How to change startup disk for a 2012 Mac mini with dual HDD and clean installed with Windows 8.1?

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How to change startup disk for a 2012 Mac mini with dual HDD and clean installed with Windows 8.1?

Hi,

I have a Mac-mini (late 2012 model), originally with Mac OS X Maverick Server installed (with two HDD). Recently, I had clean installed Windows 8.1 on one of the HDD (worked perfectly, just slow) and swapped the other HDD (with Mac OSX) with a SSD. I then cloned the Windows OS HDD in to the new SSD. Now I am trying to boot this Mac mini from this SSD, however, since this Mac mini do not have BIOS for me to change the boot sequence at the startup, is there any one can help?

Thank you,

Liusc

Mac mini, Windows 8, Clean installeed without bootcamp

Posted on Feb 20, 2015 2:37 PM

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Answer 1

lllaass

Level 10

210,519 points

Feb 20, 2015 3:07 PM in response to liusc77

If you boot with the Option key depressed what boot options are shown?

Also:

Restart your computer

After Windows is installed, you can switch between OS X and Windows. Use the Startup Disk preference pane in OS X, or the Boot Camp system tray item in Windows to select your startup disk, then restart your computer

How to install Windows using Boot Camp - Apple Support

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Answer 2

liusc77 Author

Level 1

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Feb 20, 2015 3:51 PM in response to lllaass

Thank you

When boot with option key (Alt key on PC keyboard) depressed, the choice of startup disks do show up. However, maybe there is something wrong with the cloning process, the new SSD with windows OS does not show up as an option. I guess that I may have to physically remove the HDD and leave only the SSD in Mac mini for it to boot from SSD. Any suggestion? Please remember, this Mac mini now is a Windows only machine (no bootcamp installed)

Thanks,

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Answer 3

Feb 20, 2015 7:41 PM in response to liusc77

No Bootcamp....No Windows without OS X as far as I know

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Answer 4

lllaass

Level 10

210,519 points

Feb 21, 2015 2:00 AM in response to liusc77

Boot Camp is the only way now to run Windows directly on the Mac hardware.

You can also run Windows as a virtual machine with OSX running.

Just what did you do?

I suspect you will have to install OSX and then run Boot Camp Assistant to install Windows

How to install Windows using Boot Camp - Apple Support

liusc77 wrote:

Thank you

When boot with option key (Alt key on PC keyboard) depressed, the choice of startup disks do show up. However, maybe there is something wrong with the cloning process, the new SSD with windows OS does not show up as an option. I guess that I may have to physically remove the HDD and leave only the SSD in Mac mini for it to boot from SSD. Any suggestion? Please remember, this Mac mini now is a Windows only machine (no bootcamp installed)

Thanks,

Reply