Target disk mode mounts multiple copies of target disk

I'm trying to help a friend who has a problem with her MacBook. We need to copy of her files (guess what, no backup...) before it goes in for repair - it takes the MB about an hour to boot, which is obviously not good. I can mount it via Target Disk mode and briefly see the top-level directory, but then it all goes a bit haywire - the TD seems to unmount suddenly and then a new copy mounts. On the desktop I now have 3 copies of the TD, but in a Finder list window that was already open, it's showing no less than 9 copies!
I cannot eject any of the copies because they are "in use" according to my machine.
I have the feeling that this may be unresolvable, but I thought I'd throw it out there in case one of you gurus has any ideas!

Single-user mode got me further along the track, but then I found I was in a little over my head and suggested she contact her uni's IT department for assistance. I have closed this question.

Similar Messages

IPod classic is stuck in disk mode yet says please insert a disk when plugged in

my iPod became corrupt when i tried resetting it through iTunes and now it acts as if there is no disk inserted

See Corrupt iPod classic.
tt2

Cant seem to get my older Macbook G4 to mount in Target Disk Mode on my Macbook Pro.

I'm trying to solve a boot up issue with my Macbook G4, seems there's a kernal panic trying to boot up and when trying to boot from a hardware test cd, it shows an error that there's a 'No driver for this platform." error.
Did all the reset nvram/pram, tried to start up in safe mode with no luck. So I booted up in Target Disk Mode to my Intel Macbook, ran disk utility, repaired a couple errors, but the hard drive wont mount. It says "try running disk repair and mount again."
Any ideas what could be the issue?

Thank you jeffd55,
I followed the steps in the article you attached to your reply and it worked perfectly. I should add that I followed exactly these steps previously EXCEPT that I had a portable 2 Tb USB 3.0 external drive attached to my 2014 MacBook Pro previously, as my new MacBook Pro has a much smaller capacity than my old 2007 MacBook. But today I didn't attach the external drive and the 2007 MacBook's HDD appeared on the 2014 MacBook Pro's desktop as promised. I don't know if or why the external drive should make a difference; I'm just very pleased it worked!
Thank you.

Target disk mode for edit and save?

I have about 40 GB worth of photoshop files on a white Macbook 2009 running Lion and I need to delete layer 1 from each file. Is it safe to start the Macbook in target disk mode, mount it on my MDD G4 (running 10.4.11) and then run a PhotoShop batch on the G4 which deletes layer 1 and saves to original location? I don't have room to move the files to the G4 and my older version of Photoshop won't run on the Macbook.

Sure, "in theory" there should be no problems at all!
However, risking the ONLY copy of your data doing a non-reversable change is just a generic "bad idea"!
Always working on copies is a general good practice.
Always!

Target Disk Mode Backup

The hard drive on my 12" powerbook g4 is failing and I need to do an emergency backup. I've pulled all the important data off and now I'd like to make a disk image backup so that I don't lose my preferences, fonts, etc, etc.
I'd thought to do this by putting the powerbook into target disk mode, mounting the disk on a friend's powerbook, and then using her disk utility feature to create the new disk image on another, external drive. Her internal drive isn't large enough to hold the disk image.
But reading the apple how-to, it seems like you can't have another firewire connection active when you've got a computer hooked up in target disk mode. Is this so?
Is there any way I can create this disk image backup and get it on my external drive without booting up the failing powerbook?
powerbook g4 Mac OS X (10.4.6)
powerbook g4 Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Hi, oligopisto. Welcome to the Discussions.
The instructions for Target Disk Mode are very specific. I've not tried using a FireWire drive while having another Mac connected in Target Disk Mode. While Apple doesn't state the reason, I'd take them at their word. If the instructions state not to do it, I'd follow their advice.
I presume you only have one FireWire drive, that it's not partitioned, and that you've used that drive to save the data you've backed up from your PowerBook?
If that's the case, then here is a suggestion for an emergency backup procedure:
1. First, using your friend's Mac, see if you can create a disk image of the data on the FireWire drive that you can save on her computer. You need to do this to save the info you've already backed-up to the FireWire drive before proceeding.
2. Open the Get Info window for the FireWire drive and see if the "Ignore ownership on this volume" checkbox is selected in the General pane. If so, uncheck that checkbox.
3. Eject the FireWire drive from your friend's Mac (drag its icon to the Trash), then power off the FireWire drive and disconnect it from her computer.
4. Connect your FireWire drive to your PowerBook and power-on the FireWire drive.
5. Startup from your Tiger Install DVD.
6. Select Language.
7. After the Installer window opens, select Utilities > Disk Utility. You should see both the FireWire drive and the PowerBook's startup disk (e.g. Macintosh HD) in the column on the left side of the Disk Utility window.
8. In Disk Utility, select Macintosh HD.
9. Select the Restore tab.
10. Drag the Macintosh HD icon from the left column to the Source field in the Restore tab.
11. Drag the icon of the FireWire drive's volume to the Destination field in the Restore tab. Your FireWire drive will show up in the left column as:<pre>FireWire Drive Device Info
FireWire drive's volume</pre>The FireWire drive's volume is below and slightly indented with respect to the FireWire Drive Device Info. It's listed with the name of your FireWire drive. That's what you want to drag to Destination.
The first a screen shot in this article will give you some idea of what things should look like.
12. Select Erase Destination. Note: This option will result in the FireWire drive being erased after the next step.
13. Click Restore. Disk Utility begins to copy your entire Macintosh HD to the FireWire drive's volume. This may take several hours depending on how much data is on your PowerBook.
14. When Disk Utility has finished, Quit (Command-Q) Disk Utility.
15. Quit (Command-Q) the Installer. When prompted, select Shutdown to shutdown your PowerBook.
16. After your PowerBook shuts down, power off and disconnect the FireWire drive.
17. Check the files on the FireWire drive using your friend's Mac. If done correctly, you may even be able to startup her Mac from the Backup using Startup Manager. However, given that your PowerBook's hard drive is dying, you'll need to be satisfied with whatever you can get off of it. For example, if the OS on your PowerBook is corrupted, you might get your data files, but the drive won't be bootable.
18. Copy the disk image from your friend's Mac, created in Step 1, to the FireWire drive.
19. Eject the FireWire drive from your friend's Mac (drag its icon to the Trash), then power off the FireWire drive and disconnect it from her computer.
Your FireWire drive should now have both a copy of whatever could be recovered fro, your Macintosh HD and the disk image you created in step 1.
After you get your PowerBook's hard drive replaced, I suggest you implement a comprehensive Backup and Recovery solution. For advice on the backup and recovery solution I employ, see my "Backup and Recovery" FAQ.
Good luck!
Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X
Note: The information provided in the link(s) above is freely available. However, because I own The X Lab™, a commercial Web site to which some of these links point, the Apple Discussions Terms of Use require I include the following disclosure statement with this post:
I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

Will not start up in Target Disk Mode

I recently purchased a MacBook with Leopard. I'm trying to use the Migration Assistant to transfer old stuff from my G4 867 with Tiger to my new MacBook. I have connected using a firewire cable and going through the MA software. It advised to restart the old computer holding down the t key. I have tried this numerous times, old computer starts to start up, then shuts down. I even attempted to change the settings in System Pref=>Start up Disk and starting in TDM, computer attempts to restart, then shuts down. Can't seem to get the old computer to start up in Target Disk Mode. Any suggestions?

I just tried starting it up with option down and it did come up with the System icon and the two arrow icons, then let me continue with start up as per normal by pressing Enter.
When I hold down the T key, or choose Terminal Disk Mode in the System Prefs: Startup Disk, it restarts, then shuts off after about 10 seconds.
I tried disconnecting the two CD drives (ribbon cables) just to see if they were interfering somehow - no go, same problem. Now System Profiler shows only a single ATA bus containing a single Hard Drive at Unit:0, and it still won't go into TDM.
The hard drive is a Seagate Barracuda ST380021A, which has this for pin configurations:
Seagate ST380021A jumper diagram
Originally it was in the Cable Select position, but now it is in the Master/Single drive position (pins 7 & 8).

Pismo with Tiger won't go into target disk mode

I recently upgraded my Pismo to Tiger and can't seem to boot into firewire target disk mode. The computer restarts and gives me a terminal screen that reads: "can't OPEN DISK" and then goes on to say "Welcome to Open Firmware. To continue booting, type "mac-boot"..."
I tried zapping the pram, but that did nothing. Does anybody have any suggestions?

MacUser,
When booted in 10.4.8, select Target Disk Mode in the System Preferences > Startup Disk and see what happens.
If no success, try resetting Open Firmware (from Apple docs):
Boot into Open Firmware by holding down the 'Command-Option-O-F' keys from a cold start while the chime is being played. You will see a command-line screen...enter these commands:
1. At the Open Firmware prompt, type: reset-nvram
2. Press Return.
3. At the Open Firmware prompt, type: reset-all
4. Press Return.
Example:
0 > reset-nvram
Press Return
0 > reset-all
Press Return
The reset-all command should cause the computer to restart. If this occurs, you have successfully reset the Open Firmware settings.

Does the MacBook 2015 support target disk mode?

Will the new MacBook support using the only port it has USB-C to thunderbolt for target disk mode booting?
thanks

Kappy wrote:
Target Disk Mode is only usable on Firewire. If Apple provides a USB-C to Firewire adaptor then you could use TDM.
Not true: You can access Target Disk Mode through Thunderbolt ports.
I don't know enough about USB-C to know whether TDM is possible: certainly TDM isn't possible on USB-A ports. We'll all have to keep reading the reviews once the hardware is released.

I cannot get my computer out of target disk mode

I had my G4 power Mac (10.4.11) connected in Target Disk Mode to my new Mac Mini (10.7.3) to migrate the file from it to the new Mini. Now I cannot get the old machine to go back into startup disk mode, it is staying in Targer Disk Mode. Any ideas how to bring my G4 back to life?

I followed suggestion and it worked. Zapping the PRAM still has it's uses! I'm cured, thanks guys!

Target Disk Mode Installation

I have an iBook (doesn't have a DVD drive) that I would like to install Leopard on from my DVD installation disk. Since the iBook's HD only has 1 partition, is it possible to do an Erase and Install while in target disk mode using another computer's DVD drive? I am concerned that erasing the HD will have some effect on the computer's ability to stay in target disk mode.

From the host computer, launch Disk Utility.app, and select the hard drive you have in target disk mode from the list to the left. Click the Partitions tab, then Options. You should be able to select "GUID Partition Scheme". Now is also a good time to name the hard drive; name it "Macintosh HD". Click on the Partition button again to apply the changes. Quit Disk Utility, and follow the prompts from the installation disc, selecting the iBook as the destination volume for installation.

Desktop contents in the target disk mode

In previous uses of "target disk mode" the contents of the desktop of the target disk have appeared on the desktop of the master machine.
But with this new 10.4 being the master and my old ibook OS9.2.2 i don't see any of those files. And when I open the desktop folder listed in the finder of the 10.4 machine it is blank.
Is there any way I can move the contents of that folder to the 10.4 machine?
kt

HI, kt.
You wrote: "In previous uses of "target disk mode" the contents of the desktop of the target disk have appeared on the desktop of the master machine."That's how it worked when both Macs were running Mac OS 9. As you've seen, Mac OS X does not work this way.
In Mac OS X, open (double-click) the iBook's drive icon on the desktop: the iBook's drive will display a FireWire icon since the iBook is in FireWire Target Disk Mode (the iBook is the Target computer). The iBook's drive will open in a Finder window. The Desktop Folder in that Finder window is the Mac OS 9 desktop of your iBook. Open that folder, then drag and drop files from it to your the desktop on the Mac OS X (Host) computer.
Good luck!
Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

Target Disc Mode to copy library

Can someone explain how to use the Target Disc Mode to copy a iphoto library complete from one computer to another to another computer. I plan to use fire wire 8oo. The library is 30 GB (6000 pics) It would be Great if it were step by step, I still have the Training Wheels on! Thanks

Google is your friend
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661
How to use and troubleshoot FireWire target disk mode
Summary
Learn how to use and troubleshoot FireWire target disk mode.
Products Affected
Desktop Computers, Mac OS, Portable Computers
FireWire target disk mode allows a Macintosh computer with a FireWire port (the target computer) to be used as an external hard disk connected to another computer (the host). Once a target computer is started up as a FireWire hard disk and is available to the host computer, you can copy files to or from that volume.
Host computer requirements
Host computers must meet these requirements:
Built-in FireWire port or a FireWire port on a PC card
FireWire 2.3.3 or later
Mac OS 8.6 or later
Target computers
These models can be used as target computers:
iMac (Slot Loading) with Firmware version 2.4 or later
iMac (Summer 2000) and all models introduced after July 2000
eMac (all models)
Mac mini (all models)
Power Mac G4 (AGP Graphics) with ATA drive
Power Mac G4 Cube
Power Mac G4 (Gigabit Ethernet) and all models introduced after July 2000
Power Mac G5 (all models)
Mac Pro (all models)
iBook (FireWire) and all models introduced after September 2000
PowerBook G3 (FireWire)
PowerBook G4 (all models)
MacBook Pro (all models)
MacBook models introduced before October 2008
Read more about FireWire Ports and Specifications.Note: FireWire Target Disk Mode works on internal PATA or SATA drives only. Target Disk Mode only connects to the master PATA drive on the Ultra ATA bus. It will not connect to Slave ATA, ATAPI, or SCSI drives.Before attempting FireWire target disk mode, check these items:
Make sure your software and firmware are up to date.
Disconnect all other FireWire devices from both computers before you use FireWire target disk mode. Do not connect any FireWire devices until after you have disconnected the two computers from each other or have stopped using target disk mode.
If "Open Firmware Password" has been enabled the computer will not go into Target Disk mode. More information on Open Firmware Password is available in the "What to do if your Mac doesn't enter FireWire Target Disk Mode" section of this article.
If you will be transferring FileVault-protected home directories (Mac OS X v10.3 or later only), log in as the FileVault-protected user and temporarily turn off FileVault. After transferring home directory contents to the target computer, enable FileVault protection again if you like.
To use FireWire target disk mode
Make sure that the target computer is turned off.
If you are using an Apple portable computer such as a PowerBook or MacBook as the target computer, plug in its AC power adapter.
Use a FireWire cable to connect the target computer to a host computer. The host computer can be powered on.
Start up the target computer and immediately press and hold down the T key until the FireWire icon appears. The hard disk of the target computer should become available to the host computer and will likely appear on desktop. (If the target computer is running Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, you can also open System Preferences, choose Startup Disk, and click Target Disk Mode. Restart the computer and it will start up in Target Disk Mode.)
When you are finished copying files, locate the target computer's hard disk icon on the desktop of the host computer and drag it to the Trash or choose Eject (or Put Away) from the File menu.
Press the target computer's power button to turn it off.
Unplug the FireWire cable.
Tips for using target disk mode with Intel-based Mac computers
If you attempt to mount an Intel-based Mac in target disk mode on a Macintosh running Mac OS X v10.3.9 or earlier, you'll see an alert message. For more information, see Intel-based Macs: "You have inserted a disk containing no volumes that Mac OS X can read" alert message.If your Intel-based Mac is becoming unresponsive while in Target Disk Mode, refer to Intel-based Mac may become unresponsive in target disk mode.What to do if your Mac doesn't enter FireWire target disk modeIf your computer does not enter FireWire target disk mode when you hold down the T key at startup and instead starts up into Mac OS, try these steps:
Make sure the FireWire cable is good, and check the connection.
Make sure no other FireWire devices are connected.
Make sure you are starting up the computer while pressing and holding down the T key.
Check the keyboard connection. Make sure the keyboard is connected directly to the computer and not through a display or hub. Whenever possible use an Apple wired or wireless keyboard.
Make sure that Open Firmware Password has not been enabled on this computer. Depending your OS version you may need to download the Open Firmware Password software. For more information on Open Firmware passwords, review Setting up firmware password protection in Mac OS X.
LN

Can windows 8.1 in boot Camp display in target display mode on an IMac?

I have given up on Windows 7 running in Boot Camp on my 15" MacBook Pro and displaying it on my 27" IMac via thunderbolt and Target Display Mode.
The FAQ concerning Target Dsiplay Mode farily clearly says Windows 7 won't work.
But it does not say Windows 8.1 will or will not drive Target Display Mode via thunderbolt.
see: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5219, question 29
Has anyone found that running Windows 8.1 in BootCamp on a MacBook Pro Retina mid 2012 will display via a thunderbolt cable in to Target Display Mode on a late 2013 IMac 27"?
I don't want to go to the trouble of installing Windows 8.1 and trashing my otherwise functional Windows 7 Boot Camp installation unless it is going to display properly on my late 2013 27" IMac running OSX 10.9.3 via thunderbolt.
Thanks in advance!

no, tdm doesn't work under bootcamp regardless of which windows is being used, imho i don't think it will ever work under bootcamp

Target Display Mode on late 2013 27" iMac to mid 2010 27" Imac

Hey guy's real strugling to make my 2010 imac become a display, When i connect my 2010 cinema display 23" everything works fine but the minute i try to enable the tdm function on the 2010 imac nothing happen. Like nothing I got the mini display to thunderbolt adapter but nothing happen with the imac.
Any help or suggestion is very welcome.

Target Display Mode 2009 & 2010 iMacs
Target Display Mode And Thunderbolt
iMac- How to use your iMac as a Target Display Mode display
iMac (Mid 2011)- Target Display Mode does not work with Mini DisplayPort cable

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

Target disk mode mounts multiple copies of target disk

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for