Is it possible to use a computer desktop tower, for example a dell tower. I'm trying to build a computer and I don't want to have to buy a monitor for it because a have a well working iMac. Yes I do know that the iMac I am using is a desktop, but I want to know if an external tower could work with my iMac.
iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013), macOS Sierra (10.12.4)
One option for using an iMac as a display for another Mac is called Target Display Mode:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592
this does not help you if you are using a PC
If you have one of the older 2010 vintage 27" iMacs with a Mini Display Port, NOT the current Thunderbolt type port, you might be able to use the Kanex XD adapter with the PC as the video source with the appropriate 1280x720 settings. (I have one of those iMacs and that adapter and could not get it to work, not sure what the magic trick is, I bought it used from eBay, no returns)
Those hardware options would be the best performance wise, but if your equipment is not compatible with any of those options, then you have a software option using the Remote Desktop Connection app on the Mac and setting up the PC as a Server. You might have to use another monitor temporarily to set up the PC as a server, but then should be able to run the PC "headless" (without a monitor) and access it over the network (Ethernet or WiFi) from the Mac with some lag due to the video connection over the network, not really good for high frame rate games, but ok for basic email/web stuff.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn473012(v=ws.11).aspx
not sure if you can find older versions if you need them for whatever Mac OS version you might be running. (I did not notice your signature at first that shows which iMac and OS you are running, the light grey text is hard for me to see even with my glasses on)
You want to use your iMac as a display for your dell tower correct?
You need to describe how you want to use the two together!
It sounds like you want to put the Mac components inside the Dell tower, this is impossible as they are no where near the same size.
If you mean can they share files between one another, the answer is yes. That is called File Sharing and is found in System Preferences on the Mac. Where the same feature is on Windows you will have to research but I know it exists.
Sorry for the confusion. I want to know if I can use all the components inside the desktop such as the processor, graphics card, and memory (Ram) instead the components that are in the iMac.
I'm not saying I want to take out parts from the Mac, I want to know if a completely separate desktop, with its own parts could be setup to function with the computer.
Also I'm not using a dell tower I was just using it as an example sorry for the confusion again, I'm just using parts from intel and anything compatible with intel because I know intel is compatible with Mac
I'm sorry that I'm not being descriptive enough, I'm still new to computers. If you need more information please tell me.
What do you mean "work", please try to be descriptive, almost all of us here lost our mind reading abilities many years ago.
Sorry for your loss I still have mine. When I said work I meant that if I was to get a tower would it be compatible with the iMac and function correctly.
No, I was just using that as an example because there are some computers that have everything built in to the monitor, so the first thing of a tower than came to mind was a dell desktop.
Nope, can't be done, what you are proposing is using 2 different OS's on 2 different computers and combining they're computing power. Sorry not possible.
Thank you for letting me know, you were a great help.
Would a computer desktop work with an iMac?
