Help using mid2010 Macbook Pro as a target disk

[ccy333]

I am unsure where to post this so please move or let me know if I should use a better forum.

I have two older Macbook pros.
#1 is Mid 2010 MBP with (1) Firewire 800 port and (2) USB 2.0 Ports, 500GB SATA Disk, running OS X Yosemite 10.10.5
#2 is 2014 MBP with (2) Thunderbolt "2" ports and (2) USB 3.0 Ports running OS X Yosemite 10.10.3

#2 MPB ran out of room on HD and battery died, when I next attempted to reboot, it would not turn on past opening apple screen. I have since done all that i can find to do to try and restore. Before I completely wiped out all info on disk, I wanted to check and make sure I had no other options. It was not recently backed up so I am attempting to do all I can in safe/recovery mode to try and save data.

I booted into recovery mode and attempted all solutions that I could find on the internet for Disk Utility , First Aid, Restore, etc.,.,
When using Disk Utility, First Aid, "Repair Disk Permissions" is not available to select.
When doing Verify Disk I am told "the volume XXX-xXX appears to be ok" in green lettering.
As it continues it show "invalid record count , Macintosh HD could not be verified completely" in red letters.
It then says that File System check exit code is 8
Error: This disk needs Repaired. Click Repair Disk.

Repair disk is still not an option to select.

The only thing that I was able to accomplish was to create a 840GB .dmg file of #2MBP saved on an external hard drive. I am uncertain if this will 100% be able to restore my MBP after reinstalling OS.

My questions:

1) Will i be able to use the .dmg file from #2 MPB to restore after reinstalling OS?
2) If not, is it possible to use MBP #1 in target disk mode? I can not find a senario of sending data from Thunderbolt 2 -->adapter--->Firewire800 being successful in target mode. I did not want to spend ~$100 on cable and adapter if not helpful.
3) Does anyone have any other options that may be helpful to try?

 

[Amethyst1]

2) If not, is it possible to use MBP #1 in target disk mode? I can not find a senario of sending data from Thunderbolt 2 -->adapter--->Firewire800 being successful in target mode.

I’ve done it.

2011 MBP --> Thunderbolt Dock with FireWire 800 --> 2007 MBP in Target Disk Mode via FireWire 800.

The Thunderbolt Dock behaves in the same away as a Thunderbolt to FireWire 800 adapter. But it’ll only work in that direction. You won’t be able to access the 2014 MBP in Target Disk Mode from the 2010 MBP.

3) Does anyone have any other options that may be helpful to try?

Remove the 2014 MBP’s SSD and put it in an external enclosure to try getting your data off it or repairing the file system.

 

[chrfr]

2) If not, is it possible to use MBP #1 in target disk mode? I can not find a senario of sending data from Thunderbolt 2 -->adapter--->Firewire800 being successful in target mode. I did not want to spend ~$100 on cable and adapter if not helpful.

You can use the Thunderbolt to Firewire adapter in both directions in Target Disk Mode. It's also easily returnable to Apple if it doesn't work as you'd need.

 

[Amethyst1]

You can use the Thunderbolt to Firewire adapter in both directions in Target Disk Mode.

You can't use it to attach a Thunderbolt device to a FireWire host though.

 

[chrfr]

You can't use it to attach a Thunderbolt device (a Mac in Thunderbolt TDM counts as one) to a FireWire host.

You absolutely can. When the Firewire adapter is connected to the Thunderbolt Mac that's in TDM, you get a Firewire icon bouncing around the screen with the Thunderbolt and it'll happily connect to a Mac that has Firewire. Once the Firewire connection is established, the Thunderbolt icon disappears and the Firewire icon continues bouncing around the screen, and the disk mounts on the other computer.
This screen capture is from a 2012 Mac Mini that's connected to a 2014 MBP in TDM, using the Thunderbolt-Firewire adapter and a Firewire 800 cable.

 

[Amethyst1]

You absolutely can.

Wow. Thanks for enlightening me, that’s very good to know.

 

[chrfr]

Wow. Thanks for enlightening me, that’s very good to know.

Just to clarify, this will only work with Apple's own Firewire-Thunderbolt adapter, not any 3rd party dock, as far as I am aware. I don't know if it still works with Thunderbolt 3 computers.

 

[ccy333]

You absolutely can. When the Firewire adapter is connected to the Thunderbolt Mac that's in TDM, you get a Firewire icon bouncing around the screen with the Thunderbolt and it'll happily connect to a Mac that has Firewire. Once the Firewire connection is established, the Thunderbolt icon disappears and the Firewire icon continues bouncing around the screen, and the disk mounts on the other computer.
This screen capture is from a 2012 Mac Mini that's connected to a 2014 MBP in TDM, using the Thunderbolt-Firewire adapter and a Firewire 800 cable.
View attachment 2031447

You can use the Thunderbolt to Firewire adapter in both directions in Target Disk Mode. It's also easily returnable to Apple if it doesn't work as you'd need.

Thank you for the info.

A few follow up questions on using target disk mode as I am not familiar with it.

IF non working #2MPB disk i would like to "copy" (not sure of the correct term?) is ~800GB , would that mean that I would need ~800GB on the #1 MBP that only has a 500GB HD?
Am I able to use an external hard drive connected to #1MPB while it is in target disk mode?

 

[ccy333]

Wow. Thanks for enlightening me, that’s very good to know.

I found this article from 2012 that discusses this process.

https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/apples-thunderbolt-firewire-adapter-is-a-one-way-connector/a

 

[chrfr]

I found this article from 2012 that discusses this process.

https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/apples-thunderbolt-firewire-adapter-is-a-one-way-connector/a

That article isn't really relevant in this case. Apple's doing some kind of odd thing with this, but it does work. What the article is saying is that you cannot connect some other sort of disk or thunderbolt device to a Firewire only Mac. Target Disk Mode absolutely does work.
And yes, you can also connect other external drives to the still functional Mac– you could also connect the TDM Mac to the end of a chain of Firewire devices in case you have those.

 

[Amethyst1]

IF non working #2MPB disk i would like to "copy" (not sure of the correct term?) is ~800GB , would that mean that I would need ~800GB on the #1 MBP that only has a 500GB HD?

You need as much free space on #1 MBP’s disk as #2 MBP has data on it. If there’s about 800 GB of data on it you want to save, a 500 GB drive isn’t big enough. You could try compressing the data — but it’s not guaranteed that they’re sufficiently compressible and I wouldn’t do this when the primary objective is to save them.

Am I able to use an external hard drive connected to #1MPB while it is in target disk mode?

Target Disk Mode only “exposes” internal drives.

 

[ccy333]

You need as much free space on #1 MBP’s disk as #2 MBP has data on it. If there’s about 800 GB of data on it you want to save, a 500 GB drive isn’t big enough. You could try compressing the data — but it’s not guaranteed that they’re sufficiently compressible and I wouldn’t do this when the primary objective is to save them.


Target Disk Mode only “exposes” internal drives.

Man... The more I try to learn about this, the more confused I get!!!! Thank you for the info and clarification.

Could you tell me if I have this correct and if the following scenario would be worth trying.

Connect External hard drive with +1TB free space to working #1MPB.
Boot #2 MBP into target mode.
Connect #2MBP to Thunderbolt 2 to Firewire adapter.
Connect Firewire 800 cable to adapter and to #1 MBP.

This should hopefully allow me to see nonworking #2MBP hard drive on #1MBP. I can then transfer/save Data from #2MBP through #1MBP to External hard drive.

I appreciate all the help and explanations that you all have give me. Thank you!

 

[Amethyst1]

Could you tell me if I have this correct and if the following scenario would be worth trying. […]

Absolutely.

 

[bobesch]

Connect External hard drive with +1TB free space to working #1MPB.
Boot #2 MBP into target mode.
Connect #2MBP to Thunderbolt 2 to Firewire adapter.
Connect Firewire 800 cable to adapter and to #1 MBP.

This should hopefully allow me to see nonworking #2MBP hard drive on #1MBP. I can then transfer/save Data from #2MBP through #1MBP to External hard drive.

As @Amethyst1 already said: that should work. If not (and even less expensive), a 10$ external USB3.1 case should do (and You might even be able to boot from that #2MBP's drive sitting in the external enclosure, if the problem is related to the #MBP and not related to it's drive).

 

[Amethyst1]

If not (and even less expensive), a 10$ external USB3.1 case should do [...]

Cases for the retina MBP's non-standard PCIe AHCI SSD tend to be a little more expensive.

 

[bobesch]

Cases for the retina MBP's non-standard PCIe AHCI SSD tend to be a little more expensive.

Stupid me - I'm still floating in the pre-retina bubble ... ☺️