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User profile for user: PAZipster
PAZipster Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Connecting a Mac Mini to an iMac

Hello All,

I purchased a Mac Mini for my parents (the Dell's gotta go!), and I would like to configure it for them from my iMac, (both are Intel Core Duo's).

This is a sanity check... I'm planning to have the iMac up and running, disconnect my iMac keyboard, connect the keyboard to the Mac Mini, connect Firewire to both, boot the Mac Mini holding the "T" key down. Then when the Mac Mini shows up on the iMac, I'll move the keyboard back to the iMac and go to startup drive, choose the Mac Mini to boot from.

Will this work, can I go through the Mac Mini and to configure, install software, and use the Combo Drive on the Mac Mini as viewed through the iMac monitor?

Thanks,

Craig

iMac 20" 2GHz Intel CoreDuo Mac OS X (10.4.6) 2 GB Ram

Posted on Nov 17, 2006 11:33 AM

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User profile for user: mhunter
mhunter
User level: Level 6
9,185 points

Posted on Nov 17, 2006 4:22 PM

Hello,

That should work just fine. Essentially, you would be booting the iMac from the Mac Mini as if the Mac Mini were simply a hard drive.

So, you should not have any trouble there.

The Mini should then just boot-up and work normally once you connect it to a monitor.

Basically, all you are doing is using a different computer to configure the programs on the hard drive. And, the Mac OS does not treat the various computers differently. So, the fact that the installation was first run on an iMac will not affect the behavior of the OS running on the Mini.

I hope this helps.

Let us know if you have other questions.


P.S., if you'd like, go ahead and click the "Helpful" or "Solved" buttons on any of the posts / replies above if you feel they were helpful or adequately answered your question.
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User profile for user: mhunter
mhunter
User level: Level 6
9,185 points

Nov 17, 2006 4:22 PM in response to PAZipster

Hello,

That should work just fine. Essentially, you would be booting the iMac from the Mac Mini as if the Mac Mini were simply a hard drive.

So, you should not have any trouble there.

The Mini should then just boot-up and work normally once you connect it to a monitor.

Basically, all you are doing is using a different computer to configure the programs on the hard drive. And, the Mac OS does not treat the various computers differently. So, the fact that the installation was first run on an iMac will not affect the behavior of the OS running on the Mini.

I hope this helps.

Let us know if you have other questions.


P.S., if you'd like, go ahead and click the "Helpful" or "Solved" buttons on any of the posts / replies above if you feel they were helpful or adequately answered your question.
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User profile for user: PAZipster
PAZipster Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Nov 18, 2006 11:31 AM in response to mhunter

Hello mhunter,

I think my question may have been confusing, I'll try rephrasing it.

* The Mac Mini is new and hasn't been booted yet.
* I don't have a keyboard, mouse, or monitor for the mini.
* I want to start the mini up and install some software on it before I take it to my parents, (they will have a Dell monitor, mouse, and keyboard for the mini).

So,
I was wondering if it's possible to boot the mini through my iMac, and use the iMac monitor, and keyboard to run the mini during software installation on the mini?

Thank you so much for your help, I didn't know if doing it this way would cause issues on my iMac. Both are CoreDuo.

Craig

iMac 20" 2GHz Intel CoreDuo Mac OS X (10.4.8) 2 GB Ram
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User profile for user: mhunter
mhunter
User level: Level 6
9,185 points

Nov 18, 2006 2:39 PM in response to PAZipster

Hello,

Sorry for the delay in my reply. Yes, Doug is correct. It will work just fine.

Understand that essentially you will be using the iMac as the computer and the Mac Mini as if it were the iMac's boot drive. So, technically, you will not be running from the Mac Mini computer. You will just be running from it's hard drive.

But, yes, it will work fine. And, it will permit you to install all the software on the Mini and run the setup and whatever else you would like to do.

And, once you are done, the mini will work just fine once you set it up as a stand-alone system.
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User profile for user: Xavier25
Xavier25
User level: Level 1
4 points

Dec 4, 2006 10:09 AM in response to mhunter

Hello,

I'm wondering quite the same thing: I would like to know if it's possible to connect my intel imac to an intel macmini to install mac os x server on the mini.

I would like to use the imac as a screen and its keyboard and mouse.

Thanks for your help.

imac, mini, ibook, macbook (ppc & intel) Mac OS X (10.4.8)

imac, mini, intel, macbook (ppc & intel) Mac OS X (10.4.8)
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Connecting a Mac Mini to an iMac

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