Can I use my G5 iMac display but boot off of a Mac mini?
This may seem like a strange question but can if I were to buy a Mac mini, can I connect it to my G5 iMac so I'm using the iMac screen but booting off the Mini?
You can use VNC or Timbuktu or something to control a remotely booted headless Mini over a network connection, but on-screen performance will be very slow.
You know, it's amazing in my 5.5 years working for a Mac dealer how often this question came up.
Mostly it was people who had old Bondi or fruit-coloured iMacs who wanted to use them as monitors for their G4 towers. I had more than one person become angry when I broke it to them that you couldn't do it, at least without major modding.
I would never say never... I think the response should be... how good are your soldering skills? And did you ever want to use the iMac as a computer ever again. he he he.
My question would be, why would you need to? What would be the purpose, if your iMac is a fully functional computer, why hook the Mini to its display even if you could?
You may get better answers tailored to your needs if you ask specific questions.
You know, it's amazing in my 5.5 years working for a Mac dealer how often this question came up.
Mostly it was people who had old Bondi or fruit-coloured iMacs who wanted to use them as monitors for their G4 towers. I had more than one person become angry when I broke it to them that you couldn't do it, at least without major modding.
It either comes up with reference to iMacs or reference to Powerbooks/iBooks.
I've even seen one guy argue why he couldn't use the video out on a Powerbook for this, he thought it was a video in.
Basically people want to reuse the screen, but fail to realize you need to leave the second computer on to do this and buy a video input or remote software, or mod it hardware wise.
If you buy a PowerPC Mac Mini (G4) you can connect it to your iMac G5 via firewire. You'll can then boot off your mini (just like it was an external drive).
If you buy a PowerPC Mac Mini (G4) you can connect it to your iMac G5 via firewire. You'll can then boot off your mini (just like it was an external drive).
Exactly what I was going to say. Not sure exactly why you would do that though. Unless the Mini is an iTunes server or media center and you are only doing it once in a while to make changes or add new songs etc.
Exactly what I was going to say. Not sure exactly why you would do that though. Unless the Mini is an iTunes server or media center and you are only doing it once in a while to make changes or add new songs etc.
Yup that's exactly what I am looking to do. I rip a lot of media on my iMac and then transfer it to my external drive. So I was thinking of buying a Mini and just use that instead but I was hoping to avoid having to buy a display as well.
So it can be done? Can't be done? I'm confused now.
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