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Early 2006 Intel iMac upgrade

OW22

OW22

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 3, 2006
462
279
Dublin, Ireland
Hi all,


Need some advice. Have the early Intel 24in iMac, (Core Duo). My hard drive is beginning to die, it's noisy, several times when starting it's given me the old click noise and I get the folder with the question mark. No worries, I have Time Machine to the external drive working so everything is safe.

So I want to upgrade it, put a 1TB drive in. Sadly, I can't upgrade the RAM, it's limited to 2GB which it has already installed.

Question is, a new hard drive at 7200 rpm really speed up the system? At the moment, the system is lagging if I look at embedded video for instance say on the NFL.com site. It's wheezy and jittery and really heats up. This is obviously due to the HD on it's last legs.

Hard drives are cheap now and I've studied the vidoes on changing the HD. It's tricky but nothing I can't handle I think.

Is there anything else I should change internally?

Will this iMac be OK for Lion? I don't want to have to change the HD and then find out it's going to be slow and laggy when I upgrade to Lion.

Or should I just get a new iMac?

All I use it for is browsing the web, reading email, watching iTunes movies etc and it's my central hub for my iPad, iPhone, iPod etc
 
OllyW said:
It might be easier and make more sense to upgrade the Mac?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think that's looking likely.

What would you think about running say the Mac Mini Server edition in my house? I've been thinking about getting Apple TV anyway and using it with my HDTV. Could I run my current iMac off that via it's server networking?

Thanks for your feedback by the way!
 
OW22 said:
Yeah, I think that's looking likely.

What would you think about running say the Mac Mini Server edition in my house? I've been thinking about getting Apple TV anyway and using it with my HDTV. Could I run my current iMac off that via it's server networking?

Thanks for your feedback by the way!
Click to expand...

I've been reading that 10.7 is supposed to have server software built into the consumer edition rather than sell the server standalone package for $500 by itself. If so, I'm thinking that will cut down on the value of the server edition mac mini. May make the 09's a better choice, if you're brave enough to pull out the putty knife and good enough to replace the optical drive with a 2nd hard drive yourself.

I've come across a g4 mini with airport, etc., etc for $150, and am wondering if it's worth it to act as a basic file and print server for my office, especially if I can get them down to $100.
 
OW22 said:
Damn......:(


I know you can upgrade that processor to a Core 2 but it's a lot more hassle then changing the HD.
Click to expand...

I read a thread from Hellhammer about Lion and Core 2. See below.

"I think this all has been known since the first dev preview as people have been installing it on various machines (including MBAs). Lion runs on Core Duo machines with a minor hack too."
 
Good info dudes.

Looking at the Mac Mini forum, I think I may just hold off for the update. It must be due this summer and will hopefully move up to the i3 processor with 4GB of Ram for starters. Doesn't seem like there'll be a server option either, Lion will have that as an add on. Also, with the cloud services, syncing files will be a doddle. I'm already paid up to MobileMe and it works very well so my devices are synced where it counts anyway.

I'm thinking Mac Mini with a good 27in monitor will be a good set up. I could then move the Mini to the HDTV when me and the missus want to watch a movie or whatever. Or just get the Apple TV as well.

Other posters on the Mini forum seem to be saying you're actually better off getting a MBP and using that as the base computer which can be moved with ease as well...

Too many options....:confused:
 
I didn't know that the 24" 2006 iMac was a Core Duo. The early 2006 models were a 17 and 20", the 24" was late 2006 and had a Core2Duo.
 
Just looked at apple's support page. If he has a early 2006 model, then it's a core Duo. Mine is a late 06, which is the core2duo. You might want to buy an newer iMac or mini instead of pouring more money in the one you have.
 
MTI said:
I didn't know that the 24" 2006 iMac was a Core Duo. The early 2006 models were a 17 and 20", the 24" was late 2006 and had a Core2Duo.
Click to expand...

Yeah, there never was a Core Duo 24". OP, check system profiler to make sure that you have the Core Duo rather than Core 2.
 
I think the mystery is solved, he's got a 20" not a 24" . . . you know how guys can be with measurements. :D

OW22 said:
Well my first post here as a newly converted Windows to Mac person. Got my 20in iMac 4 weeks ago and couldn't be happier with the system. Have no reason at all to install XP via bootcamp, everything I want is on my Mac, can get work e-mail etc etc
Click to expand...
 
MTI said:
I think the mystery is solved, he's got a 20" not a 24" . . . you know how guys can be with measurements. :D
Click to expand...

Haha! You're correct.....!

I do have the 20in, I don't know why I thought I had a 24in Mac:confused:

But this is actually great as the 21.5in new iMac is a contender for me now which is cool. I thought that screen may have been too small.

So the dilemma is now, do I get a new iMac 21.5in Mac or wait say for the new Mac Mini and pair that with a 27in Monitor. Benefits are I can simply take the mini then to the TV room and hook it up to the HDTV to watch movies etc

Is there a big compromise in using a 3rd party monitor? A 27in monitor would give a 1920x1080 display. But I notice the 27in iMac gives a 2560x1440 display.

Is that a huge difference? I wouldn't want to have a Mac with a crappy display.
 
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