Any Mac experts on here?

BarGin

I have just bought a Mac Mini to mainly use as a media centre under the TV. My problem is that I don't have a usb keyboard to set it up. I have a Microsoft wireless mouse which works OK and gets me so far but then I have to input my Apple ID. This is where I get stuck.

I have an Apple wireless keyboard which is paired with an iMac but I can't seem to get the Mini to respond to it.

Does anyone have any suggestions please?

paddyrg

How about a £5 usb keyboard just to get all setup?

BarGin

paddyrg wrote: »

How about a £5 usb keyboard just to get all setup?

I thought of that. I popped out to my local Sainsburys just before they closed this afternoon but the cheapest they had was £17. If there isn't another method, I will try again somewhere else tomorrow.

paddyrg

Hmmm they start at a tenner in Maplins, but frankly you can borrow one from a neighbour for an hour and get yourself sorted :-)

Hammyman

Assuming Mac OS X....

Click on the Apple Logo on the left of the menu bar and then System Preferences. Under Hardware, go to Keyboard. Click on "Show Keyboard and Character Viewer in Menu bar" checkbox at the bottom of the options.

You'll now notice a new icon on the top right that looks like a small square with a star in it. Click on that and select "Show Keyboard Viewer". It will then display an onscreen keyboard you can use to input text.

BarGin

Hammyman wrote: »

Assuming Mac OS X....

Click on the Apple Logo on the left of the menu bar and then System Preferences. Under Hardware, go to Keyboard. Click on "Show Keyboard and Character Viewer in Menu bar" checkbox at the bottom of the options.

You'll now notice a new icon on the top right that looks like a small square with a star in it. Click on that and select "Show Keyboard Viewer". It will then display an onscreen keyboard you can use to input text.

Unfortunately I can't get to the desktop until I login or register an Apple ID which is what I need the keyboard for.

toastydave

you could turn on the on screen keyboard, to do this go to system preferences from the dock,

Then Language & Text

Then click input sources tab

then check the box "Keyboard & Character viewer"

once you have done this you will see a new icon up by the clock, from here you can launch your onscreen keyboard

Edit: Somebody beat me too it!

Mondez

It may be possible to remote connect to it from the imac if they are both on the same network and you can work out what ip address it has. You would use the Go>"Connect to Server..." menu item from finder and then enter vnc://ipaddress and it should take you to the mac you want to set up. How do you get the IP address of the mini without being able to control it you might ask? Good question, your router will often list DHCP client IP addresses it has assigned, so try logging into your router and see if it lists them anywhere.

diable

When you boot the MM you should be able to pair it, turn off the iMac just to be sure.

BarGin

Update: I bought a cheap keyboard today and have now registered the Mini. I have done all the software updates (nearly 2 gigs!) but find I am unable to access the machine from the iMac using Screen Sharing.

I have enabled it on the Mini for all users and am using the same user id on both machines but I always get an authentication failed message. Is anyone able to assist me with this please?

Update 2: Now sorted. Thanks for all the suggestions.