Need help to install a MacOS on 2010 mac mini with empty formatted internal SDD

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Level 1

4 points

Need help to install a MacOS on 2010 mac mini with empty formatted internal SDD

I have a mid 2010 mac mini, internal SSD drive is formatted APFS, empty, no macOS on it. Trying to bring this mac mini to life.

I used another Mac to create a usb drive: install macOS High Sierra (5.45GB). I used terminal server to make it a bootable install drive. My first attempt to use that for install resulted in "This copy of the Install macOS High Sierra.app application is damaged…" so I changed the date/time on the mac mini to October 2017. Another few attempts resulted in the screen showing wireless Apple mose and keyboard (indicating to switch them on. The devices were switched on but the screen would not move on from the alternating mouse and keyboard graphic. I resent the VPRAM on the mac mini.

Now....... when starting with option key I can select the install macOS drive and it loads but brings up the macOS Utilities screen, not High Sierra OS.

Trying 'install Install macOS' from Utilities brings the macOS High Sierra to set up and install but that results in "The recovery server could not be contacted". This happens with ethernet connected or 802.11 connection.

Starting with command/R to internet recovery brings up the same macOS Utilities screen. Same issue of recovery server could not be contacted if I select 'Install macOS'.

I want to install High Sierra from he usb drive, so I don't think I need internet recovery.

Does anyone know what I can do to succeed here?

Mac mini (2018)

Posted on Aug 28, 2023 7:36 AM

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Answer 1

den.thed

Level 10

83,356 points

Aug 29, 2023 8:40 AM in response to mrtrying

+1

Go to Utilities > Disk Utility > Erase and Format the new SSD.

see > Use Disk Utility to erase an Intel-based Mac - Apple Support

Then go back to the Installer and try installing High Sierra.

see > How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support

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Answer 2

den.thed

Level 10

83,356 points

Aug 29, 2023 11:05 AM in response to mrtrying

mrtrying wrote:

This SSD was working fine, with High Sierra,

Good info.

before I did a reset and erased/reformatted. Expecting to install a fresh High Sierra from a usb drive.

Sadly somethings are better left alone.

At this point, I would try creating a new High Sierra Installer on a different USB flash drive.

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

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Answer 3

Aug 29, 2023 5:26 AM in response to mrtrying

mrtrying wrote:

It brings up the start drive choice, I select the usb 'install macOS High Sierra' and is appears to load but then opens the Utilities window. I can't see how to get the macOS on the internal SSD.

It is likely showing the utilities window because you need to format the drive. Bare drives, whether SSD or HDD, do not come formatted.

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Answer 4

John Galt

Level 10

147,426 points

Aug 29, 2023 10:09 AM in response to mrtrying

Trying 'install Install macOS' from Utilities brings the macOS High Sierra to set up and install but that results in "The recovery server could not be contacted". This happens with ethernet connected or 802.11 connection.

FYI so many complaints have arisen about that exact same roadblock over the past few weeks I can no longer keep up with them. Too many to enumerate.

We are patiently waiting for Apple to either fix it, or publicly announce that older macOS versions are no longer available. Apple never claimed they would remain available forever.

One option is to use that Mini's original installation discs (DVDs). That should still work.

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Answer 5

den.thed

Level 10

83,356 points

Aug 29, 2023 10:31 AM in response to mrtrying

The most likely problem, is that the 2010 Mac mini only has a SATA ll 3G Drive Controller and the Samsung SATA lll 6G SSD is not backwards compatible to SATA ll 3G.

Personally I always used PNY SSDs in those older SATA ll 3G 2010/2011 Mac mini's and never had a single problem.

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Answer 6

mrtrying Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 29, 2023 12:24 PM in response to den.thed

When I try to 'get' the High Sierra installer from Mac Store it opens my settings to install software and a window says "this copy of install software is too old to be opened on this version of macOS" The mac I am using to do this is Catalina. 10.15.7.

So, I'm now I am stuck trying to get a good (not cert-expired) copy of 'Install macOS High Sierra' to create a new bootable USB to install High Sierra on my 2010 mac mini.

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Answer 7

den.thed

Level 10

83,356 points

Aug 29, 2023 3:42 PM in response to mrtrying

The only other option that I can offer, is to reformat the drive GUID/Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and install the OS X on the original disc set or the earlier OS X offered in Recovery Mode and then Upgrade to High Sierra from that.

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Answer 8

mrtrying Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 29, 2023 9:31 AM in response to den.thed

I have formatted the internal SSD. Perhaps need to reformat in recovery Disk Utilities?

Current screenshots:

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Answer 9

mrtrying Author

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4 points

Aug 28, 2023 8:07 AM in response to mrtrying

Correction, I "reset NVRAM".

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Answer 10

den.thed

Level 10

83,356 points

Aug 28, 2023 8:19 AM in response to mrtrying

Plug in a USB keyboard, hold the Alt (option) key at startup and see if you can startup from the bootable installer.

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Answer 11

mrtrying Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 28, 2023 1:52 PM in response to den.thed

It brings up the start drive choice, I select the usb 'install macOS High Sierra' and is appears to load but then opens the Utilities window. I can't see how to get the macOS on the internal SSD.

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Answer 12

mrtrying Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 29, 2023 10:36 AM in response to den.thed

God info.

But... This SSD was working fine, with High Sierra, before I did a reset and erased/reformatted. Expecting to install a fresh High Sierra from a usb drive.

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