New Intel Mac Mini Start-up Problems

I've recently purchased a new Intel Mac Mini (my first Mac after switching from a PC). Several times (probably once a day), the mac mini won't start-up.
I've noticed it happens after I've used iPhoto or iDVD. The mini becomes busy and performance seems to slow. After the software has finished its task, I can exit the application fine and shut down the mini.
When I then go to boot the mini, the little blue light comes up, but nothing else happens. It's almost as though it's in sleep mode (which it isn't). I've tried different ways to wake it using the keyboard, mouse and start button, but nothing.
The Mac Mini will only start-up again if it is unplugged from the mains and left for several minutes.
Has anyone else had this problem? Is there something I'm doing wrong that my lack of Mac knowledge may not be aware of?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

I have been frustrated by the same issue. My (admittedly non-professional) diagnosis is that the problem is related to heat build up. I am able to boot normally only after forcing a hard shut down and waiting for "a while" (5 minutes is not enough, 30 minutes does the trick). Thus my hypothesis that an appropriate cooling down period is needed.
Any similar thoughts? I'm calling Apple today...

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Need Advice: New Intel Mac Mini Still In The Box

Hi!
Okay.. I know... I have several posts going here as I have several issues I am trying to solve rather simultaneously. Thanks for being patient with me.
I have my old 1.25 Ghz PowerPC Mac Mini running 10.4.11 and all was well and happy. Then Security Update 2007-009 happened and all went to ....well... you know and, yes, it was bad! Went to Apple, got it running of sorts as they re-installed the OS, but they used an old version of OS X. (10.4.7. Can you believe that?) This caused other problems. It continues to have all sorts of difficulties, as I have had to get applications to re-recognize that the computer is back up to 10.4.11. Currently, I am struggling with trying to get iTunes to access it's music folders on the external hard drives. Realized that I hadn't even gotten around to figuring out whether or not some of my other applications work, like some of the games and third party, etc.
The thing is I got a new Intel Mac Mini for Christmas and it's still in the box because as I suspected I need to get my old mac perfect again before I can even think about migrating stuff over to the new Mac. But.. here's the thing... it's starting to look pretty much like 2008 will come and go before I can get the old Mac ready enough to take the new Mac out of the box. This really is rather silly!
Now... I can't get the old Mac to see the music and it made me think. I have all of my iTunes music and iPhoto backed up on an external hard drive (I used Apple's "Back-up" software to do it) and in addition to this two complete copies of the iTunes music and iPhoto photos albums on two separate external hard drives. Should I just forget using migration assistant? Can I get my music and my photo albums into the new mac directly from the external hard drives?
Or...can I use "back up" to restore the music and photos into the new Mac?
I am starting to think that the best way to get my new Mac running is not risk it by attaching it to my old Mac. What do you think?
Thank you so much for any advice or experiences you can give. -Charlotte

I know that I am vacillating back and forth as to what to do. Thanks so much for being patient with me. All of your advice is really appreciated and I am at least closing in on deciding on my strategy. Probably will follow your first response advice, especially considering that some of the third party apps may not have updates to handle Leopard quite yet. Anyway... it's a good strategy since everything is on the externals anyway.
You can say that fine.
Ha ha ha.... yes, I've been messing around with computers since my parents bought our first Apple computer back in 1979. Just like you, I've never had a serious problem with any of the computers and we've had them all, running all sorts of things from the Original Apple and Apple IIc (which my parents still have and it still runs!) to the Commodore and all the Windows permeations and then on to the Macs running Jaguar, Panther and Tiger, probably because we've always been careful with the machines and what we install in them and how we update them. I have always kept my computers on UPS' and un-plug them when storms brew outside. As it is I am still using my eight year old Windows 98 computer, (for games mostly) and it still runs quicker than most peoples windows pcs and it's only a 740 Megahertz.
I haven't had to re-install anything, especially on this lovely little Mac Mini until now and wouldn't have in this situation, had I known more. I had taken the little Mac Mini in for a Procare "Tune-Up," only four days before the big up-date disaster. Not sure what they did to my mac in the tune-up but the guy gave me back the machine assuring me that the computer was perfect with no problems in answer to my asking "were they sure?" Even after the Genius Bar techs at the Apple Store re-installed the OS to fix the big problems it seems that no one ever thought to run verify disk. Had the Genius Bar techs at the time of the tune-up done this, or at least told me to do this, the last security update would not have wrecked so much havoc. It was only after I got the machine back from Apple that second time that I found that the directory had been corrupted when I ran disk verify. Actually it is amazing that I have had this little Mac Mini for so long and so not have had any problems on it that I would be able to go so long without having to know this really pretty important aspect of keeping one's mac in good running shape. I had been running maintenance scripts and permissions verify and repair and thought that was all there was to it. Silly! You know... that really is a testimony of how nice these little machines are.
Anyway... experience is a good teacher and I have learned so much it's actually been great! This stuff is pretty interesting.
Now... on to Leopard!
Thanks so much and you have a great New Year! -Charlotte

Using External Boot Drive with New Intel Mac Mini

I have a 1st Gen MacMini and use an external 7200 RPM Lacie drive as the system boot drive along with all the applications.
If I were to purchase a new Intel Mac Mini, is it possible to use the current external drive as the system drive or is there some conversion steps that would be necessary ?
Thank you.

You can use the hardware, but will have to repartition and reinstall the OS from the disk shipped with the new Mac Mini.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303220
If you create a disk image of the Lacie on your Mini, you can later use setup assistant to restore users and applications from that image.

New Intel Mac mini: Is 1G Ram Enough?

Hello everyone.
I intend to get my dad and my sis (upgrade from her old iMac G3) each a new Intel Mac mini Core Solo.
I understand that the new Intel Mac mini shares the ram memory between the processor and the "in-built" graphics... also understand from an Apple KB docu that it is best to pair the same ram to maximise efficiency or something...
My dad will be mainly in iPhoto, organising his digital photos, burning CDs and touching up a bit here and there; And both of them will be using mainly to surf, email, chat, maybe a bit of word processing etc - I would say "light to moderate work"
So is 1Gb of Ram enough for the processor and the graphics? I would probably try to max out as big a hard disk for them... and a 19" monitor...
Thanks and cheers

If he can afford it, I would recommend putting 2-1G modules in there. OS X loves RAM and will call for even more running apps under Rosetta.
How To Determine Your Memory Needs >>
-Bmer
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2.0 Ghz processor in a new Intel Mac Mini

I have seen several people buying the Intel T2500 processor online and installing it in their Intel Mac Mini. I am seriously considering doing this myself. Other than voiding the warranty, is there any other things I need to worry about?

The MacMini processor can be upgraded howerver like you said this voids your warrenty. I don't have the link on my (lost it actually) that one guy upgraded his Mini with photos and a small movie.
The guy stated the machine worked great and the fan on the Mni was able to take the heat from the faster CPU.
But this is not for the light at heart, it is easy to break something when trying to pop the Mini open and/or when you are moving the compoints around to get to the CPU (This is no differnt than if you wanted to upgrade the RAM or Hard drive.).
I hope this helps. Myself is planning to wait until the processors come down in price lowers (when my warrenty expires). Then I am bumping the CPU up.
-Locutus

What 32inch plus tv to buy in the UK to use with new intel Mac mini

As the title - What 32inch plus tv to buy in the UK to use with 1.83 intel Mac mini. It does not have to have freeview as I will be using tubestick. I do want to use the hdmi connection. Who's got a great setup, with no issues - model numbers appreciated £1200 ish budget

So everything is working normal except for screen saver? Hmm. That's odd. Perhaps your settings are such that shortly after the screen saver kicks in the mini is also set to go to sleep. That would cause the screen to lose sync and give the "no signal" message. Check your Energy Saver against the Screen Saver settings and adjust the sleep interval if need be.
FYI, running a screen saver on an LCD TV is not a good idea long term. An LCD uses a lamp as a backlight, and the lamp has a finite lifetime. Consuming it's limited hours of life by running a screen saver all the time (like overnight, everynight) will shorten considerably the service life of your TV.

2006 Intel Mac mini starts to load then turns off and sometime a kernel panic warning will appear

Mac mini starts then powers off before loading osx and sometimes gives a kernel panic warning

Tough without the Install disc, but some things to try...
Does it boot to Single User Mode, CMD+s keys at bootup, if so try...
/sbin/fsck -fy
Repeat until it shows no errors fixed.
(Space between fsck AND -fy important).

Mac mini start up problems

good day! i have a problem with my mac mini and it wont start up i already follow the instructions at the manual but still problem occurs.. pls. help. tnx happy new year!

Hello Jaun,
Is this what you tried?
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu at top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Select your Mac OS X volume.
5. Click Repair Disk, (not Repair Permissions). Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
Then try a Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it completes.
(Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.)
If perchance you can't find your install Disc, at least try it from the Safe Boot part onward.
If 10.7.0 or later...
Bootup holding CMD+r, or the Option/alt key to boot from the Restore partition & use Disk Utility from there to Repair the Disk, then Repair Permissions.
If that doesn't help Reinstall the OS.

Mac Mini Start Up problem?

I am having a start up problem with my powerpc mac mini which runs on max os x 10.4.11. About a week ago there was one day where it would not power on at all so I waited a day and it turned on again and was fine again. However today, when I connected a new WD hard drive to back-up my files, the computer froze. I assumed that was normal since this has happened every now again, I guess its because it doesn't have a lot of RAM. So i had to turn it off by holding down the power button at the back. I removed the hard drive then turned the mac mini on again but now all I see is a flashing folder which alternates between something that looks like finder and a question mark. Basically the folder looks like this: http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-desktops/164988-folder-flashes-question-m ark.html
According to those people, it means that the mac mini doesn't have an operating system installed but that is impossible for me since i've been using this mac mini for 7 years. I've tried starting up in safe mode but that won't work. When I try to start up using the start up menu, I see no hard drive icon to select. All i see in this menu is an arrow that resembles the "undo" arrow in word and an arrow pointing to the right. I haven't tried re-installing the software that came with the mac since that might (or will) erase all my files.
So any ideas on what could be wrong? Has my mac mini given out because it's old? Is there something wrong with the hard drive? Thanks in advance for your answers.

Hello Jay,
The drive is either dead, dying, or having severe problems.
See if Disk Utility sees it at all.
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu at the top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Select your Mac OS X volume.
5. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Setup Multi-users on new Intel Mac Mini

Hello all
I am an XP PC user investigating whether to purchase a new Intel based Dual core Mac Mini.
Can someone help with the following questions please.
1) I have a family using our current XP based PC and each has their own user login.
Can I setup multiple users on the Mac Mini so they would each have their own login ?
2) I would like my wife to have her own email account as well as me.
Can this also be setup on the new Mac Mini ?
Thanks in advance.
James

Hi Jamesatalveston,
To clear things up a little for you:
1) Yes you can setup individual logins - as many as you need in fact. Each seperate account has its own "directory" on the hard drive which is safe and secure to stop any prying eyes. You can also customize it just like you would Windows XP however there are tons of extra features to hand. You can set parental controls with the click of a button and you can even prevent the kids / teens from messing up the configurations by restricting what they can access through their user areas.
2) OS X Boasts Mail which is Apples tidier equivelant to Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express if you like. It can handle multiple accounts with different service providers just so long as you have the POP and SMTP addresses for your providers email server, and your email address and password to hand.
If you only have one email account between the two of you and you feel that you can work well with it, then you can effectively direct emails to one another by creating "Smart Mailboxes" which split any incoming emails to that one address, into criteria organised folders i.e. one with emails related to you, one with emails related to your wife.
Hope that I may have been of extra help
-Pos

Finance on a new Intel Mac mini

Hi,
My mac min has just died and i was wondering if i should get the new Intel 1, after just claiming on insurance for my powerbook it seems abit dodgy to claim again, how old in the UK do you have to be to take out finance, as a 15 year old, i havnt done bad with my apple products lol, as you can see below :-P
Let me know
thanks
Danny

Presuming you're a student I would suppose you can get something. I would consult the Apple UK educational store for any offers that they may have.

Can the new Intel Mac Mini really run Win XP?

I have had my Mac Mini for almost two years now and i love it, i love it because i switched from Windows, but now i kind of miss Windows so i was going to buy a Windows PC but then i read somewhere that the new 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo Mac Mini can run Windows XP, so i have few questions if that is true...
1. How well will Win XP run on the new 1.66 GHz Mini with 1 Gig of RAM?
2. Which version of XP do i need to buy and where is the best place to buy it?
3. I know this might be a dumb question since Windows Vista is not out yet but do you think i will be able to use Vista as well?
Vista requires 512 of RAM for the basics and 1 Gig of RAM for max performance.
That's all i have for now, thanks in advance.
Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!
Mac Mini 1.42 GHz G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9) It's small...?

1) If ou run it with Boot Camp (i.e. in a dual-boot environment, rather than through virtualization), it will run as well as on a PC with 1 GB of RAM, a 1.66 Ghz Core Duo processor and GMA 950 integrated graphics (quite well, but unsuitable for recent 3D games).
2) You need a standalone (non-OEM) version of Windows XP Home or Pro with SP2 included, any retail version of Windows XP should do. There are also workarounds that allow you to install other versions of Windows (like Windows XP Media Center).
3) The Mini should be able to run Vista (some people have already installed Beta versions of Vista on Intel Minis) but how well, I don't know.
BTW Boot Camp is actually Beta software, and its license ends in February 2007 (or earlier if Leopard is released before then).
If you need more information, you can also ask in the Boot Camp forum.

Do new Intel Mac minis support all Tiger Core technologies?

Do they support: core audio, core video, core image, etc
Thank you!

so, when the iLife '06 webpages say all this cool stuff you can do if your system supports core image/audio/video (for example, audio and video effects in iMovie), the Mac mini Intel can do these things?

New Intel Mac Mini - wireless mouse v slow

Hi all
I've just bought my first MAC, a nice core duo intel mini. Having used PCs for years it came as a nice suprise to boot up and configure everything in next to no time.
However.....
I'm using a apple wireless keyboard and mouse. The keyboard seems to be fine, but the mouse is very very slow and jerks around a lot. If I switch to a (dare I say it) Microsoft wireless USB mouse, it works fine, no speed loss at all.
I guess it's something to do with the bluetooth and airport clashing? Or maybe I just have a duff wireless mouse?
Any mac gurus who can help me out?
TIA
Tim

I'm using this in my living room, and when I'm on the couch about 10 feet away it's a lot like having an extremely dirty non-optical mouse in that, as you move the cursor, it's constantly getting "stuck" and doesn't move as far as you expect, in a random sort of way. In addition, the cursor's movement is a little behind the mouse's movement.
If I put the mouse next to the computer, the problem goes away.
This in addition to the Airport signal problems indicates that it's an RF problem - poor antenna, shielding due to the enclosure, interference due to the new circuitry - something like that. I'm using the new mini in the same location as the old one, and I'm using the mouse in the same location. The new one has problems and the old one doesn't.

Can't Migrate from G4 to Intel Mac Mini

Hi
I have been unable to migrate files from my old G4 destop to my new Intel Mac mini. I wonder if anyone could help.
I first tried first using the migration assistant on the Mac mini and used the G4 as a fire wire drive. Failed twice, the process froze both times.
Erased Intel Mac mini and tried to do a restore from G4 using Disk Utilty. Failed twice. Didn't complete process.
I then tried the same twice using Supe Duper. Completed process (took hours) but in both cases couldn't boot Mac mini. Get the folder icon on boot indicating can't find system (I think).
I though I would then clean re-install system files from restore disks that came with MIni mac and start a fresh, but won't allow me to do this !! Spent two days and no further forward.
Any suggestions ?
Would erasing Mac mini and and trying Carbon Copy Cloner work ?
Can I add files manually from G4 to mac mini ?
Thanks in advance.
G4 ibook. G4 desktop, mac mini (intel) Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Exactly which model G4 tower do you have? The
PCI-graphics G4 towers do not support FireWire Target
Disk Mode.
If FWTDM works, have you replaced the hard drive that
came with the G4? Technically, Apple claims FWTDM
will only work with the OEM (original) hard drive
that came with the G4 tower. If you've replaced it or
added a second drive, it might not work correctly in
"target" mode.
If you do have a new hard drive, you should be able
to put it into a FireWire (or USB) external hard
drive case and use the Migration/Setup Assistant to
copy your files over.
If you're still having trouble, you can copy your
files over manually. Do you know which files you're
interested in copying? If your G4 tower works in
"target" mode, but the Migration/Setup Assistant is
having trouble, you can usually just drag all the
files and folders from your user's old home folder to
the new folders on the new computer. (Macintosh
HD/Users/YourUserName/Pictures > NewMacintosh
HD/Users/YourUserName/Pictures)
-Doug
Yes I did change the hard drive to a bigger one so that may be the problem.
When I use the Traget mode I do see my "old" drive (both partitions) on my desktop so it suggests firewire is working.
Won't take everything across including applications, library etc.
Will let you know how I get on.
Thank you for your time. Geatly appreciated.

New Intel Mac Mini Start-up Problems

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