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Mac mini G4 1.42GHz - New Toy!

gavinstubbs09

gavinstubbs09

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 17, 2013
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NorCal boonies ~~~by Reno sorta
I really have no idea why I bought it or what I'll use it for, but hey at least now I have one. I used to have a 1.33GHz model that I hated years ago because it had no Bluetooth or WiFi and only 2 USB ports, but this one has bluetooth which already has the riser for an AP card.

Went looking through ebay for no real reason, so I saw it, bid, and won :)

Leopard retail DVD was a nice touch!

$27 + $11.95 Shipping = $38.95

mmg4.jpg
 
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MorphOS will cost a lot more than the hardware unless you only plan to run it for less than 30 mins at a time. The main sticking point with these things is the 1GB of RAM max. Depending on what you run and how well written the proggies are, multi-tasking can get sluggish. This would probably benefit from a cheap SSD for that reason alone.

I have two of those; one I gave to my Mac-hating brother who used it for years because it was whisper quiet compared with his Windows desktop. He even bought games for it. I haven't booted mine for years but I can't part with it. It was the only Mac of mine that a burglar spared when he cleared me out of £5k worth of Apple kit back in the day. My brother hasn't used his for a while either and still hates Macs but also refuses to give it up for some reason.

Never felt the same about the AluMinis. They are squat ugly things compared with this iteration.
 
My 1.25 ghz Mini runs Leopard, as a media and file server. Two 4tb external drives hooked up via USB; one for movies, one for files; (and a third drive that's a clone of the file server, hooked up once a month. The movie drive's contents fit on the file server and are backed up as I add to it), streaming movies to my three Apple TVs and serving music to my other Macs. These are great streaming work horses. You'd think the USB 2.0 ports would be a bottleneck, but the buffering is quite minimal with zero stuttering or interruptions, even with higher quality movies.
 
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I have a 3,1 Intel which looks very similar, and I love it. I also have the last revision PowerPC one too. Both really excellent little machines.
 
gavinstubbs09 said:
Received it today, does have AirPort already! My truck was rear ended last night and bent the frame pretty good so I've been more worried about that than the mac mini.
Click to expand...

A wrecked car... I see that as opportunity.

You now have something that couldn't be made worse. Time to play.

Modify it, customize its appearance. And computerize it with the mini. Have some fun.
 
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gavinstubbs09 said:
Received it today, does have AirPort already! My truck was rear ended last night and bent the frame pretty good so I've been more worried about that than the mac mini.
Click to expand...
Arrrrgh I know that pain dude. You have a parts truck, no? Swap everything? (ouch). My head gasket blew, and I decided at 225k it was time for a rebuild :/

Part of the way through of an engine pull:
that_s_the_engine_about_ready_to_be_pulled.jpg
 
I do have my 94 that looks somewhat like my white 98, needs work but still a summer project. I was rear ended about 50mph and I was on my brakes and slowing down when I was hit. Killed his k5 blazer on impact, tire on the blazer popped. Put my spare tire on the blazer and dragged him home with my truck.

I'm buying a 2003 Ram 2500 CCSB with a 5.7l hemi off my dad, he went to the dealer today and picked up a 2016 Ram 2500 CCSB with the 6.7l Cummins. So I guess it isn't all bad. My truck has full coverage, deductible is a grand (USAA).

My 94 ECSB:
IMG_0381.jpg


98 ECSB wreck:

IMG_0014.jpg

IMG_0016.jpg

IMG_0008.jpg
 
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gavinstubbs09 said:
I do have my 94 that looks somewhat like my white 98, needs work but still a summer project. I was rear ended about 50mph and I was on my brakes and slowing down when I was hit. Killed his k5 blazer on impact, tire on the blazer popped. Put my spare tire on the blazer and dragged him home with my truck.

I'm buying a 2003 Ram 2500 CCSB with a 5.7l hemi off my dad, he went to the dealer today and picked up a 2016 Ram 2500 CCSB with the 6.7l Cummins. So I guess it isn't all bad. My truck has full coverage, deductible is a grand (USAA).

My 94 ECSB:
IMG_0300.jpg


98 ECSB wreck:

IMG_0014.jpg

IMG_0016.jpg

IMG_0008.jpg
Click to expand...
Ah. Just keep the old Chevy for fun stuff, and ride the RAM. Sounds good. Sucks about that blazer though :(. The frame doesn't look to bad. My 4Runner (pictured engine pull) has a bend in the frame. Passenger side, back in 1994.

I've got a ton of stuff to worry about on top of my car being dead.
I need to fix bugs on my flagship diabetes application, I need to bring my other secondary application into the modern world for iOS 10, and arrrrgh.
 
Oh man, that sucks, I hope you weren't hurt.



gavinstubbs09 said:
IMG_0016.jpg
Click to expand...
Doesn't look so bad.
Measure diagonals on the frame, as long as the rails haven't moved...

chassis-straitness-guide-1.gif
...you should be able to cut out the damage and replace.
Rear step/bumper off, I think that's done.
Bed off (Might be fixable, might need replacing).
Rear axle and spring off (very carefully, that spring is under a lot of load, they've been known to do some damage to an unwary spanner man when they release).
Cut out damaged section.
Align new section very very carefully (measure twice, cut/weld once).
Weld. add reinforcement plates (strictly, this is optional, but I would very strongly recommend that you do).
Allow to cool (beer optional).
Paint.
Wait for paint to dry (beer optional).
Replace spring/shackle/hanger bracket (get a new one, or better 2 new ones)
Refit axle.
Replace shocks (get new ones, always worth replacing in pairs).
Refit anti sway bar(?), bed, tailgate, step/bumper, etc, etc, etc.
Drive.
Find stuff that was missed.
Fix stuff that was missed.
Repeat last 3 steps over and over and over.
Drive.
Find stuff that was missed.
Ignore stuff that was missed.
Drive.
Enjoy!


(and yes I did have a Friday afternoon car, nothing was square, one diagonal was 3/8" out!)
 
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I think what I'm going to do is buy it back then take the entire interior and front fenders and swap onto my diesel truck then paint that truck white. That way I can have both of my trucks in one. I miss it!

But, here is my new truck. 2003 Ram 2500 CCSB with the 5.7L Hemi. My dad bought it new in 2003 and it has 137k. My dad went and bought a bright red 2016 Ram 2500 CCSB with the 6.7L Cummins on Saturday.

IMG_0028.jpg


I like the Dodge, true 3/4 ton and has power! Manual windows and locks though. My friend with the wrecked Blazer picked up a beat 1991 F150 with the 4.9L straight-6 and a 5 speed, I guess it was impressive that we both had vehicles available within 24 hours of the wreck!

Father's new truck:

IMG_0017.jpg
 
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gavinstubbs09 said:
I think what I'm going to do is buy it back then take the entire interior and front fenders and swap onto my diesel truck then paint that truck white. That way I can have both of my trucks in one. I miss it!

But, here is my new truck. 2003 Ram 2500 CCSB with the 5.7L Hemi. My dad bought it new in 2003 and it has 137k. My dad went and bought a bright red 2016 Ram 2500 CCSB with the 6.7L Cummins on Saturday.

IMG_0028.jpg


I like the Dodge, true 3/4 ton and has power! Manual windows and locks though. My friend with the wrecked Blazer picked up a beat 1991 F150 with the 4.9L straight-6 and a 5 speed, I guess it was impressive that we both had vehicles available within 24 hours of the wreck!
Click to expand...
The F150 is sharp! My car is still in a garage, haven't had time to work on it much more. Congrats
 
weckart said:
Do you still forfeit that, even though not at fault?
Click to expand...

I honestly have yet to find out. When I do I'll update you guys :)
[doublepost=1466443608][/doublepost]
128keaton said:
The F150 is sharp! My car is still in a garage, haven't had time to work on it much more. Congrats
Click to expand...

That F150 is beat! I should have taken a pic of the driver side cab/bed. It's bent pretty good! It didn't have headlights that worked either so last night we ran wire for running lights and low/high beam headlights to switches in the cab. Pretty slick!
 
gavinstubbs09 said:
I think what I'm going to do is buy it back then take the entire interior and front fenders and swap onto my diesel truck then paint that truck white. That way I can have both of my trucks in one. I miss it!

But, here is my new truck. 2003 Ram 2500 CCSB with the 5.7L Hemi. My dad bought it new in 2003 and it has 137k. My dad went and bought a bright red 2016 Ram 2500 CCSB with the 6.7L Cummins on Saturday.

IMG_0028.jpg


I like the Dodge, true 3/4 ton and has power! Manual windows and locks though. My friend with the wrecked Blazer picked up a beat 1991 F150 with the 4.9L straight-6 and a 5 speed, I guess it was impressive that we both had vehicles available within 24 hours of the wreck!

Father's new truck:

IMG_0017.jpg
Click to expand...


I like your father!
 
gavinstubbs09 said:
I honestly have yet to find out. When I do I'll update you guys :)
[doublepost=1466443608][/doublepost]

That F150 is beat! I should have taken a pic of the driver side cab/bed. It's bent pretty good! It didn't have headlights that worked either so last night we ran wire for running lights and low/high beam headlights to switches in the cab. Pretty slick!
Click to expand...
Hahah. Beat is better!
 
I am glad we don't have rust like the fellas on the east coast!

I've been doing fine, not really sore anymore which is excellent! Put a new Pioneer deck in the dodge today but the bummer thing I found out - only the front speakers work. No idea why or how, so I need to fix that. Plugged in the stock CD player and same issue.

As a side note, MR really needs a vehicle subforum where people could post builds on their vehicles!!
 
gavinstubbs09 said:
I am glad we don't have rust like the fellas on the east coast!

I've been doing fine, not really sore anymore which is excellent! Put a new Pioneer deck in the dodge today but the bummer thing I found out - only the front speakers work. No idea why or how, so I need to fix that. Plugged in the stock CD player and same issue.

As a side note, MR really needs a vehicle subforum where people could post builds on their vehicles!!
Click to expand...
More on topic: spent any time with the good, ol mini?
 
128keaton said:
More on topic: spent any time with the good, ol mini?
Click to expand...

I did plug it into a Kill-a-Watt meter, drew 13w at idle, 2w when sleeping. Coworker's C2D 2.66 mini drew 7w at idle.

I think today I'll run a Geekbench test on it. I'd love to make it a NAS and replace a C2D 2.4 Optiplex 755 USFF, but I need a program that is Windows only. The program (HFS - HTTP File Server) will run under Windows 2000 though!
 
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