I Don't Understand Target Disk Mode or Migration Assistant

[TDRock]

So I got this g4 mac mini and I'm trying to take the files from my old Sawtooth and put them on here. Both machines are on Tiger. Migration Assistant Does Not Work At All. I keep restarting the old Sawtooth over and over again and nothing happens and MA just tells me "Well maybe it can't be done with your computer" without any further explaination and i can't find any Troubleshooting info on this.

So now I've been trying to use Target Disk Mode and I get the firewire symbol but then nothing happens. I don't get a desktop, I don't get a picture of a hard drive anywhere, I just get the bouncing Firewire symbol so I don't know what to do past that point. I am so frustrated and confused and I can't find any info anywhere of what the problem might be. I've spent 2 hours on what I thought would be a 1/2 hour "quick" task.

I need help. I don't know what else to do. Thanks.

- Tania

 

[Benjamindaines]

1. Did you try restarting the Sawtooth while holding down then T key? Also you need a firewire cable connected to both macs for this to work.

2. Target Disk Mode is supposed to bring up a jumping Firewire logo. All that target disk mode does is make your mac an external drive (you will need to connect it to another mac via a firewire cable to use this mode).

 

[TDRock]

Thanks for the reply.

1. Did you try restarting the Sawtooth while holding down then T key? Also you need a firewire cable connected to both macs for this to work.

Multiple times in multiple ways. And yes, a Firewire cable is connected between the two machines.

2. Target Disk Mode is supposed to bring up a jumping Firewire logo. All that target disk mode does is make your mac an external drive (you will need to connect it to another mac via a firewire cable to use this mode).

OK, that's what I don't understand. I went to a site that describes the process and it says

The FW icon sort of bounces around the screen but don't worry, this is normal. The hard drive of the Target Mac should appear on the desktop of the Host Mac. If it doesn't, restart the Host and it will show up.

which would make sense to me because there would be an icon of one computer showing up on the desktop of another computer and then I could transfer the files or whatever. BUT nothing like that is happening. ALL I get is a bouncing firewire icon on a blank blue screen. How do I transfer files like that? I click on the screen and absolutely nothing happens. It's like it's frozen on this firewire icon screen and the only thing I can do it press the Power button to get out of it, but *I* can't figure out a way to transfer my files like that.

So any further clarification would be greatly appreciated.

- Tania

 

[baggss]

The Mac Mini should not have the FireWire icon, it should just have the normal desktop, only the Sawtooth should have the firewire icon bouncing around the screen. Are you starting the Mac Mini normally first and then booting the Sawtooth in Firewire mode? Obviously if the Hard Drive icon from the Sawtooth is not showing up on the desktop of the new machine something is wrong.

That being said, I was never able to get Migration assistant to work properly between my old Sawtooth and my Quad.

 

[TDRock]

OK... Thanks for the reply.

I just feel like I don't know what I'm doing. I feel like i've tried what's been said, and I can't find any support info from Apple that would figure out a way for me to do it differently. I don't know if I should be starting from my Mini and trying to get my Sawtooth to mount or vice-versa. Either way, I haven't been able to do it. I mean... as far as I know I can only start up/do this on one machine or another at a time. Whatever I do the entire screen turns blue with the bouncing firewire icon and then that's it, nothing else happens. And I've tried waiting as long as an hour for another screen to appear or anything and nothing does whether I tried to get the Sawtooth to mount to the Mini or vice versa. I've got 30G of data to get off the Sawtooth and onto the Mini and I have no idea what to do.

Are you starting the Mac Mini normally first and then booting the Sawtooth in Firewire mode?

How do I do that? Seriously. I am so confused... OK, I should state here that I only have one monitor. Is that what's messing me up? 'Cause I can only see what's happening on whatever computer I start from since - as we all know - the mini does not come with a Monitor. So that said, yes, I'll start the Mini with the Sawtooth off. I go under System Preferences and press the Target Disk Mode button and when it restarts it comes back up with the firewire icon. I've tried

* Starting TDM with the Sawtooth off but the firewire cable connected.

* Starting TDM with the Sawtooth ON and the firewire cable connected.

* Starting TDM with the Sawtooth off AND the no firewire cable connected (and then I put the cable in and start the Sawtooth hoping the Mini will "see" it at that point)

and I've done all the same starting with the Sawtooth and trying to get it to see the Mini.

So far, so nothing. Entire afternoon/evening and now night spent trying.

So anymore help or ideas of what I could do differently from what I've been doing would be greatly appreciated.

- Tania

 

[dtravis7]

On the Mini, don't go into any Target mode. Just boot the Mini normally into the OS that is installed on it. Make sure the Firewire cable is plugged into both machines. Then plug your monitor into the Sawtooth, Then hold down that T key and get it into Firewire mode with the bouncing icon. Then with the Sawtooth doing that, unplug the monitor and plug it into the Mini. See if the drive icon from the sawtooth apears. If not, reboot the mini leaving the Sawtooth bouncing it's icon. Then the sawtooths drive should be mounted on the desktop of the Mini.

Is that what you are doing? If not try it and get back to us/.

 

[baggss]

Ok, try this:

1 Boot the mini normally, with the monitor connected and the firewire cable connected to the Sawtooth. Leave the Sawtooth off.

2. When the Mini is booted up and you are all logged in etc, disconnect the monitor and hook it up to the Sawtooth.

3. Boot the Sawtooth, while booting, hold down the T key on the Sawtooth's keyboard.

4. You should see the Bouncing/floating Firewire icon on the Sawtooth screen. This means the Sawtooth has booted into firewire mode.

5. Hook the monitor back up to the Mini. You should see the normal Mini desktop as you saw before, plus the Hard Disc icon from the Sawtooth.

6. Assuming #5 above works correctly, you can now run migration assistant on the Mini. No action is required on the Sawtooth, everything from here on will be done from the Mini.

7. Follow the on-screen instructions that migration assistant will provide you on the Mini.

 

[coach_z]

baggss instructions sound perfect to me! if it isnt working try using an ethernet cable and setting up a network and transfer that way
-chris

 

[TDRock]

OK, Imma try the above. Thanks Y'all!

- Tania

 

[Aptmunich]

If it still doesn't work, maybe it's a problem with your firewire cable?

 

[dtravis7]

Did it work? I got the Sawtooth and my Mac Mini together, booted the Mini to the desktop with the firewire cable plugged into both machines, then heald down the T key on the Sawtooth and waited for the Moving Firewire icon, then the Sawtooth's Main Drive icon apeared on the minis desktop.

Let us know if it worked for you.

 

[TDRock]

Did it work? I got the Sawtooth and my Mac Mini together, booted the Mini to the desktop with the firewire cable plugged into both machines, then heald down the T key on the Sawtooth and waited for the Moving Firewire icon, then the Sawtooth's Main Drive icon apeared on the minis desktop.

Let us know if it worked for you.

YES! I am happy to report that all is well and I am on my Mini right now as we speak. I don't know why my brain was permanently shut to "OFF" yesterday, but much thanks to all you fine folks for helping me get unstuck. Yay!

Many Many Thanks!

- Tania :headphone

 

[baggss]

OUTSTANDING! Glad to hear it worked....