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User profile for user: pcmichael
pcmichael Author
User level: Level 1
13 points

Mac mini (mid 2011), unplugging hdmi causes reboot

I've been trying to tackle an issue for weeks now.. I'm hoping maybe someone comes across this post and can shed some light on my issue. I've been using a mid 2011 mac mini connected to a Denon 3808 receiver via HDMI that is in turn connected to a Samsung TV and for the better part of 5-6 years it worked pretty much flawlessly. Sure, HDMI signal dropped out here and there and you had to get it to handshake again and the screen would come back.. no big deal. HOWEVER, over the past year I've been noticing that my mac mini constantly restarts through out the day.. I use to think it was random, BUT it turns out that every time the mac mini loses an hdmi connection.. the mac mini ABRUPTLY restarts. There's zero warning or anything and there is nothing in the logs to indicate that anything happened just before the mac mini restarted. The problem is completely reproducible.. you literally can just unplug the hdmi cable or simply turn off the denon receiver and boom the mac mini restarts. I've made sure CEC on the receiver is turned off, so that's not it. I've also completely reinstalled this mac mini a number of times.. it literally happens with a completely fresh install of high sierra. Prior to figuring out it was an hdmi issue I upgraded the memory and hdd in the mac mini to 8GB of ram and a 1TB SSD.. so that's all brand new. When the system is running, it now flys.. but it's basically unusable as an HTPC since it's constantly restarting!


Does anyone have any suggestions? As I type this I'm making a bootable mavericks USB key and going to try and downgrade. I can't get internet recovery to give me osx lion 10.7.. and the app store will only let me go as far back as mavericks.. so that's what I'm going to try.


Please.. if anyone has any ideas.. please post!

Mac mini, macOS High Sierra (10.13.6), null

Posted on Sep 27, 2018 9:22 AM

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User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level 10
148,447 points

Posted on Sep 27, 2018 3:00 PM

I can't get internet recovery to give me osx lion 10.7.. and the app store will only let me go as far back as mavericks.. so that's what I'm going to try.

Internet Recovery won't let you install a version of macOS/OS X that is earlier than what your mini came with originally.


Here are some things you can try to rule out either hardware or software issues that may be causing this issue:


Please try the following, in order. Stop at any step where the issue is resolved:

  1. Reset your Mac's SMC.

    Why: Resets fans, keyboard backlight, status indicator, battery indicator, display backlight, power button, close/open the lid, sleep or shut down, battery doesn't charge, MagSafe indicator light incorrect status.

  2. Reset your Mac's NVRAM or PRAM.

    Why: Resets sound volume, display resolution, startup-disk selection, time zone, & kernel panic information.

  3. Boot up your Mac in Safe Mode.

    What: Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac- Apple Support

    How: At boot-up, hold down the <shift> key until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

  4. Run the Apple Hardware Test (AHT) to uncover any hardware issues with your Mac.

    How to Use Apple Hardware Test to Diagnose Mac Problems- OSXDaily

  5. Boot up your Mac in Recovery or Internet Recovery Mode.
    • What: About macOS Recovery- Apple Support
    • How:

      For Recovery Mode: Immediately after pressing the power button, hold down the <command><R> keys until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

      For Internet Recovery Mode: Immediately after pressing the power button, hold down the <option><command><R> keys until the spinning globe appears on the screen.

      When at the initial Recovery Mode screen, select the Disk Utility option. Run Disk Utility > First Aid to verify the startup disk's integrity.

    • Why: To verify the startup disk integrity using the Disk Utility's First Aid option.
  6. Run an EtreCheck report and post it here so that we can help diagnose any issue that we may uncover with your Mac.
    • You can download EtreCheck Pro fromhere or download it from the Apple App Store.
    • Start EtreCheck from a normal user account. Optionally, you can run it from a user account with Administrator privileges for additional details.
    • Select a problem from the drop-down menu to enable the "Start EtreCheck" button. Optionally, you can add comments on what issues your Mac is experiencing, especially to aide others with similar Mac issues.
    • Click on Start EtreCheck
    • Allow the program to run to completion.
    • When done, select Report from the left-side window to display it.
    • Select the "Share Report" icon.

      Select Copy Report

    • Paste the report to your reply post. (Note: The EtreCheck report does NOT contain any personal information.)

    Ref:Using EtreCheck- ASC (etresoft)

  7. Boot up your Mac in Recovery or Internet Recovery Mode.

    What: How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery - Apple Support

    How:

    • For Recovery Mode: Immediately after pressing the power button, hold down the <command><R> keys until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
  8. For Internet Recovery Mode: Immediately after pressing the power button, hold down the <option><command><R> keys until the spinning globe appears on the screen.

      9. When at the initial Recovery Mode screen, select the Reinstall macOS option.

    • Why: To re-install OS X or macOS.
  9. Make a Genius Bar appointment at your local Apple Store.
  • You can only make 1-week ahead appointments either via the web link above or AppleCare phone support. The appointment timeframe is longer if you go in-person to an Apple Store.
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    Question marked as Best reply
    User profile for user: Tesserax
    Tesserax
    User level: Level 10
    148,447 points

    Sep 27, 2018 3:00 PM in response to pcmichael

    I can't get internet recovery to give me osx lion 10.7.. and the app store will only let me go as far back as mavericks.. so that's what I'm going to try.

    Internet Recovery won't let you install a version of macOS/OS X that is earlier than what your mini came with originally.


    Here are some things you can try to rule out either hardware or software issues that may be causing this issue:


    Please try the following, in order. Stop at any step where the issue is resolved:

    1. Reset your Mac's SMC.

      Why: Resets fans, keyboard backlight, status indicator, battery indicator, display backlight, power button, close/open the lid, sleep or shut down, battery doesn't charge, MagSafe indicator light incorrect status.

    2. Reset your Mac's NVRAM or PRAM.

      Why: Resets sound volume, display resolution, startup-disk selection, time zone, & kernel panic information.

    3. Boot up your Mac in Safe Mode.

      What: Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac- Apple Support

      How: At boot-up, hold down the <shift> key until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

    4. Run the Apple Hardware Test (AHT) to uncover any hardware issues with your Mac.

      How to Use Apple Hardware Test to Diagnose Mac Problems- OSXDaily

    5. Boot up your Mac in Recovery or Internet Recovery Mode.
      • What: About macOS Recovery- Apple Support
      • How:

        For Recovery Mode: Immediately after pressing the power button, hold down the <command><R> keys until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

        For Internet Recovery Mode: Immediately after pressing the power button, hold down the <option><command><R> keys until the spinning globe appears on the screen.

        When at the initial Recovery Mode screen, select the Disk Utility option. Run Disk Utility > First Aid to verify the startup disk's integrity.

      • Why: To verify the startup disk integrity using the Disk Utility's First Aid option.
    6. Run an EtreCheck report and post it here so that we can help diagnose any issue that we may uncover with your Mac.
      • You can download EtreCheck Pro fromhere or download it from the Apple App Store.
      • Start EtreCheck from a normal user account. Optionally, you can run it from a user account with Administrator privileges for additional details.
      • Select a problem from the drop-down menu to enable the "Start EtreCheck" button. Optionally, you can add comments on what issues your Mac is experiencing, especially to aide others with similar Mac issues.
      • Click on Start EtreCheck
      • Allow the program to run to completion.
      • When done, select Report from the left-side window to display it.
      • Select the "Share Report" icon.

        Select Copy Report

      • Paste the report to your reply post. (Note: The EtreCheck report does NOT contain any personal information.)

      Ref:Using EtreCheck- ASC (etresoft)

    7. Boot up your Mac in Recovery or Internet Recovery Mode.

      What: How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery - Apple Support

      How:

      • For Recovery Mode: Immediately after pressing the power button, hold down the <command><R> keys until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
    8. For Internet Recovery Mode: Immediately after pressing the power button, hold down the <option><command><R> keys until the spinning globe appears on the screen.

        9. When at the initial Recovery Mode screen, select the Reinstall macOS option.

      • Why: To re-install OS X or macOS.
    9. Make a Genius Bar appointment at your local Apple Store.
  • You can only make 1-week ahead appointments either via the web link above or AppleCare phone support. The appointment timeframe is longer if you go in-person to an Apple Store.
    • Reply

    Mac mini (mid 2011), unplugging hdmi causes reboot

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