Installing Windows 7 on a mac mini server

I just purchased recently a mac mini server. Obviously, the server does not have a disc drive to install media. I would like to install Windows 7 on my mini in a dual boot configuration. I already had bootcamp set up the partitions, but i can't get it to install windows. I've tried making a USB flash drive from my windows disc, and I've also tried remote sharing from another laptop I have, but no luck on either account. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get this working?

Option 1: Get a USB "Super Drive" and use it to install windoze.
Option 2: Use Parallels Desktop to run windoze.
Option 3: Wait for someone who knows more than I do to tell you how to do it using magic.

Similar Messages

Installing WIndows 7 onto a Mac Mini that does not have an internal optical drive.

Has anyone had any success in installing WIndows 7 onto a Mac Mini via Boot Camp using either a USB stick or an external SuperrDrive?

Option 1: Get a USB "Super Drive" and use it to install windoze.
Option 2: Use Parallels Desktop to run windoze.
Option 3: Wait for someone who knows more than I do to tell you how to do it using magic.

HT5628 Is it possible to format entire hard disk and install windows 8 only in mac mini?

Is it possible to format entire hard disk and install windows 8 only in mac mini?

You can, but it's not recommended. If you are going to use Windows all the time, at least give some GBs to OS X, because you will need it to install firmware updates.
Use Boot Camp Assistant to create a Windows partition. You can find it in /Applications/Utilities. Then, follow Apple's steps to install Windows 8 > http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/boot_camp_install-setup_10.8.pdf You must use a 64-bit version, and note that not all Mac minis support Windows 8. Check if yours is supported > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5634?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
Boot Camp Assistant will ask you to download the Windows support software onto a USB drive. You will need to install it in Windows, so it's very important to download it. If not, you will have problems in Windows.
If your Mac doesn't support Windows 8, install the Windows version the site gives you

Can I install SSD and HDD on mac mini server?

hi. I want to buy a new mac mini server with two hdd. can I replace one hdd on my ssd and leave second hdd for files? And can I install OSX on my ssd and windows on my second hdd (divide it into 2 parts... for bootcamp and file storage)? thanks

AGStudio.pro
as I know, it is impossibe to install ssd and hdd in this model
Thats incorrect, who told you that?    Ive installed a second 7mm drive in several Mac Minis and own 2 myself. Typing on same now.
(you can put in a second 9.5mm drive rather than a 7mm drive, however it takes nimble fingers unless you want to completely remove the dual drive caddy from inside the mac Mini)
see youtube video on installing second drive in the Mini
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnrhin2ed8E
AGStudio.pro
   I don't need a server.
Then you dont need the mac mini server.    All you need is a standard mac mini.
The mac mini server is EXACTLY THE SAME as the standard Mac mini quad core mini,....except with a second drive and Server software.
All current Mac Mini have a dual slot for a SECOND DRIVE

Installing windows XP on a mac mini

Hi All,
I have installed windows XP on four macs now and have never experienced a problem whatsoever however on my 5th attempt the following is happening and i wondered if anybody can help?
I partition the hard drive using boot camp no problem then i click on the start installation still no problem the blue box appears and starts to install windows files this then brings you to the screen were you can select the partion to install xp to so i scroll down to my partition and press enter now it is here were the problems seem to start when i press enter rather than taking me to the screen which lets you select what format to carry out on the partition in it starts the installation therefore not formating the partition in the correct format and as a result windows will not start!
Please can somebody assist with this?

Which Mini? Is BC drive external or a BC 2nd partition on your internal?
I just installed Vista on my new Mini '09. Used BC to install 80Gb partition, launched Vista installer. When it came drive selection, I did select the BC partition, and selected format option. The installer didn't go to a DOS like selection window, I thought because of only 1 partition available, but now I think that's just Vista, and not having a DOS like installer. Hope this helps.

Fresh headless install of Lion (client) on Mac Mini (Server)

All,
I have a Mac Mini (Server) with two internal drives. I have successfully been running Lion (client) headless (no monitor or keyboard) for some time since I had originally 10.6 installed and upgraded to 10.7 using the Mac App Store. For backup I nightly clone my primary internal drive to the secondary drive using SuperDuper.
I'm having a problem with my Lion install which means that I want to do a fresh install. I'm stuck as to how to do this. I've tried:
1. Boot from primary disk; run Install Lion app; system reboots, freshly installs the O/S, with Screen Sharing on but doesn't wipe the disk, leaving the problem that I'm trying to get rid off.
2. Boot from the secondary disk; format the primary disk and do a fresh install on the primary disk. However this doesn't work as once the install is underway and it's re-booted onto the primary disk screen sharing is disabled and so I can't see what's going on.
(I know that it's possible to use screen sharing during a server install with no username and the first eight characters of the serial number - but this doesn't work with the Lion client installs.)
Anybody with any ideas?
Thanks in advance - Jonathan.

Here's what I would do. It might be handy to run a keyboard and monitor to the Mini at least during this process.
Reboot into the Recovery partition. Once in, launch Disk Utility. Wipe your boot volume and repartion. Create single partition called 'Server HD'. Now, quit Disk Utility and select the option to reinstall Lion. Install it on your new partition.
This should work just fine for you.

Help! Can't install SSD in my new Mac Mini Server (2012)

Previously I've purcahsed Mac Mini servers and removed one of the two drives, replacing it with an OWC SSD. The hardware change was not hard to do and resulted in incredibly good computers for my employees to use which allowed us to retire several old, slow and abandoned-by-Apple Mac Pros. There were no issues with reformatting the computers after they had SSDs put in.
Today I took delivery of a new Mac Mini server, and started to do the same thing, removing the top HDD and sliding in my SSD, since I have many of them around. Unfortunately, the OS would NOT let me format the disks separately or remove the RAID. The volumes (the original 1 TB that was inside and my 480GB SSD) were both colored red when I booted into Internet Restore mode and ran Disk Util, something I've never seen before, and all it would do was say "there was a problem with your disk, would you like to revert it to a working state?" which in this case means Disk Util forcing my drives back into a RAID whether I want them that way or not. (At one point it fused my SSD and the 1TB drive into a single logical drive that had the correct size but didn't show separate sections, and couldn't be de-RAIDED at all, even when I connected to another computer with the Mac Mini in Firewire target mode.)
I gave up and put a 240 SSD in the lower bay, resulting in a 760GB RAID of two mismatched SSD sizes, which isn't what I wanted but I guess it will do. So far it seems to be working.
My question is, why in the heck is Apple forcing me to run my computers as a RAID and/or not letting me break the system into one hard drive and one RAID, which is what I want? (Having the backup disk right inside the computer is very handy.) Is this some feature to keep us from "making our own" Fusion drives? If Apple is deciding we can't hack or do anything interesting with Mac Minis, this will the last one I purchase, and I'm sure there will be others who do the same.
Since replacing one HDD with an SDD is likely to be the most popular mode imaginable for Mac Minis, can anyone tell me if they got a similar setup to work, and if so what did you do? Can you post the steps here for others who will be in this situation?

I'm not sure how or what is different between the Standard 2012 Mac Mini and the 2012 Server...? However it looks like your Server also uses Fusion like or similar to the regular Mac Mini's.
"The version of Disk Utility that comes with Fusion Drive is unique. Earlier versions of Disk Utility can't be used with a Fusion Drive."
Have a look at > Mac mini (Late 2012) and iMac (Late 2012): About Fusion Drive
and > Special Note for Adding an SSD to a 2012 Mac mini. | Other World Computing Blog

How to install windows 7 in my Mac Mini

Hello Folks,
I am having a Mac Mini (Mid 2010) model. I have Mac OS 10.9 installed. I am trying to install Windows 7 using boot camp. I am getting only 2 options in BootCamp.
1. Download the latest Window Support software from apple.
2. Install Windows 7
I am able to complete step 1 but when I try complete step 2, it always says "The Installer dick could not be found".
I tried with bootable pen drive but I didn't get any success, it says comes up with the same issue. When I try to insert windows 7 installer disc the disc comes out automatically.
I searched over the internet and I found there is one more option which is missing with my Book camp assistance is "create windows 7 install disk". I followed Create Windows install disk option in Lion Bootcamp? this discussion but by doing this I am not able to open boot camp. It get crash. I undo the changes from boot camp's info plist. Now I am able to start Boot Camp Assistant, but not able to install windows. I have ISO file for window 7 too.
Please help me to install windows 7.
Thanks

Kapil Choubisa wrote:
when I try complete step 2, it always says "The Installer dick could not be found".
Unless you have a 2010 Mini Server model, your Mini has a built-in Optical drive (Mac mini (Mid 2010) - Technical Specifications).
Can you read the Windows Installer media when booted on OSX? Your DVD media may be corrupt.
If your Optical Drive is functional AND the Windows DVD is readable in OSX Finder, then your installer should work. You will need a USB2 for BC drivers as well.

How can I install Window server2008R2SP2-x64 on mac mini?

A great number op people claim to have installed windows server 2008 on their mac mini.
I have tried a number of VM ware applications to do this but so far without success.
No matter which application I try (bootcamp, virtual box, fusion etc., it just seems impossible to select the file
that I need to install in the created partition.
Does someone have a working procedure on this?

Win Server 2008 SP1 running as VM on Mavericks. (Upgrading to SP2 presently)

How do I install Windows on a new Mac Mini (w/o optical drive?)

The new Mac Mini does not have an optical drive and I would like to install Windows with Parallels Desktop 6
Any ideas? Can I put the iso on a USB drive or mount a NAS?
Thanks for ay help!
Enzo

You can burn an ISO of a bootable disc back to a DVD, but not to a USB device. I don't know if Parallels is able to install from an ISO, but it may install from an external drive. This is why you should read the documentation for Parallels or ask at their tech support site.

Unable to Install Windows 8 on 2011 Mac Mini

I'm having problems installing Windows 8 on my 2011 Mac Mini.
Obviously I've gone through the BootCamp Assistant, partitioned my drive and then rebooted and started the Windows 8 install process. I can go through the initial bits Region, entering my product key but when I go to choose the partition where I want to install Windows 8 there is a yellow triangle with the 'Windows cannot be installed to this volume' message when the BOOTCAMP partition is highlighted. When I click more info I get the following pop up messages:
'Windows cannot be installed to this disk - The selected disk has an MBR Partition table. On EFI systems Windows can only be installed to GPT disks.
Windows cannot be installed to this disk - This computers hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disks controller is enabled in the computers BIOS system.
Any Ideas as to why I cannot proceed with the install or why Windows 8 is not accepting the prepared partition.
The installed HDD is a Toshiba MK5065GSXF Revision GV108B (Apple original)
Regards
John

Sounds like you have another device connected which is using GPT/GUID partition and that is stopping you.
For some it means removing or disconnecting a drive or external device.
This has existed since Vista days.
Don't connect USB device until afterwards when you need the drivers, or format the drivers disk not just FAT or exFAT but as Windows partition (in DU under Partitions: Options where you can select GUID or Windows).

Is it possible to install windows 8 on a Mac Mini?

I have a Mac Mini and I want to install windows 8. Can it be done?

AC-NSW wrote:
Hi,
Thank you for your answer.
My level of expertise is not very high so my next question is, should I go ahead and try parallels? is this doable without being that savvy? or should I go for windows 7?
To clear up what seems to be a bit of confusion you have,
Parallels is an application that emulates a computer that
runs as a window at the same time the Mac OS is running.
As such, you can install any operating system on it like
any other computer. I personally have used it for years
and have Windows8 Pro, Windows7 Pro, XP, and the
the latest Ferdora Linux virtual machines.
Whether this approach will suit your needs depends on
the apps that you will use and how well equipped the Mini
is. Apps the are very graphics intensive, such as high end
games, will not work so well. However, a vast majority of
apps will work very acceptably.
The other approach is to use Bootcamp. What this does
is adds a second partition to you hard drive. You then
have a computer that will be able to run either Mac OSX
or a Windows OS. With the new Minis, the only currently
supported OS for this method is Windows7.

Properly installing Windows XP on a mac mini

Ok so I have a late 2009 mac mini ($599) model. I've been using windows xp on it without any major issues and I play some games and everything seems to work decently enough.
Now I'm going to have to change the size of the partition and reinstall windows xp using NTFS (been using FAT32 thus far).
What I need help with is that I've decided not to use the stock bootcamp drivers that come with the leopard cd for 2 reasons
1- It installs a bunch of drivers for macbook and other models (?) that are useless for me and just take up space (on a 147G hard drive that was supposed to be 160G every MB counts)
2- With the NVIDIA geforce 9400 driver I get much better perfomance in games using the updated one from the nvidia site than the one from the leopard cd.
what I need help with is identifying stuff like chipsets and sound card etc etc to know how to look for the drivers and then manually installing them.
So I need help compiling this list:
Video card- Geforce driver http://www.nvidia.com/object/notebookwinxp_197.16whql.html

Just an idea for you. There is an entire Apple Discussion forum dedicated to Boot Camp and Windows.
Whereas, not everyone here with an Intel Mac mini has installed, tried to install or has experience with BC & Windows, everyone there has or at least has an interest. You may attract help more quickly and find more expert help there.
The Forums are at the bottom of the main Apple Discussions page under Windows Compatible Technology. Here is a link;
Boot Camp: Installation and Storage
I shall ask the forum hosts to move this post to that forum for you and hopefully they will.
Dah•veed

How do I install OS X Lion on mac mini server

I have purchased mac mini (the server version because of quad-core performance), but I don't need any server features. All I've found regarding this question is simply removing the server app, but as I can say all the processes still work — emails about IP address changes are generated and sent, you name it.
So, what should be done?

k1lly wrote:
Thank you, woodmeister50, I think it worth a try!
BTW, as I understand, it is impossible to reinstall OS on mac mini 2011 from usb — well, I tried it in the first place and it didn't work.
If you mean from the Apple Lion USB stick supplied by Apple
that is true, it won't work. The Apple supplied USB stick will
only work on systems with Snow Leopard or earlier, if the
computer is compatible of course.
But the App Store download should. At least it did for me when
I created a minimal "emergency" SD card for use on my Macs
(base OSX install plus Disk Warrior, Tech Tool Pro, etc.). Was from
the download for my MBP. But it may have been able to because
I was installing to the SD card and not the internal.
The key thing though is that the App Store download must be
from your account to a Mac that you own, as the license permits
you to install Lion on any Mac that you own and directly control.
You cannot legally use a copy of an installer made from a download
someone else has done. So, if you don't own a Mac other than
the Mini Server, you are basically stuck.

Need help installing Windows with Parallels on Mac Mini

I downloaded the trial version of Parallels to test it out. Everything is going fine until it asks me to restart my computer. I go through the basic setup at the beginning, it asks me to enter the Windows XP product key and then asks me to insert the disk. At that point I insert the disk and click "Finish" like it asks. Now I get this message saying to hold down the power button or press the restart button. The screen seems to freeze here since I can't move the mouse or anything.
So I hold down the power button for a few seconds, and eventually the Mac Mini shuts down. I press and hold the power button again to start it back up.
Now everything is restarted but the Windows is not installed. Where did I go wrong? It seems pretty straight forward, but I'm clearly doing something wrong.

Since Parallels is not an Apple product, you should post your question on the Parallels forums: http://forums.parallels.com
You're more likely to get the response you need there, rather than on an Apple forum.

Installing Windows 7 on a mac mini server

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