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My hard drive is on its way out. The computer -- 10 yr old iMac with 10.3 -- will not boot except into single user mode (I don't have the installation disk). I can navigate around fine, all my data are present, now I just need to get it all off.

What's the easiest way to do this? My computer cannot connect to the internet, but has a USB and a CD-R drive. I have a newer computer that I may be able to connect it to, but the newer computer is a macBook pro and does not have FireWire. [edit: non-retina macBook pros do have a FireWire port after all].

I have no interest in keeping the computer or hard-drive, just want to move everything off.

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  • superuser.com/questions/176361 has instructions for mounting a USB drive in single user mode, but it probably won't work in 10.3 (which didn't have launchd).
    – Lri
    Sep 21, 2013 at 8:46

1 Answer 1

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Get a Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter for the MBP. Connect them with the old one turned off and then start it up in FireWire target disk mode by holding T during startup.

Other variations in configurations are discussed here...http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661

Option 2: connect with an Ethernet cable and enable ssh per this, then use scp to copy files. (This would require a Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter.)

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  • First option sounds like the best, but unfortunately the only Thunderbolt-to-FireWire adapter is for FireWire 800 -- my iMac only has FireWire 400. Is there a way to use just the ethernet cord, or do I need the Thunderbolt-ethernet adapter?
    – Amyunimus
    Sep 21, 2013 at 22:07
  • I didn't know if your MBP has Ethernet port but if so, you don't need the adapter. File sharing might be the way to go. Option 3 would be get a cheap USB disk enclosure, which I usually use to clone old hard drives. That is pricier and requires opening up the old computer, so more work but might be easiest in the long run.
    – beroe
    Sep 21, 2013 at 22:18
  • Is file sharing possible without using systemsetup or launchctl, which aren't available on my computer?
    – Amyunimus
    Sep 21, 2013 at 22:54
  • Ended up getting a FireWire 400 to FireWire 800 adapter and connected it to my MPB. Working fine. Thanks!
    – Amyunimus
    Sep 26, 2013 at 0:59
  • Yay! That is great.
    – beroe
    Sep 26, 2013 at 1:14

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