Privilege issue Mac Mini

I have an old Mac Min (2ghz 1gb) running 10.5.2. I had loads of stuff I didn't want on there, so was advised to delete the account holders and create a new Admin which I have done, giving me back all my storage space with new Admin account holder.
HOWEVER, software update is now telling me to download the 10.5.8 combined update (and as the loaded Itunes in the dock needs a newer version of Quick time to work) I have tried to download this update.
I have tried using the Mac Minis' update system and keep getting the same message - about not having appropriate access privileges to install the item.
I have tried downloading directly from the Apple website and it downloads but says
" Installer is damaged. Installer is unable to open the package. This is likelly due to Install framework's runner executable not having the proper ownership and/or permissions."
I have done a disk utility to verify and repair everything I can.
I have checked the Hard Drive Sharing and Permissions and Admin does have Read and Write.
What have I missed.

Things just got worse.
Thought I would try and find the old Admin account and the following..
in single user mode entered the command : mount -uw /and when I entered the 2nd command : rm /var/db/.AppleSetUpdone
it didn't work. When I tried to restart my MAC it kept going to the start up screen and just keeps on restarting over and over again. PLEASE HELP

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Display Issues, Mac Mini and Sony LCD TV

Hi,
First my setup:
Mac Mini(Core2Duo) = DVI2HDMI = Pioneer ASX2 = Sony Bravia 40W2000
I have two issues, in order of importance:
Issue #1: When switching off the Pioneer my Mac Mini will suspend. This is not wanted, because I somethimes want it to either work on the iTunes library (hours of work) or download torrents.
Issue #2: The famous my display is not 1080p anymore but VGA. Has anyone fixed this?
I haven´t seen any fixes to issue #2 even though it´s super common. I do hope that anyone can sort me out on issue #1

Both items #1 and #2 can be corrected using the Gefen DVI Detective.

Mac mini sudden death after access privilege issue.

Good Afternoon,
I have a Mac mini running OSX 10.5.8.
Today, I noticed that I couldn't access the Macintosh HD drive on the desktop as I did not have sufficient privileges. When I got-info on the drive, in sharing and permissions, I saw that "admin" suddenly had write-only privileges.
I could not 'unlock' the padlock to change the settings, it wouldn't react or ask for a password or anything. (I am the admin on the mini).
So I thought maybe it's just a restart needed; we run it for quite long times without a shut down.
Now it won't get past the gray Apple with spinner boot screen.
I've tried removing it from the mains to check if maybe the RAM would 'reset' or anything, but that hasn't helped.
Then, I got my OSX installation DVD to attempt booting into the repair function but, as I have the bluetooth keyboard, it won't register the keyboard at the early stage in the boot process - I cannot hold down C or other keys to boot into anywhere.
Having researched a bit, I came across others who also met this combination of issues, but none involving Macintosh HD itself and still being able to get to the gray Apple screen.
Any ideas on how to take it from here?

Then, I got my OSX installation DVD to attempt booting into the repair function but, as I have the bluetooth keyboard, it won't register the keyboard at the early stage in the boot process - I cannot hold down C or other keys to boot into anywhere.
Hi- Stupid question, but did you actually try it? It should work, as the bluetooth drivers are one of the first things loaded before the apple logo even appears.
Power off, power on, hold down the C key (or the option key), and you should be accessing the install dvd with no problems.
Failing that, perhaps you can borrow a USB keyboard from the office or from a friend, and then do it from there.

Solved Mac Mini (late 2010) Blue Screen Hang issue

I posted several questions about blue screen hang and was able to fix my problem, after LOTS of work and searching in various forums.
I had been unable to use my computer for over a month; it was simply hanging at the blue screen, and that seemed to happen when my Finder.app had crashed, hiding all my document icons on my desktop, etc. I also had been having issues with Time Capsule and my backup Iomega disk, which is touchy.
When I tried a fix my icons had returned but I had been unable to use computer after rebooting, and I had tried every sort of key combo including trying to boot from the original install CD, etc., but nothing worked. I could not even reboot using original 10.6 software CDs, and was only able to log in Single User Mode and had tried many fixes with Terminal, and finally, this worked, two of the fixes I used are listed below.
It seems, in part, that resetting certain "privileges" worked.
This tip first tip is for Mac OSX 10.3 to 10.3.9 and even though I am on 10.6.8, I ran it, and it worked. THis is the original link location: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1411
   1. Start up the computer in Single-User Mode.
   2. Type: in Terminal the command
     mount -uw /
   3. Press Return.
   4. Type (in Terminal, note space before mv)
      mv /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow.plist preferences2.old
     Note space between ".plist" and "preferences".
   5. Press Return.
   6. Type:
     mv /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist preferences3.old
   7. Press Return.
   8. Type: reboot
   9. Press Return.
Then I followed up with this tip to "Reset certain privileges"
1. Start up the computer in Single-User Mode.
   2. Check the volume with fsck.
   3. Type: mount -uw /
   4. Press Return.
   5. Type: chmod 1775 /
   6. Press Return.
   7. Type: reboot
   8. Press Return.
When I rebooted, yayyyy! I was able to log back onto my computer, however, all icons were missing, again, so I typed this fix
/System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOS/Finder & disown
I am not sure what 1775 means, but this fix got my computer back up, saving me at least a $150 bill at the Genius Bar.
When I typed those commands into Terminal, this is what returned, and seems to be some QXPscrpiting issue, though I have no idea what that is. and again, some Dropbox issues. If anyone has any idea what all those issues are regarding ScriptingCodes please let me know.
My-Mac-mini:~ username$ /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOSFinder &
[1] 892
Rangdrols-Mac-mini:~ username$ -bash: /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOSFinder: No such file or directory
[1]+ Exit 127                /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOSFinder
My-Mac-mini:~ username$
Rangdrols-Mac-mini:~ username$ /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOS/Finder & disown
[1] 894
My-Mac-mini:~ username$ 2012-08-25 19:37:10.594 Finder[894:903] Error loading /Library/ScriptingAdditions/QXPScriptingAdditions.osax/Contents/MacOS/QXPScript ingAdditions: dlopen(/Library/ScriptingAdditions/QXPScriptingAdditions.osax/Contents/MacOS/QX PScriptingAdditions, 262): no suitable image found. Did find:
    /Library/ScriptingAdditions/QXPScriptingAdditions.osax/Contents/MacOS/QXPScript ingAdditions: no matching architecture in universal wrapper
Finder: OpenScripting.framework - scripting addition "/Library/ScriptingAdditions/QXPScriptingAdditions.osax" declares no loadable handlers.
Dropbox: Entered INJECT_pthread_entry
Dropbox: Installing event loop timer
Dropbox: proc: 0x11d171e53
Dropbox: upp: 0x11d171e53
Dropbox: InstallEventLoopTimer: 0x101341dd8
Dropbox: GetMainEventLoop: 0x101341c41
Dropbox: timer installed!
Dropbox: Loading /Library/DropboxHelperTools/Dropbox_u501/DropboxBundle.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Dr opboxBundle
Dropbox: dlopen returned: 0x11bb12090
module initializer in main thread?: 1

Great work, thanks.
As far as those errors, ypu have some missing OS components it seems.
And, before the mount -uw you really should've done this...
/sbin/fsck -fy
Repeat until it shows no errors fixed.
(Space between fsck AND -fy important).
Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Performance Issues with Mac Mini (Late 2014)

Dear All,
We have few Mac Minis with below mentioned configuration in our organization.
Mac Mini (Late 2014)
Processor : 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 2.7GHz) with 3MB on-chip shared L3 cache
Storage : 500GB (5400-rpm) hard drive
Memory : 4GB of 1600MHz LPDDR3 memory
Graphics : Intel HD Graphics 5000
Mac OS Version : 10.10.2 Yosemite
We are using these Mac Minis for iOS application development using Xcode, but now we are facing lots of performance related issues. We are sharing issue related details with you & want to get some help to improve our system performance.
1) System is running very slow & take a lot of time to Boot.
2) Some time it never boots & we need to press start button several time.
3) When system goes in Sleep mode, then it takes much time to come to display screen to type Password.
4) Sometimes the whole screen moves Downwards.
5) Sometimes while during coding using Xcode in Simulator it shows some kind of Error “Unexpectedly quit”
6) Xcode runs very slow & it take lots of time in switching between files.
7) While closing any open application it take lots of time & show activity indicator for very long time.
8) Sometimes it doesn’t support iPad when we connect it using USB cable.
Our development team is facing lots of issues using these Mac Minis, so please can anyone suggest us that how can we improve our system performance & is this configuration is ideal to run Mac OSx 10.10 Yosemite Series and to use it for iOS application development.
Please try to help us to solve these issues & try to share some valuable comments on it.
Thanks

Dear woodmeister50,
Here i am sharing required screenshots which you have suggested to share.
1. Open up activity monitor and select CPU. Post the top 5 procersses
and their percentage of CPU usage.
2. Then select Memory. Post the values listed in the box at the bottom
or you can post a screen shot that area.
Please analyze these Activity monitor logs & let us know if you want to share some feedback on that. We will also try to boot & run our system in safe mode.
Thanks

2011 Mac Mini and Acer x222w monitor incompatible? HDMI to DVI adapter issue

I am totally bummed because I just bought a new Mac Mini thinking I'd be able to use the display from my old system, an Acer x222w, which has both DVI-D and VGA connections. I hooked the monitor up using the HDMI to DVI adapter included in the box with the Mini. On boot, I could see the Apple logo, though it was not centered, and when the set up screen came up to the select language screen, it flashed quickly and then turned to snow.
I was on the phone with Apple support for over an hour trying to troubleshoot this issue. I was a little disappointed that tech support didn't even seem to be aware that the Mini came with an HDMI to DVI adapter. It was then recommended that I try an adapter for the mini display port, which the 2011 Mini doesn't have.
I was able to borrow another monitor, a Dell with DVI-D, and it worked.
I have searched for specs/requirements that might explain why the Acer monitor doesn't work while the Dell one does. I cannot find anything from Apple. I just assumed any DVI connection would work. Has anybody else encountered this problem? Most of the issues I've found on the forums involve trying to hook up to a home theater LCD TV, which I'm not trying to do. If I had known my monitor wouldn't work, I probably would have just saved up for an iMac.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts or tips!

Try resetting the SMC andNVRAM
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
About NVRAM and PRAM
Next call Apple since yo have 90 days of free telephone support
Complimentary Support (USA)

Mac Mini With Philips CRT - 1080i issues

I have a Philips 34PW9818 High Definition CRT TV connected to my new 1.83 Mac Mini. My TV has a DVI input and supports 1080i or 480p. The only one of these options coming up under System Preferences/Display was for 1920 x 1080 (interlaced). When I choose that option the top and left portions of the screen are cut-off and the screen flickers. If I chose 848 x 480, which is the closest I have to 480p, the screen is much clearer, doesn't flicker but portions of all sides are cut-off. I had planned to use this for web browsing, Front Row and to watch DVDs. I assumed that this would work considering my TV has a DVI input and it could handle up to 1080i.
Can this be fixed?
Is it possible for this TV to work well for web browsing, Front Row and watching DVDs?
Will DisplayConfigX or SwitchResX fix my problems?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
mac mini intel duo Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
I have the same issue with my iMac Intel Core 2 Duo. 480p just isn't enough, but 1080p should be enough. What you need is a scan converter.
Edit: http://www.provantage.com/startech-vid2dvidtv~7STRV012.htm
seems like an inexpensive solution compared to what I had quoted earlier. Though it requires DVI on your computer end, and Composite on the TV end. Let us know how it works?

Mac mini mid-2011 display issues 1920x1200 on a HDMI monitor?

Just puchased a mac mini and am challenged by the display settings. When I first powered it on using either a display port to HDMI or supplied hdmi to DVI (then the monitor's DVI to HDMI cable), the display is severly off center with issues seeing the system bar on top and icons on bottom. So, once I was able to get to the System Panel, I found that it configured itself to 1920x1200. I cannot get 1080p to center and 1080i has grainy text. Does this mean I need another apple accessory, ie display port to vga? Or is this an indicator that monitor and mac mini are incompatible? Or is this an indicator that the mac mini has a lemon card?
(NOTE: I am downloading system updates to see if there is a firmware update. Thanks
Proc - 2.5 i5
Mem - 4 GB
Graphics - Radeon 6630M
OS - OX Lion 10.7.3
Monitor- LG L246WP (3 hook ups: componet, vga, hdmi)

Your monitor has a native pixel resolution of 1920x1200. There is no point in trying for 1080-p or -i.
I run two 1920x1200 monitors via HDMI (with passive cable adapters where necessary) and I use these choices:
...and they are both pixel-sharp, filling the screen, and yet menu bars totally visible!

LG l1953S sleep issues when mac mini is in stand-by . No cable connected...

Hi ..
Yesterday i started in the fabulous world of MAC with my brand new MAC MINI . The problem that i have is that when the MAC mini is in stand-by the monitor is not in sleep state , and i get in the monitor screen " check cable " . So i have to disconnect manually the monitor when mac is in sleep state .
I am using mini-dvi to vga adapter (original mac ) .
¿What is the problem ?
Thanks a lot ...

Same issue different twist. I have a Sony Bravia that freezes last image before the energy saver kicks in. It also randomly give me the "no pc connected" I have to unplug my mini display port to VGA adapter to re-sync the display.....
very lame.

Mac mini and Sony tv resolution issue

Hello,
I have recently purchased a Mac mini for the purposes of hooking it up to my 51" Sony Wega HDTV. I took the mini out and connected the DVI adaptor that came in box and then hooked the mini to the tv via HDMI cable thinking this was the best possible connection for my mini. I have an issue where the screen is over flowing off the TV screen. I looked in system preference and have very limited resolution options but 1080i was selected and also over scan was checked. If I deselect overscan I get borders which I don't want. My tv doesn't have many options so how can I calibrate these two to work togethor?

I just discovered this is not a TV issue at all...
Uh, yes it is. Overscan is a condition unique to TVs. Computer monitors don't do it (overscan) hence there is normally no need for the kind of graphics card driver you are talking about, e.g. one that has precise control of video borders.
Many TVs on the market today have a method for defeating overscan, tucked away somewhere in their menu system, in order to allow the TV to be used just like a computer monitor. That is always the preferred solution when it is available because it will make the best possible image on the TV.
Your TV is a rear projection TV. Such TVs are not well suited for use as computer monitors because overscan is naturally baked into the optics architecture, meaning the manufacturer deliberately sets the mirror and lens system in such a way as to cause the native resolution (1280 x 720 in the case of your TV) to extend beyond the edges of the projection screen. Therefore it is impossible to get the native resolution of the projector's engine to display fully and perfectly on the screen. Only scaled or bordered version of it can ever be displayed. It's all fixed at the factory and there's no getting around the fact.
For the original G4 Mac mini that had ATI Graphics, there was a driver like the one you found for your father's Windows computer that allowed video borders to be set independent of resolution. But apart from that early effort on the part of ATI, I have not seen anything like that since for minis that have graphics based on Intel or nVidia hardware. I think you are going to be stuck with the dark video borders as a necessary limitation of the TV you own in the absence of any driver to counteract that limitation.
I believe the media center front end app called Plex has a facility for setting video borders, but I've never used it personally since I am able to turn overscan off on my TV. So I can't vouch for how well it works. And in any case, since it is bound to the app, it will only be active when Plex is running and not when, say for example, the Finder is in use, which is when you most need it.

Write permissions issues / lots of "ACL found but not expected" errors / hardware failure? on brand new Mac Mini (still within warranty). OSX Mavericks 10.9.1.

I was hoping that I could receive some feedback from you fine folks here
My situation:
I bought a 2012 Mac Mini 2.6 Ghz Intel Core i7 from the online Apple store. It came with Mavericks 10.9.1 pre-installed and was delivered two days ago (I know, the mini update is evident but I needed the machine).
I noticed that I had to enter my password every time I created, moved or deleted a folder. I did not think much of it.
I did, however, think much of not being able to install files from certain developers. I received the "The installer is damaged" notification as shown in this topic: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5541793
This screenshot is someone elses, I tried to install audio software.
Based on that error, I contacted the developer of the software. But then I noticed that I got the same error for other developers too.
I tried the solution that the topic starter marked as solving his issue in https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5541793. It involves booting in OSX Recovery (command+R) and excecuting the 'resetpassword' command. That did not work for me. It also looks like my password data isn't stored as I do not see the 'obfuscated' password dots that the screenshot shows in that topic, even when I entered and saved it multiple times -- but I'm not sure if that is part of the main issue (which I'm gettting to).
I also made sure gatekeeper allows applications to be installed from unidentified developers, as shown here: http://www.instantteamspeak.com/static/en/img/mac-gatekeeper-anywhere.png That didn't help either.
Next I opened up Disk Utility and ran a check on write permissions. That got me worried.
The check ran for a long time, spitting out "ACL found but not expected" errors.
I proceeded to restore write permissions. That took 20-25 minutes.
Once it finished I checked write permissions again. An equal amount of permissions needed to be restored! It's as if Mavericks didn't remember anything it did.
The good news is that I could now install the files I previously couldn't, but the fact that I've restored write permissions three times now, and each time it seems as if nothing of that is remembered, has gotten me worried.
I've made a video with some explanation here http://youtu.be/a0hKQvy-Km8 - my sincerest apologies for the shaky camera.
I then checked the hard disk and the partition above it. The Macintosh HD gave me the green 'ok' light, but something weird happened when I checked the partition on the level above it. It will take ages to finish and I see Disk Utility doing some strange 'jumping around': http://youtu.be/hyLAEhLRnKc (warning - long video so you might want to skip through it. The point is to demonstrate how long it takes).
When I checked the hard disk for a second and third time, I got 'everything ok' results pretty quickly.
Checking both the HD and the partition above it again, this is what happens (and what now worries me the most): http://youtu.be/4l2Fb2RvOW4
Edit: I sum up my findings at the end of the video, might be better to skip here and then watch the full thing only if it's not clear yet.
There is some further explanation in the video. It basically comes down to Disk Utility not finishing/not providing any conslusion, while Activity Monitor shows it's not doing anything -- please bare with me when watching the video, I know it's not the most exhiting video ever posted on YouTube but it does bring my point across (there is some more talk in this one; not sure if that's an improvement in terms of entertainment value though ).
** Is my hard disk failing? In that case I'll return the Mac immediately.
** Or just a software issue?
As said, this Mac Mini is brand new. If at some stage anyone would feel the wise thing to do is to return my Mac, please do let me know. There is a 14 day return policy in The Netherlands (on top of other warranties) and I'd rather return it in case of doubt, than end up with technical issues with this machine once I've started working with it. I'm ok with doing some troubleshooting if the machine is fine, but I'd rather not take a gamble with a 1200 € machine under warranty.
Thank you so much in advance - your help is highly appreciated.
Paul

I was hoping that I could receive some feedback from you fine folks here
My situation:
I bought a 2012 Mac Mini 2.6 Ghz Intel Core i7 from the online Apple store. It came with Mavericks 10.9.1 pre-installed and was delivered two days ago (I know, the mini update is evident but I needed the machine).
I noticed that I had to enter my password every time I created, moved or deleted a folder. I did not think much of it.
I did, however, think much of not being able to install files from certain developers. I received the "The installer is damaged" notification as shown in this topic: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5541793
This screenshot is someone elses, I tried to install audio software.
Based on that error, I contacted the developer of the software. But then I noticed that I got the same error for other developers too.
I tried the solution that the topic starter marked as solving his issue in https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5541793. It involves booting in OSX Recovery (command+R) and excecuting the 'resetpassword' command. That did not work for me. It also looks like my password data isn't stored as I do not see the 'obfuscated' password dots that the screenshot shows in that topic, even when I entered and saved it multiple times -- but I'm not sure if that is part of the main issue (which I'm gettting to).
I also made sure gatekeeper allows applications to be installed from unidentified developers, as shown here: http://www.instantteamspeak.com/static/en/img/mac-gatekeeper-anywhere.png That didn't help either.
Next I opened up Disk Utility and ran a check on write permissions. That got me worried.
The check ran for a long time, spitting out "ACL found but not expected" errors.
I proceeded to restore write permissions. That took 20-25 minutes.
Once it finished I checked write permissions again. An equal amount of permissions needed to be restored! It's as if Mavericks didn't remember anything it did.
The good news is that I could now install the files I previously couldn't, but the fact that I've restored write permissions three times now, and each time it seems as if nothing of that is remembered, has gotten me worried.
I've made a video with some explanation here http://youtu.be/a0hKQvy-Km8 - my sincerest apologies for the shaky camera.
I then checked the hard disk and the partition above it. The Macintosh HD gave me the green 'ok' light, but something weird happened when I checked the partition on the level above it. It will take ages to finish and I see Disk Utility doing some strange 'jumping around': http://youtu.be/hyLAEhLRnKc (warning - long video so you might want to skip through it. The point is to demonstrate how long it takes).
When I checked the hard disk for a second and third time, I got 'everything ok' results pretty quickly.
Checking both the HD and the partition above it again, this is what happens (and what now worries me the most): http://youtu.be/4l2Fb2RvOW4
Edit: I sum up my findings at the end of the video, might be better to skip here and then watch the full thing only if it's not clear yet.
There is some further explanation in the video. It basically comes down to Disk Utility not finishing/not providing any conslusion, while Activity Monitor shows it's not doing anything -- please bare with me when watching the video, I know it's not the most exhiting video ever posted on YouTube but it does bring my point across (there is some more talk in this one; not sure if that's an improvement in terms of entertainment value though ).
** Is my hard disk failing? In that case I'll return the Mac immediately.
** Or just a software issue?
As said, this Mac Mini is brand new. If at some stage anyone would feel the wise thing to do is to return my Mac, please do let me know. There is a 14 day return policy in The Netherlands (on top of other warranties) and I'd rather return it in case of doubt, than end up with technical issues with this machine once I've started working with it. I'm ok with doing some troubleshooting if the machine is fine, but I'd rather not take a gamble with a 1200 € machine under warranty.
Thank you so much in advance - your help is highly appreciated.
Paul

Can you use a Mac Mini to share documents between several devices? iPhones, MacBooks, iPads, etc...? We are a home based business with several locations across the state and are having Google Drive issues, looking into Mac Mini options.

We are having Google Drive issues (some files won't sync) and it's causing us trouble with our business communication. Is there any way to use a Mac Mini to share documents between two people in different areas similar to google drive? Would this just be done through iCloud?

If you use Numbers, Pages and KeyNote it si very easy to sync those document among all the Apple devices. You need montain Lion on the Mac and at least iOS 5 on the mobile devices.
I show those document on my Mac, iPad 4 and iPhone 4S

Any suggestions on how to fix installation issues with iPhoto & iMovie on used Mac mini?

I bought a used, mid 2011, mac min. The selller deauthorized all his applications and resotred it to factory settings for me. When I received it, I added myself as an administrator and deleted the dummy user the seller had created after restoring the OS. The first thing I wanted to do was install applications I already have on my iMac (also running OSX Lion). It would not install iPhoto or iMovie. It said these applications were assigned to a different apple id, the previous owner. I decided to erase the hard drive and reinstall Lion myself. I ran into some snags (due to my internet connection) and had to use recovery thumb drive, but it worked.
I successfully re-installed Lion on the newly formatted hard drive.
I still cannot install iPhoto and iMovie. It just give me an error now. Couriously, it installed Garage Band just fine. I haven't had any other issues with other applications I purchased on my other iMac.
Anyone have any suggestions, besides purchasing iPhoto and iMovie on the mac mini?

Ethernet cord connected to the router solved it. This is exactly what I had to do when I reinstalled the operating system. For some reason my wireless internet is highly inreliable. It drops out constantly. I've always had my iMac hard wired to the router, but I'll have to figure out a fix for this Mac mini. I can't have a 30ft ethernet cord running through the middle of my basement. Thanks.

Unable to Troubleshoot Power Issues on Mac mini 2011

I have been having odd and intermittent power issues with my Mac mini 2011 and could really use some help before I resign myself to taking it into an Apple Store. It's under warranty, but I now live in another country so I hope I don't need to ship it should it come down to that.
However, I have searched this topic a lot, and not only have I tried troubleshooting it, I haven't seen any power issues with other owners of this model. That leads me to think that the power supply itself is probably OK.
First of all, I live in China and the building I live in seems to have a questionable power supply. The air conditioner for example simply would not work and the repairman spent two hours messing around with wires inside the outlet and in the breakers. That did the trick, so I wonder if I'm simply not getting enough juice?
Main symptoms:
- My monitor recognizes an analog signal but will not light up (black monitor). Unplugging and replugging adaptor doesn't do anything.
- Startup Keyboard Commands (e.g. Cmmd-R) may work, but I can't tell because the monitor won't light up. Letting the computer boot up though I can hear keyboard volume keys and such making the standard sounds. I can usually restart using the keyboard too.
- My 2T external HD more often than not dismounts as well.
- I can't hear any computer activity after the chime (hard drive, etc.).
- Since I can hear the chime and there is audio feedback through the keyboard, I think that eliminates hardware problems such as logic board failure or bad RAM.
- I can't boot even if I unplug all USB peripherals.
- Holding down the power button (I have it set to make the computer sleep as well as shut down) often won't shut down the computer, but it seems to stay in sleep no matter how long I hold it. Unplugging the computer finally shuts it down, obviously.
- Unplugging and waiting 5 minutes or so and powering up again doesn't seem to make any difference, nor does switching sockets, plugging directly into the wall, etc.
Problems began about two weeks ago, got better, and then worse again. Now I'm just keeping the computer and monitor on (never sleep 24/7).
Miraculously, after much frustration and countless restarts, suddenly the screen will turn on to reveal a fully booted system that was running all along in the background. No startup screen- the monitor just magically comes on again. Often I find that my external has unmounted, but it's no big deal to get to remount. At this stage, the Mac is still very quiet and for a while the system is sluggish, though it hops back into action in 5 or 10 minutes.
At first I thought it was just my monitor, and though that's possible I suppose, it seems I'm just not getting enough juice. Once the monitor is on though, everything is fine: I can power it off and on with no problems. But I can't just leave my computer on forever though.
Any help appreciated.

Well, with the other monitor (which did not work with the mini either but worked fine on a laptop), I was able to narrow the trouble spot down to either a faulty Mini Display to VGA adaptor or a damaged port. I could determine that all the other ports (incld. the USB drive, programs, internet, etc., were all working fine behind the big black GUI all through sound feedback, so I seriously doubted it could be a supply problem or a residential electric problem.
I took my mini and adaptor to a "Mac Shop" (reseller) here in China, and found it quite professional, just like a Mac Store. They tested my machine, and although they didn't have VGA monitors, they said I could return the new $30 USD adaptor if it didn't work. But as I'm writing this on the monitor now, the new adaptor did the trick.
The long and short of all this is that I've read a lot about display problems with the mini and I suspect that most of these problems are adaptor related. I myself tried to save some bucks by buying a third party plug and lived and learned. I hope the Apple adaptor works like a champ, and if it doesn't, I'll know the first thing to eliiminate next time.

Mac Mini Freezing Issues

So, I recently bought a refurbished Mac Mini, late 2009 model. It worked fine for the first few months, but after moving back to school, it started acting oddly. First, it had problems booting. It would freeze up during the boot up, or occasionally right after if finished booting. After messing around with it, it started working fairly reliably again. However, every once in a while, under moderate use, it would freeze up and would have problems restarting. I came to the realization that it was probably overheating, and tried a few tricks to get more air to it. This worked…
For a while. Last week, it died. It would get to the gray screen with the spinning wheel, and then freeze. It couldn't get past this step. In desperation, I took it into the Apple store, as it was still under warranty. After several days, they fixed it, but in the process, had to replace the hard drive. Luckily, I had a back up. Reset the computer, reloaded the back up, and started to use it… only to have it freeze again.
I noticed that every time it crashed, it seemed abnormally hot. I think this may be an overheating issue, and I have taken steps to monitor it (I currently have a temperature monitor watching over the CPU temperature). I just wanted to know what other people thought.
My current set up is thus:
Late 2009 Model Mac Mini, 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Dual monitors, connected via adapters to the Mini-display port and mini-DVI port
Ethernet internet (limited wireless here in the dorms)
Apple keyboard and Logitech mouse
Verbatim external hard drive, 320 GB, connected via Firewire 400/800 cable
My current thoughts are that it's either due to the dual monitors stressing out the video card, or the external hard drive. I've noticed that the external hard drive is constantly on when it's plugged in to the computer (it gets it's power via the firewire cable), and that if I leave the external drive plugged in overnight, the computer can occasionally act sluggishly.
If anyone has any further insight into this or can verify my hypothesis, that would be great. Thank you for your time.

After looking around online some more, found that there are many complaints with this specific hard drive. The main issue, it seems, is that it has limited ventilation, and therefore has issues staying cool. Unfortunately, due to the length of my firewire cord, the external hard drive typically has to sit fairly close to the Mini, usually resting on top of it. So, if this is right, then it's the poorly designed external HD overheating, which in turn overheats the Mini to the point of failure. I'll look into getting a better external to replace this one, and for the time being I'll only have it connected for brief periods for backup.

Privilege issue Mac Mini

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