help. I typed in wrong address under settings for target disc and now once i login i get the spinning ball of death.

[mrfrazzled]

Hello i did a stupid thing . ...I typed in wrong address under settings for target disc and now once i login i get the spinning ball of death.
How can i access that setting to correct the target startup disc....thank you

 

[ferrarr]

What specific device are you using? Portable or desktop, and Mac OS number specific version are needed as well.

 

[mrfrazzled]

Hi Bob its a macmini m2 . Ventura .I think the latest update . I got into this mess because i followed a youtube video showing how to transfer all your applications etc to an external disc to free up the macmini It did all work but then decided to go back to the target of the macmini .I must have typed in the wrong address. I have found how to access the terminal and am hoping i could somehow change and find the right address . It aint the tool its me the fool !! Thank you for contacting. Paul

 

[pm-r]

How can i access that setting to correct the target startup disc...

Are you sure you are using the correct terminology for what you are doing as I don't ever recall having to type in any address when using target disk mode. You just need to connect the appropriate cable.

Maybe have a look at Apple's Support Documents here depending on the Mac model and Mac OS version you are using:

Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode

You can connect an Intel-based Mac to another Mac using a USB, USB-C, or Thunderbolt cable, then transfer files.

support.apple.com

- Patrick
=======

 

[MacInWin]

It is a sheer guess, but what I read was that somehow the OP had set the boot drive incorrectly and now the system won't boot at all. Yes, the OP used "target" but then said "target startup disc."

But until/unless the OP returns and answers the questions from Bob, there isn't enough information to go on.

 

[mrfrazzled]

Yes the OP had set the boot drive incorrectly and now the system won't boot at all
All I know is it's a Mac mini M2 os Ventura
I'm hoping I can at least access save my data

 

[mrfrazzled]

Someone suggested taking out battery for a minute resetting the cemos or something.

 

[MacInWin]

Someone suggested taking out battery for a minute resetting the cemos or something.

No battery in the M2 Mini, and no CMOS either. Totally different machine.

But, You can boot into Recovery and reset the boot drive. Here is an Apple article on how to do that:

Change your Mac startup disk

Change the startup disk of your Mac using Startup Disk settings.

support.apple.com

Note that you have an Apple Silicon Mac and floow the instructions under "Change your startup disk once" to change back to the internal disk for boot. Then once it's booted, follow the "Set a default startup disk" to make the internal the default again and you should be good.

I think you made some mistake, probable in setting an "Owner" for the new external disk. If you really want to boot from an external drive, let us know and we can get directions for the EXACT steps to take. It's easy to mess up.

 

[mrfrazzled]

Thank you . Really appreciate the help. Will try this later this morning

 

[mrfrazzled]

The only option I see is choosing Macintosh HD which when selected and I login just spins as it cannot find the correct address. I will have to I guess try and download a Ventura os to create a bootable drive then chose that option to hopefully get to change the address

 

[mrfrazzled]

Meant to say I did go through the steps and the only other choice is options. I rather hoped I could have changed the target address using terminal...

 

[ferrarr]

If you shut off the Mini and disconnect the external booted drive, what does the Mac do? Boot, nothing or something else?

 

[MacInWin]

The only option I see is choosing Macintosh HD which when selected and I login just spins as it cannot find the correct address. I will have to I guess try and download a Ventura os to create a bootable drive then chose that option to hopefully get to change the address

Ventura isn't a download as such. You install it from Recovery. And unlike the Intel Mac, an M2 Mac doesn't boot from an external drive to install the OS. So that action will achieve nothing.

If you want to try reinstalling the OS, boot into Recovery and install from there.

Reinstall macOS

You can reinstall macOS on your Mac while keeping your files and user settings intact.

support.apple.com

Changing the default boot disk takes a bit of time as the system adjusts. HOw long did you let it go before cancelling the boot process? If the boot system on the internal drive was messed up in whatever you did, it can take a while for it to download and install the system components that are mucked up. It's best to just let it work until it gives you a message of some sort.

You said:

Meant to say I did go through the steps and the only other choice is options. I rather hoped I could have changed the target address using terminal...

Did you try seeing what the "options" were?

Given a couple of term you have misused, indicating a bit of a lack of technical skill or knowledge of how Apple Silicon works, I would strongly recommend against using Terminal for anything. It is possible to turn the Mac into a brick fairly easily.

 

[mrfrazzled]

hi i reinstalled from recovery and all downloaded well so no probs there. but unfortunately its back to square one. Still the same wont let me login . I have ordered a macbook air m4 with sky £30 a month so manageable and thats due tomorrow. Have a lot of audio work to do so timing is right. with the mac mini hope to sell it on hopefully not as a door stop!

 

[MacInWin]

Still the same wont let me login

You have not mentioned the login issue before. What is that?

If you reinstalled from Recovery, did you restore your files from a backup? Or did the install just install over the old system and preserve everything else?

 

[mrfrazzled]

I installed over the old system and preserved everything else . The truth is i have hardly used the mac mini so the data i have on the mac mini i mostly copied over from my pc that i normally do my audio work on. So its not the end of the beans if all the data goes so perhaps the way is to completely delete the whole drive and reinstall if thats possible. The pressure is off thankfully a bit anyway as my macbook air m4 arrives tomorrow, and that will spank my pc lol ps sent a pic of my login page where once my password is entered give me the death ball

 

[mrfrazzled]

just want to thank everyone for all your help. My replacement /upgrade is due today so will set that up (with no fiddling !!) I will reformat reinstall and sell on the macmini . My best Paul

 

[MacInWin]

just want to thank everyone for all your help. My replacement /upgrade is due today so will set that up (with no fiddling !!) I will reformat reinstall and sell on the macmini . My best Paul

Please follow these instructions to the letter, or that Mini may be useless to the buyer. It's more than just reformatting and reinstalling, it is also releasing it from your AppleID and iCloud.

What to do before you sell, give away, trade in, or recycle your Mac - Apple Support

Reset your Mac to factory settings to prepare it for a new owner.

support.apple.com