[HOWTO] - Use Firewire "target" mode

R

rcw186

Registered
** Read SimX's post for the How:to explanation.


I am buying an 500mhz iBook tonight and want to transfer some stuff from my iMac to my new iBook. Both have Firewire and can anyone tell me if the firewire cable can connect the two. Also, I plan on removing the 128 RAM card from the one memory slot in the iBook and putting in a 256. Has anyone done this and could you tell me if it was easy and if I am right about only 1 memory slot. Thanks. :D
 
First off, the 128 in the iBook is soldered to the logic board, so you cant remove it...after adding the 256, you will have 384MB (like me)...

Second, you can use the macs in Firewire Disk Mode, which (correct me if I'm wrong) is activated by connecting the computers and restarting while holding down the "T" key
 
you can use the macs in Firewire Disk Mode, which (correct me if I'm wrong) is activated by connecting the computers and restarting while holding down the "T" key
Click to expand...


Someone verify this for me, if this works than I am super excited for learning something so cool!
 
Yes, I've use "FireWire Target Disk Mode" before, and I believe you are correct. Hold down the T key when starting up the computer which you would like to be the "client" drive.
 
I believe that you also need a 6pin to 6 pin firewire cable which does *not* come with the Mac.

hmmm. does anyone know if this means that you can use the iPod FireWire cable for target disk mode?
 
swizcore and others: Yes, this is correct. To connect two Macs together via FireWire Target Disk Mode, turn both off. Turn one on (the one you DON'T want to appear as a drive on the other) and let it fully boot up. Then turn on the other and hold down the T key. A little graphic should appear in the middle of the screen on the client computer indicating it is in target disk mode, and the drive of the client computer should then appear on the other computer.

And, no, you do not need a 6 pin to 6 pin FireWire cable. Those (the iPod's cable is a 6 pin to 6 pin cable) are used when you want to transfer power along the cable as well as data. This is why the iPod includes such a cable. Because both computers are already receiving power from an outlet, you do not need such a cable to use FireWire Target Disk mode, but it would work. If you have an iPod, then just use the included FireWire cable.

rcw186: No, no model of iBook has 2 memory slots. The one you are talking about has 1 slot, but 128 MB of memory is soldered onto the motherboard and cannot be removed. This means that in your configuration, you have a total of 1 memory slot, and that slot is empty. So you will not need (nor can you) remove a RAM module in order to insert your 256 MB RAM stick. Just take off the keyboard, find the memory slot, and stick in your new memory!
 
Ding Ding Ding!!!!
You just got this thread moved into the How-to's my man.
Well done. And thanks a bunch :)
 
This is especially helpful if you have a computer that just wont boot. Connect the dead cpu as a FW disk, make your tweaks, and then you're back on your feet again...
 
Erm, surely you need a 6pin-6pin cable because that's what both machines' firewire sockets are? What am I missing here?

Jim
 
Originally posted by JimNoble
Erm, surely you need a 6pin-6pin cable because that's what both machines' firewire sockets are? What am I missing here?

Jim
Click to expand...
From Apple's knowledge-base:
"Macintosh: How to Use FireWire Target Disk Mode
...
...2. Use a FireWire cable (6-pin to 6-pin) to connect the target computer to a host computer. The host computer does not need to be turned off.
..."
if that helps, here's the whole article:
Macintosh: How to Use FireWire Target Disk Mode
 
Many peripheral that use FW have 6-pin to 6-pin connectors. These should all be acceptable for use in Target-Disk mode. The only exception to this is DV streming cables. (You may have been given one with your Mac.)
 
A little of the subject but does anyone have/can get that Apple "Middle Seat" commercial? I want to get it because I just ordered an iBook! It said somewhere that Apple "retired" it because of email complaints from users saying they want it off because of 9/11/01. My opinion, those people need to stop being idiots and enjoy that great commercial. :eek:
 
this is cool! is there someway to then clone your whole host disk to the slave disk using cp or soemthing to ensure your setup on one machine is copied identically to the other?
ie i have just bought a g4 laptop and want to clone my existing g3 laptps setup to is so i dont have to reinstall everything the long winded way again!?!?
will ther ebe a compatibility problem when tween os9 and osX onthe dirrferent processors types? g3/g4 ??

thanks
 
To clone a disk use Disk Copy 6.4

Under the Options Menu select Clone, and follow the prompts to select the Source and Destinations, and you will have a complete clone, that will boot OS X etc...

One caveat is that you will also erase the target disk.

Have fun.

Scott
 
Originally posted by scottk
To clone a disk use Disk Copy 6.4

Under the Options Menu select Clone, and follow the prompts to select the Source and Destinations, and you will have a complete clone, that will boot OS X etc...

One caveat is that you will also erase the target disk.

Have fun.

Scott
Click to expand...

A more obvious caveat is that you'll have to find Disk Copy 6.4 somewhere, and I don't believe it's really legal to obtain a copy of this program as it's not released. Anyway, that's all I'll say since I had a HUGE argument with GadgetLover over this (which I have to say I won, because it was NOT in the Developer Tools ;) -- sorry GadgetLover, I just HAD to take a potshot :D ).

And yes, people have correctly corrected me on my statement that you do need a 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire cable. Sorry about that. I just meant to say that you didn't need a cable that carries power over the cord. Maybe someone could clarify this -- are there different kinds of 6-pin to 6-pin FW cords, some that carry power and some that don't? Also, is there a 4-pin to 6-pin FW cable adapter?
 
Firewire is plug-n-play. You do not have to restart the master computer to see the target drive on the screen. You do, however, have to put away the target drive before you unplug the cable or restart the target computer.

Tony The Red
 
I tried to do this with my two ibooks, one 600mhz 14" combo and one 233mhz CD.
When i hold down "t" at startup on my oldest (233mhz) it booted up in target mode, it indicated on the screen it was working, but not when i plugged in the firewire into my 600Mhz iBook, nothing happened no disc would turn up on the screen.
But it worked the other way around.
but that time the cable was in all the time, so TonyTheRed may have been wrong about the plug-and-play when it comes to target mode...

or it could bee it wont work on OS X?:confused:

(The 233mhz ibook is my sisters, thats why it´s not in my list)
 
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