Sluggish performance - Mac Mini and MBP?

I'm experiencing sluggish performance on my Mac Mini with Leopard (upgrade installation) when using the genie effect, expose, spaces, gadgets, 3d dock, etc. It's jerky, as if the animation is missing frames. Is it related to the graphics card? I also find my finder painfully slow opening folders.... Any other people experiencing this? Are there any solutions available?

Exactely the same here. I had to disable the 3D dock alltogether, admittedly not a big loss. Sluggishness seems to worsen with a 'complex' desktop picture (graphics card - texture issue?). Also, and most annoyingly, I find that text rendering seems to be much worse, e.g. look at the system menu with an all black or white desktop background. Or a SoulseeX window on top of some other (Carbon app with opacity set to 90% per default). This is a litte better if I set the display to a '2.2 Television gamma' (I have a 23" Cinema display). One thing that i will try is to boot back into 10.4 and see if it's just my imagination but I am pretty sure it's not.

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Mac Mini and MBP Memory Compatible?

Hello Everyone!
I have a Mac Mini it is a 2009 (Metal Surrounding with Acryllic top), and I have a 2010 MacBook Pro.
MacMini Specs are as Follow
- 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
- 8 GB Ram 1333MHz DDR3-SODIMM (2x4GB DDR3 SODIM,H)
- 120 GB 5400 RPM HDD
MacBook Pro Specs are as follow:
- 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
- 2 GB 1067 MHz DDR3 RAM (I Believe PC3? - 1x2gb, 1 ram slot is bad)
- 250 GB 5400 RPM HDD
I was wondering if I could maybe take one of the 4GB sticks from the MacMini and swap it with the 2GB Stick? I have taken one 4GB Stick out, haven't put the 2GB in the Mini Yet.
But I noticed when I install the 4GB stick into the MBP it won't boot. It will get stuck on the Grey Apple Loading Screen, with the Spinning Circle, after about 30 seconds to a minute, it will stop spinning and be stuck there. I can load the Snow Leopard install disk, can attempt to boot into safe mode, etc. But nothing will work. And I don't want to have to reinstall my whole OSX.
Also I don't get the 3 beeps in succession when starting, it just attempts to boot normally.
I have attached a picture of the two rams. The one on the top is what was already in the MBP, one on the bottom was pulled from the Mini.

According to Mactracker, an early 2009 Mac Mini and a 2010 MBP RAM have identical specifications: 204-pin PC3-8500 (1066 MHz) DDR3 SO-DIMM. Therefore they should be interchangeable.
If the chip is not being recognized, it suggests that the bay or the chip is faulty, or it is not correctly seated.
Ciao.

How can I clone my mac mini and MBP daily?

Is there a 3rd party app for regularly syncing my two computers' libraries and prefs? I use .mac, and while that's great for Safari, Mail, Contacts, etc, it can't update changes/additions made to things like iPhoto, iTunes as well as non Apple apps (Quicksilver, 1Password, Firefox, etc). My goal is to use my mini at home, and when I'm away have the exact mirror image on my macbook pro. Is there some app (other than time machine) that does this on an automated basis when both computers are networked?

There's no program to do exactly what you want and further, I strongly urge you to cut back your expectations. Let me illustrate the problem. Say you buy a couple new songs using your mini and then suddenly get called away and while on the road buy a few more songs. Now you have two different iTunes libraries and no program exists that will parse through the library files to find out what is different in each one and resolve the differences.
I suggest that you take a look at a program such as ChronoSync which can be set up to keep specific folders in sync. Use that to keep your word processing and similar folders synced. Let .Mac keep your bookmarks, contacts, and the like synced. As for iTunes and iPhoto, either be disciplined and use only one computer for additions and manually copy files for addition into their respective libraries or use keep a reminder going in iCal that you added such and such a picture or song. Delete as you copy them.
I've been on this keep two computers up to date merry-go-round since about 1992.

Sharing between Mac mini and Macbook Pro

I have recently switched to using Macs and can't figure out my issue. I am trying to figure out how to share both my files and my internet between my mac mini and MBP at work. My mac mini is hardlined to the internet and I would like to use airport to connect my MBP to the internet. I would hope I could also share files between the two computers. Can anyone help me?

Hi Dr. Poultry-
This may be helpful: Mac OS: Connecting to the Internet and sharing files locally at the same time
Luck-
-DaddyPaycheck

Problem with Mac Mini and Panasonic PT-AE700 projector

I just bought a brand new Mac Mini and intended to connect it through hdmi to my Panasonic PT-AE700 projector (with a 10 m hdmi-hdmi cable and a dvi-hdmi adapter). However there is no signal recognized by the projector.
Any suggestions? I have tried with two different dvi-hdmi adapters between the Mini and the cable. Both work fine with my MacBook Pro, but with the Mini there is no signal.
Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Thanks again BSteely for your answer.
Unfortunately I still haven't been able to get anything out from the projector through HDMI.
However, I've found someone with a similar problem. It seems the problem is the lenght of the HDMI cable (which in fact is closer to 15 m than 10 m). HDMI is designed to handle at least those 10-15 m runs, but the problem seems to be DVI, which is only capable of something around 5 m. Since I'm converting from DVI to HDMI, I'm subject to DVI's limitations. And the MBP seems to have better capability of handling the weaked signal than the Mini.
Read more: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=712218
Gefen should have an amplifier (HDMI Super Booster) that could solve the problem. I just ordered it to see if it could help in strenghtening the signal and solve the problem for me.
Read more: http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=2939
If someone has any experience from the booster, please let me know.

Please help! We got a used Mac Mini and we don't have the former owner's password, so we can't install anything like flash player. Does anyone know how to get around this?

Please help! We got a used Mac Mini and we don't have the former owner's password, so we can't install anything like flash player. Does anyone know how to get around this? I don't know how to wipe the hard drive, and the support online doesn't seem to work.

As posted previously:
Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive
Do the following:
1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
If installing Leopard the process is similar in some respects. If you wish to begin anew then after selecting the target disk click on the Options button and select the Erase and Install option then click on the OK button. To install over an existing system do the following:
How to Perform an Archive and Install
An Archive and Install will NOT erase your hard drive, but you must have sufficient free space for a second OS X installation which could be from 3-9 GBs depending upon the version of OS X and selected installation options. The free space requirement is over and above normal free space requirements which should be at least 6-10 GBs. Read all the linked references carefully before proceeding.
1. Be sure to use Disk Utility first to repair the disk before performing the Archive and Install.
Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger, Leopard or Snow Leopard.) After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer. Now restart normally.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. Do not proceed with an Archive and Install if DU reports errors it cannot fix. In that case use Disk Warrior and/or TechTool Pro to repair the hard drive. If neither can repair the drive, then you will have to erase the drive and reinstall from scratch.
3. Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When you reach the screen to select a destination drive click once on the destination drive then click on the Option button. Select the Archive and Install option. You have an option to preserve users and network preferences. Only select this option if you are sure you have no corrupted files in your user accounts. Otherwise leave this option unchecked. Click on the OK button and continue with the OS X Installation.
4. Upon completion of the Archive and Install you will have a Previous System Folder in the root directory. You should retain the PSF until you are sure you do not need to manually transfer any items from the PSF to your newly installed system.
5. After moving any items you want to keep from the PSF you should delete it. You can back it up if you prefer, but you must delete it from the hard drive.
6. You can now download a Combo Updater directly from Apple's download site to update your new system to the desired version as well as install any security or other updates. You can also do this using Software Update.

Airport Express problems with new MAC MINI and DLINK router SOLVED

Hi just thought I would post this as it may well help others experiencing similar frustrations with new core duo mac mini and wireless connection or quality problems across the network / internet etc
I have a 3 week old, new mac mini core duo 1.8ghz 2gig ram, 120gb disk - First Mac, connecting to my exisiting wireless network via DLINK ADSL Router 2MB Broadband also one windows laptop and pc also wireless on the network and two airport express potins to stream itunes to
Problem was briefly
Mac worked fine, but the network connection just far too slow, laptop and pc, 1800+ kbps downstream mac mini 90 - 150kbps (http://www.adslguide.org/tools/speedtest.asp)
also if i ping the router directly from terminal (ping -c 20 192.168.1.1) average response 12+ ms with 20% packet loss, yet laptop and pc avg 2ms no losses
Spent 2 evenings on frustrating calls of more than 1 hour each (due to being cut off , then ring back and closed etc etc) and carrying out a the helpdesk troubleshooting (I am an IT consultant I think I am above this level), eventually an archive and install of the os as well
last night I call for the third time, insisting I dont wish to carry out any further troubleshooting, and want it replaced and resolved or my money back
I receive a call back from product specialist (not sure if thats mac mini specialist or airport) but we resolved the issue (his knowledge far superior to the help desk do this do this attitude)
between us we carried out the folowing and resolved the problem and I am now very happy
mac now downstreaming also in excess of 1800kbps (as expected for 2mb broadband)and no packet loss
This problem was resolved by switching off the turbo option hidden away in the routers settings, under wireless configuration
Supposed to improve performance, but its rubbish and will make hardly any difference under mac os to the speed but will certainly affect your mac mini performance(you may have a similar setting switched on in your routers and mac os dont like it)
We stumbled across this by first disconnecting one of the airport express devices from my dlink network, and using it on its own default apple wireless settings, effectively making it a standalone wireless network, and not via the dlink router
we then carried out the same ping with the ip address of this device (from airport admin utility default 10.0.1.1) and the results were fantastic 2ms avg no package loss
this established it was something with the router, and how we then interrogated the routers settings and found the turbo on option within wireless configuration
you may not be able to replicate this if you dont have an additional network you could join (such as airport express), but probably worth checking your own router settings for something similar
Hope that may be of assistance to others, sorry that its a bit long winded and garbled, but I'm just so excited to finally get my new mac working as i would expect it to
Also perhaps insist on speaking to a product specialist immediately that the helpdesk are unable to help you

Hello macfar14. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
For just streaming iTunes and/or for sharing a USB printer, the AirPort Express Base Station (AX) just needs to be configured as a wireless client ... which you already attempted to do.
Just to be sure nothing was missed, here are the basic steps to do this:
Either connect to the AX's wireless network or connect directly, using an Ethernet cable, to the Ethernet port of the AX, and then using the AirPort Utility in "Manual Setup" mode, make the following changes:
AirPort > Wireless
o Wireless Mode: Join a wireless network
o Network Name: <existing wireless network's Network Name or SSID>
o Wireless Security: <select the encryption type of the existing wireless network>
o Wireless Password: <enter the existing wireless network password>
o Verify Password: <re-enter the existing wireless network password>
Music
o Enable AirTunes (checked)
o iTunes Speaker Name: <enter desired speaker name>
o iTunes Speaker Password: (optional)
o Verify Password: (optional)
o Click Update to write the new settings to the AX
In iTunes:
iTunes > Preferences... > Advanced > General
o Look for remote speakers connected with AirTunes (checked)

How do I sync files on Mac mini and MacBook pro

I want to sync files between my Mac Mini and my MacBook Pro. Is there a way to do this? Primarily, I want to access photos in my LightRoom Catalog from both platforms. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Note that there's a difference between sharing and syncing.
Sharing will allow you to access the files on your Mini from your MBP, but the files won't be on your MBP when you take it somewhere else.
Syncing is making both Macs have identical copies of files, so that a change on one Mac makes a change on the other Mac.
If you've got a large LightRoom catalogue and limited space on your MBP, then you want sharing. The link above should get you started with that.
For syncing, I recommend BitTorrent Sync, which is free. It's basically "DropBox without the cloud". You select a folder to sync, and then whenever your two Macs are on the same network, any file in that folder that changes is synced to the other Mac.
I use it to keep my entire Documents folder synced between my Mini and MBP.
http://www.bittorrent.com/sync
You may need to be careful about modifying the same document on both computers at the same time, though I believe BS does handle this in some way. Also, if you're syncing an app's data library, then some database files (e.g. with computer-specific data like file path names) may not sync well.
Of course, you could use DropBox, though you'll need to subscribe if you want more than a couple of GB.

Benchmarks of mac mini and imac

hello
i'm looking for buy imac or mac mini !
its hard for me to chose one of them ,
i wana know how much cpu performances are differend between 800$ mac mini and 1300$ imac .
is there any benchmarkes to clear it for me ?
thanks in advance

You can find tons of benchmarks at http://browser.primatelabs.com/mac-benchmarks.

Mac Mini and Final Cut Pro

Hi there, I wanted to see if anyone out here had a good or very bad experience working with FCP on the newest model Mac Mini, and more so, if it is possible to use the HDMI output on the Mac Mini as a video and audio out to a TV while working. Can ProRes 422 HQ or ProRes 444 when played in a sequence in FCP be seen on a TV connected to the HDMI port?
Many thanks

I disagree I am using FCP7 AND CS5 on my late 2009 mini. It doesnt have HDMI out but it functions with HD footage. My Sony Nex Vg10 shoots are cut with it, and I even have used CS5 with Red files without issues. The HDMI should work but I don't have that model and have never hooked it up for that reason.
Yes in an ideal world we would all have 12 cores with SSD, color grad monitors, and thunderbolts (that hook up to nothing as of today lol), etc. But for the rest of us in reality you have to work with budget you have and not every gig is destined for the silver screen. My Mini can get stuff done, even if its not portable like a MBP or multi cored like a Mac Pro. PS FCP7 only can use 1.5 cores anyway and like 3gb of ram since its 32bit the higher end machines are irrelevant right now (unless your using another NLE like CS or Avid). FCP X will be 64 bit and make more sense to run on higher ended machines.
So if you own the mini, and the HD tv and FCP, and all that is preventing you from trying this out is the adaptor, go grab it and test it out, just don't lose your receipt.... Its a lot easier to buy that adpaptor vs a new machine, and I am sure you will be fine. If you use FCP with a mini your probably already used to rendering anyway and as an editor sitting around rendering while getting paid can be ton$ of fun! i am going to miss that the most in the new version i think

Original Mac Mini and Leopard... possible?

I have an original 1.25Ghz Mac Mini and was thinking about upgrading to Leopard, but was wondering if Leopard would be too much for my old Mini. From what I see in the system specs, for a G4 it needs to be higher than 875mhz, so my Mini falls into the specs, but just wondering if it would really have the horsepower.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!!!
Ken

I've now been running the 1.25 G4 mini for almost a week with Leopard, and even with 512Mb RAM I've been quite pleased with it's performance. Memory seems to be an issue because it looks as if Leopard is grabbing it all, but it's dynamically allocated so as much as it looks like it should be choking up with nothing available for apps, that hasn't proven to be the case. Indeed, it has been running with 4 'spaces', each with an active application running, since the installation and it is responsive and completely stable.
Overall, it is as I had expected - pretty much similar to Tiger in overall performance on this system. It runs the same number of apps concurrently with very similar results, excepting that Leopard offers not only the same option to run them all in the same screen as prior MacOS versions, but to also spread them across multiple 'Spaces'. Enabling the latter causes a very small performance hit, no appreciable additional CPU load, but does add some flexibility to working with the system. In some ways it allows some of the same advantages as having multiple displays, which of course the mini doesn't facilitate.
There's no transparency to the menu bar on the G4 systems, but the 3-d dock's reflectivity is present (for those who like that effect).
All in all, very workable, even in 512Mb. 1Gb should give more responsiveness, and those with 7200rpm boot drives should get even better results.
Mine was an upgrade install rather than erase or archive since I wanted to see how it behaved. It went extremely well. The same cannot be said for my aged G4 powermac however, which has taken 3 days to get installed and stable!

I have a G5 PPC Dual 20" Mac Displays - I want to incorporate a Mac Mini and still use my keyboard and Monitors and Switch back and forth. How do I do this?

I have a G5 PPC Dual 20" Mac Displays - I want to incorporate a Mac Mini and still use my keyboard and Monitors and Switch back and forth. How do I do this?

The Hatter,
I am a novice at Mac so I read all I can. From what I understand the NEC monitors I bought require Display Port for their maximum performance. The GTX 680 only has DVI outputs. Difference from what I understand is larger bandwidth with the DP.
You said I have the 4000 for CUDA. I am not all that familiar with CUDA and when I do read about it I do not understand it.
A concern I have is, that if I connect the 2 high end NEC monitors via the 5770, using it's 2 Display Ports I would have nothing connected to the 4000. Is the 4000 doing anything with nothing connected? I read where in a PC system the 2 cards would interact but in a Mac system they do not.
Bottom line, as I see it, the 4000 will not be useful at all to me, since I want a dual monitor set-up.
So far the 5870 seems the best choice, higher band width than the 5770, and it has 2 Display Ports to optimize the NEC monitors.
I'm not sure how fine I am splitting hairs, nor do I know how important those hairs are. I am just trying to set up a really fast reliable system that will mainly be used for CS6 and LR4. Those NEC monitors are supposed to be top notch.

Hello I have 2.3 i7 Mac mini and I want to change to 4th generation can I change it??

Hello I have 2.3 i7 3rd generation Mac mini and it very slow now so Can I change to new 4th generation?? What about ram can I upgrade to 32 GB?? And other thing I want to upgrade everything can I??

The late 2012 Mac mini was/is a preview of the direction Apple is moving with all of their computers including:
elimination of an internal optical drive
the only user replaceable/upgradable internal part is RAM
any and all other expansions are external devices attached via Thunderbolt, Firewire (dropped in the new Mac Pro), or USB
If you want to upgrade you have to buy a newer, more powerful Mac. At the moment that means you cannot "change to the 4th generation" Mac mini because you already have the latest generation. If you want to keep the monitor you are using with your mini I think the new Mac Pro is VERY attractive and the performance should be stunning.
Before you ask, only Tim Cook (Apple CEO) knows for sure when there will be a new Mac mini release, and true to Apple tradition, he isn't talking. Not only that the rules of these Discussions forbid speculation on future releases.

Mac Mini and DVI to ADC adapter

I have an old Apple Cinema Display with an ADC port. I have the DVI to ADC adapter, which I have been using to connect to an old Power Mac which is on its last legs. I want to replace the Power Mac with a mac mini and connect it to the display from the HDMI-DVI cable (included) to the DVI-ADC adapter, and then connect on to the Display. The Apple sales representative (after laughing for a while, which I thought was fairly insensitive) said that I won't have audio with this setup, and I will have to get a whole new display. Is this true?

when you say "Mac flat screen LCD", do you mean this:
http://www.ares-woo.com/christmas2005/images/pc_cine.jpg
if it is, you might wanna try this:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB570Z/A?mco=MTY3ODQ5OTY

Mac Mini and thunderbolt/vga to LCD TV

Hi All,
Here is an interesting one......
I have just taken delivery of 5 new Mac Minis which have the thunderbolt port on them. The Mac Minis each connect using displayport tb/vga adapter to a switch then on to 5 LCD TVs.
The HDMI/DVI is not used.
In this config, if I start a Mac Mini the display will not route through the Thunderbolt/vga adapter to any of the TVs (even though I have selected them on the switch). The display seems to want to go through the default HDMI port.
If I connect a standard PC monitor to the tb/vga adapter and reboot, the screen shows correctly on the monitor. If I then change cables without a reboot, the LCD TVs show correctly!
I can add the PC monitor as a second monitor using HDMI/DVI and ensure that the outputs are mirrored AND that the VGA display is the primary. However, on reboot it's as if the details are all forgotten!
Searching around it seems that there are issues with Mac Minis and VGA connections to LCD TVs. That said, I wanted to put my environment out there and see if anyone had an ideas.
Interestingly enough, with older Mac Minis (without the tb/vga) it works perfectly well, indicating a problem with the new Mac Minis.
Thanks for ANY ideas!!!!

Hey Spost!
You have explained exactly what happened to me last night. I was afraid it was part of the 10.8.3 update or the latest ATV software update that hit this week. I tried from my macbook pro and the airplay from 10.8.3 and the atv software worked fine.
Previously my mac mini was connected to a monitor in my basement but last night i made it "headless" and moved it to my "server closet" airplaying prior to the move worked great ... then last night 4:3 Green Screen.
My guess is the computer needs to be connected to a external display in order for airplay resolution to figure itself out. Via Logmein i could see that the Mirror mode wanted to use the resolution that fit the mac and not what was best for the Apple TV ... Even forcing the change made the setting go right back to this mac.
Looks to be a bug in a plist file that apple would need to fix as many people run headless mac mini's and now wish to AirPlay to their Apple TV's without the need for a external cable run.

Sluggish performance - Mac Mini and MBP?

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