In the realm of computing, unlocking the versatility of your devices is paramount. Enter the MacBook Pro, a powerful machine that can effortlessly transform into an external drive. With its compact size and robust capabilities, harnessing the full potential of your MacBook Pro has never been simpler. Whether you seek to expand your storage capacity, enhance collaboration, or streamline your workflow, mounting the 2017 MacBook Pro as an external drive is a game-changer.
The process of mounting your MacBook Pro as an external drive is surprisingly straightforward. By leveraging Target Disk Mode, you can seamlessly connect your device to another computer and access its contents. Whether you prefer Mac, Windows, or even Linux, the MacBook Pro effortlessly adapts to your needs. Once mounted, your laptop’s storage becomes an extension of the host computer, allowing you to store, retrieve, and edit files as if they were on the primary drive. This unparalleled flexibility empowers you to collaborate seamlessly, share large files with ease, and even troubleshoot hardware issues.
The versatility of mounting the MacBook Pro as an external drive extends beyond its primary functionality. By utilizing the Thunderbolt 3 ports, you can unlock blazing-fast data transfer speeds, ensuring smooth and efficient file management. Additionally, the MacBook Pro’s compact design and portability make it an ideal companion for on-the-go professionals or anyone seeking to maximize their storage options. With its ability to adapt to diverse operating systems and its unparalleled performance, the MacBook Pro emerges as a true technological Swiss Army knife, empowering you to conquer any storage challenge with effortless grace.
Identify the Necessary Materials
To transform your 2017 MacBook Pro into an external drive, you’ll require a few essential tools. Before embarking on the process, ensure you have the following materials at your disposal:
1. Target Disk Mode Connector
Securing a reliable Target Disk Mode connector is paramount. This vital accessory physically links your MacBook Pro to another Mac that will act as the host computer. Verify that your chosen connector is compatible with both the MacBook Pro’s Thunderbolt 3 port and the host Mac’s port. For optimal performance, opt for a high-quality connector that supports fast data transfer speeds.
| Connector Type | Compatibility |
|---|---|
| Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 3 Connector | MacBook Pro (2017) and host Mac with Thunderbolt 3 ports |
| Thunderbolt 3 to USB-C Connector | MacBook Pro (2017) and host Mac with USB-C ports |
Prepare Your MacBook Pro
To prepare your 2017 MacBook Pro for use as an external drive, you will need the following items:
- A Thunderbolt 3 cable (USB-C to USB-C)
- An external drive enclosure that supports Thunderbolt 3
- A suitable sized solid state drive (SSD) or hard disk drive (HDD)
Install the SSD or HDD into the Enclosure
Before you can mount your MacBook Pro as an external drive, you need to install a compatible SSD or HDD into the external drive enclosure. Here are the steps on how to do this:
- Power down your MacBook Pro and disconnect all cables.
- Open the external drive enclosure and carefully insert the SSD or HDD into the designated slot.
- Secure the SSD or HDD in place using the provided screws or clips.
- Close the external drive enclosure and connect it to your MacBook Pro using the Thunderbolt 3 cable.
- Power on your MacBook Pro and navigate to the Finder or Disk Utility to view the mounted external drive.
Here’s a table summarizing the key steps:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Power down MacBook Pro and disconnect cables. |
| 2 | Open external drive enclosure and install SSD/HDD. |
| 3 | Secure SSD/HDD in place and close enclosure. |
| 4 | Connect enclosure to MacBook Pro using Thunderbolt 3 cable. |
| 5 | Power on MacBook Pro and access external drive. |
Disable System Integrity Protection (SIP)
System Integrity Protection (SIP) is a security feature introduced in macOS Sierra that prevents unauthorized modifications to protected files, directories, and processes. To mount your 2017 MacBook Pro as an external drive, you must first disable SIP.
- Restart your MacBook Pro in Recovery Mode by holding down Command-R during startup.
- From the Utilities menu, select Terminal.
- Enter the following command and press Enter:
| Command: | Disable SIP |
|---|---|
| csrutil disable | Temporary Disable SIP (Reboot Required) |
| csrutil clear | Permenantly Disable SIP |
Enter your administrator password and press Enter. Restart your MacBook Pro for the changes to take effect. SIP will now be disabled, allowing you to proceed with mounting your MacBook Pro as an external drive.
Create an External Drive Partition
To use your MacBook Pro as an external drive, you will first need to create a partition on your external hard drive. This will divide your hard drive into two separate sections: one that will be used by your MacBook Pro and one that will be used by the external drive.
Step 1: Connect your external hard drive to your MacBook Pro.
Step 2: Open Disk Utility. You can find this application in the Utilities folder in your Applications folder.
Step 3: Select your external hard drive from the list of devices in the left-hand column.
Then click on the “Partition” tab in the top menu bar.
Step 4: Click on the “Partition” button in the bottom-right corner of the window.
This will open a dialog box where you can choose the size and format of your new partition.
In the “Partition Size” field, enter the size of the partition you want to create.
The “Format” field should be set to “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)”.
Step 5: Click on the “Apply” button to create the new partition.
Once the partition has been created, you can close Disk Utility and proceed to the next step.
| Format | Description |
|---|---|
| Mac OS Extended (Journaled) | The default file system format for macOS. |
| ExFAT | A cross-platform file system format that can be read and written by both macOS and Windows. |
| NTFS | A file system format that is native to Windows. |
Install the Target Disk Mode Utility
The Target Disk Mode Utility is not pre-installed on your 2017 MacBook Pro. To use Target Disk Mode, you must install the utility from the macOS Recovery partition.
How to Install the Target Disk Mode Utility
- Restart your MacBook Pro while holding down the Command + R keys to enter macOS Recovery.
- From the Utilities menu, select Disk Utility.
- In Disk Utility, select the partition that contains your macOS installation.
- Click on the "Mount" button on the toolbar.
- Detailed Steps for Installing Target Disk Mode Utility:
- Open Disk Utility and navigate to the "/Applications/Utilities" folder.
- Drag and drop the "Target Disk Mode Utility" app to the Applications folder on your main drive.
- Exit Disk Utility and restart your Mac. The utility should now be available in the Applications folder.
Boot into Target Disk Mode
To boot your 2017 Macbook Pro into Target Disk Mode, follow these steps:
- Shut down your Macbook Pro.
- Press and hold the “T” key on your keyboard.
- Press the Power button.
- Continue holding the “T” key until you see the Thunderbolt icon on your screen.
- Release the “T” key.
- Your Macbook Pro will now be in Target Disk Mode.
Connecting Your Macbook Pro to Another Mac
1. Once your Macbook Pro is in Target Disk Mode, connect it to another Mac using a Thunderbolt cable.
2. The other Mac will recognize your Macbook Pro as an external disk.
3. You can now access the files on your Macbook Pro from the other Mac.
| Tips | |
|---|---|
| To eject your Macbook Pro from Target Disk Mode, press the Command + Q keys on your keyboard. | |
| You can also use Target Disk Mode to boot your Macbook Pro from another Mac. |
Connect to the Host Computer
Establishing the connection between your 2017 MacBook Pro and the host computer requires the use of a versatile cable, namely a Thunderbolt 3 cable. Thunderbolt 3 cables serve as a robust conduit for data transmission, power supply, and video output, making them a preferred choice for connecting devices in such scenarios.
The Thunderbolt 3 cable features a user-friendly design with reversible connectors, allowing you to effortlessly plug it into either device without having to worry about aligning it correctly. Once securely connected, your 2017 MacBook Pro and the host computer will form a seamlessly integrated system, ready for external drive mounting and seamless data exchange.
Using a Thunderbolt 3 Cable: A Step-by-Step Guide
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. | Select a high-quality Thunderbolt 3 cable. |
| 2. | Physically connect the Thunderbolt 3 cable to the Thunderbolt 3 port on your MacBook Pro and the host computer. |
| 3. | Ensure that both ends of the cable are firmly inserted and making good contact. |
| 4. | Confirm the successful establishment of the connection by verifying that your MacBook Pro is recognized and displayed as an external drive on the host computer. |
Mount the MacBook Pro as an External Drive
To mount your 2017 MacBook Pro as an external drive, you will need a Thunderbolt 3 cable and a compatible computer.
Requirements
Here are the requirements for mounting your MacBook Pro as an external drive:
- 2017 MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Thunderbolt 3 cable
- Compatible computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports
Steps
Follow these steps to mount your MacBook Pro as an external drive:
- Turn off both your MacBook Pro and the computer you want to connect it to.
- Connect the Thunderbolt 3 cable to the Thunderbolt 3 port on your MacBook Pro and the other end to the Thunderbolt 3 port on the other computer.
- Turn on your MacBook Pro.
- Hold down the “T” key on your MacBook Pro’s keyboard while turning it on. This will put your MacBook Pro into Target Disk Mode.
- You should now see your MacBook Pro’s hard drive appear on the other computer’s desktop.
- You can now access the files on your MacBook Pro’s hard drive from the other computer.
- When you are finished, eject your MacBook Pro’s hard drive from the other computer and turn off your MacBook Pro.
Troubleshooting
If you are having trouble mounting your MacBook Pro as an external drive, try the following troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure that you are using a Thunderbolt 3 cable.
- Make sure that your MacBook Pro and the other computer are both turned on.
- Make sure that you are holding down the “T” key on your MacBook Pro’s keyboard while turning it on.
- Try resetting the SMC on your MacBook Pro.
Boot the Macbook Pro in Target Disk Mode
1. Connect both Macbooks using a Thunderbolt cable.
2. Shut down the Macbook Pro you want to use as an external drive.
3. Power on the Macbook Pro while holding down the “T” key.
4. Release the key when the Thunderbolt icon appears on the screen.
Connect the Two Macbooks
5. Use a Thunderbolt cable to connect the two Macbooks.
Enable External Drive Mode on 2017 Macbook Pro
6. On the Macbook Pro you’re using as an external drive, go to “System Preferences” > “Startup Disk.”
7. Select the Thunderbolt drive and click “Use as Startup Disk.”
Access External Drive on Host Macbook
8. On the host Macbook, go to “Finder” and select the “Macintosh HD” volume under “Locations.”
Utilize Third-Party Software (Optional)
9. If you encounter issues mounting the external drive, consider using third-party software like Disk Drill or iBoysoft Data Recovery to access the data on the 2017 Macbook Pro.
| Software | Features |
|---|---|
| Disk Drill | – Recover deleted files – Repair corrupted drives – Create disk images |
| iBoysoft Data Recovery | – Recover lost data from various devices – Recover data lost due to formatting or deletion – Support for multiple file systems |
Step 1: Connect the MacBook Pro to the Host Computer
Connect your MacBook Pro to the host computer using a Thunderbolt 3 cable that supports data transfer.
Step 2: Identify the External Drive Name
Locate the external drive icon on the host computer’s desktop or file manager. It will typically be named “Macintosh HD” or contain the name of your MacBook Pro.
Step 3: Access Files on the External Drive
You can now access files stored on the MacBook Pro’s internal SSD like any other external drive. Copy, move, or edit files as needed.
Step 4: Safely Disconnect and Eject the MacBook Pro
1. Quit All Running Applications
Ensure you close any applications running on the MacBook Pro that may be accessing files or processes on the internal drive.
2. Eject the External Drive
Hover over the external drive icon representing your MacBook Pro on the host computer. Click the “Eject” button or right-click and select “Eject” from the context menu.
3. Wait for the Drive to Eject
The MacBook Pro’s internal drive will now be dismounted from the host computer. Wait until the external drive icon disappears before disconnecting the Thunderbolt 3 cable.
4. Disconnect the Thunderbolt 3 Cable
Once the external drive is ejected, unplug the Thunderbolt 3 cable from both the MacBook Pro and the host computer.
5. Power Down the MacBook Pro
If you no longer need to access the MacBook Pro’s internal drive externally, shut down the device to prevent unnecessary wear and tear on the SSD.
How To Mount 2017 Macbook Pro As External Drive
To mount your 2017 MacBook Pro as an external drive, you will need a Thunderbolt 3 cable and an external drive enclosure. Once you have these items, follow these steps:
- Connect your MacBook Pro to the external drive enclosure using the Thunderbolt 3 cable.
- Turn on your MacBook Pro.
- Open the Disk Utility application.
- In the Disk Utility sidebar, select your MacBook Pro’s internal drive.
- Click on the “Mount” button in the toolbar.
Your MacBook Pro’s internal drive will now be mounted as an external drive. You can now access the files on your MacBook Pro’s internal drive from your external drive enclosure.
