Can I use my original Mac Mini for peripheral storage with the new iMac

Yes you can, but it is not going to be as practical as using a larger, faster and more reliable external drive connected directly to your iMac.

Target Disk Mode would require daisy chaining a slue of adapters together.

Using it as a network server might be OK, but it would be slower than Target Disk Mode.

In either case, space would be limited by the size of the hard drive and reliability by the health of the hard drive.

Personally, if the Mac Mini was a 2009 or older I would just recycle it.

If the Mac Mini was a 2010 or newer, then I would re-purpose it as computer or media server somewhere else in my home or office.

I agree with what the others have said.

Just some repurposing ideas which I have done with my 2010 and 2011

MacMinis.

I use my 2010 Mini with a couple external drives as a Home Server.

It has backups of all critical data (which is also backed up on that Mini) so

so it has any backups plus a redundant backup that is managed automatically

on that Mini (Carbon Copy Cloner is set to automatically clone the drives

daily). This Mini is also my iTunes media "master library". It contains all

my iTunes purchased media and I can then keep only what I want on

my devices and import as needed or simply stream from it. It is tucked

away in a cool closet and I manage it via Screen Sharing from any of my

Macs.

I use my 2011 MacMini as a home theater PC in my living room for

streaming various services, movies, music, etc.

So, an older Mini can still serve some useful purposes.

Use Home Sharing to share media from a computer to other devices - Apple Support

Set up file sharing on Mac - Apple Support

These will get you started.

it would also use more power so cost more in electricity than getting a NAS or external hd

It is a newer than 2010 Mac Mini. How could I use it as a media server?

Thanks,

Desmeralda

thank you!

Desmeralda

Thank you! Where can I find info so I can set up my Mac Mini to utilize some of your suggestions.

Desmeralda