Re: Saved my mom's 2012 Mac Mini from the dump with Linux Mint 21.3

On 2024-06-17, Andrzej Matuch <andrzej@matu.ch> wrote:

On 2024-06-17 5:04 p.m., RonB wrote:

On 2024-06-17, Andrzej Matuch <andrzej@matu.ch> wrote:

On 2024-06-16 20:28, RonB wrote:

On 2024-06-16, Andrzej Matuch <andrzej@matu.ch> wrote:

On 2024-06-16 18:14, Hunter wrote:

On Sun, 16 Jun 2024 17:56:02 -0400
Andrzej Matuch <andrzej@matu.ch> wrote:
>

Just finished installing it. It took an enormous amount of time as a
result of the slow HD on the machine and the fact that USB ports on
this thing don't support anything faster than USB 2.0. Still, it's
done. It's a usable computer again.

>
Great. Linux breathes life into old machines, but for extremely
low spec ones I prefer to have something like AntiX (mainly because
of the low memory footprint).

>
It's not going to be a daily machine, so I don't really mind if it's a
little slower than it can be. It's clearly not very fast by today's
standards, but it does the job as it is.

>
Used SSDs are so inexpensive now that I can't imagine using hard drives for
anything but backup — even on old machines.

>
I don't have the screwdrivers needed to open up the Mac Mini anyway.
Besides, I doubt the machine is worth the few dollars I'd pay to put an
SSD in there anyway. It works as a backup machine. In fact, I'm using it
right now as I wait for my laptop to return from Geek Squad (no idea
when that will be).

 
So it's your mom's Mac Mini that has found a use? (I hadn't been following
the thread that close. Sorry.) I'm happy to see it up and running. I
sometimes skim the posts too much.
 
Replacing the main hard drive and adding memory is not hard on the Mac Mini.
Installing a second SSD requires removing the whole motherboard — still not
too bad. But you're right, I believe you need a small "star" screwdriver
set.
 
I hadn't booted up my Mac Mini in a while. So you reminded me... it needed a
few updates for Monterey. Off again now. With an SSD and 16 GBs of RAM it's
not that slow (either with Linux Mint or with Montery). Dual core, but with
4 threads (I think yours is also the 2012 version).
 
Sorry for rambling. I'm happy to see the old computer is back up and
running.

>
I'm sure it would be lots faster with an SSD but I can't think of a good
reason to buy an SSD for it. I should be getting my laptop back this
week so that slow Mac Mini (and this laptop my wife uses) are enough to
keep me going. If I need a gaming fix, I just go on over to the Xbox
Series S and turn on Fallout 4.

There's no real reason for me putting in all the SSDs in all the old
computers I've bought either. I guess it's just a hobby. I do occasionally
give away some of these computers... so there's that, I guess.

At any rate I'm happy the Mac Mini has been made useful and has a new "life"
with Linux Mint.

--
[Self-centered, Woke] "pride is a life of self-destructive fakery, an
entrapment to a false and self-created matrix of twisted unreality."
"It was pride that changed angels into devils..."     — St. Augustine