and if so, which model computer and which OS)?
[How to use FireWire target disk mode|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661] includes description of hardware and software requirements.
[What to do if your Mac doesn't enter FireWire Target Disk Mode|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75414], also read about [Open Firmware Password Protection|http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/openfirmwarepassword.html] which can disable Target Disk Mode.
[Technical Note TN 1189|http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn1189.html#TargetMode] - driver details for TDM

My G4 AGP won't startup after turning on firewire target disk mode

Can any one help me on this? I have a G4 AGP Graphics Mac running 10.4.11.
I turned on firewire target disk mode in the startup utilities to transfer files to my G5. The G4 started up in Firewire just fine and I could open it up as a drive on my G5, but the problem now is that the G4 won't startup in anything but firewire mode.
So my question is: How do you shut off the firewire target disk mode? I have tried all the keyboard commands at startup and inserted the Tiger install disk and holding the C key, but nothing will let me get me passed the Firewire Icon at startup.
Any help would be appeciated, Thanks.

Hi Steve, and a warm welcome to the forums!
More things to try...
Does it boot into Open Firmware with CMDOption+of ?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=42642
reset-nvram (press Enter)
set-defaults (press Enter)
reset-all (press Enter)
Have you done a PRAM reset...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238
Tried resetting the PMU?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14449

Firewire Target Disk Mode - Secondary Internal HDD?

Hello great collective of knowledge.
Does anyone know if there is a way to target the secondary internal hard disk in Firewire Target Disk Mode?
Thanks,
Clint

FireWire Target Disk Mode will only work with the master Ultra ATA drive. To access other drives, change the position of them in the computer or use File Sharing, with SharePoints if necessary.
(23400)

Firewire target disk mode question

I am using firewire target disk mode to copy some files, but can only see the system drive on the slave computer, what do I do so I can see the secondary hard drive on the slave computer?

You'll have to swap drives. TDM only sees the MASTER drive. If your drives are jumpered MASTER and SLAVE then switch them. If the computer uses CABLE SELECT then swap the position of each drive on the ribbon cable.

Firewire target disk mode only recognizes 128GB of my 400 GB external drive

I am using an old Powermac G4 with a Seagate 400MB internal secondary drive as a n external drive via firewire target disk mode. I have used disk utility to format it but only 128 GB of the 400 GB is recognized? Any thoughts?

More than likely your old G4 has a disk controller only capable or recognizing drives up to 128Gb size. If it's an original G4 model with no additional ATA card in it, that would be normal.

Firewire Target Disk mode confusion

Alright, so after 1.5yrs my PowerMac decides to crash...after spending time on phone with Apple support and internet, only option is complete reinstall. So I was told about Firewire Target Disk Mode and the ability to transfer all data from crashed computer to a working one, and after reading countless post on this forum as well as others, Im still a little bit in the grey on which is the Host and which is the target, so I felt that I would see if I could get a case-specific answer from my friends here...
If please could someone select correct answer.
Both computers off, start the (crashed/working) computer while holding the "T" key.
Also, is there any way I could cause any data loss to the working computer? Its my roommates and it would be terrible in if fixing mine it destroyed his!!!
PowerMac G4 Mac OS X (10.4.8)
Thank you very much in advance...and please flame me if I didnt make any sense, but hopefully will understand what Im trying to do and help a desperate man out. Thanks again!!!

I'm still a little bit in the grey on which is the Host
and which is the target, so I felt that I would see
if I could get a case-specific answer from my friends
here...
The "Target" in Target Disk Mode ("TDM") is the computer that is placed into TDM. The paradigm is that, by booting the TDM computer with the "T" key depressed, it becomes just a fancy Firewire disk (with the TDM icon on the screen) just like any other Firewire disk, and can be mounted on any other working Macintosh computer (the "Host") as an external drive.
In most cases (but not yours), it actually can be done with either computer as the "Host" and the other one as the TDM (Target). Because you can't boot your computer, it will have to be the Target so that the boot ROM can do the Firewire magic to make the drive be a Firewire TDM drive.
If please could someone select correct answer.
Both computers off, start the (crashed/working)
computer while holding the "T" key.
In your case (see above), it should be the "crashed" computer that is put into TDM mode by booting with the T key depressed.
Also, is there any way I could cause any data loss to
the working computer?
Oh sure, just like you could operating on any Computer. You could drag all of the files on the Host computer to the trash, and many would go there (some would need the admin password). You could erase the disk (Mac OS won't let you erase the boot disk, but you could boot from a CD/DVD on the Host computer and erase the boot drive. And you could make the mistake of copying the files from the TDM drive (the crashed computer) on top of similar but possibly different files on the Host. But connecting the TDM computer as a mounted drive, without more, won't cause data loss. It will require some mistake by the person at the keyboard (you).
Hope this helps,
Russ

Export Safari bookmarks via FireWire target disk mode?

FYI There is NO "export bookmarks" in my Safari File, as there should be.
I need to export my Safari bookmarks via firewire from a G4 to a G5. BUT I can't find anyway to export them. Please help!

What I believe Hawaiian_Starman ment, is once you have the G4 drive mounted on the G5 you can transfer files. It's easy to do this by FireWire Target Disk Mode. The drive will show up with the FW symbol. At that point just copy the old bookmark file into your home directory:
copy "FW Hard Drive"/Users/{username}/Library/Safari/bookmarks.plist to ~/Library/Safari/
Where "FW Hard Drive" is the name of the external drive on the desktop. {username} is your old username on the external drive. ~ is you home directory on your internal hard drive.
Make sure you have Safari quit before copying the bookmark file over.
Also if you want to network the two computer together just on a temporary basis, just plug in an ethernet cable between the two. Have both computers booted up. On the G4, (the computer you want to to copy files from) open the System Preferences and turn on Personal File Sharing. On the G5, Select Network from the Go menu. You should see the G4 listed in "My Network" I believe. Just log in and start copying whatever files you need.
Personally, I use Firewire as it's easier and you don't need to worry about file permissions.
PPC G4 1.4GHz Mac OS X (10.4.5) 1GB RAM, 120GB HD x2, SuperDrive, 128MB ATI Graphics Card

IMac G4/800 in FireWire Target Disk Mode shuts down, hard drive hopeless?

I have found myself in possession of a 12 year-old iMac G4/800. The machine looks stock and was nice and full of dust when I took it apart, so I'm going to assume nothing has been upgraded on it. The person who the computer belongs to has had issues booting the machine and when it does boot, the machine will throw up the "grey screen of death" after a few seconds, I suspect when the hard drive starts to get hit.
I've attempted to start the machine in FireWire Target Disk Mode and the machine will mount on my 2011 MacBook Pro, however once I begin to copy files the machine will abruptly shut off.
I have also attempted to remove the hard drive from the machine and connect it to my MacBook Pro via an OWC Drive Adapter, but it won't mount from the adapter in Disk Utility, Terminal or Disk Warrior. I've connected other (non-IDE) drives with the adapter before, but no luck with this one. Perhaps the IDE connector is faulty on the adapter?
I may look for another drive adapter and I've made an Apple Genius app't for later this afternoon, but I'm curious if anyone has any further advice. Is it more likely that it's a motherboard issue that's causing the machine to shut of in FTDM or a hard drive issue? In any case, this may be one for the Data Rescue Experts. I imagine I may get a few looks at the Apple store with such an old machine.

Another contributory issue to booting in an older PPC Mac is the PRAM battery.
If the battery is more than four years old, it would likely be a partial cause of odd
startup issues and some settings that are required for the computer to start &
run correctly would not be available. The battery is a 3.6V. 1/2AA Lithium cell.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/BAA36VPRAM/
A few companies such as macsales.com show them on their web site... sounds
like your old iMac G4 800MHz could use one. Note there are takeapart instruction
pages online such as one from XLR8Yourmac from years ago. The 800MHz is
similar to the later models with faster G4 processors of the same appearance.
The hard drive type utilized is the older ATA/IDE or PATA; uses older formatting.
Tools, thermal paste, and some other tedious details need to be attended to...
•iMac G4 Take-apart for Drive and RAM upgrades:
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/imac_g4/imacg4_takeapart.html
And another fairly good page w/ larger images:
•Mr Totes' iMac G4 -- taken apart:
http://www.mrtotes.co.uk/page1/page1.html
Sometimes the power supplies and other components can be the cause of issues
in these iMac G4 models, you can test the power output by using the test ports
that are located in the same compartment as the upgrade RAM slot & wi-fi card.
You may be able to find a copy of an original Apple service manual for that iMac.
Those are harder to get, and used to be available to Apple trained technicians.
Good luck & happy computing!

Unable to Install via Firewire Target Disk Mode

I'm having problems with installing Leopard 10.5 via Target Disk Mode. The 2 Macs I am using are a eMac 1.0GHz with 1GB RAM Running OS X 10.4.11 and a PowerMac QuickSilver 933MHz 896MB RAM Running OS X Server 10.4.11.
The eMac's Combo Drive has gone south and won't read DVDs so I am putting the install DVD into the QuickSilver. If I start the QuickSilver in Target Mode I only see the QuickSilver's harddrive on the eMac and can't access the install DVD. If I put the eMac in Target Mode and boot up the QuickSilver using the Install DVD after I get through the language selection it says the QuickSilver isn't capable of installing it.
Any suggestions would be helpful.
Thanks

Then, you're out of luck if the QS can't run Leopard. My G4 does. You might look at
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20071214143723301
http://www.tidbits.com/webx?14@@.3cb6ddd5/5 and
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=371302
to see how you can work around it. Alternatively, use another machine or ext burner to boot the eMac with the DVD. With the QS in TDM, only the master disk is available.

Help installing via Firewire (Target Disk Mode)

I purchased a used iBook G4 which came with Tiger 10.4.8, and as much as I really wanted to keep it, I don't have the original Tiger discs and needed to reinstall an OS to be the Admin account (I kept getting password prompts when connecting and updating my ipod, etc).
I have Panther and have successfully installed it under circumstances where I've had to utilize Target Disc Mode (connecting one computer to another via Firewire).
I've tried connecting this iBook to my iMac G3, it recognizes it, and I am fully capable of formatting the iBook's disc, which I have, but after attempting to install Panther, the iBook won't boot on its own.
First of all, it also won't boot off the Panther disc by holding down C on bootup. So i am pretty much limited to a Target Disc Mode install. So, to explore an alternative, I have a G4 with a Software Restore disc at work. The restore has Jaguar on it, but I figured I could restore to Jaguar, then upgrade to Panther no problem.
Again, using my iMac G3 and the restore CD, i was able to install the OS, but the iBook still does not want to book on its own. Unlike with the Panther install, this time it gets a few seconds into loading and then crashes. It gives me the black box in the middle of the screen saying I need to restart my computer by holding the power button for a few seconds.
Any thoughts? Is it possible that since the G3 and the iBook G4 are in different "families" something's not going right?
Im going to go up to my office later today and try using my G4 to host the iBook through Target Disc Mode and see if that makes a difference.
Thanks for any feedback.
-Justin

Hi -Justin!
Tiger is available for purchase at The Apple Store (U.S.).
If you know what you are lookng for, a Full Retail Version, of the Tiger Install DVD, can alsobe purchased rather inexpensively, at some online Apple retailers, Amazon, eBay, AppleRescue, FastMac, etc.
As already posted, be sure not to purchase grey, upgrade or machine specific CDs or DVDs.
The disc must look exactly like the images in the above links.
Additional info in these links.
Using OS X Install CDs/DVDs On Multiple Macs
What's A Computer Specific Mac OS X Release
Software Update, Upgrade: What's The Difference?
Once Tiger 10.4.x is installed, you can use the PPC 10.4.8 Combo Update, to upgrade to the current version.
Shop Carefully, Examine All Documentation, And Good Luck!
ali b

G4 and Firewire Target Disk Mode

I am running a G4 made in Dec.99, with ATA drive and AGP graphics, running OX 10.3.9 and I cannot start it up in Target Disk Mode (TDM) to connect it to a Mac Pro. Any ideas? I've been all over "support" on the Apple web site and the only thing I could find is that it may not be TDM compatible, but the list of machines that do work included G4 with AGP graphics and ATA drive, which I have both. I have firmware version (BootROM) 3.1.3ƒ1 and do not know what else I can do. Does anyone have any ideas, as a co-worker told me he was able to TDM a G3. I have already done the obvious checks, cords, ports, power, etc, and the G4 keeps starting up on the system. Should I try restarting in system 9 (still installed) and then try TDM? Help, please.... if anyone can, thanks.

Hi, Andrea -
I have firmware version (BootROM) 3.1.3ƒ1
The current version of firmware for your machine is 4.2.8. It is recommended that the firmware be updated for better compliance with OSX, and doing so may solve the Firewire TDM issue. You can download the updater from here -
Article #86117 - Firmware Updates
The firmware update will run only when the machine is booted to OS 9 from the internal hard drive, so it is good that you still have that installed.
Note - the firmware update will result in a more strict adherence requirement by the startup memory test. Several years ago there was a bunch of RAM sold which did not quite meet Apple's original specs, but was good enough to pass the original memory test requirements. Much of this RAM will not pass the stricter adherence requirements after the firmware update - any that does not pass the test will be locked out during startup. Before installing the firmware update, download and run DIMM First Aid - this utility can perform basic RAM tests, such as compliance to specs, and can correct the coding on some sub-spec RAM so that it is usable after the firmware update. This utility is an OS 9 program.
Should I try restarting in system 9 (still installed) and then try TDM?
That should make no difference. Since nothing is loaded, including the OS on the drive, when a machine is started up in FwTDM (the machine's drive appears to the Host machine as if it were an external firewire hard drive), what OS may be set in Startup Disk is not relevent.
<hr>
Does anyone have any ideas, as a co-worker told me he was able to TDM a G3.
Yes, some G3's are FwTDM capable, although many G3s (such as B&W G3 models) can be only the Host machine and not the Target machine.

Firewire target disk mode install leopard

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