Maximum hard drive for Mini

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Level 1

58 points

Maximum hard drive for Mini

I have a Mini (2009) with a 120 GB hard drive and I want to replace with the largest drive a Mini will take. Is there a maximum hard drive size this thing will handle and if so what is it? Thanks.

MAC pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Aug 21, 2009 3:19 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

adalos

Level 1

5 points

Aug 21, 2009 3:35 PM in response to baddabing

HD size is pretty independent and just limited by current technology (how much HD space can be provided on a limited area of storage space). So no, there's no correlation or maximum aside from what is purchasable on the market.

Now, if you're doing it through Apple, you're probably gonna be maxed out at 320g, but not because of a technology issue, just that's all Apple offers that I know of.

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Answer 2

baddabing Author

Level 1

58 points

Aug 21, 2009 4:24 PM in response to baddabing

Thanks. That's what I thought. I guess I still remember when some computers, Apple included, had a limit on the size of the hard drive it could handle.

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Answer 3

Aug 22, 2009 1:54 PM in response to baddabing

Would a terabyte be enough?

http://www.anandtech.com/weblog/showpost.aspx?i=626

Note however, these drives are a little taller than the standard 2.5 inch drive, and may not fit inside a mini. I have never looked inside a new mini.

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Answer 4

Boece

Level 5

6,264 points

Aug 22, 2009 2:33 PM in response to Eustace Mendis

Or perhaps this Seagate 640 Gig 9.5mm drive, which was mentioned in the comments of that link -- though "coming soon":

http://blog.penguintrail.com/?p=257%29

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Answer 5

cinemkr

Level 1

0 points

Oct 5, 2009 7:05 AM in response to baddabing

Wondering if you were successful in your HD replacement. The first responder was not necessarily correct as chipsets sometimes have a maximum HD they will recognize. (i.e. -- you may put in a 500 GB HD but the chipset only recognizes the first 128 -- a point I think we were alluding to in your response) So....

did it work? I want to get a Mac Mini but the drive sizes are terribly small.

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Answer 6

Boece

Level 5

6,264 points

Oct 5, 2009 7:28 AM in response to cinemkr

+I want to get a Mac Mini but the drive sizes are terribly small.+

The easiest way to overcome that would be to use a firewire-800 external drive to store your stuff on. Firewire-800 is noticeably faster than firewire-400 or USB. Of course FW800 is only available of on the currently shipping 2009 models. Previous Minis had FW400.

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Answer 7

MacStan

Level 1

5 points

Oct 19, 2009 12:37 PM in response to baddabing

I replaced my 120GB with a 500GB. Easy enough if you are semi-skilled, do your homework, are methodical and aren't squeamish. It's a 2.5 inch [notebook] drive, sata

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Answer 8

Oct 21, 2009 8:32 AM in response to baddabing

There was an upgrade procedure on ifixit.com, I have read on other sites where people have successfully added two 500GB drives to their Mini's. To do that the optical drive had to be removed. My point being the drive controller chipset will recognize and address a 500GB drive, and the 500GB drive will fit without issue into the comptuer.

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