Loading OS onto 2006 Mini Mac

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Level 1

8 points

Loading OS onto 2006 Mini Mac

Hi,

I have a 2006 Mini Mac, that I have used with no issues for the past 9 years purely as a media server. Recently I went to upgrade the OS to X 10 Leopard.

After erasing drive, setting partition (Extended Journal). Rebooted, I loaded the CD and I have been getting the "This OS X cannot be installed on this compute". Ever since.

Thinking it maybe a 32 bit Vs 64 Bit Issue (My Mini Mac is 32 Bit I believe), I have sourced a 32/64 bit OS X Leopard disc from 2009. To no avail. Error still comes up.

Given my Mac is 10 years old now, I no longer have the original discs to roll back to. Nor have I a restore partition on drive, (yes I know, school boy error).

Any suggestions on how I can rectify this?

Cheers

Mac mini

Posted on Jul 12, 2016 8:21 PM

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Answer 1

BigGee42

Level 2

325 points

Jul 12, 2016 8:29 PM in response to Dronjes

in 2005 / 2006 some of the Mac Mini's were still powered by the PowerPC chips rather than Intel. They often had a designator like G4 or G5.

A 2009 OS X Leopard disc would not work on your system since it's designed for Intel based systems. All Macs had been changed to Intel by 2009.

That's likely what the error is.

To verify which model you have turn the Mac Mini over and look for the model number. This site will give you the specs:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/index-macmini.html

If it is a Power-PC based Mac Mini (which I believe it is) you're going to need a set of DVD's that are designed for PowerPC based systems. Try eBay.

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Answer 2

lllaass

Level 10

210,519 points

Jul 13, 2016 12:42 AM in response to Dronjes

Both the early and late 2006 Mac Minis use Intel processors and Snow Leopard is the highest OSC version they can run.

Just what Snow Leopard did you try? It sounds like it was a gray disk that was shipped with another Mav. Those disks (gray disks shipped with a Mac) will only work on the model Mac they were shipped with.

You need to get a retail Snow Leopard Disk. You can order one from Apple here:

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

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Answer 3

Dronjes Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 13, 2016 2:47 AM in response to BigGee42

Hi, on the back it says it is Model Number A1176...

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Answer 4

Dronjes Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 13, 2016 2:51 AM in response to BigGee42

Hi, on the back it says it is Model Number A1176... Serial Number: ym5230thu35

February 28, 2006	Disc.	September 6, 2006
Order	MA205LL/A	Model	A1176 (EMC 2108)
Family	Early 2006	ID	Macmini1,1
RAM	512 MB	VRAM	64 MB
Storage	60 GB (5400 RPM)	Optical	8X "Combo Drive"

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Answer 5

Dronjes Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 13, 2016 3:16 AM in response to lllaass

Hi It wasnt a gray disk.. It had a pic of a leapard on it..

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Answer 6

lllaass

Level 10

210,519 points

Jul 13, 2016 6:19 AM in response to Dronjes

Maybe you had an upgrade disk. Those require and check for the previous OSX version be installed.

I would go to Snow Leopard

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Answer 7

Lanny

Level 6

13,235 points

Jul 14, 2016 6:34 AM in response to Dronjes

Is it a picture of a Leopard or a Snow Leopard? If it is a Snow Leopard, that would be the higest level of OS X for your MacMini, but it won't install with only 512 MB of RAM. The minimum requirement is 1 GB of RAM and the maximum upgrade for your MacMini is 2 GB of RAM.

You will need to upgrade your RAM to be able to install Snow Leopard.

Possible source for the upgrade: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/5300DDR2S2GP/

If the picture is a Leopard, it should install as your MacMini shipped with a version of Tiger installed. So, a commervial Leopard install disk should work with only 512 MB of RAM.

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Answer 8

BDAqua

Level 10

250,373 points

Jul 15, 2016 9:29 AM in response to Dronjes

What is the 2z691-****-A number on the Disc?

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