Slow transfers with G5 client running in target disk mode

I'm using a brand new dual 3GHz Mac Pro, just arrived today.
I've connected my G5 in FW800 target disk mode, it's two internal drives are mounted properly on my Mac Pro ("/Volumes/Files 1" is the drive in the G5):
/dev/disk3 750G 98G 652G 13% /Volumes/Files
/dev/disk4s3 400G 334G 66G 83% /Volumes/Files 1
I'm copying all my old data, and it's taking way too long.
iostat reveals disk activity on disk4 at 10MB/s (it never passed 11MB/s - it's always upwards of 10.5MB/s, so it's being throttled):
disk4 disk5 disk1 cpu
KB/t tps MB/s KB/t tps MB/s KB/t tps MB/s us sy id
128.00 85 10.62 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 0 1 98
128.00 86 10.74 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 1 2 97
128.00 86 10.74 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 1 2 97
122.07 89 10.60 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 1 0 99
There are always 128KB/t when a large file is being copied, so perhaps that's the rate limiter.
iostat will not print statistics about "disk3", which is the destination RAID1 (mirror) inside the new MacPro. What tools are used to monitor IO stats for Apple's RAID volumes, if iostat won't do it?
I'm open to suggestions as to what's causing this. I don't know much about tuning MacOS. Is this a firmware issue? The MacPro firmware is up to date (did it today).
There are no other FW devices connected, period. This is just the G5 connected to the MacPro; FW800.
I have read articles discussing problems with slave drives not being available from disk mode clients, but this is not that type of problem. As I mentioned, the drives in the G5 all mount correctly on the MacPro.
Should I post this in a G5 forum as well?
Thanks for any suggestions.

I am having the same issue - extremely slow transfer speeds from old G5 to new MacPro. Was originally using a FW400 cable - now I am using a FW800 cable.
Goes VERY slow when it starts moving video files (from Final Cut Pro, etc.).
Help! We've been trying to do this transfer for about two days now...

Similar Messages

How does one prevent a folder's contents from being read while running in target disk mode?

I want to prevent a folder's contents from being seen or used by a second computer that is connected to my iMac when it is running in the firewire
target disk mode. Whenever I put my iMac into the Target Disk Mode all of its disk contents, for all users on its disk, can be seen and used by the second computer without needing any passwords. Does anyone know of a simple way, short of using FileVault, for protecting folder contents when viewed while running in the target disk mode? I would like to protect the entire contents of my "Documents" folder from being viewed by anyone that connects to my iMac via the firewire target disk mode.

Many users make a password protected Disk Image using Disk Utility to keep selected files protected. I have one such image myself that I keep on my Desktop containing passwords and such. I'm not sure if you could put the entire contents of your Documents folder into a secure disk image but you could certainly make one and put your most sensitive items in it within your Documents folder.
I agree with you for not wanting to use FileVault. I've never used it myself and am very leery of it due to things I've read from other users.
Regards,
Steve M.

MBP and target disk mode with PPC desktop

I am thinking about finally jumping to a MBP from a PowerBook.
One of the things I do a lot is hook up my PowerBook in target disk mode to interchange information with my PowerPC desktop.
Any problems with using a MBP in target disk mode with a PPC desktop? If so... what???
Thanks for any feedback, help, cautions.
-- Jim
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We just took the plunge and our MBP is being shipped.
Did you let the Migration Assistant move your applications? I am thinking about whether it is a good idea to migrate Final Cut Studio and any other non-Universal apps, for example, from the PowerBook, then get the Universal upgrades? Or just get the Universal versions and install them?
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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.

Target disk mode and my QT movie

Hi Everybody.
I tried to transfer a QT from my Imac and my Ibook. Both are quite powerful and recently new. When I transfered, powered off both and turned the Ibook on, it would not play a 30min QT with the warning that
"The movie file "Rough Assembl-FIN-000000e8" cannot be found. Without this file, the movie cannot play properly."
To transfer, I powered up the Laptop (holding the T)and then with symbol on the screen, firewired and powered up the Imac. I then grabbed the QT from my movie file and dropped it at the yellow coloured hard drive symbol on the Imac which is I presume the Ibook.
What am I doing wrong?
Hope to hear from you.

I think your problem has nothing to do with the way you transferred the QT movie file (using Target Disk mode or others). The problem is that the QT movie is a reference movie (not self-contained) and it references to a render file that is now missing.
If the movie works on its original Mac and not on the second one, then you should make the movie self-contained in the original Mac, and only then move it to the second Mac. You can do it by exporting again from FCE with Export/Quicktime Movie and make sure Make Movie Self-Contained is checked. Or you can use QT Pro, open the movie (always on the original Mac) and Save As and select the right option.
If the movie doesn't work on the original Mac either, it means that in the meanwhile you made some changes in FCE that removed the old render file. So you have first to render again, and then export as above.
In any case you cannot open the movie in QT Player until it has been fixed.
Piero

Transfering a few files from iMac to MacBook Air with Thunderbolt. Which do I put in Target Disk Mode?

Transferring a few files from iMac to MacBook Air with Thunderbolt. Which do I turn on first in Target Disk Mode? The one receiving the files or the one that has the files?

I would put the destination computer into TDM

Is it possible to store a back up on external HD by transfering files using Target Disk Mode?

Dear Apple community,
There's absolutely no way that I'm going to be able to fix my MBP without a clean install. I simply cannot log in and get to my desktop screen after upgrading to Mavericks. So I will have to erase everything and perform a clean install. However, before proceeding with this plan, I'll have to back up my files from my MPB since I cannot use my mac normally, I'll have to back up my files using the Target Disk Mode. I've connected my MPB to another MPB in the past, so I know how the process work. But this time around I won't be able to use another MBP but a MB. I have a few doubts regarding the process especially in what concernd adding an external HD to this equation. So please bear with me and see if you can answer my doubts.
So this is the equipment I'll be working with: my MPB, my friends MacBook (2008) and my 1TB external hard drive.
My basic question is: once I connect my MPB in Target Disk Mode to the MB, I'm sure I'd be able to transfer my files to this MB. But let's say that I don't want to leave my files in this MB (after all it's not my computer) and want to send my files straight to an external HD connected to this MB. Is it possible? If positive, I know that the only FireWire port in the MB is a 400 port. That means my MBP will be connect to the MB using the only FireWire port available in the MB. So I believe that my external HD would have to be connected to the MB with the help of an USB cable. I assume that this will make the transferring process a little slower than if I could count solely on FireWire ports. Slowing the process down is not a problem but could this corrupt any of my files during the transferring process or even damage anything? I assume that would never happen after all it's just digital data, but better safe than sorry, right? What do you think?
Another thought that occurred to me is: let's say I connect my MBP to the MB using the FireWire 400. I'd still have an FireWire 800 port available on my MBP. If I connect my external HD to my MBP (yeah, the one that will be in Target Disk Mode) using that FW 800 port, would my MBP allow this external HD to mount as if it was just another folder/drive in my computer? If positive, theoretically I'd be able to transfer files from my MBP to my external HD manually (by dragging files from folder to folders), right?
I really don't want to transfer my files from the MBP to the MB and then from MB to external HD. That would just take time and I really don't know how much available space I'll find on my friend's MB.
Oh, one last question: when transferring files using Target Disk Mode, do all computers involved in this process gotta have the same OS X version installed or it doesn't matter if e.g one is running Snow Leopard and the other Mavericks?
Looking forward to hear back from you, experts.

Grant Bennet-Alder West of Boston, USA
A new 1TB External drive (suitable to replace your current Internal drive if you choose to) and enclosure can be had for under US$160
Ehh, you meant $60 , not $160
CassHeger
I do need to buy an external HD to be used solely for that purpose.
Yes, quality HD are cheap as dirt.
however a likewise Toshiba Internal HD 1TB is $70   (same as used by Apple)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOSHIBA-MQ01ABD100-1TB-5400-RPM-8MB-Cache-2-5-SATA-3-0Gb -s-Internal-Notebook-/121107538930?pt=US_Internal_Hard_Disk_Drives&hash=item1c3 2 9263f2
best options for the price, and high quality HD:
Quality 1TB drives are $50 per TB on 3.5" or $65 per TB on 2.5"
Perfect 1TB for $68
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Canvio-Portable-Hard-Drive/dp/B005J7YA3W/ref=sr_1_ 1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379452568&sr=8-1&keywords=1tb+toshiba
Nice 500gig for $50. ultraslim and perfect
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Canvio-Portable-External-Drive/dp/B009F1CXI2/ref=s r_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1377642728&sr=1-1&keywords=toshiba+slim+500gb
2.5" USB portable High quality BEST FOR THE COST, Toshiba "tiny giant" 2TB drive (have several of them, LOT of storage in a SMALL package)    $117
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Canvio-Connect-Portable-HDTC720XK3C1/dp/B00CGUMS48 /ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1379182740&sr=1-4&keywords=2tb+toshiba
*This one is the BEST portable external HD available that money can buy:
HGST Touro Mobile 1TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive
$88
http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Mobile-Portable-External-0S03559/dp/B009GE6JI8/ref=sr _1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383238934&sr=8-1&keywords=HGST+Touro+Mobile+Pro+1TB+USB+3.0+72 00+RPM
Most storage experts agree on the Hitachi 2.5"

Target Disk Mode with G4 PowerBook

This week I'm installing a new hard drive in my 2003 867Mhz PB. I plan to do a fresh install from the original CDs so I will have a computer clear of much data for a trip I'm going on next week. I will apply all updates to 10.4.11 to match my Mac Pro.
1. Can I install my '08 iLife apps onto my PowerBook? I'm the only user of both machines and normally I wouldn't care that the PB still has '06 since I rarely use it. However, the purpose of my trip is to take photos for five days. My PB doesn't meet the minimum requirements for Aperture. I want to start culling some of the photos on the trip so I won't have too many to import to Aperture when I return. Taking a bunch of DVDs isn't an option because the PB doesn't have a SuperDrive.
2. If I can install iPhoto '08, will Aperture see the PB's iPhoto Library in Target Disk Mode? If I can't install '08, will Aperture see the '06 iPhoto Library in Target Disk Mode? I will not be editing any photos in iPhoto on the PB - only viewing them to delete the bad out of the collection so I won't have to import a huge collection. Obviously iPhoto won't be running on either machine when I connect them in Target Disk Mode, so technically I won't have more than one copy in use at any time.
I have a wireless home network. I could set up file sharing on my PB to transfer the photos, but I think that would be much slower than using Target Disk Mode. Since I'm taking photos for my job, and knowing the schedule of events and shoot list, I'm estimating 10G of photos minimum. That's a lot of time with a pokey old PB for transferring. I won't be taking a Firewire hard drive because it's too bulky with all the other equipment considering that the 120G hard drive I'm installing in the PB won't have many apps. I also won't have internet access so I can't upload the photos to my iDisk.
3. Does anyone know if Target Disk Mode can be used with my PB when I upgrade my Mac Pro to Leopard? I'm not planning on installing Leopard on the PB (don't know if it meets the minimum requirements) because I don't see myself using the PB too often. By the time I need to be portable more frequently, I will buy a MBP. I hadn't turned the PB on for over a year until last week to make sure it still works for this trip. It would be more useful to buy an extra iPod to store photos than to buy Leopard for the PB.
Sorry if that seemed like a confusing bunch of questions. I tried searching the forums and Apple's support site and now I'm too exhausted to think too clearly. Thanks for any help or pointers.

I have to answer my own post as this question probably isn't allowed here. After installing the new hard drive I read the license agreement while waiting for the restore DVD to finish. I didn't bother with upgrading 10.2 which is what the PB had when new. I immediately installed Tiger and after it's done updating I'll see what software I need/want besides iWork. I'm sure Tiger isn't different in the license than Leopard. (So I'll have to plan on getting a new portable soon as I think the Target Disk Mode is faster for transferring unless I get another Firewire drive.)
But at least the new hard drive and maxed RAM has made my PB a bit more peppy. Or maybe I'm not remembering how slow it was because I haven't yet used it. I'm currently still waiting for Tiger to finish installing. I'll hold off a little longer before upgrading my Mac Pro to Leopard to find out if there are any network gotchas I should know about with my PowerBook. If I'd been using the PB, I'd know all these answers. I've just been so thrilled with my Mac Pro and 23" monitor that the PB hasn't had much appeal. But maybe I'll try to wring a little more life out of the PB.

Can Target Disk Mode be run from an external hard drive?

Hi
My hard drive crashed on me the other day (again) and the apple genius told me all I could do was recover my data and send it in (again)
QUESTION:
Can target disk mode could be run using an external hard drive as opposed to another mac? If so, how?
I think corrupt files on my external hard drive might have crashed my ibook hard drive and I'm wondering if I should really try using the external to save all my info from my ibook. Am I completely clueless about computers or is this actually a possible problem?
Thanks

HI Andrea,
No, you are not completely clueless. If you follow John's sound advice using Target Disk Mode from another Mac, maybe you have a friend or relative who has one. Here's the information on how to use Target Disk Mode that I found in the Apple Help menu:
Transferring files between two computers using FireWire:
You can use FireWire to connect your computer to another Mac and have one of the computers appear as an external hard disk on the other computer. This is sometimes called Target Disk Mode.
To transfer files using FireWire:
Shut down the first computer and leave the second computer on.
Connect the two computers using a 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire cable. (If both computers have higher-speed FireWire 800 ports in addition to the standard FireWire 400 ports, you can use a 9-pin to 9-pin cable with the FireWire 800 ports to transfer data at higher speeds.)
Open System Preferences, click the Startup Disk, and click Target Disk Mode. (Or, start up the first computer while holding down the T key.)
A disk icon for the first computer appears on the desktop on the second computer. Drag files to and from the disk to transfer them.
When you finish, eject the first computer's disk by dragging its icon to the Trash. (While you drag, the Trash icon changes to an Eject icon.)
Push the power button on the first computer to shut it down and disconnect the FireWire cable.
If the computer to which you connect your computer is running Mac OS 9, it must have FireWire version 2.3.3 or later installed. Use Apple System Profiler (located in /Applications/Utilities) to check the version of FireWire installed. If it has an older version, get an update at the Apple FireWire website at www.apple.com/firewire.
It's a very simple process but it can only be done between two Macs. You can only "target" another Mac, not an external drive.
It sounds like your iBook needs service. And if you think that your external drive caused the problem to start with, I wouldn't use it again if you can do the TDM instead to retrieve your important data.
Also, be careful with total free drive space. Never fall below 15% free space. Open Disk Utility from the Applications/Utilities folder. Then select MacintoshHD in the panel on the left. Then look down towards the bottom of the window on the right. You'll see "Capacity" and "Availablity". It's a good idea to keep track of free space all the time. You need a minimum of 15% just to boot.
Hope this helps...
Carolyn

HT1661 Problems mounting Imac in target disk mode on retina laptop with a solid state drive as host

I'm trying to use an Imac in target disk mode to copy files from it to a new retina display laptop with a solid state drive, but the target drive will not mount even tho it does start in target disk mode. I have all the proper firewire connection. The Imac will not respond for more than a few minutes before crashing when started from its own system. I would like to salvage a few files from it before I perform a clean install of the system.
Anyone has any idea why it wont mount in Target mode onto the retina laptop? Help!
Thanks in advance. :-)

Mac OS X doesn't offer a "clean install" option.
I'm assuming your target Mac is running 10.6?
And you setup the target Mac without adding a Firewire cable until after the Firewire logo appears on the screen?

Can't get Target Disk Mode to work with host computer

Here's the problem. My Powerbook G4 went down a week ago (it's 7 years old) and I suspect the problem is either the hard drive or the portion of the logic board controlling the drive. I also have a Power Mac G4 400 that's running OS 10.4 Tiger. I've been trying to extract some files (that I failed to back up) from the Powerbook via Target Disk Mode using the older Power Mac as the host, however the target disk doesn't show up on the host screen. When I boot up the Powerbook holding the T key, it chimes and the FireWire symbol shows up like it's suppose to, but that's as far as goes. I plan on upgrading to a newer Mac, which would probably work better as a host, but money is a bit tight right now. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

If the trouble with the Powerbook is either a failed hard drive or a failed hard drive controller, FireWire Target Disk Mode isn't likely to work with any host computer. What you may want to try is installing data recovery software on the desktop G4 and seeing whether it can see the Powerbook's drive (connected in FWTDM) even though it won't mount. Data recovery software is often able to salvage data from drives that won't mount normally; it may be able to do the same thing via FWTDM.
These three DR utilities are all available in free downloadable demo versions that will show you what the full version would be able to recover before you have to pay for anything:
Data Rescue
FileSalvage
VirtualLab
Good luck.

Can a MacBook Pro with Leopard be Target Disk mode to take my Snow Leopard iMac data?

I might be going about this wrong, but I wonder if it can be done: I have an older MacBook Pro that has a clean fresh install of Leopard on it. I would like to get my current account and data from my iMac (running Snow Leopard) on to the MBP by using Target Disk Mode. I tried to take saId data off the iMac by target disking it ( FROM iMac TO macbook ) but that gave me a warning about going from a newer operating system down to an older one. Soooo... can I go in the other direction and target disk the laptop? Somehow, I don't think that is really the best way to do it. I do not have the Snow Leopard install disk anymore, so I can't upgrade the laptop. But is that what I am really going to have to do, to do this right? Thanks!

You can't migrate a user account from a later OS to an earlier one.
You can use TDM to move your data by drag & drop, but you won't be able to retain all preferences.
Easiest way would be to put the MBP in TDM and use Disk Utility from the iMac to erase the Macintosh HD on the MBP and then use the Restore function to clone the whole system from the iMac to the MBP.
But there are caveats - If the OS on the iMac was installed originally from a retail SL disc (white with white cat on it) this should work fine.
But - if the OS on the iMac is the one it shipped with (installed from a grey disc), it won't have the battery management software required by the MBP.
In that case your choices are limited to manually moving your data from your home folder to the new account on the MBP, or buy a retail SL disc and upgrade the MBP then use setup assistant to transfer the user and applications.
As always, I would recommend backing up your data from the iMac to an external drive before starting any of this.

IMac won't boot after transferring info to laptop (Target disk mode)

Hello Mac Gods,
I have an iMac, and it was running great until I started it up in target disk mode to transfer info to my new laptop. Now it won't start up, and when I started it up from the install DVD to repair the disk, the hard drive didn't appear at all (and couldn't be repaired). Any advice? It seems like it must be the result of the target disk startup - the timing is too perfect and I didn't have any problems before.
Any input would be much appreciated.

Hopefully you have AppleCare. If so, call Apple to see if this if you are afflicted with the dreaded motherboard problem.
BTW, this area is for discussing iMac G4s. Since you have an iMac G5 you will probably want to make future posts in the iMac G5 discussion area.

Problem With Target Disk Mode

Folowing upgrade of my Mini and Powerbook to Tiger I have a problem with target Disk Mode when I attempt to eject the transfer to disk following transfer of my user file. I get an error message to the effect that files are in use and the disk can not be ejected. I try force quit (finder only is running) usually to no effect. Sometimes attempting to verify disk permissions in disk utility will clear the problem and allow me to eject the disk. One time it took close to an hour attempting to eject the disk. Is there another way?
PB Mac OS X (10.4.3)

I had this problem with external volumes like ZIP discs and also external hard drives. Sometimes it was an app used on one of the external files still being open (eg. Word for a text file) which had to be quitted first. The "trackpad" button equals the mouse button which is on the PowerBook. Repairing the target disk via disk utility might also help.

Target Disk Mode with RAID Volume and Macbook Pro

I just received a MBP which I today intended to use to pull a netrestore image off our lab server. The latter is a Mac Pro with 2 RAID 1 arrays. I started the Mac Pro in target disk mode, hooked it up to the MBP and was expecting to see the RAID volumes to show up in the finder. Unfortunately nothing happened. I then started the disk utility only to find out that the volumes are shown but are not accessible.
Doing the same thing using our backup server (running OS X 10.4.8 server) works like a charm.
Is it possible that MBPs and/or the non-server version of OS X don't support target disk volumes off RAID arrays?
I used the same MBP as a target disk mode slave today and that, too, worked.

Hello BK:
Welcome to Apple discussions.
This knowledge base article will, perhaps, give you more information:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583
Barry

Slow transfers with G5 client running in target disk mode

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