connect with firewire and thunderbolt

Question

connect with firewire and thunderbolt

Can't connect macbook pro with Thunderbolt to iMac with Firewire

MacBook Pro, OS X 10.10

Posted on Mar 30, 2021 1:19 PM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

83,959 points

Mar 30, 2021 1:38 PM in response to HappyArgentine

And if you are using Target disc mode, make sure you have the right adapters and the right computers.

Early 2011 computers were not always fully thunderbolt aware, and older ones were worse.

Target disk mode works with genuine Thunderbolt, not Displayport ports, and adapting thunderbolt versions to Firewire.

Technically you could use:

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMEL2AM/A/thunderbolt-3-usb-c-to-thunderbolt-2-adapter

and

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD464LL/A/apple-thunderbolt-to-firewire-adapter

in tandem, but there can't be anything else linked to the same bus that might slow it down, and ideally both computers would be wall powered, and your Firewire cable would need to be a known working cable.

Cables not made by Apple may not work as well, and if you are connecting to a Mac with only one USB-C port, be sure to use a 100W USB-C passthrough adapter with an extra USB-C port to connect the first adapter to.

What will help us troubleshoot your problem further is to get the age and model of each computer.

Use http://checkcoverage.apple.com/ on the serial number of each machine. Note, DO NOT POST SERIAL NUMBERS IN THIS FORUM. Knowing that info will help us know what sort of transfer is likely if you are trying target disk mode.

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Answer 2

Mar 30, 2021 2:16 PM in response to rkaufmann87

I connected the two computers with the appropriate adapters, etc. When I start the Macbook (mid-2014) pressing the T key (Target), I get a black screen with the two symbols Firewire + Thunderbolt. However, if I look into System Preferences in both computers, it shows they are not connected. I am sure there is some parameter

that I am missing. I've been able to connect the two computers, using the software, processors, and better memory, 16 GB of the MacBook, using screen sharing (too much lag), and remote desktop (much better). But I think a physical connection would be much better, and then I would be using the Mac book, already running Sierra, with the beautiful 24" screen of the iMac. I would prefer not to go to the extreme solution proposed by a user of gutting the iMac and using only the screen with a video adapter. I feel I am very close to the solution, but I can't find the proper parameters for the dialog box in the screenshot attached (DCHP, Ipv4, Ipv6, etc.).

Thanks a lot in advance.

Marcelo, Happy Argentine (in Pasadena)

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