However, it must be an identical model with an identical macOS on it, otherwise it won’t work. Migration Assistant will consider the startup drive in target disk mode to be an external drive with a valid system on board.īoot your computer from the target disk: If you noticed any issues with your Mac, then you can use target disk mode to boot from a secondary computer.
#THUNDERBOLT TARGET DISK MODE SOFTWARE#
Move files between Macs via Migration Assistant: This built-in software is great for moving settings and user data over from an old Mac to a new one without the use of iCloud or Time Machine. Connect the two Macs and use Disk Utility to repair the startup disk of the target disk mode Mac. Repair internal drive: Used by long-time Mac users as a method of troubleshooting startup disk issues or to quickly move huge files between Macs (an older, legacy method), target disk mode can be used to repair internal drives that are misbehaving.
#THUNDERBOLT TARGET DISK MODE PASSWORD#
There are two ways to boot into target disk mode, either via a keyboard shortcut or via System Preferences. While it is possible to use target disk mode on laptops, to avoid a sudden drop in connection due to a drained battery it is better to connect your MacBook to a power source while using it as a target disk mode Mac. You need a Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, Thunderbolt 2, or FireWire cable to establish a connection. target disk mode doesn’t support connections that use Apple USB-C Charge Cable, USB-A to USB-A cable, or the Mini DisplayPort cable.