I was already deep down the Apple rabbit hole when I got my G3, I started with an Apple ][ in 1978! 
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Advice?
- Thread starter Rjones351
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Oh man I kept my Apple IIc going until 92 I think. I was a senior finally so I convinced my parents it was time for an IBM hah. I missed out on all the Macs until the G3 dropped. I only went back because I was kinda forced into it at work. Once I found out my audio stuff worked on it and switched. The nail in the coffin was a few years later when Apple bought Emagic. Pretty much married to Logic for like 20 something years now.
Wondering if I could get some advice. I've searched and came up with a lot of info, but most of it was over my head if I'm honest. I'm replacing an old g5 tower and the Mac Mini looks pretty good to me. I'm on a budget so I was looking at "renewed" ones on Amazon. Really all I'll use it for is photoshop, maybe internet. From what I gather I'll be able to either connect it to the g5, or at least move files between the two, for storage i was thinking. Will this one do the trick? I know more RAM would be preferable, but for the price it seems ok. Thanks!!
Apple Mac Mini Desktop Intel Core i5 2.6GHz (MGEN2LL/A ) 8GB Memory, 480GB Solid State Drive, ThunderBolt (Renewed)
Apple Mac Mini Desktop Intel Core i5 2.6GHz (MGEN2LL/A ) 8GB Memory, 480GB Solid State Drive, ThunderBolt (Renewed)www.amazon.com
That "renewed" costs a way to much. I'd recommend just a used mgen2 in good state, for like 250-300$ (ebay f.e.)
For PS and internet MGEN2 with some SSD should be more than enough. To pay or not to pay 2x+ for a (literally) hotter 2018 model is up to you. IMO, it's not worth it for the purposes, especailly when ARM minis are expected. Big Sur should also work fine on it. Plus it doesn't have problems with Bluetooth and Wifi interference.
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As others have said, a refurb 2018 would probably be your best bet. They're an absolute steal for what they are, I bought one in January and liked it so much I bought another in April lol.
It's also worth pointing out that prices of older used Macs are quite inflated right now because of the pandemic. What may have been available at the beginning of the year for $200-300 isn't really available for that now. I can't see your link for some reason but I checked Amazon.com and a 2014 Mini with 16gb of RAM and a 1TB SSD is $619. That's a crazy price, they're just trying to take advantage of people who don't know any better. A 2018 i3 Mini on the refurb store is $600. Yes that would have 8GB of RAM instead of 16GB and yes it would have 128GB SSD instead of 1TB but the SSD in the Mini will be something like 4x faster than the one in the 2014 and the RAM upgrade on the 2018 Mini is very easy to do yourself.
It's really not a lot more for a very nice current gen Mac Mini.
It's also worth pointing out that prices of older used Macs are quite inflated right now because of the pandemic. What may have been available at the beginning of the year for $200-300 isn't really available for that now. I can't see your link for some reason but I checked Amazon.com and a 2014 Mini with 16gb of RAM and a 1TB SSD is $619. That's a crazy price, they're just trying to take advantage of people who don't know any better. A 2018 i3 Mini on the refurb store is $600. Yes that would have 8GB of RAM instead of 16GB and yes it would have 128GB SSD instead of 1TB but the SSD in the Mini will be something like 4x faster than the one in the 2014 and the RAM upgrade on the 2018 Mini is very easy to do yourself.
It's really not a lot more for a very nice current gen Mac Mini.
they had 16 GB ones this weekend. They sold quickly.
Dang, missed em. I'm tempted to just get the i3 with 8 thats in my price range, and upgrade ram later if i have to.
Dang missed those too! You guys weren't kidding when you said they go fast.
I found this one also. New with 1 year warranty for about 100 more than the refurb.
Apple Mac Mini (3.6GHz Quad-core 8th-Generation Intel Core i3 Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB) - Previous Model
Eighth-generation 6-core and quad-core processors. Fast 2666MHz DDR4 memory. A variety of ports, including Thunderbolt 3, HDMI 2.0, and available 10Gb Ethernet. And all-flash storage that’s blazing-fast, so you can load giant files and launch apps in an instant. The re-engineered Mac mini is the ...
www.amazon.com
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Do they really though? I have had this 2012 i7 since 2013. All this time I have only noticed significant heat when it was working. Hard!
Yes, when compared to 2014 dual core i7.Do they really though? I have had this 2012 i7 since 2013. All this time I have only noticed significant heat when it was working. Hard!
Dang missed those too! You guys weren't kidding when you said they go fast.
I found this one also. New with 1 year warranty for about 100 more than the refurb.
Apple Mac Mini (3.6GHz Quad-core 8th-Generation Intel Core i3 Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB) - Previous Model
Eighth-generation 6-core and quad-core processors. Fast 2666MHz DDR4 memory. A variety of ports, including Thunderbolt 3, HDMI 2.0, and available 10Gb Ethernet. And all-flash storage that’s blazing-fast, so you can load giant files and launch apps in an instant. The re-engineered Mac mini is the ...www.amazon.com
Use refurb-tracker.com to set up an alert for the one you want. I'd recommend getting the i5 with 8GB and upgrading to 16GB yourself.
Also, FYI there's an i3/8GB Mini on there right now. Go quick if you want it! There's also an i5/8GB, get em while they're hot!
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So, I ordered one tonight. Hopefully you guys won't tell me I've made a huge mistake and I'm an idiot. After the advice here and reading other stuff about them, it seemed like this will be fine for what I'll be using it for. I know more ram is better, but I "think" this will do the job and then some. I wasn't fast enough to catch the refurbs the last few days, so I checked amazon again, for new ones this time, just to see, and I saw this one that was 100.00 off, so I ordered it. Thought about Applecare, but decided against it. Still have 60 days, I think, to add it if i want. I'm sure I'll have more questions once it gets here and I start using it.
Amazon.com: Apple Mac Mini (3.6GHz Quad-core 8th-Generation Intel Core i3 Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB) - Previous Model : Electronics
Amazon.com: Apple Mac Mini (3.6GHz Quad-core 8th-Generation Intel Core i3 Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB) - Previous Model : Electronics
www.amazon.com
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Congrats!
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Congratulations! Yes, that should work, enable file sharing on the G5 and connect it to the Mini with an ethernet cable. When you run the initial setup, it will ask if you want to move files. Or you can do this any time after initial setup by running Migration Assistant.
support.apple.com
Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support
Use Migration Assistant to copy your files from another computer.
Right on! Thank you!!Congratulations! Yes, that should work, enable file sharing on the G5 and connect it to the Mini with an ethernet cable. When you run the initial setup, it will ask if you want to move files. Or you can do this any time after initial setup by running Migration Assistant.
Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support
Use Migration Assistant to copy your files from another computer.
Not having much luck moving things from the old g5 to the new Mac mini. "Looking for source" is all I get. Connected the two with an ethernet cable. Could it be that the g5 is too old? Or am I just missing a step or something?? Migration assistant is on on both "from" the g5 "to" the mini.
Migration assistant should only be running on the new Mini. The G5 needs to have file sharing enabled in System Preferences. On the new Mini, can you see the G5 on the network? On my network, archive and mediaserver are both Mini's running filesharing and they appear like this in the finder
Ah, okay. I had it turned on on them both. I do see the g5 but I can't open it or anything. I turned on personal file sharing, is there a different one that should be turned on?
What version of the operating system is the G5 running? Don't really remember "personal file sharing".
Friend of mine got one in 78/79 and I was so jealous of it, every time I'd stop by his house I'd ask to check out the computer. My first computer was the Atari 800 at the very end of 79, didn't have an Apple of my own until the 90s.I was already deep down the Apple rabbit hole when I got my G3, I started with an Apple ][ in 1978!
As for file transfer from the G5 to the new Mini, it should work over the network. I can screenshare my G3 screen to my 2010 iMac over the network running Tiger and Sierra, using the default Sharing option, so file sharing should work too. If not, you might be able to use FireWire to boot the G5 in Target Disk Mode and use it as a glorified external hard drive to transfer files. I believe they make Firewire-USB-C adapters or something that can be daisy-chained to get to that.
RJones wrote:
"Not having much luck moving things from the old g5 to the new Mac mini. "Looking for source" is all I get. Connected the two with an ethernet cable. Could it be that the g5 is too old?"
It might be that Migration Assistant just won't work any longer with a drive from an "OS that is that old".
How I would do it:
(yes, I realize this involves some work)
1. Take the drive in question OUT OF the g5, so that you have "the bare drive in your hand"
2. Put it into a USB3/SATA docking station (cheap and plentiful to find if you don't have one).
3. Connect the dock DIRECTLY to the new Mini (no hubs, etc.)
4. Does the drive now mount on the Mini's desktop?
Now I'm getting old along with my memory, but I don't think any apps on the g5 will be "migrate-able", since they're written for PowerPC and not Intel...?
So... the only stuff you'll really be able to migrate are your document files -- that is, files that you've created, email, movies, music, and pictures, etc.
I don't think Migration Assistant will really help with this very much.
The "better way" may be to just "manually move" things from the old drive to the new Mac, creating folders for them if need be.
IMPORTANT:
If you just try to copy stuff over, you're likely to end up with permissions problems.
Here is how to avoid them:
1. Mount the g5 drive on the desktop
2. Click ONE TIME on the icon to select it
3. Bring up the "get info" box for the drive (type "command-i")
4. At the bottom of get info, click the lock and then enter your password (the one you're using for the Mini)
6. In "sharing and permissions", put a check into the box "ignore ownership on this volume"
7. Close get info
Now you can copy files from the old drive, and they will "come under the ownership" of your new Mini account.
You're going to have to KEEP NOTES as to what has been moved where, etc.
Good luck.
"Not having much luck moving things from the old g5 to the new Mac mini. "Looking for source" is all I get. Connected the two with an ethernet cable. Could it be that the g5 is too old?"
It might be that Migration Assistant just won't work any longer with a drive from an "OS that is that old".
How I would do it:
(yes, I realize this involves some work)
1. Take the drive in question OUT OF the g5, so that you have "the bare drive in your hand"
2. Put it into a USB3/SATA docking station (cheap and plentiful to find if you don't have one).
3. Connect the dock DIRECTLY to the new Mini (no hubs, etc.)
4. Does the drive now mount on the Mini's desktop?
Now I'm getting old along with my memory, but I don't think any apps on the g5 will be "migrate-able", since they're written for PowerPC and not Intel...?
So... the only stuff you'll really be able to migrate are your document files -- that is, files that you've created, email, movies, music, and pictures, etc.
I don't think Migration Assistant will really help with this very much.
The "better way" may be to just "manually move" things from the old drive to the new Mac, creating folders for them if need be.
IMPORTANT:
If you just try to copy stuff over, you're likely to end up with permissions problems.
Here is how to avoid them:
1. Mount the g5 drive on the desktop
2. Click ONE TIME on the icon to select it
3. Bring up the "get info" box for the drive (type "command-i")
4. At the bottom of get info, click the lock and then enter your password (the one you're using for the Mini)
6. In "sharing and permissions", put a check into the box "ignore ownership on this volume"
7. Close get info
Now you can copy files from the old drive, and they will "come under the ownership" of your new Mini account.
You're going to have to KEEP NOTES as to what has been moved where, etc.
Good luck.