Help getting an *old* Mini running

[dug_lee]

I have acquired an old Mac Mini circa 2006 (Model A1103 -- PowerPC processor). I am having trouble getting it working. I am an Apple noob, although I have years of experience on WinTel.

I set the machine up, with a USB keyboard and mouse. Plug a DVI-D cable into the DVI port on the back of the machine and into a known working monitor. When I turn the machine on, I get the satisfying "bing" that says the machine is alive. However, I never ever get a picture on the monitor.

I am now stuck. After copious Googling, I have reset the NVRAM etc, with no effect.

Would anyone out there have any ideas to help me get it working? Or am I wasting my time with a brick?

TIA

 

[borgranta]

Even if you get it working it may not be able to do much.

 

[dug_lee]

True. My end goal is to use it as a media server and/or NAS by attaching external drive(s). So it really doesn't have to do a lot of anything.

 

[Partron22]

Even if you get it working it may not be able to do much.

I'm still happy using my 2005 Mini.
It runs iTunes nicely, Libre Office, MacDraft, and I can put it in emulation mode to run all the old OS9 stuff. Much of that never made the jump to X.
The 2005 on 10.5.11 boots faster than a High Sierra 2014 on an SSD.
Perfectly tolerable for light work.
I keep it off the internet, Others still surf with such machines.
Low end Mac might offer help with the monitor troubles,

 

[dug_lee]

So I got my hands on a DVI-to-VGA adapter and low and behold the system works. But I gotta ask: Why not with DVI?

 

[California]

So I got my hands on a DVI-to-VGA adapter and low and behold the system works. But I gotta ask: Why not with DVI?

What model is this? If it is the "secret upgrade Mac Mini late 2005" you should have 64mbs of vram. If not you've only got 32mb of video ram. Not sure if this is your issue or just a bad DVI adapter. Do you have the 1.5ghz secret upgrade late 2005 mini?

 

[Rocko99991]

I keep it off the internet, Others still surf with such machines.

This is key.