I'm need to upgrade my existing Mac, and although if I was wealthy I'd go for a used Mac Pro, or if I was extremely wealthy, a new one, it occurred to me that the new Mac Mini might be an option.
Presumably its 2GHz Core 2 Duo would be significantly faster than my existing Dual 1.25GHz G4 processors, I could spec it either to come with 2 or 4 GB of RAM, and according to this page it can support my existing 23" Cinema Display (1920x1200) with an adaptor, and even a 30" Cinema Display at some point in the future (2560x1600).
The only remaining problem would be hard drive space. The maximum BTO option is 320 GB, and I'd need at least 1TB. Do 1TB+ 5400rpm hard drives exist, and if so, would the following be possible (or advisable)?
1. I BTO a mini with the smallest possible internal drive (120GB).
2. I buy a 1/1.5/2TB 5400 rpm SATA drive, and connect it internally (via an adapter that I already have & use successfully with a 7200rpm Western Digital 250GB SATA drive) to my G4.
3. I connect the Mini & the G4 via a FireWire 800 to FireWire 400 cable (the G4 doesn't have FireWire 800) in target disk mode. (Do FireWire 800 to FireWire 400 cables exist?)
4. I use Carbon Copy Cloner or similar to clone the existing internal drive in the Mini to the 1/1.5/2TB drive in the G4.
5. I replace the internal drive in the mini with the 1/1.5/2TB drive, and then start to use the mini as normal, with it being none the wiser that I've swapped its Apple-supplied drive for a huge new one.
Please try to refrain from adding replies to this post along the lines of "you'd be better off with a 24" iMac", or "why don't you buy a second hand Mac Pro", or "why don't you buy a Mini, keep the existing internal drive, and add a second, external FireWire 800/USB 2.0 drive to give you the storage you need", or anything similar.
I'm acutely aware of all these options, and more. I have very specific needs, which I've listed in great detail, scattered across various posts on this website and Apple's Discussion Forums. I simply can't be bothered to regurgitate them all here.
Suffice to say I'd appreciate comments from anyone who has real, genuine technical insight into what I'm proposing (drive firmware compatibility problems for example?) as opposed to hearsay & conjecture. Saying things like "I'm not sure it would work", or "it's up to you if you want to risk it" aren't at all helpful. I'm aware that it might not work, which is why I'm asking the question on this forum!
I'd rather there was only one, technically detailed, knowledgeable, insightful & genuinely useful reply to my question - one which was able to help me make a decision, rather than 10 or 20 trite, useless, vapid ones that add nothing to my existing knowledge.
If all of this sound like a pompous rant then I apologise, but I spend a lot of time reading posts on this website, and the general standard of literacy, intelligence & detailed technical knowledge often seems to be woeful. If you can't contribute anything genuinely insightful, then it's best not to contribute at all, wouldn't you agree?
Many thanks for your help.
Presumably its 2GHz Core 2 Duo would be significantly faster than my existing Dual 1.25GHz G4 processors, I could spec it either to come with 2 or 4 GB of RAM, and according to this page it can support my existing 23" Cinema Display (1920x1200) with an adaptor, and even a 30" Cinema Display at some point in the future (2560x1600).
The only remaining problem would be hard drive space. The maximum BTO option is 320 GB, and I'd need at least 1TB. Do 1TB+ 5400rpm hard drives exist, and if so, would the following be possible (or advisable)?
1. I BTO a mini with the smallest possible internal drive (120GB).
2. I buy a 1/1.5/2TB 5400 rpm SATA drive, and connect it internally (via an adapter that I already have & use successfully with a 7200rpm Western Digital 250GB SATA drive) to my G4.
3. I connect the Mini & the G4 via a FireWire 800 to FireWire 400 cable (the G4 doesn't have FireWire 800) in target disk mode. (Do FireWire 800 to FireWire 400 cables exist?)
4. I use Carbon Copy Cloner or similar to clone the existing internal drive in the Mini to the 1/1.5/2TB drive in the G4.
5. I replace the internal drive in the mini with the 1/1.5/2TB drive, and then start to use the mini as normal, with it being none the wiser that I've swapped its Apple-supplied drive for a huge new one.
Please try to refrain from adding replies to this post along the lines of "you'd be better off with a 24" iMac", or "why don't you buy a second hand Mac Pro", or "why don't you buy a Mini, keep the existing internal drive, and add a second, external FireWire 800/USB 2.0 drive to give you the storage you need", or anything similar.
I'm acutely aware of all these options, and more. I have very specific needs, which I've listed in great detail, scattered across various posts on this website and Apple's Discussion Forums. I simply can't be bothered to regurgitate them all here.
Suffice to say I'd appreciate comments from anyone who has real, genuine technical insight into what I'm proposing (drive firmware compatibility problems for example?) as opposed to hearsay & conjecture. Saying things like "I'm not sure it would work", or "it's up to you if you want to risk it" aren't at all helpful. I'm aware that it might not work, which is why I'm asking the question on this forum!
I'd rather there was only one, technically detailed, knowledgeable, insightful & genuinely useful reply to my question - one which was able to help me make a decision, rather than 10 or 20 trite, useless, vapid ones that add nothing to my existing knowledge.
If all of this sound like a pompous rant then I apologise, but I spend a lot of time reading posts on this website, and the general standard of literacy, intelligence & detailed technical knowledge often seems to be woeful. If you can't contribute anything genuinely insightful, then it's best not to contribute at all, wouldn't you agree?
Many thanks for your help.
