Repurpose Mini Server as Desktop

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Level 1

59 points

Repurpose Mini Server as Desktop

Independent of each other my wife and I both bought Mac mini’s in 2012, she to use as a server to try and integrate her work environment on iPad, iPhone, Mac, Windows Laptop, and Surface. Mine primarily to use as a music server for my two channel and home theatre systems, but also to use for light desktop work.

She found OS X Server unsatisfactory for her needs and moved on to another device, I started using more of the features of my mini and began using GarageBand and iMovie regularly. Eventually I became frustrated with the speed of my mini and considered getting a new Pro when it comes out (I don’t need that much power, I just think it’s a very cool machine). However, now that she’s not using the Mini server I’ve decided to take it over as my desktop machine and relegate my Mini back to it’s original purpose as a music server in my HT system.

My question is this: I have no need for OS X Server and don’t want any software on the desktop that I don’t need. How can I best setup the former Mac mini server to be my new desktop? I see these options, but maybe one of you could suggest a better one:

Reinstall OSX on the OS Drive of the Mini server, then add any extra programs I’m using on my current mini (very few). Migrate my other files.
Uninstall OSX Server on the Mini server and leave the rest as is, hoping there are no remnants of her installation that will cause trouble for me in the long run.
Do a Time Machine backup of my current mini and ‘re-image’ the Mini server when I restore it. I'd also have to add back the Apple Apps (Pages, etc.) she purchase for her machine, that I don't have.

I also have an iPad & iPhone/Watch I sync into iTunes, but will probably leave that on the little mini. I also don’t want to somehow void my ability to add OS X Server back to the big machine should I desire for myself or for sale.

Can anyone suggest the best way to accomplish this? (one of these or another process - of the above I’ve only done 1. before). Thanks much for your time and help. Does this belong in the OS or Server section instead of here?

Just for completeness here is the hardware rundown of the two machines:

(maybe one last question, is it possible to move the 2nd 1TB HD from the server to the little mini?)

Mac 1

Mac mini Server (Late 2012)

Processor 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7

Memory 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Startup Disk OSX Yosemite

Graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000 1024 MB

Serial Number

CPU Info: Quad Core M3720M Ivy Bridge

Disk 0: 1 TB 5400 RPM Rotational

Disk 1: 1 TB 5400 RPM Rotational

Mac 2

Mac mini (Late 2012)

Processor 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5

Memory 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Startup Disk Macintosh HD

Graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000 1024 MB

Serial Number

CPU Info: Dual Core M3210M Ivy Bridge

Disk 0: 500 GB 5400 RPM Rotational

Mac mini, OS X Yosemite (10.10), 2012 i5 8GB

Posted on Aug 3, 2015 12:19 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

lllaass

Level 10

210,423 points

Aug 3, 2015 12:30 PM in response to A07570

I would opt for #2. It is always better to do a fresh install and restore data that try to either remove something like OSX Server or do a complete restore via Time Machine.

Regarding apps, You stated " I'd also have to add back the Apple Apps (Pages, etc.) she purchase for her machine, that I don't have."

Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are free on the Mac App Store for qualifying Mac computers purchased on or after October 1, 2013. OS X Yosemite required. Downloading apps requires an Apple ID.

Apps are locked to the ID that purchased them. Thus if did not purchases after Oct 2013 and yo use different ID then setup Family sharing so y can download previously purchased purchased with another account

https://www.apple.com/icloud/family-sharing/

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Answer 2

A07570 Author

Level 1

59 points

Aug 3, 2015 12:45 PM in response to lllaass

Thanks for your reply, I assume you actually meant my option #1 as that was the 'reinstall from scratch' choice. We're already using family sharing for the iPads, so that makes sense as well. Thank you.

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Answer 3

lllaass

Level 10

210,423 points

Aug 3, 2015 1:40 PM in response to A07570

Yes, I go mixed up. #1 is best

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Answer 4

K Shaffer

Level 8

35,002 points

Aug 5, 2015 3:34 AM in response to A07570

Pertaining to the performance issue(s) you may need to consider upgrades to

those 5400-RPM rotational hard drives. Perhaps Solid State Drives, since Late

2012 Mini Server versions shipped w/ two 1-TB HDD, it'd be an easier upgrade.

Options included Apple fusion, and some SSD configurations, from Apple.

The slowness would be alleviated by this kind of upgrade.

And the 2.5-inch SATA drives should be interchangeable between computers.

I'd opt to upgrade past the slow 5400-RPM to increase overall computer speed.

Even a 7200-RPM HDD can make quite a difference. My old MacBook 1.1 is

rather quick with this faster than stock spec HDD, and it's max of 2GB RAM.

Also, the Server version need not be applied when upgrading to a later OS X.

That is a separate item in App Store and you could choose to avoid installing it.

{Or like with my Late 2012 Mini Server i7 quad-core 2.3GHz, ignore it unless or

until it has a need to be used. It stays out of the way well enough.}

Won't using internet recovery download the as-shipped OS X version, regardless

of the retail first user Apple ID? When these are re-sold, that's what people do.

Also if the drive had been totally erased and recovery partition is missing.

In any event...

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

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Answer 5

A07570 Author

Level 1

59 points

Aug 5, 2015 8:10 AM in response to K Shaffer

Yes, I'm sure an SSD or Fusion would improve performance noticably, but in the little time I've spent with the mini server its performance is considerably better (quite a processor bump). At the moment this is reasonably easy swap, no cost, and no poking around inside the tight mini. But your point is well taken, I have considered moving the second 1TB drive from the server to the other mini for music storage, at that time I could add an SSD to the server/desktop. I'll be doing a clean install of Yosemite on the server today and won't be adding OS X server. Thanks for your reply and advice.

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Answer 6

A07570 Author

Level 1

59 points

Aug 5, 2015 8:19 AM in response to K Shaffer

I missed your last sentence, I too wondered about the recovery partition, and whether it's possible to recreate it? Could not you use a method similar to creating a flash drive as an OS X in stallion disk. The ome part I have no idea about would be adding the server piece for a future install, can it be downloaded and copied? The clean install will wipe everything, so my ID will become associated, but we also have family sharing turned on. there my be future problems with this, but it's a good solution for my needs.

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Answer 7

lllaass

Level 10

210,423 points

Aug 5, 2015 9:29 AM in response to A07570

K Shaffer said

Won't using internet recovery download the as-shipped OS X version, regardless

of the retail first user Apple ID? When these are re-sold, that's what people do.

Also if the drive had been totally erased and recovery partition is missing.

That is correct. When you use an Apple installer the Recovery partition is added if not present and updated if present from a previous OSX version. That applies if you are booting from USB media made using the Apple installer.

Cloning one disk to another disk using Disk Utility and Carbon Copy Cloner results in the any recovery partition also being cloned. If you use the free Super Duper the Recovery partition is not cloned

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Answer 8

A07570 Author

Level 1

59 points

Aug 26, 2015 9:05 PM in response to A07570

Just following up that this task is pretty much completed. I did a new USB install of Yosemite on the mini server, which now makes a great desktop. It's much faster, boot time improved by almost 30 seconds (though that's a clean install compared to a loaded machine). Everything from System Preferences to GarageBand loads faster. I didn't load anything I didn't need (like OS X Server), and with family sharing I got the Pages and Numbers apps my wife had purchased for this machine. Thanks for the advice, it worked out very well.

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