MP 1,1-5,1 Trying to reboot G5 Tower through MacBook pro

[Asiel Norton]

I have an old G5 tower that I’m trying to reboot through my MacBook Pro. I don’t have monitor or keyboard for tower at this time. When free of MacBook the tower chimes and turns on. But when I connect the computers through a usb and turn on the MacBook while hitting option my tower instantly powers down and just starts turning off and on while not rebooting or loading anything at all, and my MacBook shows no option to reboot through tower. I just want to grab some things off that tower without having to buy more cords and equipment (ie an external casing for towers internal storage drives). Any suggestions?

 

[mikas]

This is more of a G5 or a general question than of a Mac Pro, but anyway;
I think you would need a keyboard at G5 to push the "T" for Target Disk Mode.

Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode

You can connect two Mac computers using a USB, USB-C, or Thunderbolt cable, then transfer files.

support.apple.com

You would need a firewire cable attached to the G5 and porbably an adapter to fit FW to your MacBook Pro (depends on your model). USB will not work I am afraid.

 

[Asiel Norton]

This is more of a G5 or a general question than of a Mac Pro, but anyway;
I think you would need a keyboard at G5 to push the "T" for Target Disk Mode.

Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode

You can connect two Mac computers using a USB, USB-C, or Thunderbolt cable, then transfer files.

support.apple.com

You would need a firewire cable attached to the G5 and porbably an adapter to fit FW to your MacBook Pro (depends on your model). USB will not work I am afraid.

it seems to me, that there must be some way into this old computer other than target mode. yeah, i no longer have the keyboard. obviously i can get a case for the old drives, but getting another piece of equipment that i'll use just use once, then add to my box with a bunch of old tangled cords that i also don't use seems like a waste to me.

 

[tsialex]

it seems to me, that there must be some way into this old computer other than target mode. yeah, i no longer have the keyboard. obviously i can get a case for the old drives, but getting another piece of equipment that i'll use just use once, then add to my box with a bunch of old tangled cords that i also don't use seems like a waste to me.

Only via network, Ethernet, or Firewire TDM and you will need the display, keyboard and mouse do all the necessary network configurations or at least a keyboard for the TDM.

No PowerMac or Mac Pro older than the 2019 Mac Pro can be connected via an "USB cable". BTW, 2019 Mac Pro connected via USB is in reality a Thunderbolt connection.