Upgrade 2009 base line Mac Mini with aftermarket RAM and SSD!

Hello people,
I'm looking to buy a 2009 Mac Mini (base line, 120GB hdd and 1GB of RAM) and was looking to upgrade it with aftermarket RAM (http://corsair.com/products/mac/default.aspx ) to 4GB (2x2GB) Corsair and with an Intel X25-M SSD, most probably an 80GB drive.
And now comes my question: Based on your experience do you know a better match of aftermarket memmory and SSDs with the Mac Mini?!
Also i've read that using an Intel SSD X-25M to hook up an Windows XP machine (either bootcamp or VM) is impossible since Windows XP doesn't recognize the SSD. Is this correct? (I need XP in VMware to access an old app that's windows based only, and NO wine sadly doesn't work).
Thank you,
Andrei

Well, the big drawback on the Minis is Intel integrated Graphics.
iMacs & Minis run far too hot in my Opinion, Apple likely tested them in a 68° F. air conditioned room.
I myself would be looking into an older iMac, or Widows PC!
iMac "Core i5" 2.5 21.5-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 7241/7970
iMac "Core i5" 2.7 27-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 7844/8565
iMac "Core i5" 2.7 21.5-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 7890/8647
iMac "Core i7" 2.8 21.5-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 10248/10690
Mac Pro "Quad Core" 2.66 (2009/Nehalem)... Geekbench: 8269/9237
iMac "Core i5" 2.9 27-Inch (Late 2012)... Geekbench: 9225/10271
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.8 (2008)... Geekbench: 9162/10564
Mac Pro "Quad Core" 3.2 (2010/Nehalem).. Geekbench: 9850/10440
MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.5 27" Late 2011... Geekbench: 10706/11699
Mac mini "Core i7" 2.6 (Late 2012)... Geekbench: 11367/12807
iMac "Core i7" 3.4 27-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 11648/12651
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.26 (2009/Nehalem)... Geekbench: 11864/13363
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.66 (2009/Nehalem)... Geekbench: 14317/16093
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.93 (2009/Nehalem)... Geekbench: 15572/17619
Mac Pro "Twelve Core" 2.66 (2010/Westmere)... Geekbench: 20294/22605
iMac "Core i5" 2.7 21.5-Inch (Late 2012)... Geekbench: 8068/9145
Mac mini "Core i7" 2.3 (Late 2012)... Geekbench: 10626/11825
iMac "Core i7" 3.1 21.5-Inch (Late 2012)... Geekbench: 12490/14143
iMac "Core i7" 3.4 27-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 11648/12651... Geekbench: 12857/13772

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Is the current top line Mac Mini with an SSD and 16GB RAM up to PS CS6 and LR5?

I currently have a 2007 MacPro 2007 2.66GH Xeon dual core ( 4 cores ) with 9GB RAM.
I had been thinking of the new MacPro but it will probably be hellishly expensive. I was thinking of getting a top of the line Mac Mini with 16GB RAM and an SSD and using USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt to run most of my programs and data storage externally. I use LR5 and PS CS6.
I was just wondering if the latest Mac Mini was up to the taks with 2-4 GB files and multiple layers? How well do this little guys hold up? I know that the power supply is now internal. Do they run cool enough.... even with an SSD?
Any Mini users out there care to chime in?

Well, the big drawback on the Minis is Intel integrated Graphics.
iMacs & Minis run far too hot in my Opinion, Apple likely tested them in a 68° F. air conditioned room.
I myself would be looking into an older iMac, or Widows PC!
iMac "Core i5" 2.5 21.5-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 7241/7970
iMac "Core i5" 2.7 27-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 7844/8565
iMac "Core i5" 2.7 21.5-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 7890/8647
iMac "Core i7" 2.8 21.5-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 10248/10690
Mac Pro "Quad Core" 2.66 (2009/Nehalem)... Geekbench: 8269/9237
iMac "Core i5" 2.9 27-Inch (Late 2012)... Geekbench: 9225/10271
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.8 (2008)... Geekbench: 9162/10564
Mac Pro "Quad Core" 3.2 (2010/Nehalem).. Geekbench: 9850/10440
MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.5 27" Late 2011... Geekbench: 10706/11699
Mac mini "Core i7" 2.6 (Late 2012)... Geekbench: 11367/12807
iMac "Core i7" 3.4 27-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 11648/12651
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.26 (2009/Nehalem)... Geekbench: 11864/13363
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.66 (2009/Nehalem)... Geekbench: 14317/16093
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.93 (2009/Nehalem)... Geekbench: 15572/17619
Mac Pro "Twelve Core" 2.66 (2010/Westmere)... Geekbench: 20294/22605
iMac "Core i5" 2.7 21.5-Inch (Late 2012)... Geekbench: 8068/9145
Mac mini "Core i7" 2.3 (Late 2012)... Geekbench: 10626/11825
iMac "Core i7" 3.1 21.5-Inch (Late 2012)... Geekbench: 12490/14143
iMac "Core i7" 3.4 27-Inch (Mid-2011)... Geekbench: 11648/12651... Geekbench: 12857/13772

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I own a late 2010 MBA, 13" baseline model with 2GB RAM, w/SSD. I am using Snow Leopard, and it runs perfectly. I would like to upgrade to ML to sync with ipad, but a concerned with performance. I use my MBA for word processing, emails, and internet surfing, including occasional movie downloads. I cannot upgrade the RAM on this model. I would therefore very much appreciate if someone who has run the latest versio of ML on this model can inform me of its performance w/2GB RAM and an SSD drive. (I know it can run; I want to know how it runs). Thanks very much!

Just went through the same situation with my 2006 iMac. Technically my memory tops out at 3gigs, but I can get 4 in there if I insist (though the machine won't take full advantage).
After a considerable amount of research, and hearing some horror stories of some folks who dove straight into Lion on older machines, I opted on upgrading memory to 3gig, backing up all my data, then running a clean install of Snow Leopard. I then reinstalled all my stuff, followed with a run of Monolingual (a shareware program that removes unnecessary languages and builds), then ran OnyX (another shareware) to run scripts and check/repair permissions.
Works fantastic. Machine is operating perfectly on 10.6.8 and with the memory upgrade and clean drive its running faster than ever. Definite new breath of life in the machine.
As per memory upgrade, I'd recommend going to Crucial. They're very Mac friendly, customer oriented, and reasonably priced. They have a small program you can download that scans your machine to determine the correct chip required, then brings you stright to an info and ordering page. I managed to get a 2gig chip with shipping for about $25. With the Snow Leopard upgrade total cost was under $60 for resuscitation.

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I recently bought a Mac Mini 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB with a 160GB Hard Drive. Thinking of using VMWare Fusion to run Vista Business. Is this configuration advisable as it looks like Vista itself needs a minimum of 2 GB memory? Or should I just use Bootcamp.
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Hi,
I have a Mac-mini (late 2012 model), originally with Mac OS X Maverick Server installed (with two HDD). Recently, I had clean installed Windows 8.1 on one of the HDD (worked perfectly, just slow) and swapped the other HDD (with Mac OSX) with a SSD. I then cloned the Windows OS HDD in to the new SSD. Now I am trying to boot this Mac mini from this SSD, however, since this Mac mini do not have BIOS for me to change the boot sequence at the startup, is there any one can help?
Thank you,
Liusc

If you boot with the Option key depressed what boot options are shown?
Also:
Restart your computer
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How to install Windows using Boot Camp - Apple Support

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Hi
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Any good ?

While it will not deliver 'blazing fast' performance, it has tested OK with Photoshop CS6 MGE recently and it has faired decently well in some benchmark reports. Since the OP insisted Mac Mini, I think he can go for it. Also, since his work demands more 'Photo-specific' editing, I guess he should be good. Not much 3D I assume!
Here are some references:
http://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Adobe-Photoshop-CS6-GPU-Acceleration-161 - Look at benchmark reports (images) for Z77 chipset
http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/photoshop-cs6-gpu-faq.html - HD4000 has been tested with CS6 by Adobe
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I HAVE JUST BOUGHT A MAC MINI WITH BLUETOOTH KEYBOARD AND ON SCREEN ALL IM GETTING IS A PIC SHOWING TO SWITCH ON KEYBOARD AND ANOTHER THAT SHOWS A SWITCH ON COMPUTER. I CANT SEE A SWITCH ON THE MINI.

I have just bought a mac mini and am trying to set up. The unit is asking me to swith on bluetooth keyboard via pic 1 then pic 2 shows another switch.
I can't see this switch. can anyone help before i launch this thing out the window!

Symptoms
When using Setup Assistant to configure your Mac mini or iMac for the first time, the Bluetooth keyboard may have difficulty pairing.
Resolution
Use a wired keyboard to configure the Mac mini or iMac with the Setup Assistant. If a wired keyboard is not available, follow these steps:
Press and hold the Power button until the computer turns off.
Press the Power button to start the computer.
When a language selection appears, press and hold the power key on the Bluetooth keyboard so that the green light is flashing (discoverable mode).
Use the mouse to click the language you would like.
A code should appear on the screen. Enter the code on the Bluetooth keyboard and press Return. Note: No visible feedback appears on the screen while you enter the code.
The computer and the wireless keyboard should now be paired.
Reference link:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4456

Can I configure Mac Mini with Fusion drive AND a secondary internal 1tb HD?

I am about to order an new Mac Mini, and would like to have the speed of the new fusion drive, but would also like to have the option of adding a secondary internal 1TB hard drive.
I know I can add an external HD, but I really like the increased speed, and access times of an internal HD.
Secondly, since I am about to make this purchase, I am curious if there is any word on the street about any dramatic upgrades or changes to the Mini due to come out at the June conference, or in the fall?
Thanks for the input.
Mark

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The average product cycle for the Mac Mini is 381 days, the last upgrade was 209 days ago, so it's not very likely we'll see a major update in june.
you can look at product cycles of mac mini (and apple products in general) on this page:
http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#Mac_Mini
keep in mind this is a website based on rumors, only Apple knows.

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Hi,
I'm about to purchase a 2012 Mac mini and wanted to use the thunderbolt port to run a laci external drive for backups etc.
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What options do I have to continue to use the Cinema Display via the thunderbolt port, and run the external dive as well?
Is there such a thing as a thunderbolt splitter?
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You need to know what to search for in google in order to use it.
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Also buying a Thunderbolt Display is not an option.
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Thanks anyway
JC

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After updated software on mac mini with os x 10.7.5 and restart the mouse pointer after about 30 sec. converted to the rainbow wheel and I can't control the computer. The rainbow wheel was runnig 8 hrs and I turn off mac mini by power button, then I turn on mac mini with key Shift and p/w, checked HD. My HD has
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Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It won’t solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
Third-party system modifications are a common cause of usability problems. By a “system modification,” I mean software that affects the operation of other software — potentially for the worse. The following procedure will help identify which such modifications you've installed. Don’t be alarmed by the complexity of these instructions — they’re easy to carry out and won’t change anything on your Mac.
These steps are to be taken while booted in safe mode.
Below are instructions to enter some UNIX shell commands. The commands are harmless, but they must be entered exactly as given in order to work. If you have doubts about the safety of the procedure suggested here, search this site for other discussions in which it’s been followed without any report of ill effects.
Some of the commands will line-wrap or scroll in your browser, but each one is really just a single line, all of which must be selected. You can accomplish this easily by triple-clicking anywhere in the line. The whole line will highlight, and you can then copy it. The headings “Step 1” and so on are not part of the commands.
Note: If you have more than one user account, Step 2 must be taken as an administrator. Ordinarily that would be the user created automatically when you booted the system for the first time. The other steps should be taken as the user who has the problem, if different. Most personal Macs have only one user, and in that case this paragraph doesn’t apply.
Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
When you launch Terminal, a text window will open with a line already in it, ending either in a dollar sign (“$”) or a percent sign (“%”). If you get the percent sign, enter “sh” and press return. You should then get a new line ending in a dollar sign.
Step 1
Triple-click the line of text below to select it:
for k in /Sy*/L*/Ex*/{,.?}*.kext; do test -f "$k/Contents/Info.plist" && /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Print :CFBundleIdentifier" "$_" | egrep -qv "apple|Accusys|ArcMSR|ATTO|CalDigit|HighPoint|hp-fax|JMicron|print|SoftRAID|stex" && echo $k; done | open -f -a TextEdit
Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. Then click anywhere in the Terminal window and paste (command-V). A TextEdit window will open with the output of the command. Post the contents of that window, if any — the text, please, not a screenshot. You can then close the TextEdit window. The title of the window doesn't matter, and you don't need to post that. No typing is involved in this step.
Step 2
Repeat with this line:
sudo defaults read com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook | open -f -a TextEdit
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Note: If you don’t have a login password, you’ll need to set one before taking this step. If that’s not possible, skip to the next step.
Step 3
Repeat with this line:
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Important: If you formerly synchronized with a MobileMe account, your me.com email address may appear in the output of the above command. If so, anonymize it before posting.
Step 4
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Robert,
If you restart your mini, does it act this slow from the start? Or is it when you use it for a period of time?
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I've got a late 2009 mac mini with a 320gb hard drive and I want to upgrade it to a 1tb drive or bigger. What HDDs are compatible with my mini?

I've got a late 2009 mac mini with a 320gb hard drive and I want to upgrade it to a 1tb drive or bigger. What HDDs are compatible with my mini?
Because of the price I'm not interested in solid state drives, unless of course you want to send me $1,000.
I've already got external drives but I take my mini back and forth to work and don't want to carry those drives with me.
I'm not interested in buying a laptop. My mini works great so why waste $1,000 or more when I can buy a 1 to 3 TB hdd for under $300 and have exactly what I want. My late 2009 Mac Mini with a large hdd.
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The limiting factor in your 2009 mini is the max 9.5mm drive thickness.
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if I bought my Mac mini with Lion already loaded, is it necessary to upgrade to OS X to Mountain Lion?

For you maybe, but Mavericks is better than Mounatin Lion for me, not to mention that is free.
I still maintain a Snow Leopard partition for some older software, but see no need to keep a partition for either Lion or Mountain Lion.
IMHO, yours may vary.
P.S., I think most will agree that Mounatin Lion was superior to Lion.

Upgrade 2009 base line Mac Mini with aftermarket RAM and SSD!

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