Mac mini with 7200 RPM notebook HDD

[risc]

Hi all,

I just found a Core Duo 1.66 GHz Mac mini (SD model) cheap, so I've purchased it on impulse. I've hooked it up to the HDTV in the bedroom and after installing the updates I've decided that 512 MB of RAM isn't enough so I've ordered 2 x 512 MB sticks from a reseller. I was thinking while I have it open I may as well chuck a 7200 RPM notebook drive in it. Has anyone here done this? Any issues such as heat or noise?

Cheers!

 

[Father Jack]

Hi all,

I just found a Core Duo 1.66 GHz Mac mini (SD model) cheap, so I've purchased it on impulse. I've hooked it up to the HDTV in the bedroom and after installing the updates I've decided that 512 MB of RAM isn't enough so I've ordered 2 x 512 MB sticks from a reseller. I was thinking while I have it open I may as well chuck a 7200 RPM notebook drive in it. Has anyone here done this? Any issues such as heat or noise?

Cheers!

Sorry can't speak from experience, but I haven't read any adverse reports on any of the Mac sites I visit.

Good luck.

FJ

 

[r-sparks]

Hi all,

I just found a Core Duo 1.66 GHz Mac mini (SD model) cheap, so I've purchased it on impulse. I've hooked it up to the HDTV in the bedroom and after installing the updates I've decided that 512 MB of RAM isn't enough so I've ordered 2 x 512 MB sticks from a reseller. I was thinking while I have it open I may as well chuck a 7200 RPM notebook drive in it. Has anyone here done this? Any issues such as heat or noise?

Those Mac Minis are tempting aren't they

I saw an article back in the PowerPC days that said a significant speed boost could be attained on a Mini by using an external firewire drive. In fact, it was almost a 100% speed boost in things like booting, and copying files (assuming the drive was setup as a boot drove).

A decent drive plus external caddy wouldn't cost more than a 7,200RPM notebook drive.

 

[livingfortoday]

I had thought about doing this with my Mini as well in the past. There are a lot of reviews of people doing it with no problems whatsoever, but I figured that it was probably cheaper per gigabyte to just get a MiniStack or the like and stick a large external drive in it. Would cost about the same, and could get a lot more storage space. But if you'd set on keeping the Mini completely self-contained, I don't think there'd be any issues with an internal 7200rpm drive. Just take pictures when you do it, and let us know how it went (with pictures!)!

 

[4JNA]

mini with a 7200rpm 100gb here. running 24x7 for several months with no problems.

agree with the rest, if storage/performance is the desired end result, max the memory to 2gb and go with a huge firewire external drive as it would be the best use of money.

 

[California]

I dropped a 100gb 7200 hd into my mini. A little scary but I went slow.

 

[phungy]

So upgrading RAM and HD in the Mac Mini isn't too hard? Deciding if I want to buy a stock Mini and upgrade myself or just custom configure..

 

[TBi]

Hi all,

I just found a Core Duo 1.66 GHz Mac mini (SD model) cheap, so I've purchased it on impulse. I've hooked it up to the HDTV in the bedroom and after installing the updates I've decided that 512 MB of RAM isn't enough so I've ordered 2 x 512 MB sticks from a reseller. I was thinking while I have it open I may as well chuck a 7200 RPM notebook drive in it. Has anyone here done this? Any issues such as heat or noise?

Cheers!

For future reference you'd have been better off getting a 1GB stick, giving you 1.25GB ram.

 

[California]

So upgrading RAM and HD in the Mac Mini isn't too hard? Deciding if I want to buy a stock Mini and upgrade myself or just custom configure..

My advice: max out both hd and ram when you have it open and never open it again.