I have the Kanex KTU10 adapter for USB3.0 which works really nice with the iMac 2011
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What have you done with an early Intel recently?
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Oops sorry ton..I should have worded that better..was simply saying I thought it was a neat idea.
mA?Improvement? You do know why they are used, right?
I am sure you do but, let me explain, just in case:
The USB-bus on your computer provides certain small amount of electric current to all connected USB-devices (with no power plug of their own). If you exceed that figure you are in trouble. When you add an unpowered USB-hub to your computer you are just dividing the current available to more USB-connectors and devices. Powered hub however increases the available current as it does not use the small amount computer is providing but adds its own to the pool.
So, yes - you do notice an improvement after you plug that one too many unpowered USB-device into your unpowered USB-hub that "breaks the camel's back". Or even one single device that draws too much current. In best scenario only the one device does not work but in many cases the whole USB-bus goes down.
If your USB-device comes with a power plug of its own it doesn't use the bus power to power itself. And then it will not cause the problem mentioned above even if you use unpowered USB-hub.
If your USB-device does not have a power plug of its own it relies on the USB-bus power from your computer. If you have many devices like this (for example an external SuperDrive, USB-hdd or USB-stick etc.) then you need a powered USB-hub (often called USB-switch).
And some tips from Apple: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4049
How much your USB-buses can provide current? Open About this mac, more info and USB and you will find the output specs in mA.
So, I hope that cleared things up.
BTW. I just noticed that the iMac sees the Elgato TB2 Dock - USB3 -connections as an actual USB3.0 bus.
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..so I guess the short answer is No.
(..in my case.)
mA = milliamps (1000 milliampere = 1 ampere)
USB2 bus is specced to output 500mA and I believe Apple follows that too.
Any suggestions on what would be the best OS-version for late 2006 iMac 5,1 with 3GB RAM? It supports from Tiger to Lion (10.4 - 10.7). Its not supported by Dosdude and OCLP -patches.
I have installation disks for:
1. Tiger
2. Leopard (+Sorbet)
3. Snow Leopard
Additionally I downloaded the Lion updater from Apple.
I have not used Snow Leopard since '09 so don't remember how it was compared to earlier ones. And I don't remember ever using Lion in any of my machines...maybe.
Which would you choose/recommend and why? Thanks!
I have installation disks for:
1. Tiger
2. Leopard (+Sorbet)
3. Snow Leopard
Additionally I downloaded the Lion updater from Apple.
I have not used Snow Leopard since '
Which would you choose/recommend and why? Thanks!
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All of the systems should run well on that machine. Snow Leopard is the best choice if you want to also use older PPC software since it's the last version to support Rosetta. Lion was in my opinion the first step towards the more modern macOS that we have today. It introduced some of the skeuomorphic design language feature to OS X, which some love and others hate, that was turned up to eleven in Mountain Lion. Just for the sake of it I would probably install Lion if you've never tried it. You can always go back to Snow Leopard if you don't like it. I don't see any reason to run anything older than that today on an Intel Mac.
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Thanks, makes sense.
So, I will drop the 10.4-10.5 from consideration. I'll watch some videos on SL & Lion and go from there.I am also considering installing Linux as a second OS. Things get bit complicated as this machine has 32bit EFI and 64bit processor. I'll probably manage to get it going too. But, first I'll figure out the MacOS -matter.
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Maybe, but I read one needs to find modded Linux-installers or mod them myself. They say standard installers do not work in mixed system like these old 32bitEFI/64bit Macs. Here are few pre-prepared installers and instructions to make your own.rEFInd is your friend
But, if rEFInd solves this problem please let me know.
PS. tried installing rEFInd to my dual boot MBP 2010 with OCLP Monterey and Linux Mint. Doesn't work for some reason, due OCLP-setup the csrutil status is "custom" and I cannot disable it and thus rEFInd refuses to install.
I'd forgotten that it was more than just early Mac Pros that had this "feature"!
Yeah, the site I linked above says:
BTW. Snow Leopard is now installed and running. Nice thing is that the iTunes internet-radio still works as is. And the internal speakers on this model are surprisingly loud.
After installing the SL it all came back to me when I saw the version number 10.6.8. I used SL in my work late 2009 iMac 27" as I had old Adobe software versions until I finally upgraded to High Sierra. So, I skipped Lion and ML altogether.
Wow, now the iMac suggested EFI BootROM upgrade. I've only ever done it to my Mac Pro 5,1. Well, ok lets go for it! And now its upgraded from IM51.0090.B08 to IM51.0090.B09. The specs said something about performance and reliability improvements and Boot Camp bug fixes. Well, lets see...
I guess there is no spotify-client that would work in SL anymore? Any workarounds? I remember there was a site which allowed you to play spotify lists throught browser but cannot remember what it was.
BTW. using Firefox Nightly it runs videos on YT and chooses automatically 720P. And wow, zero dropped frames! I tried 1080P but its too choppy. This over Wifi.
I was sure I had 2x2GB DDR2 in my boxes but I didn't. Only 1GB sticks. So, I now have 2GB RAM. I did find 2GB sticks from our local classifieds site and bought 2 of those for 5€. So, now I get to upgrade to max 3GB and leave the other 2GB stick for later use.
I guess there is no spotify-client that would work in SL anymore? Any workarounds? I remember there was a site which allowed you to play spotify lists throught browser but cannot remember what it was.
BTW. using Firefox Nightly it runs videos on YT and chooses automatically 720P. And wow, zero dropped frames! I tried 1080P but its too choppy. This over Wifi.
I was sure I had 2x2GB DDR2 in my boxes but I didn't. Only 1GB sticks. So, I now have 2GB RAM. I did find 2GB sticks from our local classifieds site and bought 2 of those for 5€. So, now I get to upgrade to max 3GB and leave the other 2GB stick for later use.
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Today I installed a 240GB Intel SSD into the L2006 iMac. I must say this is one of the most annoying machines to open this far! It took me an hour to get the front bezel top latches to unlatch. They are super flimsy thin metal and bend everywhere but to the correct direction. And then the screen itself is glued with metal shielding tape all over to the frame, and the screws are recessed very deep. Argh!! 🤬
Well, finally got it all out and swapped the drives and wrestled the shielding back. I yesterday cloned the MacOS from the spinner to the SSD so it was just a matter of resetting PRAM and all was good. I also partitioned the SSD for Linux -installation prior to installation.
I then first installed Lubuntu but for some reason I could not get it to boot, even with rEFInd. It found the Linux but could not boot ("no bootable drive found"). Then installed Mint, reformatted the Linux main partition and the installation went smoothly like it usually does with Mint. But, wifi was not automatically detected. Installed drivers and now it works too.
So, its Snow Leopard + Linux Mint 21 dual boot thingie now. Aaaand...Spotify is now installed and running on Linux side! I guess I'll use this one as a streamer of some kind at this stage.
Well, finally got it all out and swapped the drives and wrestled the shielding back. I yesterday cloned the MacOS from the spinner to the SSD so it was just a matter of resetting PRAM and all was good. I also partitioned the SSD for Linux -installation prior to installation.
I then first installed Lubuntu but for some reason I could not get it to boot, even with rEFInd. It found the Linux but could not boot ("no bootable drive found"). Then installed Mint, reformatted the Linux main partition and the installation went smoothly like it usually does with Mint. But, wifi was not automatically detected. Installed drivers and now it works too.
So, its Snow Leopard + Linux Mint 21 dual boot thingie now. Aaaand...Spotify is now installed and running on Linux side!
I guess I'll use this one as a streamer of some kind at this stage.Attachments
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Well, all is relative of course. But, I am not surprised at all. Years ago I tried it (external NVMe and SATA -drives) with my late 2009 iMac and didn't like it. Too slow to my taste. Theoretical max transfer speed for USB2 is 480Mbps, for 2011 iMac internal SATA -bus it 6Gbps. Real life figures are slower. Search times are of course faster with SSDs.
If you are interested in finding out what your real performance is, install Blackmagic Disk Speed Test from the App Store and report back what are the results. You need to choose the correct drive to test from the small settings -button above Start. While you are at it make a comparison between your HDD and SDD too.
If you are interested in finding out what your real performance is, install Blackmagic Disk Speed Test from the App Store and report back what are the results. You need to choose the correct drive to test from the small settings -button above Start. While you are at it make a comparison between your HDD and SDD too.
I've done this too, and while certainly much slower to boot, it otherwise ran OK.
I have one (Elgato TB2 Dock) in my 2011 iMac but still I installed an internal 2T SSD. BTW. 2011 27" has 2 internal drive slots.
2009-2011 iMacs are super easy to open and swap drives compared to this 2006. First time might be intimidating but second time is much easier.
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Agreed, much use of Youtube and iFixit the first time for each model, next time much easier. Even then, 27s easier than 21.5s.
Well, can't find, for any reasonable money, either of the two things I'm after: a Thunderbolt-to-USB3 dock of any kind, or a Thunderbolt 2 PCIe card for the PC, which I'm about to rebuild.
On the plus side, genuine Apple TB2 cable arrived today, and TDM from Macbook Pro to 2011 iMac works well.
On the plus side, genuine Apple TB2 cable arrived today, and TDM from Macbook Pro to 2011 iMac works well.
Well, what is reasonable money? Thunderbolt anything is expensive. Even the cables are expensive (35-50€ each), I've bought two 50cm and one 2m TB2-cables when I found them cheap on local classifieds. I also found unopened Apple TB2 to TB3 adapter for 10€ (55€ new), I'm sure that comes handy one day. So, one needs to keep searching until the good deal is found.
The TB2 docks were expensive when new and now that they are not made anymore they are still quite expensive as they never were very common. The Elgato I have seems to go for about 45-50€ (~£40). Not super expensive but when one considers what the Macs that can use one cost these days then it seems pricy.
BTW. don't try to find a "Thunderbolt-to-USB3 dock". That is not a thing. Just search for Thunderbolt 2 dock. It will have USB3 and many other connectors too which all utilize the TB2 connection to your computer.
No idea how these PC-brand docks work with Macs. Maybe they do? How many Thunderbolt-holes? If only one then you cannot plug in any TB-peripherals to the dock. Are they TB2? Are USB-holes the kind you use?
I was about to caution that @DCBassman should check whether it's actually macOS compatible because a while ago I was searching for TB docks and saw a large number of Dell units for sale cheaply on eBay but discovered through Googling that they don't work with Macs.
According to the horse's mouth, there shouldn't be any problems beyond being unable to use two monitors simultaneously with the DisplayPorts. Providing that's not an issue, it will do the job. Might even pick one up myself because they're a boon on my TB equiped MacBooks.
Edit: had another look at the G2 and it uses TB3 (USB-C) which means that an adapter with female ports on both sides would be required but I can't find any.
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