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upgrading from Macbook to macmini with snow leopard

chimpboy74

chimpboy74

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 12, 2007
554
2
Scotland
Hi
This might be a bit dimwitted but I have a Macbook (2GHz core duo) running 10.5.8 which I have everything on (photos, itunes etc etc)

I have just bought a refurb mac mini and wanted to start using that as my main workhorse and keep my macbook for internet, email etc.I intend to move all photos, video, movies music etc to the mini

I have upgraded the macbook to a 500GB hard drive and the new mac mini has 320Gb

as I have 300Gb used on macbook I wondered if I could simply swap the hard drives over (see I said it might be a bit dim witted)? that way the mini gets 500GB and teh 320GB goes where I need less capacity

The macmini currently has ilife 11 on it and macbook is on 09 (i think). If i swap the drives (assuming possible) then the mini ends up with an old version of iphoto and the macbook the latest version where I wont use it. Is there a way of swapping that over too?
 
chimpboy74 said:
Hi
This might be a bit dimwitted but I have a Macbook (2GHz core duo) running 10.5.8 which I have everything on (photos, itunes etc etc)

I have just bought a refurb mac mini and wanted to start using that as my main workhorse and keep my macbook for internet, email etc.I intend to move all photos, video, movies music etc to the mini

I have upgraded the macbook to a 500GB hard drive and the new mac mini has 320Gb

as I have 300Gb used on macbook I wondered if I could simply swap the hard drives over (see I said it might be a bit dim witted)? that way the mini gets 500GB and teh 320GB goes where I need less capacity

The macmini currently has ilife 11 on it and macbook is on 09 (i think). If i swap the drives (assuming possible) then the mini ends up with an old version of iphoto and the macbook the latest version where I wont use it. Is there a way of swapping that over too?
Click to expand...

While you can swap the harddrives, it does require opening up the Mini. Unless you really need the 500GB in the Mini, you could use Migration Assistant to move your iTunes and Photos across. If you do swap the drives, you should be able to restore iLife '11 onto your Mini using the Disk that came with your computer (Its on one of the Grey Disks that came with your Mini).
 
Just image one to the other ... you would need a bootable external HD. OR you could start the one you are going from... into Target disk mode and use migration assistant... really simple. If you are going to pull the drive, I'd upgrade it to at least a 500GB or 1TB ... just my 2¢
 
Thanks for the quick responses. You mention having to open the mini like I should avoid this. I thought it was designed to be opened easily. Also I thought the mini could only go to 500GB based on the second response I am wrong?
 
chimpboy74 said:
Thanks for the quick responses. You mention having to open the mini like I should avoid this. I thought it was designed to be opened easily. Also I thought the mini could only go to 500GB based on the second response I am wrong?
Click to expand...

The 2010 Mini can be opened easily. As far as the RAM. If you want to change more than the RAM you have to disassemble it, the little door on the bottom doesnt let you change HDs. They are designed not to be opened really. The RAM was a big concession from Apple (The 2009 and before mini you had to disassemble it to open RAM, however disassembly was a lot easier than the 2010 Mini, just a putty knife in the sides to open up the tabs keeping it together)
 
chrismacguy said:
The 2010 Mini can be opened easily. As far as the RAM. If you want to change more than the RAM you have to disassemble it, the little door on the bottom doesnt let you change HDs. They are designed not to be opened really. The RAM was a big concession from Apple (The 2009 and before mini you had to disassemble it to open RAM, however disassembly was a lot easier than the 2010 Mini, just a putty knife in the sides to open up the tabs keeping it together)
Click to expand...

I haven't opened the box yet but I think it is a 2010
 
Is it really a good idea to simply swap out the hard drive from one computer to another? Aren't there some machine specific drivers, etc., for different hardware?

Maybe it would be fine. However, my suggestion would be to replace the HD in the Mini with a new drive, then run Migration Assistant. After all, HDs are very cheap these days.
 
mchalebk said:
Is it really a good idea to simply swap out the hard drive from one computer to another? Aren't there some machine specific drivers, etc., for different hardware?

Maybe it would be fine. However, my suggestion would be to replace the HD in the Mini with a new drive, then run Migration Assistant. After all, HDs are very cheap these days.
Click to expand...

It will work fine. Every OS X Installation has all the ktexts necessary to boot any Mac that will run the system (This includes grey install disks, and factory copies). OS X isnt like Windows, its not as dependant on drivers as most of the stuff has to be there between models as, well its in the lot.
 
Macs won't boot OS version prior to the one that comes with the system, which means you would have to upgrade to Snow Leopard on the MacBook before swapping drives. This would require the retail Snow Leopard DVD as the one with the Mini is keyed to only work on the Mini.

After the swap you can reinstall iLife '11 on the Mini from the Mini's install DVD.
 
HI All
thanks for the advice. I reckon I am going to go down the route of Migration and just have a bank of external HDDs when I need more space. Havent done the migration yet as I am too busy playing chopper2 with my iphone (£500 to play a game!)

set up my eyetv and already spent a fortune on the mac app store. Oh well....
 
I have another issue.

I used migration assistant with time machine drive, Took a while as expected however the capacity of my new mini seems to have all my file transferred but I cant find any of them.

any advice why cant I find any? Is it something to do with account settings?
 
chimpboy74 said:
I have another issue.

I used migration assistant with time machine drive, Took a while as expected however the capacity of my new mini seems to have all my file transferred but I cant find any of them.

any advice why cant I find any? Is it something to do with account settings?
Click to expand...

If you had multiple accounts on your mini it could be on a different account, this could also happen if it was migrated after the initial setup wizard - try logging out and seeing if your stuff is in a different account.
 
chrismacguy said:
If you had multiple accounts on your mini it could be on a different account, this could also happen if it was migrated after the initial setup wizard - try logging out and seeing if your stuff is in a different account.
Click to expand...

thats solved it thanks!!
 
chrismacguy said:
If you had multiple accounts on your mini it could be on a different account, this could also happen if it was migrated after the initial setup wizard - try logging out and seeing if your stuff is in a different account.
Click to expand...

hmm any advice on how to merge the two accounts together?

all photos music etc are on one account but have donwloads from app store on the other. Plus I have some programs I want to remove from original account (I regret ever installing Norton!)

Also Macmini has iphoto 11 on it and I transferred from iphoto 09 I want all photos in 11 I havent been able to check out the photos yet (one problem with having a mac mini as a media centre attached to main telly - when the bread knife wants to watch dancing on ice I have to wait!)
 
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