Target Disk Mode between MacBook Pro with FW800 and MacBook with FW400?

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scottmso

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Messages
380
Greetings all:

One of my friends has a MacBook Pro with a Geforce 8600m graphics chip, which has apparently crapped out. (Black screen on built-in and external monitors.) It needs to go to Apple for a warranty replacement, and he has some important files on the hard drive that he would like me to get off for him. He DOES usually backup with Time Machine, but these files happen to be on his Windows partition, which he doesn't backup.

I figure the best way to do this would be to connect his MBP to my (polycarbonate) MacBook in FireWire Target Disk Mode. However, I don't know too much about FireWire...since his has Firewire 800 and mine has Firewire 400, would this cause a problem? Are the two compatible, or are they completely different protocols? Or if we can find another friend who also has a MacBook Pro, would that make it easier? We'll have to go out and buy a cable for it I know...but I'm just making sure a FW800 <-> FW400 cable is something that exists. :p

Worst case scenario, I could excavate the HD from the laptop and hook it up to my PC to get the stuff off. His concern is that doing that would void the warranty...I think as long as the drive is inside the MBP when he brings it to Apple, he'll be ok?

Any advice appreciated, thanks!
 
Nevermind, I'm dumb. I just found out that the previous-gen Macbook Pros have both FW400 AND FW800.

Now the problem is finding a FW400 <-> FW400 cable in this tiny college town. :)
 
glad to see you got it figured out, but to answer your question, yes they are compatible, you just need an adapter, and the speed will be limited to the slower port speed.
 
scottmso said:
Worst case scenario, I could excavate the HD from the laptop and hook it up to my PC to get the stuff off. His concern is that doing that would void the warranty...I think as long as the drive is inside the MBP when he brings it to Apple, he'll be ok?
Click to expand...

As long as the drive is in the computer, and it's put back together correctly, Apple won't care(or even know) if you've had it apart.

Anyway, a 6 > 6 pin FW400 cable shouldn't be too difficult to find. You could buy one at the Apple store and transfer the data right there if you have the time.
 
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