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Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: Jerry®
Date: March 03, 2024 10:24AM
My mini says my Micron 980GB SSD is “Getting Pretty Full.” It won't even download the 8GB Catalina installer. So, I am about to start trashing//deleting/uninstalling/moving stuff to make more room but I have questions:

1) My photo library takes up about 150GB. My iTunes library/music takes up about 70-100GB. Can I move those to my iCloud 2TB Storage and/or my external 2TB SSD to make some room on my internal? If yes, do I just drag and drop them onto each drive?

2) Is there a "cleaner/duplicate finder/uninstaller" app that will run on Mojave to make it easier/faster to get rid of junk/old installers/duplicate files, etc? (Onyx?)

3) Can I move my other users' files to my main account by dragging and dropping their file folders from my main account without having to log into each, transfer to an external drive, then log into my main account and upload it there? Oh wait - couldn't I just move my other users' files to my 2TB External SSD and keep them there freeing up a ton of space?

4) Should I just dump/offload as much of my documents,etc that I can to my external 2TB SSD?

5) In general, What should I KEEP on my internal 980GB SSD (iPhoto library? iTunes library? Music files?)

MY PLAN:

1) Open the mini, remove the spinner drive, reseat the RAM. Close 'er back up
2) Trim the junk from my internal 980GB SSD to make space
3) Put my gifted 2TB SSD into an enclosure and use it for external storage
4) Upgrade to Catalina
5) Continue to use my current 2TB external spinner Time Machine backup for my internal 980TB SSD. But what do I use to back up my gifted 2TB external SSD? I have an IDrive account with about 9TB available plus I have 1.6GB Cloud space. How to best use iCloud and iDrive as backups?
6) After pruning my mini's junk, and installing Catalina, begin to resume Time Machine backups of my internal 980GB SSD in my mini.

]Here are all the drives I currently have:

980GB internal SSD (in mini as main drive)
2TB SSD external (used as file storage)
2TB HDD external spinner (Used for Time Machine backups)
1 TB HDD external spinner (used as external storage for my mini before it died in 2021)
128GB External SSD not really used for anything right now.

POSSIBLY:
1TB External HHD spinner drive removed from my mini (not sure yet if it's viable but if it is I plan on getting an enclosure and use it for storage).

I know I'm asking a lot of questions. Please bear with me. Does this plan sound good? Any changes you'd make?



Master Tinkerer Jerry®

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/2024 10:33AM by Jerry®.
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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: PeterW
Date: March 03, 2024 10:52AM
1. Your music and photo libraries take up only 250 GB. What’s taking up the rest? You need to prune before making any more plans. And leave them on the boot drive regardless of the OS.

2. Don’t make any plans for the internal hd.

3. Have you got the logic board removal tool to get the mini’s board out of the case? It does not just slide out.
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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: Tiangou
Date: March 03, 2024 10:56AM
Why did you drop the idea of swapping in the 2TB SSD? If you've got the Mac mini open to re-seat the RAM, it seems a good time to swap in the 2TB.

It seems like you're struggling over a problem that isn't a real problem because you have that spare 2TB SSD.

Just install the 2TB SSD.

...

iCloud is NOT the solution to your drive-capacity problems.

You can copy images to iCloud via contextual menu from within the Photos app. But I strongly recommend against doing this. iCloud is not a reliable backup or archive service. It's a sync service. I've seen a lot of people burnt when they relied on Apple to keep their data secure in the "cloud."

You can move your music files into the "Cloud Drive" folder to start syncing to iCloud, but this will remove them from their default locations and you won't be able to play your music with the Music app anymore. Apple wants you to subscribe to their music streaming services. They do not facilitate playing/streaming your own music from the cloud.

Onyx cleans snapshots, caches and log files (and does a few other things) which will eventually be rebuilt by the OS and apps. Any capacity recaptured in this process will probably just fill again over time. Housecleaning apps that promise to do more are inevitably cr@pware/malware.

If you're pressed for space, move to the 2TB SSD.

...See where this is going?



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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: Jerry®
Date: March 03, 2024 11:08AM
Quote
Tiangou
Why did you drop the idea of swapping in the 2TB SSD? If you've got the Mac mini open to re-seat the RAM, it seems a good time to swap in the 2TB.

It seems like you're struggling over a problem that isn't a real problem because you have that spare 2TB SSD.

Just install the 2TB SSD.

...

iCloud is NOT the solution to your drive-capacity problems.

You can copy images to iCloud via contextual menu from within the Photos app. But I strongly recommend against doing this. iCloud is not a reliable backup or archive service. It's a sync service. I've seen a lot of people burnt when they relied on Apple to keep their data secure in the "cloud."

You can move your music files into the "Cloud Drive" folder to start syncing to iCloud, but this will remove them from their default locations and you won't be able to play your music with the Music app anymore. Apple wants you to subscribe to their music streaming services. They do not facilitate playing/streaming your own music from the cloud.

Onyx cleans snapshots, caches and log files (and does a few other things) which will eventually be rebuilt by the OS and apps. Any capacity recaptured in this process will probably just fill again over time. Housecleaning apps that promise to do more are inevitably cr@pware/malware.

If you're pressed for space, move to the 2TB SSD.

...See where this is going?


Someone in a previous thread said to keep the 980GB SSD in the mini and use the 2TB SSD as external storage so that I could move it easily to a new Mac once I got one. So should I do it the other way around: remove the 980TB SSD and swap it for the gifted 2TB SSD and use the 980GB SSD as external storage? Is there an app that’ll work with Mojave that will show me what’s taking up all the space on my internal drive so I can easily uninstall/trash stuff I dont need? I have tons of installer files and zip files strewn across 3 accounts.



Master Tinkerer Jerry®

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Help me MacResource users, you're my only hope!

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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: Jerry®
Date: March 03, 2024 11:11AM
Quote
PeterW
1. Your music and photo libraries take up only 250 GB. What’s taking up the rest? You need to prune before making any more plans. And leave them on the boot drive regardless of the OS.

2. Don’t make any plans for the internal hd.

3. Have you got the logic board removal tool to get the mini’s board out of the case? It does not just slide out.


I don’t have the logic board removal tool but from OWC’s video they say I can fashion a wire hanger to do the same.

I Don’t know what’s taking up all the space. It’s been years since I'd I’ve used macOS and I am trying to find an app that’ll work with Mojave to show me what's taking up all the space on my internal SSD and easily allow me to uninstall/trash stuff to make space. Any ideas?



Master Tinkerer Jerry®

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Help me MacResource users, you're my only hope!

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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: PeterW
Date: March 03, 2024 11:18AM
Alright, I’ll bite. Why do you have three user accounts?
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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: Jerry®
Date: March 03, 2024 11:24AM
Quote
PeterW
Alright, I’ll bite. Why do you have three user accounts?

I don't know and can't remember why I made them



Master Tinkerer Jerry®

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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: Jerry®
Date: March 03, 2024 11:31AM
Ok. I am about to open my mini, swap out the 980GB SSD for the new 2TB SSD. Remove the old spinner, reseat the RAM then begin reinstalling and updating the new 2TB to Mojave. Restore my Time Machine complete backup. Upgrade to Catalina.



BAM.



Master Tinkerer Jerry®

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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: gadje
Date: March 03, 2024 11:35AM
use the 2TB SSD as external storage so that I could move it easily to a new Mac once I got one.

FYI, you cannot install a new drive into these "new" Macs, I mean M1,M2, M3, etc.

maybe the last mini you could install a 2.5" SSD was 2018, I guess, I am not 100% sure. You should not plan to get an Intel Mac at this point, Apple Silicon is the future and you cannot install that 2 TB INTO an Apple Silicon Mac.

You can always take it out and put into a cheap USB case to move your data.

Just go ahead and put the 2 TB into your 2012 Mini.
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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: RAMd®d
Date: March 03, 2024 11:57AM
Why did you drop the idea of swapping in the 2TB SSD? If you've got the Mac mini open to re-seat the RAM, it seems a good time to swap in the 2TB.

It seems like you're struggling over a problem that isn't a real problem because you have that spare 2TB SSD.

Just install the 2TB SSD.



All this ^.


You can always take it out and put into a cheap USB case to move your data.

I believe that was the idea behind moving the drive forward to a new Mac.


Also, I know a read somewhere not to use Onyx on a SSD, but I don't remember where or why.






I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.
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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: RAMd®d
Date: March 03, 2024 12:10PM
I am trying to find an app that’ll work with Mojave to show me what's taking up all the space on my internal SSD...


GrandPerspective is one of many apps that will do this.

It won't uninstall apps but it will delete apps and files, but not all the kruft.

It looks daunting, but I start by removing all the big blocks I don't need.

Here's one link that covers 'manual' housekeeping.

An 'uninstall' app would make things easy, if you could find one trustworthy.

I don't know of one.






I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.
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Oops.
Posted by: RAMd®d
Date: March 03, 2024 12:11PM
[www.pcmag.com]






I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.
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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: Jerry®
Date: March 03, 2024 01:51PM
Quote
gadje
use the 2TB SSD as external storage so that I could move it easily to a new Mac once I got one.

FYI, you cannot install a new drive into these "new" Macs, I mean M1,M2, M3, etc.

maybe the last mini you could install a 2.5" SSD was 2018, I guess, I am not 100% sure. You should not plan to get an Intel Mac at this point, Apple Silicon is the future and you cannot install that 2 TB INTO an Apple Silicon Mac.

You can always take it out and put into a cheap USB case to move your data.

Just go ahead and put the 2 TB into your 2012 Mini.

Yeah that’s what I was going to do - put the 2TB SSD in the mini and use the 980GB SSD as EXTERNAL storage. I know that M Series Macs cant be user upgraded.



Master Tinkerer Jerry®

My Amazon WISH List

Help me MacResource users, you're my only hope!

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Re: Is there a “cleaner/uninstaller” app for Mojave? And A LOT more questions before I begin operating on my mini
Posted by: Jerry®
Date: March 03, 2024 01:53PM
Well my mini is dead now. When pulling the logic board out a small capacitor fell off. I dont have the skill to solder it back on nor do I have the money to get it fixed. I’m pretty devastated.



Master Tinkerer Jerry®

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Help me MacResource users, you're my only hope!

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