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ZSS · Apr 12, 2005, 08:32 PM

I have a B/W G3 with a OWC G4 ZIF. I'm getting a mini as a birthday present. What's the best option for configuration? Do I attach peripherals to the mini and link to the B/W as a seperate hard drive (if so, how), or do I leave everything hooked up to the B/W and use the mini to drive it all in target disc mode?

yikes600 · Apr 12, 2005, 09:28 PM

B&W G3 can't do target disk mode (the first mac to do it was the AGP G4). You'll have to copy files over manually, including pref files if you want to keep certain configurations.

discotronic · Apr 12, 2005, 11:30 PM

If you don't have a CD burner you could always just hook them together with a network cable.

After you are done transferring your files I can come and pick the B&W up from you

angelmb · Apr 13, 2005, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by yikes600:
B&W G3 can't do target disk mode (the first mac to do it was the AGP G4). You'll have to copy files over manually, including pref files if you want to keep certain configurations.

You could start the Mac mini as FireWire Target Disk mode (holding down 'T' key at start up), and then move everything you want from the B&W to the Mac mini, what you can not do is to start the B&W as FireWire Target Disk mode. I think that could be OK for you.

That is:

- Mac mini�s hard disk being shown as a FireWire drive in B&W desktop?, yes

- B&W�s hard disk(s) being shown as FireWire drive(s) in Mac mini�s desktop?, no

If I am wrong, let me know

ZSS · Apr 13, 2005, 09:11 PM

Thanks y'all (or perhaps I should use the plural... all y'all). I'll prolly just network 'em. Blast that AGP graphics issue. I keep bumping into that with upgrades. The real issue is that I have a DVD burner on the B/W that I can't get to work. I thought that I might get the mini to drive the B/W and circumvent upgrading to a superdrive on the mini.

While we're at it. I also have a LaCie external DVD r/rw that I can't get my old B/W to pilot. Does anyone know if iDVD will work on an external burner when attached to a mini?

angelmb · Apr 14, 2005, 08:22 AM

With the help of PatchBurn3 I think you can get iDVD working with an external burner. I bought a Philips dual layer burner I placed inside a LaCie D2 FireWire case (it had a lite-on cdrw drive) and with PathcBurn3 Mac OS and the iLife apps are able to work with it.

Get ie here:
http://www.patchburn.de/

velocipede · Apr 14, 2005, 09:39 AM

As long as the mini comes with iLife 05, you should be able to use an external burner, albeit indirectly. iDVD now allows you to create a disk image, which you can use to burn to DVD using an external burner.

ZSS · Apr 14, 2005, 09:33 PM

Excellent, Smithers! I can't wait to get my new toy!!!!

ZSS · Apr 15, 2005, 10:44 PM

OK, so that worked for the burner on the G3. Now back to the original question. I want to use the mini as the start up disk, when I get it. Target disk mode is not an option because of the age of the G3. I've resolved to network the two in order to get them at least sharing files. Is there a way to use the mini as the start up disk over a network connection?

yikes600 · Apr 16, 2005, 01:38 AM

Originally Posted by angelmb

You could start the Mac mini as FireWire Target Disk mode (holding down 'T' key at start up), and then move everything you want from the B&W to the Mac mini, what you can not do is to start the B&W as FireWire Target Disk mode. I think that could be OK for you.

That is:

- Mac mini�s hard disk being shown as a FireWire drive in B&W desktop?, yes

- B&W�s hard disk(s) being shown as FireWire drive(s) in Mac mini�s desktop?, no

If I am wrong, let me know

Yep, you can still do that, but I was thinking along the lines of the mini's Setup Assistant which gives you the option of connecting an old mac through target disk mode for an easy configuration transfer-- something the B&W can't do.

ZSS · Apr 16, 2005, 10:19 AM

OK...perhaps I'm a little slow. I'm not as much concerned about data transfer as I am about using the mini as the start up disk for the B&W. This would allow me to leave all peripherals hooked up to the B&W, basicly making it a "hub" and let me take advantage of a faster processor. Does this make sense? Can it be done?

Oh...the mini will have Blue Tooth and Air Port. Although my B&W has neither of these, my modem is a Westell Versalink and it has a wireless router. I have used it with my laptop from work (blasted PC), and it works fine.

My hope is that I can connect via airport connection to the mini, then choose it as a start up disk. Am I dreaming here, or is that doable? And if so, how do RAM and video rez come into play. Though I intend to upgrade the 256mb RAM in my mini, it will be a while on that. The B&W has 896mb RAM and the standard 128 Rage card. Don't know if video matters...I'm not a gamer, but I do use iDVD.

FunandBlindness · Apr 16, 2005, 11:57 PM

I am going to do this exact thing once Tiger ships with the Mini. My plan is to run all software and peripherals off the Mini and use the B+W 450 as a music/DVD server. I think the only way to take advantage of the faster Mini is to run the software from the Mini HD.

ZSS · Apr 17, 2005, 12:34 AM

OK, I think I'm a bit thick...yikes600 and angelmb are both telling me to hook it so that the mini shows up as a firewire drive on the B&W then I can choose it as the start up, no? OK, OK... I'll stop posting till after I actually get the thing and have time to play with it.