Bought a used Mac-Mini formerly owned by a Japanese person - help see msg.

Question

Thanks for your help.  I tried a simple software reload first, but the "update software" function still wanted original owners password, so I was back to square 1 again.  I did, however, also try the "single user terminal mode" approach to establish root.  This worked after some added instruction lines were located, to turn on write for example since terminal was in read only at the start.  I also looked up a couple other things to try, erase "....setupdone" file etc. 
However, the main problem (which I hadn't discussed initially) still remains: the computer was purchased originally in Japan, set up for Japanese, including computer name and passwords, so when I erased the "...setupdone" file as one of the processes I tried, while it did erase and provide opportunity to enter new initial owner's-user data, it required postal codes for Japanese Prefectures and in which Prefecture I was living from a drop down list.  It did not provide any insight into changing origin country data standing-fields; so the plot thickens.   E.g., there are additional points where Japanese still appears.  For example on itiaily Pcomputer name entry, as in "root" it types this inJapanese characters and won''t allow english character entry util tab out of field and go back to field then it works as expected.
My question now is, therefore, do you know of a good technical manual source for extensive single user terminal fix-approaches for mac mini's.  E.g.,, So far I really like the system, have a use for it in my engineering lab, but have very little Linux terminal experience, hence the book or other more extensive tech info sources?  
It's got 512Mb Ram, 60GB internal HDD, Bluetooth, DVD Read only (?), LAN, 1394, and USB2 ports.  Am I limited to 1 GB of main memory? I have also an external 250Gb HDD, 3.5 FDD, Kbd/mouse (all on USB) and a Dell 19" analog monitor.  All are working.  I "own" the system (but for the Japanese data remenence issues).  I believe I can expand RAM to only 1BG (comment please).  I can set up bluetooth now too since I have root admin privelage.  It does not seem to have a DVD-write capability. ( is that right?).  Atgain thank you for your help.

Answer 1

Hi,
When it's booted see if you can goto System Preferences>International, check the order od Languages, & the Input Menu tab to see which languages are enabled.
At the Apple Icon at top left>About this Mac.
Then click on More Info>Hardware and report this upto but not including the Serial#...
Hardware Overview:
  Machine Name:          Mac mini
  Machine Model:          PowerMac10,1
  CPU Type:          PowerPC G4  (1.2)
  Number Of CPUs:          1
  CPU Speed:          1.42 GHz
  L2 Cache (per CPU):          512 KB
  Memory:          512 MB
  Bus Speed:          167 MHz
  Boot ROM Version:          4.8.9f1
At the Apple Icon at top left>About this Mac, then click on More Info, then click on Hardware>Disc Burning & report what it says, like ...
Interconnect: ATAPI
Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipped/Supported)
Cache: 2048 KB
Reads DVD: Yes
CD-Write: -R, -RW
DVD-Write: -R, -RW, +R, +RW, +R DL
Burn Underrun Protection CD: Yes
Burn Underrun Protection DVD: Yes
Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, CD-Raw, DVD