AZ6
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 1,022
- Edit My Images
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So; I bought a late 2012 MacMini off another forum member (thanks Leroy), as my ancient 2006 MacPro could no longer be updated, and won't work with newer softwares etc, as well as causing me a major headache trying to view and edit RAW files from my Nikon Z6, plus the video capabilities are now totally inadequate (can't display 4k content without major stuttering, and struggles with 1080p even). The 'new' MacMini is a stopgap until Apple (hopefully) release a new ARM/Apple Silicon iMac (current models are Intel, and I'd rather get summat that will hopefully be serviceable for a few years at least; when Apple switched from PowerPC to Intel machines, the latter were only 'supported' for 3 years,which is crap). So the MacMini was bought to try out how a new OS (Catalina) might work with a much older one (OS 10.7.5, Lion).
So far, things aren't too bad. Migration wasn't too painful, a bit slow mind, and of course none of my older Adobe CS5 apps work (except LR 5.6, interestingly) any more. But I can at least now import and view the Z6 RAW files without having to resort to using a PC laptop to convert them using Adobe DNG Converter. I can do that 'in house' now. And 4k video files (compressed in-cam files, not RAW) work perfectly! Oh joy!
But the MacPro is a solid, beautifully engineered and still very capable device. And it has massive storage capacity (4xHDD bays, in which you can slot up to 8 SSDs, plus potential for more drives, plus the PCI slots). It currently has a boot SSD, 2x4Tb HDDs in a mirrored RAID 1, and had an older Mac OS, Tiger 10.4, on another SSD, which I'd only used to operate my old Minolta film scanner. So I was hoping to turn it into a sort of mini-server/home NAS type thingy, a bit like my WD MyCloud box, but with loads more storage. Essentially, I can't bring myself to just throw away what was a £2500 computer, especially if it still has some potential use.
A major stumbling block was always going to be a possible lack of compatibility between the newer and much older OS'. I didn't expect Catalina to be able to do anything more than perhaps access the MP's files via file sharing.
BUT!
I was truly overjoyed, to discover that not only can the MM access all the files on the MP, on all the drives, but via Screen Sharing, I can actually use my MP fully, as though I was on it normally. Full functionality with all apps. I am nowhere near an expert; mild enthusiast/tinkerer rather than full nerd. But it means I can still have a fully functioning computer system that caters for all my needs, regardless of what I buy next year or whenever. And it means I can prevent yet another otherwise useful bit of tech, going to landfill.
I hope this discovery and experience might be of use/interest to others on here, maybe with older Macs, and if anyone's got any tips and tricks, I'd love to hear them!
So far, things aren't too bad. Migration wasn't too painful, a bit slow mind, and of course none of my older Adobe CS5 apps work (except LR 5.6, interestingly) any more. But I can at least now import and view the Z6 RAW files without having to resort to using a PC laptop to convert them using Adobe DNG Converter. I can do that 'in house' now. And 4k video files (compressed in-cam files, not RAW) work perfectly! Oh joy!
But the MacPro is a solid, beautifully engineered and still very capable device. And it has massive storage capacity (4xHDD bays, in which you can slot up to 8 SSDs, plus potential for more drives, plus the PCI slots). It currently has a boot SSD, 2x4Tb HDDs in a mirrored RAID 1, and had an older Mac OS, Tiger 10.4, on another SSD, which I'd only used to operate my old Minolta film scanner. So I was hoping to turn it into a sort of mini-server/home NAS type thingy, a bit like my WD MyCloud box, but with loads more storage. Essentially, I can't bring myself to just throw away what was a £2500 computer, especially if it still has some potential use.
A major stumbling block was always going to be a possible lack of compatibility between the newer and much older OS'. I didn't expect Catalina to be able to do anything more than perhaps access the MP's files via file sharing.
BUT!
I was truly overjoyed, to discover that not only can the MM access all the files on the MP, on all the drives, but via Screen Sharing, I can actually use my MP fully, as though I was on it normally. Full functionality with all apps. I am nowhere near an expert; mild enthusiast/tinkerer rather than full nerd. But it means I can still have a fully functioning computer system that caters for all my needs, regardless of what I buy next year or whenever. And it means I can prevent yet another otherwise useful bit of tech, going to landfill.
I hope this discovery and experience might be of use/interest to others on here, maybe with older Macs, and if anyone's got any tips and tricks, I'd love to hear them!