How To Know If Your Mac Is Registering Thunderbolt Cable Target Mode

• #1

I have a 2019 xiii" MBP and a 2017 MBA. I put my MBA into target disk mode and hooked information technology up to the MBP using an Aukey USB C to USB A cablevision. The MBA does not appear on my MBP. Do I demand some special cable to make this work?

• #four

You lot need a Thunderbolt-to-Thunderbolt cablevision. When it's in Target Disk manner, a Thunderbolt symbol should announced on the screen.

• #5

I practice run across the thunderbolt icon on the screen of my MBA. I was under the impression that it would work over USB A too.

• #6

Take y'all tried putting the MBPro into Target Deejay mode and checking if the MBAir tin can see information technology?

• #vii

As far as I know, Thunderbolt or Firewire merely for target disk way on pre 2018 MBA. There is no USB back up for Target Disk Mode except on systems with USB-C. In other words, if you lot tried the other way around it would probably piece of work.

• #8

It appears that USB TDM is non an option for non-USB-C Macs. You can do TDM over USB-C, that's how the MacBook 12 inch did TDM, and apparently the Thunderbolt 3 Macs can operate with USB or Thunderbolt, but before TB3 they used Thunderbolt exclusively, and earlier that Firewire, and before that SCSI.

You tin plug in Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt three, and so Thunderbolt 2 cable to connect a TB2 Mac to a TB3 Mac.

• #9

I will attempt the other way round when I am habitation this evening. Looks similar I nonetheless need Airdrop to transfer files from the MBA to the MBP.

• #x

I put my MBP into target disk way and my MBA went equally far as asking me for the password to unlock the drive. The drive, all the same, does not evidence up on my desktop. I tin see the drive in deejay utility but information technology says 'not mounted' or words to that effect.

• #11

target mode works on:

TB > TB
TB > TB2
TB2 > TB2
TB2 > TB3 (with apple tree TB2toTB3 adapter and TB2 cable)
TB3 > TB3

FW > FW
USB-C > USB-C

edit:
USC-C > USB-A (only if it USB3.0 !)

no USB2.0
and in no other configurations!

Last edited by a moderator: May fifteen, 2020

• #12

target style works on:

TB > TB
TB > TB2
TB2 > TB2
TB2 > TB3 (with apple TB2toTB3 adapter and TB2 cablevision)
TB3 > TB3

FW > FW
USB-C > USB-C

and in no other configurations!

Would a USB A to USB C adapter piece of work?

• #fourteen

OK thanks for all the replies even though I posted this question in the wrong forum (apologies to the moderators).

• #15

From what I've read, Macs equipped with USB-C can use Thunderbolt protocol or USB protocol as the Target Disk Way host. This means y'all can use the USB-C to USB-A cablevision (if the cable has Superspeed USB 3.0 or 3.1, also the receiving Mac may demand to back up USB 3.0 or after too, which the 17 MBA of course supports iii.0 and so information technology's good there). Then any Mac with a Thunderbolt 3 port supports both protocols, and the MacBook 12 inch supports USB only every bit its port is USB only and not Thunderbolt. Merely, for Macs without Thunderbolt 3, every bit a host they need Thunderbolt on both sides and the right cables. And then if you lot want to get from the 17 MBA to whatsoever other Mac, you have to use a TB2 to TB2 cablevision to either a TB2 Mac, or if it'southward TB3 it needs the Apple TB2 to TB3 adapter. You also cannot use a TB3 cable, the adapter only takes a TB2 cablevision on the female end and it's a TB3/USB-C plug. Also it has to be a Thunderbolt cable, not miniDisplayport (in that location's a difference, the Thunderbolt logo is on Thunderbolt cables, it'southward a lightning bolt). And call up, if you lot use Thunderbolt protocol correctly it actually can go in both directions then y'all could accept either running as Target Disk Mode. If y'all had two Thunderbolt 3 Macs then you lot could utilise a Thunderbolt three cable and connect the two too with no adapter and run in both directions likewise.

• #16

From what I've read, Macs equipped with USB-C can use Thunderbolt protocol or USB protocol every bit the Target Deejay Mode host. This means you can use the USB-C to USB-A cablevision (if the cable has Superspeed USB 3.0 or 3.1, also the receiving Mac may need to support USB 3.0 or later also, which the 17 MBA of grade supports iii.0 so it's good there). So any Mac with a Thunderbolt 3 port supports both protocols, and the MacBook 12 inch supports USB only as its port is USB but and not Thunderbolt. Simply, for Macs without Thunderbolt 3, as a host they need Thunderbolt on both sides and the right cables. So if yous want to become from the 17 MBA to whatever other Mac, you take to use a TB2 to TB2 cable to either a TB2 Mac, or if information technology's TB3 it needs the Apple TB2 to TB3 adapter. You too cannot employ a TB3 cablevision, the adapter merely takes a TB2 cable on the female finish and it's a TB3/USB-C plug. Also it has to be a Thunderbolt cablevision, not miniDisplayport (at that place's a difference, the Thunderbolt logo is on Thunderbolt cables, information technology's a lightning bolt). And remember, if yous use Thunderbolt protocol correctly information technology really tin go in both directions so you could have either running as Target Deejay Mode. If yous had ii Thunderbolt 3 Macs then y'all could utilise a Thunderbolt 3 cable and connect the two likewise with no adapter and run in both directions as well.

This specification came with the Aukey cablevision I bought.

• DateSync and Charging: the data transmission speed of USB 3.1 to USB C can be up to 5 Gbps, it is 10 times faster than USB 2.0, and besides is fast and stable for data transmission.

• #17

This specification came with the Aukey cablevision I bought.

• DateSync and Charging: the data transmission speed of USB 3.i to USB C can be upwardly to 5 Gbps, it is 10 times faster than USB 2.0, and also is fast and stable for data transmission.

MBP with Thunderbolt iii can be a host and work with such cablevision to the Air with USB iii.0. The other direction, every bit I said, does not work as it needs to be Thunderbolt and therefore TB2 to TB2 cablevision to TB3 to TB2 adapter.

• #18

I tried out USB-C to USB-A with a Thunderbolt 3 Mac as TDM host (MBP xv) to a retina Macbook Pro with USB-A (3.0) and information technology works fine! The receiving Mac needed me to put in my password of course since it's using Filevault.

My retina MBP however cannot be a TDM host as it does not support USB TDM simply my TB3 Mac does. So of form as I say you could go in the management of the TB3 Mac to the MBA but non the other way unless you invest in a Thunderbolt 2 cablevision and adapter to go from Thunderbolt two to Thunderbolt 3.

Protip: When TDM is activated the screen of the Mac shows which protocols it supports by logo. My TB3 equipped Macbook Pro shows USB and Thunderbolt logos. My retina Macbook Pro shows only a Thunderbolt logo. I take seen that older Macs with Firewire would show the Firewire logo. Some Macs don't support TDM at all considering they didn't have Firewire and information technology was pre-Thunderbolt entirely and I approximate they didn't want to run it over USB (you'd demand a special crossover cablevision to run USB-A to USB-A if that was supported, but it wasn't supported).

Also just in general the Os on the receiving finish needs to understand the filesystem of the TDM host in order to mount, plainly if y'all employ a MacOS that doesn't have APFS for instance then it won't be able to work with an APFS system.

• #19

I tried out USB-C to USB-A with a Thunderbolt 3 Mac as TDM host (MBP 15) to a retina Macbook Pro with USB-A (3.0) and it works fine! The receiving Mac needed me to put in my password of class since it'southward using Filevault.

My retina MBP nevertheless cannot be a TDM host every bit it does not back up USB TDM but my TB3 Mac does. And then of course equally I say you could become in the management of the TB3 Mac to the MBA but not the other mode unless y'all invest in a Thunderbolt 2 cable and adapter to go from Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3.

Protip: When TDM is activated the screen of the Mac shows which protocols it supports by logo. My TB3 equipped Macbook Pro shows USB and Thunderbolt logos. My retina Macbook Pro shows simply a Thunderbolt logo. I accept seen that older Macs with Firewire would show the Firewire logo. Some Macs don't support TDM at all because they didn't have Firewire and it was pre-Thunderbolt entirely and I guess they didn't want to run it over USB (you'd demand a special crossover cablevision to run USB-A to USB-A if that was supported, simply it wasn't supported).

Also just in general the OS on the receiving end needs to empathise the filesystem of the TDM host in club to mountain, plainly if y'all use a MacOS that doesn't have APFS for case then it won't be able to work with an APFS system.

I got every bit far as my host MBA asking for the password to unlock the TDM (MBP). Nothing happens after that. In Disk Utility the TDM appears grayed out and its not mounted.

• #20

I got as far every bit my host MBA asking for the password to unlock the TDM (MBP). Nada happens after that. In Disk Utility the TDM appears grayed out and its non mounted.

Could be a bad cable. Or the MBA does not understand the filesystem of the MBP. You might take meliorate luck with Thunderbolt every bit well.

• #21

ok, USB-C to USB-A works if the USB-A is a USB3.ten controller
no luck with USB2.0!

corrected in #14

Source: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/target-disk-mode.2235577/

Posted by: cramptonsmis1975.blogspot.com

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