Can I install Snow Leopard on the new Mac Mini

Aescleal wrote:

Any chance you are sharing internet? That stops sleep, dead in it's tracks. Found that out the hard way.

Just something to look for.

Actually I am (to a firewire cable that is plugged in), but nothing is currently connected.

This makes sense! The other 10.6.8 sleeps fine (well after an extra minute or two) but in fact this installation (my main one with the internet sharing on) still doesn't sleep on its own (but it will if I force it to sleep).

Thanks for indicating the solution, Aescleal!

My pleasure. I ran into a sleep issue 2 months ago on a new 2011 Mini, and tried everything imaginable before learning it was just my own sharing settings that was causing the problem. Just sharing the good news!

Cheers!

Well, as promised here it is... http://www.mediafire.com/?dckrq0s56ldusb7

NOTE: Can ONLY be installed on 10.6.8 - also requires testing (from people on here) to verify that it works.

What does the package do?

1. It runs launchctl to unload kextd

2. It deletes most of the kernel extensions from /System/Library/Extensions

3. It installs kexts into /System/Library/Extensions

4. It deletes the contents of /System/Library/Caches

5. It then requires a reboot (will be slow the first time after installing)

Comes with no guarantee - please BACKUP before testing, and at worst expect to have to reinstall Mac OS X.

Tested on a mac mini 2011 quad core server only.

Please report back on how it goes for you.

Thank you!

I tried it on my MacMini i7 2,7GHz with AMD-Graphic:

I got some popups :BJUSBLoad.kext, and .kext of hp and lexmark are not loaded,

So I took them out of Systems-Lib-Extensions

It has much better speed of the internal disk: AJA-System Test now:100-110 - before 50-60 !

but the geekbench (32bit) is worse: now 6600 - before 7000 !

First Start: 6200, then I repaired disk permissions and cleaned caches, restarted and used geekbench again (two times)

I compared the new extensions with my old ones in my TimeMachine and marked newer and missing (red lines).

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/943870/Mini-Install-Package.png

Then I copied the newer back (as root user), repaired disk permissions and now I have

a geekbench of 6950

and AJA Test of 88 (first ifs fast, then it slows down)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/943870/AJA-Mini.png

If someone knows wich kexts are needed, here they are

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/943870/kext.zip

Dimoe: How did you end up with kexts that are newer than the ones NFG has? i.e. in particular the ones dated 4th Feb 2012 and 26th Jan 2012?

I thought the newest kexts would have dated (at the latest) to the release of the last SL Macs. Which would have been when the 10.6.8 combo was released mid 2011. What am I not understanding?

Comparing the dates is useless, as its the kext versions you are after. This was the problem I had when trying to make sure the OS had the latest versions. Can you do a get info to compare the versions? Most of them probably have the same version, even if the dates are different - but there may be a few with different versions.

Quick glance, many of the ones which appear to be newer by date are in fact older by version (graphics drivers are 1.6.36, vs 1.6.42 in the pkg). The backlight one is newer (strange)

Might have to tweak the package installer slightly....

Hi. A few days ago, I have acquired a brand new Mini which unfortunately camed with OS Lion. As I need to install Windows XP (SP3) in order to run some business applications (which can't run on Windows 7!) I have managed to have Leopard version 10.6.8 installed instead of Lion. I then tried to install Bootcamp for Windows XP. Unfortunately, without an installation disk, I can't! Could somebody please explain me how to download (and successfully install) the Bootcamp application for Windows XP? I am not an experienced Mac user, except that I'm running similar setup on a MacBook Pro! Thanks!!

Hi, first thousand thanks to everybody here . Also own 2011 macmini mod. 5.2 . Lion is working fluid and stable on my machine so far . All apps are Lion compatible ofcoarse. Mac usser since 2006. Still have a 20" Imac 2007 with core 2 duo and 13" macbookpro early 2011 model. Updated the pro with Lion when released after making latest TM backup. Didn't update my Imac with Lion, having it running with SL 10.6.8 perfectly , but because I started to notice problems with optical drive , clonned the HD with CCC.

Like most of you here , not very happy with some of the new features. I miss rosetta , front row and don't like at all versions.Before reading this thread, already heard from apple that was not possible to downgrade the new mac mini to SL , but could still run SL with external drive , thats when I tried my external bootable drive I made with imac 10.6.8 clone with fire wire (OWC branded case). worked perfectly on macbook pro mentioned,bit slower but no issues and also worked perfectly so far with my brand new 2011 mac mini. OWC external drive case has also firewire 800 port. Still the more I try Lion , more I want to go back to SL. Following the advice from people of the community , I sent several feedbacks to apple with my opinion of Lion. Been evangelizing to family and friends to switch to mac os since 2007, now since Lion , just standing by. Still espect Apple listening to our needs and apply some changes. The latest I found is this thread and really happy to know that yes we can downgrade our 2011 minis to SL!!! Already coppied version 2 instructions but still have some doubts. I know some geniuos guys here in Apple store (Madrid, Spain) and before reading this thread I asked them if there was any way to instal SL on the new mac mini . Thier answer was a strait NO because if something goes wrong, machine will not be suported by waranty anymore. So I wanted to hear your opinion about this.

Thanks a lot again to all.

Jose.

Hi!

I use my mini as a media center running eyetv and plex and as a fileserver for the family (mixed mac and pc). Lion did not work for fileserving it kept crashing and was annoying to administer. Particular the PC's had problems.

I installed SL om my spanking new quad core mini and have never looked back. Now I am where I want to be - it just works and I dont spend time troubleshooting network issues. I really enjoy the power comming from core2duo to i7quad. Only thing is that its a bit noisy when straming diferent movies through plex to several devces.

Just follow the instructions in this thread and happy.

best wishes,

Kasper

I know some geniuos guys here in Apple store (Madrid, Spain) and before reading this thread I asked them if there was any way to instal SL on the new mac mini . Thier answer was a strait NO because if something goes wrong, machine will not be suported by waranty anymore.

If you need the warranty or Applecare, I don´t think they will look into your system but test the hardware.

And normally they will start your Mac from external devices with testing programs.

Of course I have a Backup-Image of my original Lion, so I could reinstall it (but I would not)

To feel save:

Try Snow-Leo on a FW-800 harddisk, it will be as fast as the internal disk (of course not as a SSD)

or partition your Harddisk for Lion and Snow-Leo

I did not, because I also use Bootcamp.

I have an external Lion for testing and Snow-Leo for working

Ok , Thanks Kasper , thanks dimoe .

Yes, thats what I'm testing now , using external drive FW 800 with 10.6.8 clone of my imac 2007 model . Seems to work ok , Still not as fast as internal HD with Lion . Should I re instal 10.6.8 kombo mentioned on top? or just run pkg mentioned here? or both? Also wanted to mention something I experienced doing the oposite on my macbook pro early 2011. Running internal ssd with 10.6.8 and same external drive mentioned running with Lion . Working well generally but every time I booted with Lion on the macbook pro , when booting back to 10.6.8 had to reset SMC due to sound problems. Find Lion wierd any way so maybe I'll just keep a copy on external drive and follow instruccions given here , instal the reliable 10.6.8 as principal system.

Maybe you have already done some points of the list:

- start your Mini with 10.6.8 system on the external drive

- install the comboupdate to be sure all drivers are existing

- restart

(- "geekbench" your system)

- install the package of newfoundglory

- restart

- repair DiskPermissions

(- "geekbench" your system again and tell us if anything is faster)

How fast is your Lion in comparision?

Hi dimoe,

Done , followed all your instrucctions . Before geekbench , cheked all apps , including ilife everything working really fast for exception of safari didn't eaven start . went to my backup drive and replaced safari and there fast as lightning . Following : my geekbench scores: (My mac mini is model 5.2 running with factory ram 4GB)

Lion 10.7.3 internal drive, 500 GB @ 5400 rpm

32 bit mode : 6575

64 bit mode : 7153

SL 10.6.8 external drive , FW-800 , 320 GB @ 5400 rpm, before all settings

32 bit mode : 1887

64 bit mode : 2065

SL 10.6.8 external drive , FW-800 , 320 GB @ 5400 rpm , After all settings !!!!! (10.6.8 build10k549 and pkg instal)

32 bit mode : 6586

64 bit mode : 7223

Conclution : eaven faster then internal macmini drive

Just to add more information, my monitor is a Samsung, 22", syncmaster (226cw) working pefectly, verified color sync profiles resulting all profiles OK.

Thousand thanks again for your help . SPECIAL MENTION FOR NEWFOUNDGLORY.

Best wishes,

Jose.