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General discussion

Mac Mini connected to a PC notebook????

Mar 30, 2007 6:51AM PDT

I am thinking of taking a jump to Mac. But not a big jump. Also, I have a limited budget. Soooo, I was wondering if it is possible to connect a Mac Mini to my PC laptop so that I can use the laptops screen and keyboard.

Discussion is locked

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No
Mar 30, 2007 7:49AM PDT

The same way you cannot use the screen on the laptop to connect to a tower... it is not OS dependant.

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Not for the newbie (sorry.)
Mar 30, 2007 10:10AM PDT

Look up VNC for MacOSX. Armed with this one could remote control a Mac Mini. This is only to share a possible solution and not an offer to write a tutorial.

Bob

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So does Timbuktu, but I don't think
Mar 30, 2007 11:37PM PDT

this is quite what they had in mind... but maybe they did.

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And now for the real answer
Mar 30, 2007 10:54AM PDT

Doing it the way you suggest is not really feasible.
However, with the aid of a small KVM switch, you can use your keyboard, mouse and monitor for your PC and your Mac.

I hasten to add, not at the same time.

This, I think, actually achieves what it was that you wanted to do.

How dat??

P

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How would a KVM work with ... a PC Laptop.
Mar 30, 2007 10:18PM PDT

This might work if it was the usual desktop.

Bob

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How about a
Mar 30, 2007 11:36PM PDT

separate Keyboard and mouse (USB) connected to the KVM.
One set of KVM cables connected to the Laptop USB ports & VGA with the other set plugged into the Mac.

He then has control, separately, of the Laptop and the Mac.

I forgot to mention that he would need to have a USB keyboard and mouse handy.

During our recent deployment of laptops, we used this method to connect 4 laptops at a time to the KVM and thence to one keyboard and mouse.

P

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Did it work?
Jan 22, 2011 9:45AM PST

Although your post is 3+ years old, I would be very interested to learn if you came up with a solution. I want to do exactly the same thing but have been unable to do so. I have new 2010 Mac Mini and 1 year old Acer Aspire 6930G laptop and would like to use laptop screen as display for Mac mini - don't mind buying USB keyboard/mouse. Please reply directly to billclarida@aol.com.

Thanks