MacMini 2.1 (2007!!!) what to use it for?

[Giuanniello]

I have two Mini from 2007, a 1.83Ghz and a 2.33 which is an upgraded one, both run 10.6.8, wondering if I could still put them to some use, in particular I'd like to turn one of them into a kind of Time Machine server where I can backup data from other Macs connected to the same network, any idea how to achieve it or on how to use them?

Grazie

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

I have two Mini from 2007, a 1.83Ghz and a 2.33 which is an upgraded one, both run 10.6.8, wondering if I could still put them to some use, in particular I'd like to turn one of them into a kind of Time Machine server where I can backup data from other Macs connected to the same network, any idea how to achieve it or on how to use them?

Grazie

Sell them and buy a NAS.

 

[Giuanniello]

Sell them and buy a NAS.

Already have one, just looking to put them to use before they head to garbage

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Already have one, just looking to put them to use before they head to garbage

I would use one as music server and player, by installing Daphile to it.
The other one? Give it to someone who doesn't need a very powerful machine.

 

[Giuanniello]

I would use one as music server and player, by installing Daphile to it.
The other one? Give it to someone who doesn't need a very powerful machine.

Ah, too late, I have a 2010 C2Duo Mini which serves as an uncompressed music server to stream the data to a DAC then to my stereo system, movies wise I use the NAS.

Come on, other than as a paper holder how else can I use it?

 

[djc6]

Two of them would make nice decorative bookends.

 

[Giuanniello]

Two of them would make nice decorative bookends.

I use an Apple Cube as a bookend 😉

 

[phoenix-mac-user]

Attach it to a gold chain and look like an 80s rapper? Seems like you have everything covered.

 

[Giuanniello]

Attach it to a gold chain and look like an 80s rapper? Seems like you have everything covered.

White gold might suit it better, that's an idea, thanks!

 

[dogslobber]

Already have one, just looking to put them to use before they head to garbage

I hope you meant 'garage' here.

 

[calabi-yau]

I had a 2007 Mini too. I racked my brain for a long while trying to figure out what use to put it to. The platter drive had aged and slowed considerably. And the CPU had never been all that powerful. Even after upgrading to 3+ GB of RAM, it was still really pokey. I tried installing a lightweight Linux on it, but even that was really slow, and kinda buggy. After lots of research and hemming and hawing, I eventually just gave it up for recycling last year.

 

[profcutter]

Attach it to your TV and run original NES games through an emulator.

 

[JhnsSch]

Ah, too late, I have a 2010 C2Duo Mini which serves as an uncompressed music server to stream the data to a DAC then to my stereo system, movies wise I use the NAS.

Come on, other than as a paper holder how else can I use it?

Well, I'll have to try if my A1283 2.26 Ghz Mac mini runs Big Sur in some way, since it is the one out of all my Apple Computers that runs Catalina smoothly (that includes those that shaped with Catalina, those don't come close).
I use that one with a Kinect Sensor for some 3d Scanning experiments, since all iPhone's despite their vastly superior sensors won't work without issues (overheating, apps being poorly developed, ram issues, ...)
- Mac mini won't break a sweat.

The other Mac mini is a purely offline device for writing and other meditative offline tasks with a separate monitor in my dressing room, the idea came about rather spontaneous, yet I wouldn't want to miss it now. It just makes sense.

 

[mrkapqa]

used a macmini 2.1 that i was gifted to learn about linux ... was picky installing ubuntu but fine with older debian; quite a learning curve getting those installed .. but luckily harddrive broke earlier so i got an ssd installed and was a good experience. refit/refind + debian squeeze/wheezy + macmini Z nice combo!