OneDrive, Time Machine, and Backblaze cloud storage

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jlla...@verizon.net

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Oct 13, 2023, 11:24:02 PM10/13/23
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I would like to set up OneDrive so that data files can be shared (with automatic backups and updates synchronized) across my home LAN that consists of two Macs and two PC. 

If you have experience with this and could advise me, I'd be grateful.  One Mac runs MacOS 10.13.6 (High Sierra).  I haven't acquired the other one yet.  One source suggested getting a used Mac that still has the Intel chipset.  One PC is brand new, the other is about 10 years old.

I had been using Time Machine, but both external drives failed.  One completely, the other allows me to read the drive, but I no longer can write to it.  The system notified me to back up the disk and reformat the drive, but I'm not sure how to back up nearly 4 TB of data since my Mac only has a 1 TB internal hard drive.  This led me to investigating cloud storage.

Another source suggested using Backblaze cloud storage.  I haven't figured out whether it could provide the automatic backups and synchronization, among heterogeneous Mac and PC computers.  Any advice on this would be appreciated also.

Jim




pa...@mactechservices.com

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Oct 14, 2023, 12:26:08 AM10/14/23
to jlla...@verizon.net, MacHACers
Hi

Another option is to have your own cloud. Western Digital makes network attached storage called MyCloud. Works fine for one of my clients. 

I personally have a Synology NAS. You can get good deals from NewEgg.com. 

You can purchase a NAS large enough to continue the TimeMachine. You would connect it to your network and then transfer the sparse bundle image from your previous drive. 

OneDrive is hosted at Microsoft. You certainly can have all your devices sync and share but it’s not on your LAN. 

Back blaze is an excellent offsite backup. 

Feel free to call me 626.449.5529 and we can discuss

Paul
MacTech Services. 
Sent from my iPhone. Some imagination required. 

On Oct 13, 2023, at 8:24 PM, 'jlla...@verizon.net' via MacHACers <mach...@googlegroups.com> wrote:


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jlla...@verizon.net

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Oct 14, 2023, 2:41:48 PM10/14/23
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Update:

Microsoft has stopped OneDrive support for High Sierra (10.13).

Does any have a older installation package (prior to September 10, 2021)?

===============

I would like to set up OneDrive so that data files can be shared (with automatic backups and updates synchronized) across my home LAN that consists of two Macs and two PC.  I don't want to store the data within my LAN, in case of a local disaster.

If you have experience with this and could advise me, I'd be grateful.  One Mac runs MacOS 10.13.6 (High Sierra).  I haven't acquired the other one yet.  One source suggested getting a used Mac that still has the Intel chipset, the other option is to use Rosetta 2.  One PC is brand new, the other is about 10 years old.

I had been using Time Machine, but both external drives failed.  One failed completely, the other allows me to read the drive, but I no longer can write to it.  The system notified me to back up the disk and reformat the drive, but I'm not sure how to back up nearly 4 TB of data since my Mac only has a 1 TB internal hard drive.  I purchased a new external drive but it isn't connected (and doesn't satisfy the "store data outside my LAN" requirement).  This led me to investigating cloud storage.

Allison Sheridan

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Oct 14, 2023, 3:06:22 PM10/14/23
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I’d really step back and think about whether this whole plan is a good idea. High Sierra is many years out of support so you’re not getting security updates. It isn’t at all a good idea to have that machine hooked to the internet. 

Is there a compelling reason that you’re doing this?

Allison

On Oct 14, 2023, at 12:41 PM, 'jlla...@verizon.net' via MacHACers <mach...@googlegroups.com> wrote:


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Allison Sheridan

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Oct 14, 2023, 6:30:41 PM10/14/23
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PastedGraphic-1.png

Allison

On Oct 14, 2023, at 12:41 PM, 'jlla...@verizon.net' via MacHACers <mach...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



jlla...@verizon.net

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Oct 14, 2023, 11:03:55 PM10/14/23
to Allison Sheridan, MacHACers
Good point.

Getting old creeps up on you.  I never noticed that the computer was aging either.  Now I am a bit behind the eight ball without a reliable data protection strategy.  I appreciate your comment about security.

So, to answer your question, I'm willing to buy a new computer.  I have an iMac, Mid 2011 with a 27 inch screen and 8 GB of memory (which isn't enough).  My internal hard drive is filled with about 800 GB of "stuff".  I don't store video.

I would like to buy a newer Mac, but not necessarily the newest.  I do like my 27 inch screen, but am not adverse to an external monitor.  Originally I was thinking I should protect my data first and then start to figure out how to upgrade.  You are suggesting I do it the other way around.

I really don't want to migrate to a different chip set.  The last time, when Apple switched to Intel, I couldn't run several programs I had (e.g. MacDraw).  I would like my life to be as simple as possible.  I'm still using Microsoft Office 2008, but could switch to Microsoft 360.  A lot of my files are the older doc, xls, and ppt (and even Visio) before the switch to docx, etc.  I have a few Terminal scripts I use.

Once I migrate everything over to the newer machine, then installing OneDrive will be feasible. 

So ...

How do I go about getting newer hardware so I can upgrade to a later O/S?  It has been 12 years since I last shopped and things have changed.  Suggestions?

Jim




Carl Cullings

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Oct 15, 2023, 2:26:14 AM10/15/23
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Jim,

I recently upgraded my daughter’s 2014 MacMini with the latest 2023 MacMini Pro (introduced in January 2023), with 16 GB of RAM and 1TB of solid state memory.  

It has the Apple M2 Pro chip in it (5nm geometry).  Four thunderbolt 3 ports (can plug in USB-C also), two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, Ethernet port, one headphone jack, and internal speaker.

Also includes Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
.
I replaced her old 22” $200 Samsung monitor with a new model 32” Samsung Smart Monitor (retail is $699, but I got it for $599, but just a few days ago I saw it advertised for $499).  It is the Model #: S32CM80.  It can be raised up and down, tilted back and forth, and even rotated to portrait mode.  Being a smart monitor it connects to your home wifi and can stream all kinds of shows.  Oh yes, it is 4K resolution and includes a tiny 1080P camera.

My daughter is using her older bluetooth Mac keyboard and Apple mouse. 

Hope this helps

Carl



jlla...@verizon.net

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Oct 15, 2023, 11:08:36 AM10/15/23
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Carl,

I might be interested in buying your 2014 MacMini if it has the 2.6 GHz or 2.8 GHz Intel Core processor.  I understand the memory can be increased to 16 GB.  Which Mac O/S is it running?  A monitor larger than 27" won't fit on my desk.

Jim


Carl Cullings

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Oct 24, 2023, 12:23:26 AM10/24/23
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Jim,

The late 2014 Mac mini has 4 different user accounts on it.  I need to keep it until all pertinent data, photos, music, files, etc. are transferred elsewhere.  This might be a long time.

As far as the specs on the computer, it is as follows:

macOS: 10.14.6 Mojave. (It can be updated to 12.7 Monterey). I purposely didn’t update it because then all the 32 bit apps would quit working including Microsoft Office 2011.

Computer: Mac mini (late 2014)

Processor: 2.6 GHZ Intel Core I5

Memory: 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Graphics: Intel Iris 1536 MB

Hard drive: 1 TB

I think I read somewhere that the RAM cannot be upgraded (although at time of purchase there was a 16 MB option).

The 32” Samsung M80c smart monitor is actually only 28” wide.

I recently saw it reduced to $449.00.  Samsung also just came out with a new 27” version, but for some strange reason it costs more than the 32” one.

Carl




Mario Obejas

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Oct 24, 2023, 7:34:48 PM10/24/23
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jlatimer: You wrote: "I would like my life to be as simple as possible."
You've skipped upgrade cycles for as long as you could to maintain that simplicity. That strategy has a finite value; it has run its course.

You also wrote: "I would like to buy a newer Mac, but not necessarily the newest."
It's a fine value strategy to get "one generation back". That's any M1 Mac now. But M3 Macs will be announced on the 30th so expect new sales on M1 and M2.

You can get a base 8GB RAM 256GB SSD M2 Mac mini for around $529. This will keep you going for another 10 years Emoji:


You can reuse keyboards (I use a PC USB keyboard and mouse). Attach any standard monitor; great ones are on sale at Costco; or look at your neighborhood's "for Free" social media pages.

I strongly suggest getting a small home file server. Several of us have mentioned a Synology; I have a DS220j. This allows you to have files stored on less expensive storage (I currently use a pair of 6TB disks) and makes them available to any other machines you might have (eg, laptops). You can then have your Mac Mini use the file server as a Time Machine target, and let the file server independently manage how many weeks worth of backups it will keep.

If that's too much to think about, and you prefer to kick the can down the road, you can always expand storage by buying a 1TB USB 3.2 drive (there are more flexible solutions; this just keeps the cost and complexity down):



In order, I'd 
1. buy your new mac
2. get it OS updated (Tip: create a username, eg, tempjlatimer, for managing it during the migration, that is *not* the same as any of the accounts you will migrate from your older Mac)
3. install known, needed, 3rd party programs (eg, MSOffice)
4. Run migration assistant to migrate your accounts. You'll need to decide ahead of time what portion of your 800GB can be put on the File Server. Otherwise, you're going to have to add USB storage to the Mac (a 1TB USB drive is simple)

Good luck on your upgrade, it's due.




all...@podfeet.com

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Oct 24, 2023, 8:59:45 PM10/24/23
to Mario Obejas, MacHACers
I agree with Mario except for one thing.  If you want to buy a machine to take you for a decade, do not buy the lowest RAM and disk size that Mario recommends. The newer Macs cannot be upgraded - you can’t add RAM and you can’t increase the storage.  I would look at your current disk usage and at least double it, and I’d go with 16GB of RAM.

Allison

jlla...@verizon.net

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Oct 24, 2023, 11:10:28 PM10/24/23
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Lots of good advice.  I'm getting close.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

Jim

Mario Obejas

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Oct 25, 2023, 11:12:51 AM10/25/23
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Allison correctly reminds me of a critical fact in the age of soldered on RAM and disk. I've expanded every system I've ever owned throughout it's lifetime, with 3rd party RAM and disk. But in the Apple Silicon era, you only get one chance at configuring your RAM.

Hold your nose, pay the Apple premium and get the 16GB RAM and 512GB disk.

As much as possible, use the 512GB only for the OS and applications. Put your user accounts on addon storage. That's why there's a whole ecosystem of Thunderbolt accessories.

Pat Dengler

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Oct 25, 2023, 1:46:48 PM10/25/23
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I’ve seen a lot of helpful answers and some pretty interesting ones. Here are my thoughts:

Jim wants to share data between a few different computers, he needs a new computer, and he needs a good backup plan.

Questions to answer:
What is the current storage on your computer, and how much is available? This will dictate how much storage you need to select on the new computer.
What third-party apps do you use regularly? This will impact how much Memory (aka RAM you should select)
What size display do you prefer? If 24” is sufficient, I would look at iMacs (they come with a keyboard and mouse). iMacs have smaller storage options but work for most people. If not, a Mac mini and a larger external display is your best solution (Costco has a great 27” for around $500). You should also purchase a new keyboard with TouchID to take advantage of the new Apple Silicon feature.
If you do use any third-party software, verify they can run on macOS Sonoma - you might need to pay for an upgrade or find a replacement.

I do not recommend running your User account from an external drive - that is asking for problems and adds a point of failure.
Because you don’t upgrade your computers very often, I recommend buying the most recent model, which will last longer. NOTE: Apple has scheduled an announcement for Monday, 10/30, at 5 p.m. - new upgrades are expected to be announced.

Backup: Use Time Machine to an external drive attached to the computer or located on a NAS if you install one. Also, use a service like Backblaze to back up your important data off-site (Backblaze will also back up any external drives that DO NOT also have a Time Machine backup on them). This satisfies the recommendation to have a local and an offsite backup in case of disaster (fire, flood, electrical, theft, etc)

What and how much data do you want to share?
Dropbox and iCloud are good places to start depending on how much you need to share (NOTE: these are not considered backups)
A NAS is good for keeping everything on your local network, but it’s not an insignificant expense in hardware and setup knowledge.

Also - it’s been several years, well before the introduction of Apple Silicon, since we have been able to upgrade storage or memory for most of their computers.

Hope this helps, and I’m happy to answer any other questions you might have.

Cheers,
Pat


Pat Dengler
Technology Whisperer
 Certified Member of the Apple Consultants Network 
424-644-6654
Los Angeles CA USA
www.denglerconsulting.com


Mario Obejas

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Oct 25, 2023, 2:25:28 PM10/25/23
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Pat:
You wrote: "I do not recommend running your User account from an external drive - that is asking for problems and adds a point of failure."

Maybe, but he already has 800GB of data to preserve and it's safe to say he'll soon go over 1TB for his projected usage life. If he doesn't learn how to scale up and expand his storage now, he'll learn under duress - when he's out of space and scrambling to figure out what's wrong due to odd error messages caused by being out of space. 

The alternative is to guess that a 2TB drive will be sufficient from the beginning, and configure it that way. That 2TB configuration is a $700 delta from a 512GB drive configuration - it exactly doubles the price of the Mac Mini. 

He could instead invest less than half that - $249 - in a Thunderbolt 3 external and get 2TB : SanDisk Professional 2TB PRO-G40 SSD Thunderbolt 3 Portable SSD


That leaves him $450 to spend on other necessary upgrades, and he'll have a scalable storage configuration. In an age with better and better phone cameras that encourage you to create increasingly larger video and image files,  its no small consideration.



Pat Dengler

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Oct 25, 2023, 3:29:57 PM10/25/23
to 'Mario Obejas' via MacHACers
There are other options available than running the risk and complications of having his User account on an external drive. Managing his data - checking for duplicates and using cloud or external storage for some specific data (videos, photos, etc). It really depends on what is taking up all that space; it’s definitely not the basic parts of his user account taking up all that space.

I can’t recommend more against having his user account on an external drive.

Pat



all...@podfeet.com

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Oct 26, 2023, 10:40:30 AM10/26/23
to Pat Dengler, 'Mario Obejas' via MacHACers
I agree 100% with Pat on this. I ran my user account on a second drive for awhile. I’m pretty darned competent technically and I found it a real burden to keep track of things and make it keep working properly.  If Jim said he was going to upgrade his computer every couple of years, going small on the internal drive and RAM wouldn’t worry me. But he specifically said he wants to buy for longevity.  

The financial costs are as you say but the cost of aggravation with too small of a drive is definitely not worth it.

Allison

Mario Obejas

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Oct 26, 2023, 10:40:12 PM10/26/23
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As long as you keep a spare admin account on the boot drive, it's not complicated at all. It uses the same System Preferences setting to know where your home folders are located. 

It would be complicated if you had user accounts on different drives, but that's not the suggested approach here.

The complexity of constantly "Managing his data - checking for duplicates and using cloud or external storage for some specific data (videos, photos, etc)" far exceeds simply doing a one time change in your system preferences. 

You can also just install your OS on a large external drive and boot from it.

Pat Dengler

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Oct 27, 2023, 1:06:42 AM10/27/23
to 'Mario Obejas' via MacHACers
Of course, respectfully - it is possible to do as you suggest…but why? Why add the risk to a user's data by running the user account from an external drive? Points of failure include accidental disconnection, failing cable, failing external drive, and more complicated backup requirements (Time Machine, which is freely included in the OS, will not work with this configuration). Not to mention the inability to take advantage of the security of FileVault protection for his data and the decreased speed of an external drive compared to an internal bus. Apple will not support this sort of setup on a computer either, which means, any AppleCare suggestions will first start with setting up the computer correctly, with the User accounts on the internal volume.

It is much simpler to discover what is taking up all the storage space on his computer - he said it’s not videos. So music? or photos? Store these in iCloud with optimized storage turned on, and now he has no need for a larger drive or a Frankenstein sort of setup.

Cheers,
Pat


Pat Dengler
Technology Whisperer
 Certified Member of the Apple Consultants Network 
424-644-6654
Los Angeles CA USA
www.denglerconsulting.com

jlla...@verizon.net

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Oct 27, 2023, 10:22:35 AM10/27/23
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What is the logic behind the temporary account to manage during migration?

Jim



Paul MacTech

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Oct 27, 2023, 10:55:13 AM10/27/23
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HI Jim,

It allows you to set up the network connections, update the OS, set up any printers, scanners and peripherals  prior to the migration of the user data.

Since Yosemite or so, migration assistant will see that you have an Admin account and ask if the imported one should become the only Admin or come in as a second user.

It works well.

I don’ use this method often, but I have occasionally.

Paul
+++++++++++++++++
Supporting the Macintosh community of Los Angeles since 1989.


On Oct 27, 2023, at 7:22 AM, 'jlla...@verizon.net' via MacHACers <mach...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

What is the logic behind the temporary account to manage during migration?

Jim

[snip]

Mario Obejas

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Oct 27, 2023, 1:04:35 PM10/27/23
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It's not necessarily temporary as much as "unique".

You are going to migrate accounts, eg jlatimer, jlatimerwife, etc.

If you already setup a jlatimer account, now you have a conflict.

So, when the install asks for the first account, name it something unique like "tempadmin". When you reach the step to migrate the accounts from your old computer, there is no conflict between those account names and tempadmin.




jlla...@verizon.net

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Mar 3, 2024, 10:42:03 PMMar 3
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Once upon a time, a long time ago, to be specific ...

On Friday, October 13, 2023 at 08:23:59 PM PDT, jlla...@verizon.net <jlla...@verizon.net> wrote:

I would like to set up OneDrive so that data files can be shared (with automatic backups and updates synchronized) across my home LAN that consists of two Macs and two PC. 

If you have experience with this and could advise me, I'd be grateful.  One Mac runs MacOS 10.13.6 (High Sierra).  I haven't acquired the other one yet.  One source suggested getting a used Mac that still has the Intel chipset.  One PC is brand new, the other is about 10 years old.

I had been using Time Machine, but both external drives failed.  One completely, the other allows me to read the drive, but I no longer can write to it.  The system notified me to back up the disk and reformat the drive, but I'm not sure how to back up nearly 4 TB of data since my Mac only has a 1 TB internal hard drive.  This led me to investigating cloud storage.

===================================

Now ...

First thanks to all who provided advice.  Here is where things are.

I bought a Mac Mini (2018) with 1 TB memory and Intel chipset operating with macOS Sonoma (14.0) and a 27" Philips monitor. I then used the built-in capability to migrate everything from the old to the new.

Generally things went well.  It transferred all four user accounts.  A dozen applications, notably MS Office 2008 for Mac, don't work with this OS, but I expected that.  A handful of files didn't transfer, some seems to have been in a public folder (perhaps shared with an offline PC), others may have had a very long path length.  Of more concern, some of the data files that transferred over have a revised creation date after their modification date.  Strange, but not catastrophic.

I also migrated from my wife's old Dell to new Acer PC, using Laplink PCmover software.  Generally both the applications and data files moved over fine, but the user names / files owner seem to have gotten crossed, so now files that are my wife's files seem to be under my account.  I need her's to be separate because our family Microsoft account provides 1 TB cloud storage to each of us individually.  I'm still trying to figure out how to fix this.  To complicate matters, the new computer now has both local and Microsoft logins (multiple accounts).   I really only need one account, hers.  Still working this one.

Previously, I had mentioned my difficulty in printing, since the printer was hardwired (USB) to a PC.  Subsequently, I converted from copper to fiber optic courtesy of my ISP, Verizon, with some rerouting of CAT 5 in the attic, and realized that I had an extra ethernet port on the new modem in the living room.  I moved the printer there, connected it, and configured for IP printing.  Now it works from all four computers (two Macs and two PCs), and freed up space on the kitchen table.  That problem is solved.

I also bought an 8 TB WD external drive to use for Time Machine.  It comes with a USB 3.0 port (and cable).  But the Mac mini has four Thunderbolt 3 ports.  I assume I need an adapter (and can operate at the lesser data transfer rate).  Anyone know what such an adapter is called?  

I wish I could copy the read only files from the old Time Machine on the iMac G5 to the new Time Machine on the MacMini, but I suspect the system would get confused since the file structures are not identical.

I haven't gotten to the OneDrive issue yet.  Nor have I figured out how to connect my perfectly fine LaserJet 6MP (original Apple Talk) to an ethernet port.  Funny how other things in life suck up the time available to work these IT issues! 

Anyway, thanks for the advice.  It really helped me make a decision. 

Jim










Mario Obejas

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Mar 4, 2024, 8:22:36 PMMar 4
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Jim, here's a few answers to your many questions, HTH:

[snip]
You wrote:
I also bought an 8 TB WD external drive to use for Time Machine.  It comes with a USB 3.0 port (and cable).  But the Mac mini has four Thunderbolt 3 ports.  I assume I need an adapter (and can operate at the lesser data transfer rate).  Anyone know what such an adapter is called?  
No adapter needed, use a USB-C data cable (e.g., the one the WD came with). If the cable is greater than a meter, it may be limited to 480Mb/sec, so try to use a shorter cable. 

[snip]
I wish I could copy the read only files from the old Time Machine on the iMac G5 to the new Time Machine on the MacMini, but I suspect the system would get confused since the file structures are not identical.

Here's one procedure to rehome a Time Machine backup repository:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253674779?sortBy=best

I would use "rsync -avh" , definitely not "cp -r".
Why? Because you can interrupt rsync and restart it anytime, it will pickup where it left off, will not recopy files that are already at the target. 

Note: it's critical to have matching rsync targets, i.e., 
rsync -avh ${SOURCE} ${TARGET}

Make sure that ${SOURCE} ${TARGET} both have a trailing "/" in their directory names. 

If you are not comfortable with command line, try this approach:
https://www.macworld.com/article/228862/how-to-transfer-a-time-machine-backup-to-another-backup-drive.html


[snip]
Nor have I figured out how to connect my perfectly fine LaserJet 6MP (original Apple Talk) to an ethernet port. 

You need a print server. This is an example of one, there are many (Startech is another popular brand):
https://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-1-Port-Parallel-Server-TE100-P1P/dp/B00007IFDR?th=1 

 
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