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Pr0c32 · May 23, 2005, 09:52 PM

This might sound stupid, but bear with me here:

I have a 12" PB with around 50GB of hard-drive, but I have tons of media on the laptop and it's taking up space. I was wondering if it was possible to get a Mac Mini and connect it to the PB, using it as a storage device. Is it possible for me to just connect it and keep it under the desk and then access the files from the PB?

Thanks,
Pr0c32

f1000 · May 23, 2005, 10:09 PM

The two most common ways to do this are:

1. Use FireWire Target Disk Mode to treat the Mac Mini as an external hard drive.
2. Network the Mac Mini and PowerBook together (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.).

Personally, I'd go the Ethernet route.

Pr0c32 · May 23, 2005, 10:34 PM

Thanks for the reply, f1000. We have a wireless router so I think that'd be the better option. Now I just need to convince my dad to get the Mac Mini!

screamingFit · May 24, 2005, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by Pr0c32

This might sound stupid, but bear with me here:

I have a 12" PB with around 50GB of hard-drive, but I have tons of media on the laptop and it's taking up space. I was wondering if it was possible to get a Mac Mini and connect it to the PB, using it as a storage device. Is it possible for me to just connect it and keep it under the desk and then access the files from the PB?

Thanks,
Pr0c32

Other than being able to say you own another Mac, what would be the point to this? Why don't you just buy an external Firewire hard drive? Cheaper and faster read/write access and all, you know.

Randman · May 24, 2005, 05:26 AM

An external is a good way to go.

I have two externals on my PB but I was wanting a second Mac anyway (had to take my PB into the shop recently and was computerless for a week). I have an Apple monitor so I talked the missus into getting a mini. 1.42Ghz, 1GB of ram, 80GB hard drive and AirPort and bluetooth all installed (got a deal and the wireless was free and the 1GB of ram about US$100 installed).
When I got the PB back, I did a clean install on the mini and used the Migration Assistant and it copied everything over to the mini, letting me free up 45GB of music and a few GB of other stuff from the mini.
Now, the mini is mainly for the missus and my music collection. I also have my printer, my external HDs and my SoundSticks hooked up to it full-time freeing up my PB17 to remain portable.
Granted, my situation was a little different than others, but it is pretty easy to transfer stuff over. Just hook one up in FireWire Transfer Mode and let them be for about 90 minutes. Repair permissions when it's done on the mini and you're good to go.
Oh, and with .Mac and iSync, I keep my bookmarks, mail and iCal data synced between the two.