Mac Mini OS ?

radi8or · 9th December 2009, 04:50

Hi all,

Haven't been around much lately, only get a chance for the odd lurk early in the morning (like now) when I can't sleep, then 'er indoors gets the

and it's back to refurbing the house, anyhoo here's my poser.

Have been given by my son-in-law an old Mac Mini circa 2005, it's got an 80gb hard drive so from my internet digging am guessing it has a 1.42ghz single processor and only 256mb memory.

Have ordered a new 1gb (thats the maximum) memory stick and a new 160gb hard drive, my question is what OS do I put on it, the new Leopard OS seems to be an update, do I have to put an older version on first?

Sorry for the dumb questions but haven't a clue about Mac's

, only found out on the net that you have to take a pallet knife to it

to get at the internals, packed in as tight as under the bonnet of the 75.

Any info gratefully received.

Simon · 9th December 2009, 13:08

The latest OS (version 10.6) is known as Snow Leopard and will only run on Intel processors. The previous version (10.5) will work on all (PowerPC and Intel) which is simply called "Leopard". As you say, Snow Leopard is only an upgrade from Leopard which is required before you can install it.

If you click on the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the screen then click "About this mac" you'll get a dialog box of which version of the OS you have along with some basic info of your system hardware.

radi8or · 9th December 2009, 14:57

Hi Simon,

Thanks for response, I knew a couple of you mod guys are into Macs, computers not the other sort,

.

So if I install any Leopard 10.x I can then update to Snow Leopard or won't it run at all on Power PC ?

Unfortunately there is no OS on this machine, thats why I asked which one will install on it, got to buy one, but thanks for the tip, will try if I get it up and running.

Simon · 9th December 2009, 17:26

I'm not sure if the Mac you have is a PowerPC (Motorola processors) or an Intel-based machine but from the link I give in my last paragraph it could be a G4 PowerPC processor. I've only had my Mac less than a year and have only been reading up on them for a year or so now.

Each version of OS X has been given a name. 10.4 was Tiger, 10.5 was Leopard and 10.6 is Snow Leopard. You must have 10.5 to be able to install 10.6. This is Apples intention at least hence the seemingly ridiculously low pricing for 10.6.

If you don't have a printed basic user manual then here's the PDF http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/...sers_Guide.pdf although it's a very basic guide to setting things up and getting going.

This page here details how you can find out a bit more about your Mac Mini from it's serial and model number which will give you clues on what's actually inside it: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3476

radi8or · 10th December 2009, 01:29

From your links, cheers, it seems to be a second generation mini, a 1.42 G4 PPC processor.

Have acquired an OSX 10.4 Tiger off the bay of fleas, have to wait and see when it arrives.

Thanks again for info.

Schotten · 10th December 2009, 08:21

10.4 will run fine, just remember to connect to internet and fully update to the latest version with security etc. If I remember (as mine is away being fixed) 10.4.9 is the last upgrade for Tiger. 10.5 will work OK with the Mini, but may run a bit slow. To run the latest iTunes you'll need 10.5, other than that excellent little machine.:lol:

radi8or · 10th December 2009, 08:42

Hi Schotten,

Thanks for the info, having had nothing to do with Macs thought it would be worth giving it a whizz, give the old grey cells a bit of a stir up.

Noticed on the site I got the Tiger 10.4 from that they have bundled a 10.4.11 update disc in with it.

Thanks again.

salop75 · 30th December 2009, 12:11

Hi Radi8or,

The macMini is a lovely little machine. Tiger(10.4) or Leopard(10.5) will run nicely on them with 1GB Ram. Some folks say Tiger is a bit quicker than Leopard, others say Leopards optimisations make it a tad faster. I personally run Leopard on a macMini(1.42ghz) and it makes a great little machine.

I would recommend getting hold of a usb or even firewire 2.5" disc enclosure, then you can install your new drive with an OS before you pop the case open and swap disks. Plus you can then put the old drive in the enclosure and make use of it. If you go with a firewire enclosure you'll get a bit of speed boost and won't use up a USB port.

radi8or · 30th December 2009, 12:52

Hi John,

Sorry didn't see your post straight away, wife is coming home from hospital today

so two weeks of housework to do

.

Have already done as you suggested sort of but installed OS as a clean instal on the new drive after fitting it, have got a firewire enclosure and formatted it FAT32 but having trouble getting it recognized will not show at all on USB and sometime it will on firewire other times it just doesn't at all

should the enclosure be powered?

PS you have a PM

salop75 · 31st December 2009, 12:10

Radi8or,

I suspect the enclosure does need power, thats if it has a power socket?

USB cannot feed enough juice to power an external drive, whereas Firewire can provide juice, enough to perhaps power an external drive.

9th December 2009, 04:50	#1
radi8or Gets stuck in Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Dagenham Posts: 760 Thanks: 11 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts	Mac Mini OS ? Hi all, Haven't been around much lately, only get a chance for the odd lurk early in the morning (like now) when I can't sleep, then 'er indoors gets the and it's back to refurbing the house, anyhoo here's my poser. Have been given by my son-in-law an old Mac Mini circa 2005, it's got an 80gb hard drive so from my internet digging am guessing it has a 1.42ghz single processor and only 256mb memory. Have ordered a new 1gb (thats the maximum) memory stick and a new 160gb hard drive, my question is what OS do I put on it, the new Leopard OS seems to be an update, do I have to put an older version on first? Sorry for the dumb questions but haven't a clue about Mac's , only found out on the net that you have to take a pallet knife to it to get at the internals, packed in as tight as under the bonnet of the 75. Any info gratefully received. __________________ Regards. Bob Member # 45

9th December 2009, 14:57	#3
radi8or Gets stuck in Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Dagenham Posts: 760 Thanks: 11 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts	Hi Simon, Thanks for response, I knew a couple of you mod guys are into Macs, computers not the other sort, . So if I install any Leopard 10.x I can then update to Snow Leopard or won't it run at all on Power PC ? Unfortunately there is no OS on this machine, thats why I asked which one will install on it, got to buy one, but thanks for the tip, will try if I get it up and running. __________________ Regards. Bob Member # 45 Last edited by radi8or; 9th December 2009 at 15:03..

10th December 2009, 01:29	#5
radi8or Gets stuck in Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Dagenham Posts: 760 Thanks: 11 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts	From your links, cheers, it seems to be a second generation mini, a 1.42 G4 PPC processor. Have acquired an OSX 10.4 Tiger off the bay of fleas, have to wait and see when it arrives. Thanks again for info. __________________ Regards. Bob Member # 45

10th December 2009, 08:42	#7
radi8or Gets stuck in Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Dagenham Posts: 760 Thanks: 11 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts	Hi Schotten, Thanks for the info, having had nothing to do with Macs thought it would be worth giving it a whizz, give the old grey cells a bit of a stir up. Noticed on the site I got the Tiger 10.4 from that they have bundled a 10.4.11 update disc in with it. Thanks again. __________________ Regards. Bob Member # 45

30th December 2009, 12:52	#9
radi8or Gets stuck in Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Dagenham Posts: 760 Thanks: 11 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts	Hi John, Sorry didn't see your post straight away, wife is coming home from hospital today so two weeks of housework to do . Have already done as you suggested sort of but installed OS as a clean instal on the new drive after fitting it, have got a firewire enclosure and formatted it FAT32 but having trouble getting it recognized will not show at all on USB and sometime it will on firewire other times it just doesn't at all should the enclosure be powered? PS you have a PM __________________ Regards. Bob Member # 45

9th December 2009, 13:08	#2
Simon Banned - Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: - Posts: 10,318 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	The latest OS (version 10.6) is known as Snow Leopard and will only run on Intel processors. The previous version (10.5) will work on all (PowerPC and Intel) which is simply called "Leopard". As you say, Snow Leopard is only an upgrade from Leopard which is required before you can install it. If you click on the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the screen then click "About this mac" you'll get a dialog box of which version of the OS you have along with some basic info of your system hardware.

9th December 2009, 17:26	#4
Simon Banned - Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: - Posts: 10,318 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	I'm not sure if the Mac you have is a PowerPC (Motorola processors) or an Intel-based machine but from the link I give in my last paragraph it could be a G4 PowerPC processor. I've only had my Mac less than a year and have only been reading up on them for a year or so now. Each version of OS X has been given a name. 10.4 was Tiger, 10.5 was Leopard and 10.6 is Snow Leopard. You must have 10.5 to be able to install 10.6. This is Apples intention at least hence the seemingly ridiculously low pricing for 10.6. If you don't have a printed basic user manual then here's the PDF http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/...sers_Guide.pdf although it's a very basic guide to setting things up and getting going. This page here details how you can find out a bit more about your Mac Mini from it's serial and model number which will give you clues on what's actually inside it: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3476

10th December 2009, 08:21	#6
Schotten Loves to post 75 Saloon Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Glasgow Posts: 334 Thanks: 8 Thanked 10 Times in 10 Posts	10.4 will run fine, just remember to connect to internet and fully update to the latest version with security etc. If I remember (as mine is away being fixed) 10.4.9 is the last upgrade for Tiger. 10.5 will work OK with the Mini, but may run a bit slow. To run the latest iTunes you'll need 10.5, other than that excellent little machine.:lol:

30th December 2009, 12:11	#8
salop75 Avid contributor Rover 75 2.5 Conn SE Saloon Auto Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Shrewsbury Posts: 193 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hi Radi8or, The macMini is a lovely little machine. Tiger(10.4) or Leopard(10.5) will run nicely on them with 1GB Ram. Some folks say Tiger is a bit quicker than Leopard, others say Leopards optimisations make it a tad faster. I personally run Leopard on a macMini(1.42ghz) and it makes a great little machine. I would recommend getting hold of a usb or even firewire 2.5" disc enclosure, then you can install your new drive with an OS before you pop the case open and swap disks. Plus you can then put the old drive in the enclosure and make use of it. If you go with a firewire enclosure you'll get a bit of speed boost and won't use up a USB port.

31st December 2009, 12:10	#10
salop75 Avid contributor Rover 75 2.5 Conn SE Saloon Auto Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Shrewsbury Posts: 193 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Radi8or, I suspect the enclosure does need power, thats if it has a power socket? USB cannot feed enough juice to power an external drive, whereas Firewire can provide juice, enough to perhaps power an external drive.