If I buy an old Mac mini will I have any problems with Time Machine?

[zach-coleman]

If am using a Mac mini that doesn't get modern updates and use it to host its drive for time machine, will anything break? I'm thinking about a 2012/2014. The 2014 won't get Ventura, of course. I don't entirely get how Time Machine works so I'm unsure how much of it is managed by the computer pushing the backups and how much is managed by the computer storing them.

 

[Fishrrman]

You want to be VERY careful about 2014 Minis.
The RAM is soldered in and IS NOT upgradeable.

DO NOT buy a 2014 Mini with only 4gb of RAM (for the reason explained above).
It won't be enough.
Get one that has 8gb or more.

Actually, if you're thinking "used Mini", I would not recommend anything earlier than the 2018 release. These were FAR FAR SUPERIOR to both the 2012 and the 2014.

Hmmmm...
To reply to questions about backing up...
I WOULD NOT recommend time machine, ever.
Use either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper.
Either will do far better to help you in that "moment of extreme need"...

 

[zach-coleman]

The Mac mini will exclusively be a server for time machine, will it still matter if it only has 4GB?

 

[belvdr]

The Mac mini will exclusively be a server for time machine, will it still matter if it only has 4GB?

Yes, that is a common pitfall. The more storage on a machine used as a file server, the RAM must go up too. It's not linear, but I wouldn't go with less than 8GB on any machine these days.

 

[zach-coleman]

So is Time Machine all handled by each client, and the server is just presenting a drive? That's my question, can something that doesn't run Monterey properly support Monterey Time Machine backups? Or does it require the server to be on the newest macOS to support it correctly?

 

[PeteBurgh]

I don't entirely get how Time Machine works so I'm unsure how much of it is managed by the computer pushing the backups and how much is managed by the computer storing them

As I understand it, Time Machine runs on one machine, and writes to dumb storage. There is no management on the server/storage side - whether it's an external hard drive SSD of some kind, or a drive attached via a network.

So, yes, you could set up an old Mac mini (or an old anything) to be networked storage for a Time Machine backup. Even if it the macOS compatilbility was broken such that the Mac shared as a Time Machine backup destination option didn't work, you could still configure it as an SMB based network drive and use it to host a Time Machine back up that way.

So it's possible. Whether or not it effective and cost effective is another matter. I would think in most cases a small NAS would be more reliable and cheaper-to-run alternative. Or depending on what you're trying to do, simply having an external SSD plugged in 1-2 a week might suffice.

 

[appltech]

If you'll manage to get one for pennies then yes, so can use it.
But beware of using APFS file system for TM backups because they'll become slooow; only Mac OS Extended if you don't want to spend on external SSD.

Yes, all the backups from Monterey, and above should be supported.

But @Fishrrman wrote a decent solution about Macs, as well as for backups

 

[MarkC426]

I think it would be better (if going down this route) to add an external drive to the Mini.
What are you backing up from.....?

Why not just connect a 4TB+ external HDD to your Mac..?

 

[zach-coleman]

I think it would be better (if going down this route) to add an external drive to the Mini.
What are you backing up from.....?

Why not just connect a 4TB+ external HDD to your Mac..?

Don't want to have to eject it and I want it to be able to be accessed anywhere in my home. (Laptop) If I have to do it manually I'm going to forget.

 

[FNH15]

Don't want to have to eject it and I want it to be able to be accessed anywhere in my home. (Laptop) If I have to do it manually I'm going to forget.

Can you plug it into your router?

Alternatively, an AirPort Extreme in bridge mode (wifi turned off) can act as a Time Machine host. Simply plug the external drive into the Extreme's USB port and you have a network Time Machine backup drive.

 

[HDFan]

Be aware that a single TM backup is not sufficient or advisable due to its tendency to fail. The 3-2-1 recommended backup strategy would involve 1 or 2 other drives (Not TM) and maybe a cloud backup service.

 

[MultiFinder17]

This will work fine - I have multiple Monterey machines backing up to a 2009 Mac mini running High Sierra in my classroom

 

[zach-coleman]

Be aware that a single TM backup is not sufficient or advisable due to its tendency to fail. The 3-2-1 recommended backup strategy would involve 1 or 2 other drives (Not TM) and maybe a cloud backup service.

My most critical data (the video games I make) is already backed up to GitHub, so this is already a second step on top of that. I want it more for its ability to rewind files (useful when I'm in between pushing new features to git and just in general) than for a full drive clone.

 

[DoghouseMike]

Should be fine! I’ve got a 2014 mini (Monterey) sharing an external drive as a Time Machine backup. My old MBP (mojave) and wife’s MBA (Monterey) both back up to it fine whenever they can be bothered

 

[Mactech20]

It will work fine. No problems. Really would advise not buying a 2014 with 4GB of soldered ram though. You don't understand how slow that is even with normal tasks... like opening time machine.

 

[bernuli]

So is Time Machine all handled by each client, and the server is just presenting a drive? That's my question, can something that doesn't run Monterey properly support Monterey Time Machine backups? Or does it require the server to be on the newest macOS to support it correctly?

if you have a lot the same files being shared over and over then more Ram would allow more files be stored in ram for faster access. But since the network may be the bottle neck ram may not help


while I always recommend more ram when poss. And 4 gb is a little light. If you using for singe user time machine server, I’d say that should work fine.