TROUBLE BOOTING OLD MAC MINI A1283

Question

Level 1

4 points

TROUBLE BOOTING OLD MAC MINI A1283

Hello,

i just found my old Mac Mini A1283 that i had totally forget about. Due tu confinement i'm willing to give him a new life and use it as a web browsing/spotify/ netflix streaming device in my bedroom.

I plugged it and the first boot everything was alright, it was working really really fast, i was surprised. I had time to delete all files and i was about to install Mojave using a booteable usb made on my Macbook Air 2019 but guess what... now IMPOSSIBLE for my mac mini to boot. When i press the button, it launches and then get stuck on the Apple logo with the loading circle.

I tried everything. The only thing that i can do is when i press "Win" (it's a windows keyboard) before pressing power button i get the name of the Disk and a wifi option. I enter the wifi but nothing happens. (see photo)

If i click the disk, it goes back to load with Apple logo.

Why can't i see the disk utility? Is it that old not to have the disk utility?

Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Jan 13, 2021 1:48 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Matti Haveri

Level 6

19,778 points

Jan 14, 2021 1:34 AM in response to greggue

Just Option-boot (get a Mac keyboard if Win Alt-boot does not work) to the El Capitan USB flash installer and use its Disk Utility to format the internal device as Mac OS Extended (GUID) and then install El Capitan to it (i.e. basically the same as Recovery mode but it allows you to completely wipe the internal disk. I guess there is nothing important on the internal disk??).

But that El Capitan download is special because it must be prepared (AFAIR run the .pkg and grab the output from /Applications) as a regular installer on a compatible Mac or VM before a bootable USB flash installer can be made from it.

Reply

Answer 2

Jan 13, 2021 11:41 PM in response to greggue

If it is macMini late 2009, then El Capitan is the last it runs. You need to use it (if you can get it to boot), another compatible Mac or VM to download El Capitan installer and to prepare it so it can be used to make a USB flash installer. Or buy Snow Leopard DVD installer (if the DVD drive does not work, I guess it can be converted to a USB flash installer?). I guess Internet recovery is not yet supported for it?

Reply

Answer 3

Jan 16, 2021 8:23 AM in response to greggue

greggue wrote:

And also, is the picture I send the actual recovery mode? If not, what it is exactly?

No, it's asking you which disk to boot from. Since you only have one, it's only showing one.

Follow these instructions exactly as shown to make your Mac like new;

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201065

Reply

Answer 4

Jan 13, 2021 2:08 PM in response to greggue

You have to go into recovery mode. Try one of these key commands;

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201236

Reply

Answer 5

greggue Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 17, 2021 12:20 AM in response to MyApple8MyPC

When i try to boot normally, no. When I try to boot in Safe Mode, yes. But before the line complete, it disappears and I’m back to the same infinite loading.

i think I’ve found a solution. I’m actually using the Dosdude Software to make a Catalina USB installer.

it is supposed to work, I’ve made some research. If it lag, I’ll add some ram and SSD.

ill let you know how it goes

thanks again for the answers guys

Reply

Answer 6

Jan 16, 2021 5:27 PM in response to greggue

greggue wrote:

and then get stuck on the Apple logo with the loading circle.

Does the circle have a line going through it?

Reply

Answer 7

greggue Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 16, 2021 7:27 AM in response to Matti Haveri

Thanks a lot for the answers!

i don’t have anything important on the disk so yeah I would like to start over installing clean OS.

but I’m not sure I understand how to do this.. could you explain in more detailed way?

And also, is the picture I send the actual recovery mode? If not, what it is exactly?

thanks

Reply

Answer 8

greggue Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 16, 2021 2:44 PM in response to MyApple8MyPC

OKAY guys after some time trying to understand what you were telling me to do i figure it out!

My problem now is that i can't open the El capitan installer on my Catalina OS as Matti Haveri previously warned me. I dont have any older mac to do so, is there any way to do it? What is a "VM"? Virtual Mac i guess? Can i get a little help on this?

Also, i found access to the Mac Mini Single User Mode, is that useful to fix the booting problem? I had also run a Diagnostic using Command+D but it shoes no error. Mac mini still not booting.

Reply

Answer 9

greggue Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 13, 2021 1:49 PM in response to greggue

Reply

Answer 10

greggue Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 14, 2021 1:24 AM in response to Matti Haveri

So Tell me if I’m wrong : i download El Capitan, i put it on a booteable flash Drive and try to enter recovery mode ? Will it appear next to the main disk?

Reply

TROUBLE BOOTING OLD MAC MINI A1283

Similar questions