Mac Mini miniStack v2 Hard Drive Size?

[Slix]

Hi guys!

A while ago I got a 2005 Mac Mini G4, and the seller threw in an external hard drive/FireWire+USB hub. I believe it's this model: http://www.mymac.com/2006/04/ministack-v2-review/

I recently set it up and tried using it to back up my Mac Mini running Mac OS X Server, but noticed the hard drive is extremely noisy and slow. So I started looking at replacing the hard drive and getting one big enough to use as a backup drive for my Server, some other PowerPC Macs, and eventually my MacBook and possibly other Macs in my house too, all wirelessly.

However, I know there are some weird limitations for random hard drive things for some Macs, so I ask you guys: is there a size limit for external FireWire drives on 10.5.8? What about the SATA type? Would this 4 TB drive work in this hub? https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-SATA...0/dp/B00B99JU4S/ref=sr_1_19?crid=C6GFO0ANIYNG

Thanks for the help! I can't say I'm an expert at hard drive types.

 

[Project Alice]

Hi guys!

A while ago I got a 2005 Mac Mini G4, and the seller threw in an external hard drive/FireWire+USB hub. I believe it's this model: http://www.mymac.com/2006/04/ministack-v2-review/

I recently set it up and tried using it to back up my Mac Mini running Mac OS X Server, but noticed the hard drive is extremely noisy and slow. So I started looking at replacing the hard drive and getting one big enough to use as a backup drive for my Server, some other PowerPC Macs, and eventually my MacBook and possibly other Macs in my house too, all wirelessly.

However, I know there are some weird limitations for random hard drive things for some Macs, so I ask you guys: is there a size limit for external FireWire drives on 10.5.8? What about the SATA type? Would this 4 TB drive work in this hub? https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-SATA...0/dp/B00B99JU4S/ref=sr_1_19?crid=C6GFO0ANIYNG

Thanks for the help! I can't say I'm an expert at hard drive types.

There are no limitations. However, Apple Partition Map (APM) which is required to boot PPC macs will not work with over 2TB, you'll have to use GPT. If you're not using it for booting that isn't a problem. I believe GPT is supported in Tiger and onwards.

As far as being supported in that specific enclosure, I don't know. Some of those older ones have limits, you'll have to find the resources for it or just try it out and see if it works.

 

[Slix]

@Project Alice Thank you!

Do I need to have a specific partition format if I'm using Time Machine for PowerPCs and Intels, and might have to boot from them if there's a Time Machine backup needed?

 

[Amethyst1]

Do I need to have a specific partition format if I'm using Time Machine for PowerPCs and Intels, and might have to boot from them if there's a Time Machine backup needed?

If you need bootability on both architectures, go for APM (Apple Partition Map).

 

[B S Magnet]

@Project Alice Thank you!

Do I need to have a specific partition format if I'm using Time Machine for PowerPCs and Intels, and might have to boot from them if there's a Time Machine backup needed?

No, probably not.

Not to complicate matters further, but if your Mac mini is the PowerMac10,2 (i.e., late-September 2005), it is probable, if not likely, that the system will boot from either an APM or GPT-partitioned drive (whether from a drive inside the Mac Mini or from a FireWire volume). Similarly, Time Machine should be fine either way. Earlier Mac minis will likely lack this capability, as will all PowerPC Macs released prior to the September/October 2005 final product refreshes.

This is supported by recent findings in another conversation which have found the final Power Mac G5 (PCIe, mid-October 2005) and the final PowerBook G4 (DLSD, mid-October 2005) boot natively from both APM and GPT-formatted drives. The same probably likely also applies to the final iMac G5 (PowerMac12,1, early-October 2005).

 

[Slix]

@Amethyst1 @B S Magnet Thank you both!

I have the 1.5 GHz Mac Mini G4, so late 2005, yes. Wow, so many different things to consider, haha. I'll probably just have to see when I get a drive!

Also, apparently my searching was not good enough until today, but I found this: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer Technology/FWU2MSV2/
which says it holds a 3.5" IDE/ATA (PATA) Hard Drive. Does that mean I'd need an adapter like this: https://www.amazon.com/QNINE-Adapte...+pata+3.5&qid=1555380572&s=electronics&sr=1-8
in order to fit the previously mentioned 4 TB SATA drive? Are SATA drives any smaller than IDE/PATA drives? The enclosure doesn't have a lot of wiggle room inside...

 

[weckart]

@Amethyst1 @B S Magnet Thank you both!

I have the 1.5 GHz Mac Mini G4, so late 2005, yes. Wow, so many different things to consider, haha. I'll probably just have to see when I get a drive!

Also, apparently my searching was not good enough until today, but I found this: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer Technology/FWU2MSV2/
which says it holds a 3.5" IDE/ATA (PATA) Hard Drive. Does that mean I'd need an adapter like this: https://www.amazon.com/QNINE-Adapte...+pata+3.5&qid=1555380572&s=electronics&sr=1-8
in order to fit the previously mentioned 4 TB SATA drive? Are SATA drives any smaller than IDE/PATA drives? The enclosure doesn't have a lot of wiggle room inside...

Same size but you can get a large 2.5" SATA drive.

 

[Project Alice]

No, probably not.

Not to complicate matters further, but if your Mac mini is the PowerMac10,2 (i.e., late-September 2005), it is probable, if not likely, that the system will boot from either an APM or GPT-partitioned drive (whether from a drive inside the Mac Mini or from a FireWire volume). Similarly, Time Machine should be fine either way. Earlier Mac minis will likely lack this capability, as will all PowerPC Macs released prior to the September/October 2005 final product refreshes.

This is supported by recent findings in another conversation which have found the final Power Mac G5 (PCIe, mid-October 2005) and the final PowerBook G4 (DLSD, mid-October 2005) boot natively from both APM and GPT-formatted drives. The same probably likely also applies to the final iMac G5 (PowerMac12,1, early-October 2005).

Wow, this is the first I've heard of this. I have to try this out, I've got the same 1.5Ghz Mac Mini, as well as a 1.5Ghz 12" PowerBook G4 that is also a late 2005.

 

[B S Magnet]

Wow, this is the first I've heard of this. I have to try this out, I've got the same 1.5Ghz Mac Mini, as well as a 1.5Ghz 12" PowerBook G4 that is also a late 2005.

It’s doubtful the PowerBook6,8, the PowerBook G4 12", will have this GPT-boot capability since its last refresh was in January 2005, but heck, give it a shot.

 

[Project Alice]

It’s doubtful the PowerBook6,8, the PowerBook G4 12", will have this GPT-boot capability since its last refresh was in January 2005, but heck, give it a shot.

It sold all the way up to May 16 2006, and apple never officially said anything about the 1.5Ghz mini... Ya never know lol

 

[B S Magnet]

It sold all the way up to May 16 2006, and apple never officially said anything about the 1.5Ghz mini... Ya never know lol

Though this is true, I gather the final revisions for both the PowerBook 12" and the Xserve G5, both dating back to the start of 2005, preceded what the teams for the other product lines quietly added a few months after the 7th June 2005 announcement to switch to Intel (sidebar: I still remember exactly where I was when I heard the news, and I still can’t forget the crestfallen feeling I had as I walked on a city sidewalk during a hot, humid midday, realizing what this meant).

I also doubt the final iBooks, the 12/1.33 and 14/1.42, have the GPT-boot capability, as those were released in July. Of course, if those somehow do have that capability, then this would probably assure that every product revision after that date is also GPT-boot-capable. I can’t test this hypothesis, however, since I don't have a final iBook (I did have a final 14/1.42 between August 2006 and March 2015 but never thought to try).

 

[California]

Though this is true, I gather the final revisions for both the PowerBook 12" and the Xserve G5, both dating back to the start of 2005, preceded what the teams for the other product lines quietly added a few months after the 7th June 2005 announcement to switch to Intel (sidebar: I still remember exactly where I was when I heard the news, and I still can’t forget the crestfallen feeling I had as I walked on a city sidewalk during a hot, humid midday, realizing what this meant).

I also doubt the final iBooks, the 12/1.33 and 14/1.42, have the GPT-boot capability, as those were released in July. Of course, if those somehow do have that capability, then this would probably assure that every product revision after that date is also GPT-boot-capable. I can’t test this hypothesis, however, since I don't have a final iBook (I did have a final 14/1.42 between August 2006 and March 2015 but never thought to try).

Interesting. Is this because both Tiger and Leopard were made for both PPC and Intel machines?

And I can attest to the fact that the late 2005 15" Powerbook and a March 2006 build dated 12" Powerbook both booted from a 2009 Mac Mini hard drive.

 

[B S Magnet]

Interesting. Is this because both Tiger and Leopard were made for both PPC and Intel machines?

And I can attest to the fact that the late 2005 15" Powerbook and a March 2006 build dated 12" Powerbook both booted from a 2009 Mac Mini hard drive.

That’s interesting news relating to the PowerBook 6,8 12"! At this point, it may be worth looking at what firmware ROM revision was bundled with, say, an original, non-updated unit built in February or May 2005 versus, say, March 2006 — or whether there were any firmware updates were quietly rolled out for that final 12" PowerBook, for units built before a certain calendar date.

Like yours, my 17" PB was manufactured in March 2006, during the third week.

 

[timidpimpin]

Something of note... the firewire has been known to die on these mini stacks sometimes. Happened to mine back in the day, and a few others. Also, the 1st gen used IDE drives. Not sure about the 2nd gen.

 

[weckart]

I've tried with my Mac Mini G4 and an Iomega MMHD over FW and Leopard refused to install on a GUID volume. I don't have an Intel install of Leopard to try booting from, either, so it's a no for the Mini for now. I have a last gen iBook I could try, so I might give that a whirl when I dig it out.

 

[B S Magnet]

I've tried with my Mac Mini G4 and an Iomega MMHD over FW and Leopard refused to install on a GUID volume. I don't have an Intel install of Leopard to try booting from, either, so it's a no for the Mini for now. I have a last gen iBook I could try, so I might give that a whirl when I dig it out.

Is your Mac mini the PowerMac10,2 edition from late-September 2005?

 

[weckart]

Is your Mac mini the PowerMac10,2 edition from late-September 2005?

No, it's the 10.1 from mid-2005 with the upgraded RAM plus BT. Wouldn't have thought the 10,2 had any different firmware from the 10,1. The GPU was overclocked and the VRAM was doubled but otherwise, it was pretty much just a spec bump.

As it happens, I dug out my mid-2005 iBook and it definitely boots from GUID




As with the Mac Mini, Leopard refused to install on a GUID partition. I didn't persevere with the Mac Mini but this time I installed Leopard to an FW drive I partitioned under APM. After Leopard was installed, I got out iPartition and changed the partition scheme to GUID. The newly improved Leopard volume would not show in StartDisk but showed up in the Boot Selecter screen after holding down Alt after the chime.

It seems that booting from GUID is a thing but installing to GUID still requires an Intel Mac.

 

[timidpimpin]

The 10,1 mini was released in January 2005... not mid 2005.

 

[weckart]

The 10,1 mini was released in January 2005... not mid 2005.

Launched, yes but mine came with 512MB of RAM and that only happened mid-2005. A mini spec bump, if you will.

 

[Amethyst1]

I have a 1.33GHz mini so that should be a 10,2. Going to check its "GUIDability".

 

[timidpimpin]

I have a 1.33GHz mini so that should be a 10,2. Going to check its "GUIDability".

Yes, it's a 10,2.

The 10,1 was available in 1.25GHz and 1.42GHz, and the 10,2 in 1.33GHz and 1.5Ghz.

Sadly... the 1.5GHz was the only one with 64MB VRAM.