Recover data from linux from Mac with firewire?

I have debian linux 7.6.0 on an old macbook laptop, the screen broke. I don't have money to fix it so I was hoping to use the firewire port to connect and clone the hard drive so I can access the files on a working computer.

Thing is I tried this in windows and mac. Every time I plug the firewire cable nothing happens.

I've only used firewire with mac-to-mac and mac has a program that automatically sets up a connection and virtual drive so you can access files on the other mac.

I'm wondering if there is some software I need either on the receiving or linux computer I'm trying to access.

jason dancks

Posted 2015-03-21T15:43:11.350

Reputation: 85

1downvoter, how can I improve the question? – jason dancks – 2015-03-21T15:55:34.757

That's impossible to answer unless you tell us how the linux was configured. – bdecaf – 2015-03-21T15:56:13.530

At least give distribution and brand of device. – bdecaf – 2015-03-21T15:57:10.690

@bdecaf do you mean the OS? Its a debian 7.6.0 with gnome desktop. I'm not sure what else you mean. – jason dancks – 2015-03-21T16:02:43.097

@bdecaf and janson, I doubt the OS matters. Even more: "target disk mode" should even work if the OS is broken, as it doesn't boot the target computer.

– Arjan – 2015-03-21T16:03:16.587

@Arjan - in the original question there was no mention about a mac. And still it is unclear if the device supports it at all. – bdecaf – 2015-03-21T16:04:26.710

@bdecaf that last part is what I'm trying to find out. – jason dancks – 2015-03-21T16:06:20.427

Did you even hold down the T key, jason? (See the Wikipedia article I linked in my first comment, and Apple's (outdated) How to use and troubleshoot FireWire target disk mode.) (@bdecaf, you're very right about the first version.)

– Arjan – 2015-03-21T16:10:04.160

you should be able to read a serial number from the device and the check with a site like this or this

– bdecaf – 2015-03-21T16:10:07.940

@Arjan that worked. – jason dancks – 2015-03-21T16:16:11.367

Why not connect external screen? Also, if you decent attention to detail you can replace the LCD panel itself for about $100 (without replacing entire screen assembly). – dzh – 2015-04-10T03:05:25.790

Answers

Apple's Target Disk Mode does not boot the target computer (the broken Mac), so it doesn't matter what OS is running on that. But you'll need to press and hold down the T key while booting, and as the screen is broken you might have to guess when to do that. From Apple's (outdated) How to use and troubleshoot FireWire target disk mode:

Make sure that the target computer is turned off.

If you are using an Apple portable computer such as a PowerBook or MacBook as the target computer, plug in its AC power adapter. Use a FireWire cable to connect the target computer to a host computer.

The host computer can be powered on.

Start up the target computer and immediately press and hold down the T key until the FireWire icon appears. The hard disk of the target computer should become available to the host computer and will likely appear on desktop.

According to Wikipedia you may need some special software when the host computer is not a Mac:

The host computer may run Microsoft Windows, but with some possible shortcomings: to read a Mac's HFS-formatted partitions, extra drivers such as MacDrive, TransMac, MacDisk, or HFSExplorer are necessary. Users also must ensure their computer possesses appropriate interface hardware in order to physically connect to a Mac in Target Mode. MacDrive also has a read-only option to prevent any accidental editing of the computer in Target Disk Mode; however, this mode cannot be set after an HFS/HFS+ disk is mounted. With the addition of HFS drivers into Apple's Bootcamp, it has also become possible for Macs running Windows to read (but not write) HFS partitions, without the purchase of software. Users have separated these drivers from the main Bootcamp install, and now also install on other Windows computers. Host computers running Linux are also able to read and write to a Mac's HFS or HFS+ formatted devices through Target Disk Mode. It is working out-of-the-box on most distributions as HFS+ support is part of the Linux kernel.

Arjan

Posted 2015-03-21T15:43:11.350

Reputation: 29 084

I would take the disk out and read it from a caddy attached to another system.

whs

Posted 2015-03-21T15:43:11.350

Reputation: 1 251

As you are not intending to recover the MAC and the screen is probably the most expensive part anyway I would suggest your best solution will be to remove the hard disk from that laptop and put it into a USB tray, spare SATA port or other suitable connection. Even if this means that the machine will have to be completely broken.

HOWEVER, You should check beforehand that the 'hard disk' isn't something too strange to get an external adaptor for. Some very light laptops use flash drives soldered to the motherboard for example!

There's a good chance you'll find your machine at https://www.ifixit.com/ and be able to see if it's 'deconstructable'. For example, this is probably the worst likely case ... an mSATA drive which will need a special connector and you will destroy the machine when you take it apart:

user3710044

Posted 2015-03-21T15:43:11.350

Reputation: 259

You mentioned: "flash drives soldered to the motherboard". I have never seen or heard that. Yes, newer Macs use PCIe or mSATA connectors, but I doubt we will ever see soldered-in computer hardware for two reasons: data recovery and data destruction. Many organisations have to ensure safe data destruction so they must physically shred the hard drive. – dzh – 2015-04-10T03:03:35.920

1There are devices with everything soldered in, they are usually called phones despite being GHz computers. Over the last few years Apple has been following two paths, both the super upgradeable and the disposable. A rumour was released that the macbook air would have soldered SSD; they backed off on that but with Microsoft making a mockery of the mSATA 'upgradability' I would not be surprised if Apple have/will do it with the next machine I come across. Recovery is simple, use your backups. Destruction equally so; use AES. – user3710044 – 2015-04-10T07:17:43.600

You are right. The only thing I could pick on is that smartphones / tablets drives have order of magnitude less capacity and their use scenarios are different. – dzh – 2015-04-11T11:56:14.290