Re: Mac Mini RunningML: Various questions

[Amber R. Herrin]

Hello Cathy,

Thank you very much for this.  I will read up on it and make some decisions.  I 
am not sure that I am in a position to make any purchases for a temporary fix, 
considering I do own a monitor and will not typically be in this position, but 
I will read the information and see whether or not it is something that I feel 
I absolutely need to do.  

I am very tempted to, considering even as I write this e-mail, if I write too 
quickly, mail is even telling me "busy", but we will see.

Again, thank you so much for your help!

Best,

Amber

On Jun 16, 2013, at 11:14 PM, Cathy  wrote:

> hi Amber,
> 
> I have a mac mini and had the same complaints about busy signals as you 
> describe. Ester wrote a good explanation and gave some links that were very 
> helpful to me. so I am quoting her message in part for you.
> 
> Cathy
> 
> Ester wrote:
> 
> 
> The most complete answer that I've seen on how to use a Mac mini without a 
> monitor is written up at John Panarese's "Adventures with My Mac Mini" blog 
> article at his Macfortheblind.com pages:
> http://macfortheblind.com/?p=591
> 
> The key piece of information is the link to the Sewell Direct "Sewell TVdeck 
> PC to TV Converter (VGA to Composite)":
> http://sewelldirect.com/pc-to-tv.asp
> Sewell Part #:  SW-23000   Mfg Part #:  SW-23000
> Price: $29.95
> 
> John used that in combination with an Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adaptor 
> (I think the current product model number is MB572Z/B but you should check 
> that out for yourself -- the Apple Knowledge Base document on video adapters 
> and connectors that was last updated on March 1, 2013 indicates that the 
> MB572Z part number series works world wide for all Mac Minis dating from the 
> Early 2009 model and later, except for machines sold in China,Taiwan, and 
> Korea, which use the MB570FE part number series.) For that solution you need 
> to buy the two adapters -- the Apple connector and the one from Sewell 
> direct.  There are also hand-made solutions that involve soldering connector 
> pins on the output adapter, but this is  an off-the-shelf solution you can 
> buy for a total price of about $60 that is less cumbersome than carrying 
> around a monitor.
> 
> Like the others, I do not own a Mac Mini, so I can only summarize the 
> information that I have read several times on various mailing lists.  (I can, 
> however, if necessary, link you to the original posts by people who owned Mac 
> Minis and stated what did and did not work for them.)
> 
> The issue is not that the Mac Mini cannot be used at all without a monitor 
> connected, but that when it is used with VoiceOver without a monitor, it is 
> sluggish, preferences are not remembered, such as automatically starting up 
> VoiceOver at login, and particularly when internet access using Safari, 
> iTunes, etc. is activated there is a noticeable performance hit in terms of 
> busy messages and lack of responsiveness.  I've only read of one recent Mac 
> Mini user, not on this list, who claims that his Mac Mini runs perfectly well 
> without a monitor.  Since this is someone who ordered a fully loaded system 
> (maxed up on memory, etc.), and is also a new switcher who could not give 
> comparison performance of his system or any other Mac system's performance 
> with a monitor connected, I'm not sure how to evaluate this.
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Mac Mini RunningML: Various questions

[Amber R. Herrin]

Hello all,

First, I am sure I will ask questions that have been addressed before.  I am 
apologizing ahead of time.  I do not recall how to search the archives, and I 
did not see an obvious way on the Mac-access website.

I am happy to click links if someone would rather look these things up than 
have to re-write the answers to these questions.  I just do not know how to 
search for the answers that I know already exist.  Should someone also be 
inclined to share how I might search for these things on my own in future, I 
would be extremely grateful!

First, my system has been dragging.  I am at a training program and did not 
bring my monitor with me.  I know there was some discussion as to whether or 
not a monitor was absolutely needed in order to fix this problem, but I do not 
recall what the final determination was, nor am I in a position to obtain a 
monitor, even if the determination were that one should have one.  I do have 
one at home; I just chose not to bring it with me to save the inevitable 
accidents that were bound to take place with the airlines.

The second question is about updating (which, again, could be to do with my 
lousy internet connection, but just in case…)  I have been trying to update, 
because according to the app store, I have several.  Everything else except the 
Operating system and updates pertaining to native apps has updated.  When this 
starts updating (which takes me forever to manage, considering every key I 
press causes finder or mail or current app to say it is busy), it begins the 
download and goes along with no problem for a while, and then randomly, I 
receive an error that says that an error occurred and giving me an ok button.

Third, I have the wireless apple keyboard which runs on batteries and does not 
have a numb pad etc.  How can I make the home, end, as well as page up and down 
keys?  

The truth is that when I first got my Mac in 2011, I spent a lot of time on the 
Mac side.  But my state had configured it to run windows via bootcamp for 
school purposes, and I got so busy with school that I just quit rebooting into 
the Mac side, and have forgotten a lot of what I used to know.

I will be done with school soon, and will be in a position to spend more time 
doing my personal computing on the Mac side.  My goal is to stop using windows 
altogether once I am done with school, to reformat my hard drive and use only 
the Mac Operating System.

Any and all assistance would be appreciated!

Best,

Amber
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We assume neither liability nor responsibility should something unpredictable 
happen.

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the list website at: