platinum

hi! i've recently switched to the mac, and i couldn't be happier to throw out my PC! i got the mac mini (1.25ghz model). i've had it for a week or so and i've already upgraded the hard drive, and i'm gonna upgrade the ram! i'm pretty good with computer hardware, and i might even OC it (after the warranty is out)

now that i've become familiar with the hardware (easy), now i want to tweak the software...

it came with os x 10.4 (i've updated to 10.4.2). however, i think this little mac mini should run faster than it is. i don't have the cash for a G5, but i think the G4 should run faster than it is. the old hard drive had only 2mb cache. the new one has 8mb, and it's 5400rpm, so...

os x 10.4.2 is running slower than i'd like. which version of os x is the fastest? (10.0 to 10.4.2)?

i also hear that OS 9.2.1 ran pretty fast, and i was wondering: would i be able to boot into os 9? i personally like the look better than os x, but that's irrelivant. i hear that you can't use those gray discs of os 9.2.1, only the retail version discs (the white ones). i know there are things like zapping the PRAM and resetting openfirmware if you can't boot into os 9 on a new mac, but i don't know how to do these things, and i don't know what will happen if i try it...

if all of this doesn't work out, how do i speed up os x 10.4.2? i want it to run faster. i think the G4 can run it faster than this.

DBerG

Get RAM, definately. You'll feel it deep in your bones. You'll feel speed.

platinum

hmmm...

i have 512mb ram now, and i'm gonna get 1gb...

shouldn't 512mb be enough?

okay. i'll upgrade to 1gb. but what then? what can i do (of the things i listed or more) to speed up the mac?

platinum

okay then: a last question before i go to sleep:

i know that 2GB ram sticks exist, and i can get one easily (for pretty cheap too).

now, i know that Apple says that you can only use 1gb of ram with it, but there's gotta be a way to hack the openfirmware or something. i mean, c'mon! the G4 processor should be able to support up to 4GB of ram (all 32 bit processors do!)

is there any way to get the mac mini to work with 2gb of ram rather than just 1gb? i don't mind learning the nitty-gritty unix stuff or firmware command-line stuff

monokitty

Never bother listening to what Apple has to say. A 2GB DDR333 DIMM should work in the Mac mini without hacks/firmware changes. Keep in mind that the Mac mini only has a single RAM slot, meaning you'd need a 2GB DIMM, which aren't exactly cheap yet.

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ACMT
Mac mini (Mid 2011) 2.7 GHz i7, 8GB RAM, Crucial M4 256GB SSD + 500GB + 1TB FW800 OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini
iPhone 4S • iPod nano 8GB • Sound System Audio Engine A2 • Display UltraSharp U2412M 24"

beagleyguy

Actually, it has been tested, Lars. The 2GB sticks don't work in the mac mini. (At least for now...)

monokitty

Must be quite a change in the DIMM itself for it not to work. Interesting. Note to self.

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ACMT
Mac mini (Mid 2011) 2.7 GHz i7, 8GB RAM, Crucial M4 256GB SSD + 500GB + 1TB FW800 OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini
iPhone 4S • iPod nano 8GB • Sound System Audio Engine A2 • Display UltraSharp U2412M 24"

andrewenterprise

Congrats on the switch!

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Black Macbook 2.0/768/SD/80 gig
Black Nano 2 Gig

NBiBooker

I wouldn't overclock a G4 in a mini, it's already in a tight space with engineered cooling. But that's me.

OS 10.4 (Tiger) is the fastest OS X yet. The .2 patch fixes a number of bugs, not sure if it really helped speed.

The mac mini is not compatible with OS 9. It has a version of classic for compatiblity, but that's it. No amount of hacking will make a mac mini OS 9 compatible. (And if you could, it's so not worth it)

Stick with OS 10.4.2, up your ram to 1 gig and perhaps consider a external fireware 7,200 HD. (but at that point, you really should consider a new iMac if speed is a major factor for you)

A G4 has limitations. While the G4 towers can do pretty well (especially dual configs, (see Macaholics FrankenMac) single G4s have thier limits. That being said, I have a 933 G4 with 640 megs of ram and I find her plenty zippy.

Hope this helps.

D.

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My gear: White MacBook 1.83, 2 Gigs of Ram, Combo Drive, OS 10.5, iPod Video 30 Gig, Canon Digital Rebel XT. iPhone 3G 8 Gig.

draz

10.3 runs faster then tiger IMO becasue it is not as ram hungry. And version 9 is too old and will show its age (even if you could run it)

Dont forget that the new iMac G5 is only $1599, and it is a little speed machine. Also for overclocking, it can be donw but that motorola processor already runs warm. YOu can overclock it but only upto 1.42 stable and 1.5ish unstable. The performacne gain is not worth the risk. IF you do however decided to do so, then i would remove the outer cover and maybe for in some cooling air.

I really can't see a small speed bump being worth voiding your warranty, and going to all that trouble.

And for Ram, you will only notice a difference if you are using all your currently availiable ram. Go into your applications, and open Utilities, then open Activity Monitor . THen chose memory. And run all your applicaitons that you use at one time. See if it uses all the ram and if you will indeed benefit from more ram. You do have to remember that the mini was not built with pure unadulterated processign power and the subsequent speed that accompanies it in mine. That is what a dual G5 is for.

Good luck and welcome to the club.

Draz

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A little bit of gear...

Using Macs since 1985...