IMac 27" Target DIsplay Mode + Answer to Windows 7 Boot Camp Install

First, I'd like to address the handful of complaints I've come across about installing Windows 7 via Boot Camp on the new 27"iMac.
The issue of the screen going blank when almost done has an easy albeit annoying answer. Simply connect the iMac to an external display, I used a small vga lcd with the Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter. When the iMac's screen goes black the external lcd will continue, and when Windows 7 starts up it will download the updated ATI drivers. From there alls well.
Second, my problem.
Target Display Mode is a great feature. It worked great when I first used it, and it works great now except for the fact that the Command+F2 button combination stopped working. I have to manually unplug my MacBook Pro in order to get my iMac's original screen up. At first Command+F2 would allow me to switch back and forth, and now it does nothing.
Any suggestions?

Well, the usual first things to try for a display-related issue are
Reset PRAM
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379
and of that does not help, reset SMC
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1543
which is basically unplugging the iMac from power and reconnecting it following the precise procedure.
Note: After resetting PRAM, you should go to System Preferences +Startup Disk+ pane to make sure your internal drive is selected (highlighted) as the startup disk.

Similar Messages

Blurry fonts in iMac in Target Display Mode

When I connect Macbook Pro retina with iMac using Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt cable, and use iMac in Target Display Mode the text and fonts are really blurry.
It is the same text in Macbook:
Text in iMac:
The resolution of iMac display is "Best for display", however, I have tried to change it without any success.
Does anyone has similar problem or anyone knows how to fix it? Thanks in advance!

I have found an interesting regularity. If I open window (let's say PDF file) in Macbook Pro and drag it to iMac, then everything is okey. Unless I resize it. Once I resize it, it becomes blurry/smooth again.
Why had this problem and how to fix it?
Changing the resolution in Macbook Pro can help, but 1) I need to change the resolution in Macbook every time when I connect external monitor 2) I cannot resize windows in iMac 3) if I change resolution in Macbook Pro items become really small, so it is hard to see something.
Please help!
OS: OS X Yosemite 10.10
Macbook: MacBook Pro (Retina, late 2013)

No sound on iMac in target display mode

I've got a late 2009 27" iMac running Yosemite.
When I connect either my MBP (Yosemite, late 2011 15") or my wife's rMBP (Mavericks, 2012 15") to the iMac using a mini Display Port cable and switch the iMac to target display mode using Cmd-F2, sound no longer works.
Previously, when the iMac was running Mavericks, the laptops would route sound to the iMac via HDMI audio (I think) on the mDP cable and sound would be output via the iMac speakers or headphones attached to the iMac. Since upgrading the iMac to Yosemite, sound no longer plays.
This occurs regardless of the laptop OS, Mavericks or Yosemite. The sound icon on the laptop get greyed out and shows that it is going to the "Color LCD" but no sound is output via the iMac.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

Humm... I might go TosLink between the iMac and the FastTrack and then run the USB connection to the MacBook Pro when your using it in Target Display Mode.
Or vise Versa, leave the USB connected to the iMac and use the TosLink connection for the MacBook Pro.
See > NewerTech CBLAOPTMT Toslink to Mini Toslink Optical... in stock at OWC

Brightness iMac in target display mode: who has it working in 10.6.8?

"With Target Display mode, you can use your iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010) or iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) with Mac OS X as an external display.": http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3924 . "Use the keyboard of the 27-inch iMac to adjust display brightness and sound volume and to control media playback of applications running on the 27-inch iMac in Target Display mode."
This used to work perfectly for me. But under 10.6.8, the brightness control stopped working. Sound and media control still work as expected. I posted before on this.
Now I know more people are experiencing this problem... I am looking for people who DO have it working under 10.6.8!
I'm looking for anything I can do to get it to work, maybe the info from people who have it working gives me some clues.
Lion is just around the corner. Please let me know if Lion fixes this problem for you.
Thanks!
Maarten

I'm using two 27" imacs and one of them is still on 10.6.8 one has been upgraded to Lion just now.
I thought it was the Lion update which caused this issue for me because I installed 10.6.8 on both of them today as well.
Now I can't adjust the brightness in target display mode on either 27" imac.... worse that that it sets it to full brightness too.
I don't know of I want to try to go back to before 10.6.8 with time machine, talk about gutted ?
can you use monitor calibration as a work around ?
I found TS3919 but it doesn't work BTW , it says to set the brigthness before entering target display mode..
Simon

Using Macbook 2015 with old iMac in target display mode?

Opinions about the new 12 inch Macbook 2015 aside, I am wondering if I can use my 27 inch iMac mid-2011 in Target Display Mode.
I also had trouble finding "daisy chain" solutions to this. Ex. An accessory that will allow me to charge the Macbook while also providing a thunderbolt port in order to output the display into my iMac.
Am I just being too impatient? I have a feeling I will need to buy a load of different adapters just to try and work with the new Macbook's USB C...
Just for more information, I'm currently using my 15 Inch Macbook Pro Retina Mid-2012 connected to my 27 inch iMac in target display mode through a thunderbolt cable. I'm just hoping I can have this simple setup also work with the new Macbook 2015..
Thanks.

Yes, that model supports Target Display Mode. You will have to wait for Apple to provide adaptors for such use.
Target Display Mode- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Target Display Mode 2011 & Later iMacs

Running Dual iMacs in Target Display Mode

When a 'slave' iMac is connected to a 'master' iMac via Target Display Mode, does the slave iMac go to sleep (and wake-up from sleep) in sync with the master iMac (just as if the slave was a Thunderbolt Display), or is it necessary to press "Command (⌘)-F2" on the slave every so often to keep the two machines operating via TDM?
There's a thread here http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1499682 that suggests that putting the master iMac to sleep will exit the slave iMac from TDM. Although point 15) on the Apple documentation states that the machines will stay in TDM after sleeping http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3924?viewlocale=en_US#15
It would be great to hear from anyone who is using two iMacs connected via TDM about any quirks or benefits of this set up versus an iMac with a Thunderbolt Display.
Thanks in advance

Click here and check the requirements. The source computer only needs to have a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt port to be compatible.
(123738)

Use iMac in Target Display Mode with a Power Mac G4

I would like to connect my Power Mac G4 MDD (Model = http://support.apple.com/kb/SP63) to the new iMac (27 inch, Mid 2010) in Target Display Mode. That is, I want the new iMac to be the display for my Power Mac G4. Has anybody done this (including using the iMac 27 inch, Late 2009, which can also do this)? In a general sort of way, this sort of thing is described on this support page: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3924.
The problem: The iMac requires a Mini Displayport connection. The PowerMac has ADC and DVI-I display connections and also came with an adapter for converting DVI-I to VGA. How can I convert/adapt to get the appropriate Mini Displayport connection?
Gefen makes a converter (http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=8913) that will convert DVI-D to Mini Displayport, but the description explicitly says that it will work with DVI-D only while my PowerMac has DVI-I. I know that these are two different, incompatible connections.
Is there another converter that works with DVI-I? Or is there a way to adapt from DVI-I to DVI-D? Or how about a VGA or ADC to Mini Displayport converter?
Thanks.

japamac-
Thanks so much for your reply. You're right on target for what I'm looking for and that article is VERY helpful! If you don't mind, I do have a couple more questions/clarifications.
1) First, I think that I didn't read the Wikipedia reference concerning DVI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DigitalVisualInterface) closely enough. It includes the following paragraph. If I understand it and what you said, it shouldn't be a problem to connect the male DVI-D of the converter into the female DVI-I socket of my Power Mac. Right?
+The long flat pin on a DVI-I connector is wider than the same pin on a DVI-D connector, so it is not possible to connect a male DVI-I to a female DVI-D by removing the 4 analog pins. It is possible, however, to connect a male DVI-D cable to a female DVI-I connector. Many flat panel LCD monitors have only the DVI-D connection so that a DVI-D male to DVI-D male cable will suffice when connecting the monitor to a computer's DVI-I female connector.+
2) I'm not clear on the difference between the Altona AT-DP200 and the Gefen converter. The Gefen converter is somewhat less expensive, so I'm trying to figure out what the downside is. The article you mentioned says that the ATP-DP200 "doesn't scale images", but that seems to only be an issue if I'm trying to connect other devices (PS3, Blu-ray), not if I just want to connect my Power Mac.
The description of the Gefen converter includes the following drawbacks:
+The only major drawback to Gefen's solution is no support for VGA devices or HDCP. A minor gripe would be the fact that the Gefen device only accepts one input resolution and only outputs one resolution (1920 x 1200 at 60 Hz). These limited options aside, the Gefen device looks like it could do the basic trick of transforming a DVI signal to Mini DisplayPort so that you could use your 27" iMac for a few more purposes, provided that the input signal carries the required 1920 x 1200 resolution.+
I'm not clear on what the practical impact of those limitations would be. I don't think the the lack of support for VGA devices or HDCP is an issue for my application. But I'm wondering about the statement that it only accepts one input resolution and outputs only one resolution (1920 x 1200) and the need for the input signal to carry 1920 x 1200. I take it, first of all, that the Power Mac can supply that input resolution. And, what is the impact of the device only having that resolution output to the iMac screen? That is, how would that look on the screen, ugly or okay? Finally, would the Altona device provide a better looking output on the iMac screen because it can apparently handle different resolutions? The manufacturer's description says, "Resolutions: all resolutions up to 1920x1200 (It is Important to select one of the resolutions that display
is capable of displaying, refer to your display’s users manual)."
Thanks again.

Disable sound on imac in target display mode

Have a question about disabling the sound.
I have a MacBook Pro connected to my iMac by the thunderbolt cable. I enable the target display mode on iMac with a script for disabling some configurations on iMac ( including the bluetooth for mouse and keyboard steal ).
I set the sound output in the MacBook Pro to the iMac DisplayPort.
The problem is now i have both outputs on iMac speakers. i want to disable all sound from iMac but keep the output from MacBook Pro on iMac speakers.
Is this posible?
Thanks.

Humm... I might go TosLink between the iMac and the FastTrack and then run the USB connection to the MacBook Pro when your using it in Target Display Mode.
Or vise Versa, leave the USB connected to the iMac and use the TosLink connection for the MacBook Pro.
See > NewerTech CBLAOPTMT Toslink to Mini Toslink Optical... in stock at OWC

Audio on iMac in target display mode.

Here's my problem:
I have a macbook pro with retina display that is hooked up to an imac via thunderbolt. The imac is in target display mode so that I can use it as a second monitor. I have some external speakers attached to the imac which I use when I'm using the imac by itself. I'm trying to make it so that I can use these speakers when in target display mode.
When in system preferences I can set the sound output to the imac but the audio plays through the internal speakers instead of the external. Anyone know a way to make this work?
Thanks in advance!

Humm... I might go TosLink between the iMac and the FastTrack and then run the USB connection to the MacBook Pro when your using it in Target Display Mode.
Or vise Versa, leave the USB connected to the iMac and use the TosLink connection for the MacBook Pro.
See > NewerTech CBLAOPTMT Toslink to Mini Toslink Optical... in stock at OWC

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

TS3775 imac 2011 target display mode

i am trying to use my mid 2011 imac as an external display for a pc. i have a graphics card in my pc that supports mini display and hdmi. if i get a thunderbolt to hdmi cable, will this do the trick?

Hi, sorry, your PC needs thunderbolt, I don't think even Mini DisplayPort works...
The mid 2011s & up need Thunderbolt!???
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3775

Can new MacBooks connect to current iMacs in Target Display mode?

If so, does it depend on whether the iMac has a Retina display?

Click here and check the requirements. The source computer only needs to have a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt port to be compatible.
(123738)

How do I get Windows 7 to display in Target Display Mode on IMac

I am increasingly frustrated by my inbability to get my Mac Mini running Windows 7 to display on my late 2013 27" IMac using Target Display mode.
My setup:
1. IMac 27" Late 2013 running OSX 10.9.2 with all the latest drivers as of Mar 7, 2014.
2. Mac Mini Server Mid 2011 running Windows 7 SP1, 64bit, all the latest Windows drivers as of 3/7/14, using the latest BootCamp Drivers for this machine, ver 5.1 downloaded 3/5/14 to this machine using Boot Camp utilities in its OSX mode.
3. Connected via Apple Thunderbolt cable.
My process is as follows:
a. Turn on the IMac, boot up in the normal manner, preparing it to run in Target Disk Mode in OSX.
b. Turn on the MacMini boot up via BootCamp, in the normal manner in to Windows 7.
c. When Both machines are on and connected via their Thunderbolt ports, I enter cmd-F2 on the IMac keyboard to enter Target Disk Mode.
Nothing happens.
I use this IMac to display my MacBook Pro in OSX, so I know it is working, but I can't see where the problem is.
I have reviewed all of the Apple support information and followed it explicitly, to no avail.
When I have called the Apple support team, I get little help, they assert that they can't troubleshoot because it is not all Apple hardware/software (everything including the Thunderbolt cable is Apple except for the Windows OS)
Any suggestions will be welcome...
Thanks!

I have finally achieved some clarity on how Target Display Mode works, or rather doesn't work.
And I have been mistaken in some of my prior comments.
Target Display Mode is a function of the host machine, at this point only the IMacs. And it is only available when the host machine is running OSX.
But the most recent Thunderbolt versions of the IMac have been significantly dumbed down in this functionality.
The prior generation of IMacs whose video was supported through the Mini Display Port supported almost any input from a Mini Display Port compliant Computer through the use of various mechanical adapters, and certainly from any Mac Hardware or software combination. It was a very versatile setup, and the IMac in this manner could serve as an absoloutely beautiful monitor for a wide variety of hardware/software combinations.
When the current version of the IMac was deployed using the Thunderbolt ports for input for external video, we apparently left a world of standards based video input and entered the world of Apple proprietary video.
The current model of IMacs with thunderbolt video have a very limited functionality in Target Display Mode compared to those of us who have used it previously. and it only functions when the client machine is running OSX.
No other video input from any source will display.
I am not quite clear on the reasons one would want to display OSX on an OSX native machine, but you can do it. I guess MacBook Pro or Air running OSX will now display on the IMac if that is your need.
Likely the most likely need for Target Display Mode for the rest of us is to run Windows on an external machine and display the video on the IMac, as we have been able to do with the prior generations of IMacs for several years now.
Apple has been unwilling to distribute the technical specifications of its video input requirements in Target Display Mode, (other than to assert it requires OSX), and these technical specifications appear to be proprietary.
I have personally unsuccessfully tried to display the output from both Windows 7 and a Windows 8 machines running from a Windows thunderbolt port into a thunderbolt port on a current model IMac using Target Display Mode.
Unfortunately, there are still a few applications that won't work in Mac world and require a native Windows machine. My current need is to run Dragon Naturally Speaking via Citrix to a remote Citrix server and a Windows app. Parallels and VMWare Fusion do not work, nor does the OSX version of Dragon Dictate function via Citrix. So I am stuck.
I hope that Apple, so long a leader in technology, will restore the functionality it abandoned when it embraced thunderbolt as its only video iniput in Target Display Mode.
Thanks!

Target Display Mode iMac 27 mid 2011 with Mac Mini 2011 bootcamp

Hello,
I can't seem to use Target Display Mode with Bootcamp.
My configuration:
Imac 27" mid 2011 with osx 10.8.4
Mac Mini Server 2011 with osx 10.8.4, bootcamp 5 and Windows7
Both are connected via Apple genuine Thunderbolt cable (2m).
When I boot the Mac Mini into OSX then Target Display Mode works perfectly and I can see the osx installed on the Mac Mini on the iMac display.
However, when I reboot the Mac Mini into Bootcamp (windows7 x64) I can't put the iMac in Targt Display Mode and get to see Windows 7 on my iMac screen.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3924#8
The following article says that this should work, however once I reboot osx on the Mac Mini the iMac leaves Target Display Mode immediatly and will not return to Target Display Mode.
Any advice? I contacted Apple Support and a Sr. Enginner said it should be supported and he's checking with a higher tier.
Thanks

Yes, it does.
(110549)

Target Display Mode: Lenovo T420 DisplayPort to iMac (2nd screen) does not work

Configuration:
- Laptop Lenovo T420, DisplayPort, Windows 8.1
- DisplayPort cable, Adapter to Mini DisplayPort
- iMac (Intel, 27-inch, Mid 2011) as 2nd screen, connected via Mini DisplayPort Adapter, Mavericks OSX 10.9.1
Problem:
- iMac does not start Target Display Mode
- Even cannot be forced via Cmd + F2 or Cmd - Shift - F2
Test:
- Lenovo via DisplayPort cable to 2nd screen works fine
- Can switch between PC only, Duplicate, Extend display
Question:
- What is wrong?
- What can be done to idenify the root cause?
Kind regards, Marcel.

Hello Marcel,
It sounds like you are wanting to use the iMac in Target Display mode with your PC. Target Display mode is a feature that is supported from one Mac to another Mac according to this article:
OS X Mavericks: Use another Mac as a display
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14264
Target Display Mode lets you use a Mac as the external display for another, “primary” Mac.
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
Cheers,
Sterling

IMac 27" Target DIsplay Mode + Answer to Windows 7 Boot Camp Install

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