If I buy a used server model Mac mini can I install non-server OSes on the two hard drives? What is special about the Server OS? Is the motherboard different? It would be handy to have a dual boot setup, with different OSes on the two hard drives. I have some software/peripherals that don't play will with El Capitan.
Mac mini, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5), Audio Production
I just checked my thread and found your reply. I just bought a 2010 2.66 server model. The original OS was 10.6.4. I'll be installing that in a few days with the use of Apples USB Superdrive and the 2010 mini discs from my 2010 2.4 mini. They say 2010 Mac mini with no other details. If that doesn't work I also have the full retail 10.6.3 discs.
Tracy
1. Yes.
2. Additional services and system components.
3. No, but some of the computer's functionality may not be available.
(137651)
3) What experience do you have that makes you say "some of the computer's functionality may not be available."? What functionality could be lost? The research I have been able to do indicates the computers are identical but there is some "additional services and system components" in the server OS. Some responses here indicate the server OS can run on a mini not built to be a server.
The big question is:
Can I run a dual hard drive mini with a boot drive and a second hard drive with a standard OS or would I be better off with a non-server mini with one hard drive and an external hard drive? The files on the second hard drive would be accessed by all the computers on my home network (iTunes, mainly). This hard drive would be my main file storage for all files (music, photos, documents, etc.).
Yes, you can.
(137665)
You don't say which Mini Server you are interested in.
FWIW, I had purchased (way back) a 2011 Mini Server that I wanted to
use as a workstation. When I received it, it came with Lion and the seperate
Server app (first OS X version that did this). Once I was satisfied that the Mini
was fully functional, I booted to the recovery partition, wiped the OS X partition,
and did a re-install which resulted in a machine sans Server. There is no "functionality"
lost.
A little over a year ago, I took the same computer and and totally wiped both drives
and loaded Yosemite on it to repurpose it as a home media center.
So, the only thing "special" about Mini Servers is that they have two hard drives,
depending on year a different processor (in the case of the 2011 it was a quad core
i7 vs. dual core of the other models), and preinstalled Server app or OS X (Snow Leopard
and earlier). Other than that, it is just a computer like any other.
A server is just a computer. Some may have added hardware for communications and
other data handling (the Mini Servers do not). As a matter of fact, I took a basic 2010
Mac Mini and it has been repurposed as my home server.
I'm considering a 2010, 2011 or 2012 mini server.
Hi! I've just read your response to Tracy so I have the same trouble. I'm trying to use my mid-2010 2,66 Mgz mini server as a simple desktop. You said :
"A little over a year ago, I took the same computer and and totally wiped both drives and loaded Yosemite on it to repurpose it as a home media center."
I have wiped the RAID and both HD with Disk Utilities and when I try to install the system on one of the drive, I'm stuck with OS Lion (the original OS) and when I connect to Apple with my ID & PW, it answers that the item (Lion) is not available... I wander how you've did that!
Wandering what to do at this point ??? Any tip highly would be great :O)
My mid 2010 2.66GHz Mac mini server has been running for over a week now with the OS from the mid 2010 2.4GHz Mac mini OS discs installed.
Tracy
Can I run a non-server OS on a Mac mini server model?
