Neowin Forums > Mac Mini Hard Drive

Rudy

Jan 20 2005, 18:50

Now i know the harddrive inside is a laptop HD and if i am correct it is only 4200rpm, now i was thinking that when i get a little bit more money, i could order a firewire HD.

Now the question is....could I install OSX on the firewire HD and use the HD inside the mac mini as a storage HD?

Pixelwix

Jan 20 2005, 18:55

yes you should be able to install osx on a firewire drive. i've done it before on my ipod

Rudy

Jan 20 2005, 18:59

QUOTE(Pixelwix @ Jan 20 2005, 10:55)

yes you should be able to install osx on a firewire drive. i've done it before on my ipod
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do i have to change any settings or is the mac going to automaticly find the firewire drive and boot from it (since the internal drive is not going to be bootable anymore)

cvcduty

Jan 20 2005, 19:02

You will need to make the Firewire drive your System Drive. Once that option is set, you will be able to boot from the External Drive.

Rudy

Jan 20 2005, 19:02

ok thank you

Rudy

Jan 20 2005, 19:35

hmmm i was wondering, can you do the same with a usb2 HD?? im looking at byuing an HD enclosure and most of them are usb2

cvcduty

Jan 20 2005, 19:35

I believe you can. Just copy your files over and then point your System Drive to the external HDD. Don't delete anything from the internal drive. Try it out first.

Rudy

Jan 20 2005, 19:44

i know it will work with firewire but what about usb2?

cvcduty

Jan 20 2005, 19:50

Like I said, I believe it will work... I have a USB2 HDD connected to my iMac. I do not use it the way you are intending to do, but I do not see why it wouldn't. If someone here have already done this, maybe they can give you some info/insight.

Vice

Jan 20 2005, 20:07

I think its firewire only. But I have never tried over USB I would think the USB one would need drivers or something when Firewire option is more generic? I dunno never tried over USB.

divinatum

Jan 20 2005, 21:18

im almost sure WinMacLin is right, it's a firewire only thing. i got my firewire enclosure at compusa a while ago, 20 bucks after rebates

Mouton

Jan 20 2005, 21:27

Yes. You should be able to boot from an USB drive the same way you can from a Firewire drive.

Apple support has an article about outdated usb drivers that might cause os x to not boot off a usb drive. There's also references to usb booting on experts-exchange, etc.

[ timko ]

Jan 21 2005, 00:11

It's a shame the firewire on the MacMini isn't Firewire800. My 500Gb Lacie Big Disk Extreme would fly along with that little box, guess I'll just be stuck with around half the speed instead

dougal.s

Jan 21 2005, 02:39

Firewire 400 is still pretty nippy! Easily fast enough for most duties. If you need to use massive files all the time, a mac-mini probably isn't the best option. My iBook has a 30Gb hard drive, and I have an 80Gb external drive, I just make sure that my current workset is on the iBook for easy and fast access.

Dougal.

NETknightX

Jan 21 2005, 06:29

Any Mac since the Power Mac G4 (AGP) and slot-loading iMac should be able to boot off USB, in the same manner as Firewire.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58430

roadwarrior

Jan 21 2005, 06:35

QUOTE(NETknightX @ Jan 21 2005, 01:29)

Any Mac since the Power Mac G4 (AGP) and slot-loading iMac should be able to boot off USB, in the same manner as Firewire.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58430
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I was going to post that info earlier, but couldn't find the link. Thanks.

Nextstep OS X

Jan 21 2005, 08:46

Forget it!!!! its not worth paying $500 to have to deal with a Laptop HD... or buying a firewire HD to hook up!!!

I was hoping it was a regular HD 3.5 so i could put a 250gb HD...

Not worth it. $500 for web surfing and email? Cant even use imovie with that size a drive.... (60)

I will save up and get a PowerMac or just Keep getting PC's which ever way I like..

Guess my tibook will be the only Mac for some time... at least until Apple comes out with a Powermac Mini.

Rudy

Jan 21 2005, 08:52

now i was looking at the powerbooks and the 60gb hd is 4200rpm and the 80gb is 5400rpm. anyone know if its the same for the mac mini (i sure hope so since i'll have an 80gb

)

roadwarrior

Jan 21 2005, 10:31

QUOTE(Nextstep OS X @ Jan 21 2005, 03:46)

Forget it!!!! its not worth paying $500 to have to deal with a Laptop HD... or buying a firewire HD to hook up!!!

I was hoping it was a regular HD 3.5 so i could put a 250gb HD...

Not worth it. $500 for web surfing and email? Cant even use imovie with that size a drive.... (60)

I will save up and get a PowerMac or just Keep getting PC's which ever way I like..

Guess my tibook will be the only Mac for some time... at least until Apple comes out with a Powermac Mini.
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What's wrong with using an external hard drive (firewire or usb 2.0)? It's not like enclosures aren't cheap now. I've seen them go for under $20 on eBay. And you most certainly can use iMovie on a 60GB hard drive. Until I got around to burning some DVD's the other day, I had the first half of the season of 8 different TV shows saved on the 40GB drive in my Blue & White (12 episodes each, roughly 45 minutes per episode), with some room to spare for my iPhoto library (over 1300 pictures).

Rudy

Jan 24 2005, 07:58

QUOTE(Rudy @ Jan 21 2005, 00:52)

now i was looking at the powerbooks and the 60gb hd is 4200rpm and the 80gb is 5400rpm. anyone know if its the same for the mac mini (i sure hope so since i'll have an 80gb

)
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anyone has an answer to this?

[ timko ]

Jan 24 2005, 08:29

QUOTE(Rudy @ Jan 24 2005, 07:58)

anyone has an answer to this?
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Finally found some specs on the 80Gb version of the MacMini hdd after someone posted the string "TOSHIBA MK8025GAS" from their Xbench info...

Toshiba 80Gb 4200rpm 8Mb cache 12ms avg seek - MK8025GAS

http://tinyurl.com/4zf8c

The 80Gb Western Digital Scorpio 5400rpm 8mb in my Sony Vaio would beat that drive

dougal.s

Jan 24 2005, 11:16

If you need a faster drive go buy a 7200rpm 2.5" drive, can get them up to 100Gb if you really have the cash!!

To be honest you aren't really going to notice the speed difference on the Mini unless you are used to a G5 with raided Raptors!!

Dougal.

Rudy

Jan 24 2005, 17:53

QUOTE(dougal.s @ Jan 24 2005, 03:16)

If you need a faster drive go buy a 7200rpm 2.5" drive, can get them up to 100Gb if you really have the cash!!

To be honest you aren't really going to notice the speed difference on the Mini unless you are used to a G5 with raided Raptors!!

Dougal.
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if i was to add a HD then i would get a firewire drive, its easier that way and i would get to keep the 80gb drive inside

[ timko ]

Jan 24 2005, 18:19

QUOTE(dougal.s @ Jan 24 2005, 11:16)

If you need a faster drive go buy a 7200rpm 2.5" drive, can get them up to 100Gb if you really have the cash!!
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No need to worry as I already have a 0.5TB Firewire 400/800 drive...

http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10491

...on my PC. I'll just link it up to my Mac Mini

Devoto.

Jan 24 2005, 18:29

I just bought an External USB 2.0 HDD, a LaCie 250GB one at £113. Not bad at all.

I'll be able to use transfer all my files over from my PC to my new Mini Mac using that so that's cool. The extra space will really come in handy too.

Lee.