Mac Mini replacement hard drive - will any 2.5" SATA drive fit?

I want to upgrade the hard drive in my Early 2009 Mac Mini. I see lots of good info online about how to disassemble and reassemble the Mini. But I can't find any info about hard drive compatibility.
Will any 2.5" laptop SATA drive fit the Mini? I want to make sure that all the connectors and mounting holes will line up correctly. I am thinking about Western Digital Scorpio Black.
Anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks for the help!
Dave

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Mac Mini Airport Extreme - Cannot Detect Any Networks

Hello,
Last week my Mac Mini (Power PC)'s hard disk crashed. So I did a DIY replacement. I managed to re-install all the software, and installed all the latest updates.
However, for some reason, the Airport Extreme is not detecting any wireless network after the re-install.
My own wireless network router is a third-party, which has been working well for the last 2 years. My Window PC and laptop still connects to it fine.
I can see the Airport icon but it doesn't how any detected networks (and there are quite a few in my neighbourhood). I did Apple Hardware Test and it shows the Airport card to be working ok.
Any help would be wonderful!
Regards,
Leng
Mac Mini G4 Mac OS X (10.4.8) Sorry for the cross-post. I posted wrongly in Airport Express previously.

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. I saw the thread before I posted and I'm hoping this will be solved soon.
The main thing that worries me is that in my case, the Mac Mini is not even seeing any networks - zero in an apartment block where there is at least 5 network on the air at any time
Leng

My mac mini won't back up to my Seagate external drive but can read the information on it. Can i back up to it at all?

My mac mini won't back up to my Seagate external drive but can read the information on it.
Can i back up to it at all? and how do i do it?
Simon

I suspect the Seagate is not formatted to be used with the Mac. The correct format would be Mac OS Extended (Journaled), if you just bought the EHD then almost certainly it's formatted to be used with MS Windows machines. This is easy to fix, here are instructions on how to format it:
http://pondini.org/OSX/DU1.html
After formatting Time Machine http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1427 will launch and will begin backing up. The first backup will take some time however after the first backup it will go pretty quickly.
NOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After formatting all data will be erased, so please if you have data on that move it to the internal HD first and then format. Then once you have backed up you will have a backup copy of the data. Also NEVER EVER use a backup disk to be used to store data. The reason being is if that drive crashes you have not only lost the data you have lost it's backup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have old MacBook Pro running tiger 10.4 want to save date to external hard drive and buy newer MacBook and still use same drive. Any suggestions, most WD drives say nothing about os tiger 10.4.

Have old MacBook Pro running tiger 10.4 want to save date to external hard drive and buy newer MacBook and still use same drive. Any suggestions, most WD drives say nothing about os tiger 10.4. The OS compatibility is much newer on the data. Totally confused. Not a computer person.

I haven't checked reviews recently but there's a difference between bare drives and drives with enclosures. Western Digital made some of the most reliable drives last time I checked, though the enclosures weren't all that great. It is convenient to get both in one package but I usually buy a highly rated enclosure and then put a highly rated drive in it myself. OWC sells some good enclosures but if they put a so-so drive inside of it then the package is only as good as its weakest component. If you get a package from them, ask them what drive is inside (some vendors have no idea what's inside - went to an Apple Store recently and they couldn't tell me what was inside some of their Apple brand enclosures). My first thought if buying a new drive would be to buy a OWC enclosure with a WD drive, but chek around because I may be out of date.
10 years ago Seagate was one of the best drives. Now they rate poorly in reviews.

Replacing a hard disk: will any drive work?

The 60GB internal hard disk on my 12" PowerBook G4 no longer works reliably. I know this because I can install OS X on my external Maxtor hard drive and boot up with no problem through firewire, but not with the internal one.
I want to replace the internal hard disk. Will any drive that seems to have the right specs-2.5", 9.5mm IDE Hitachi 80GB-do the job? I just bought the described drive at a computer shop, and haven't opened it yet, but I want to make sure I can actually make use of it. Are there any other important considerations?
Thanks in advance.
17" iMac G5 2.0 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.3) 12" PowerBook G4 867MHz

Good to see you have managed to get the correct drive.
I have seen posts on these boards where the SATA version has been purchased by mistake as online resellers don't always make enough distinction between the serial and parallel/ultra versions in their sales descriptions.
Even when I was buying my drive I had to triple check that I was buying the correct one.
15 1.25G/12 1G PBs, Mac minis, iBooks G3/G4, Mac OS X (10.4.3) Cube, TAMs, iPods 2G/4G, iPs, AEBS, AX

Will Any Usb DVD-RW drive work with the 2011 Mac mini?

I am considering buying a USB DVD-RW drive, and i wanted to hear from people with first hand experience of USB dvd drive support for Mac's I'm looking for a DVD-RW DL drive, so It can burn DVD DL CD's normal DVD's RW's etc. Things a modern superdrive would do esentially.
I have checked and i personaly think the Official apple one will hit my bank too hard, not to mention it doesn't bother me what It looks like
Can anyone recommend any Drives that work?(It will also be used on My PC and Macbook with a broken superdrive)
I was looking around the £15-£25 price range
I was allso wondering if a USB to Sata with a Sata DVD drive will work? As from what i can see nobody has tried it!
Any help will be appriciated.
Thanks, Scott.

This OS X compatible > LG GE24LU20 Reviews works great with my iMac and Mac Mini.
Boots System Install and OS X Upgrade Disc's, plus burned and boots a Lion Recovery Disc.
Plus other trick features, like opening and closing from the eject button icon on the menu bar.

Photo library on Time Capsule and want iPhoto to recognise it rather than import to Mac Mini small Hard drive

As heading states, I have 100Gb of photos and want to have them "sorted" and viewable through iPhoto. at the moment when i add photos it is importing them from the TC to my mini's hard drive duplicating the pictures and using up valuable space. Is there a way of pointing iPhoto to the photo folder on TC as you would music and videos for iTunes library?

Yes there is but you shouldn't.
Here's why:
1. Is this a wireless connection? If you're trying to edit the Library (that is, make albums, move photos around, keyword, make books or slideshows etc.) or edit individual photos in it via Wireless be very careful. Dropouts are a common fact of wireless networking, and should one occur while the app is writing to the database then your Library will be damaged. Simply, I would not do this with my Libraries.
Problems with a Referenced Library
A Referenced Library is when iPhoto is NOT copying the files into the iPhoto Library when importing. The files are then stored where ever you put them and not in the Library package. In this scenario you are responsible for the File Management.
This is an attractive option for some users at face value, but it contains a significant number of issues that you might want to consider before making the decision to run a Referenced Library
How to do it:
iPhoto -> Preferences -> Advanced and uncheck the box at 'Copy items to the iPhoto Library'
Now when you import iPhoto makes an alias in the Library Package that points to the stored file. Note: iPhoto still creates a thumbnail of the image and it makes a Preview of edited photos inside the Library Package.
Issues?
1. You are responsible for file management. That's more work:
You must first move the files from your camera to the storage location before importing.
If you want to delete files then you must first trash them from iPhoto and then afterwards find them in your storage and trash them.
Thereafter, you cannot move the files on early versions of iPhoto at all, on iPhoto 08 and later you may move them on the same Volume or Disk. If you move them to a new volume or disk the aliases my break. If they are on an different volume and you move them the aliases will break.
You cannot rename the files.
Migrating: moving to a new machine, moving the files to another disk are all a lot more complex.
2. You gain no extra functionality from running a Referenced Library. Nothing. This is just storage. You still manage the files via iPhoto. You edit them with iPhoto or via iPhoto's External Editor setting, otherwise you're changes will not be available in iPhoto. You don't save byte of storage space.
3. If you have the Library on one volume and the photos on another you if anything changes in the path to a file (Like if you upgrade your machine, move the files on the NAS or on to another one?) then the alias will break, and you'll have to repair it manually. For every photo in the Library. One at a time.
You can run a Managed library from an external disk. Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.
4. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.

Mac mini internal hard drive not recognised during internet recovery

mac mini 2.3GHz OS X Lion
I turned on my comp and got the folder with the question mark. Went into recovery and am not able to do any of the proceedures. I can see something in the disk utility, but it is not mounted. I was able to recover an old internal drive connected with a SATA wire, but not what I was looking to do. Have had this less than 2 months. I wish apple had better steps to follow for recovery. Just want it to function the way it was bought. Any help is appreciated. First time posting!

Sounds like either a failed Hard Drive or other Hardware problem.
Contact Apple or your local AASP and make an appointment to have it looked at.
Apple - Support - iMac - Service FAQ

New MAC Mini w/OSX Lion - will not boot from USB or external optical drive when attempting to use BootCamp to install Windows 7?

The University recently purchased 6 brand new MAC minis for deployment in classrooms I support. I am attempting to create a dualk--boot environment comparable to our existing computer systems, only these machines wil be running MAC OS X Lion and Windows 7. After following the procedures outlined in the BootCamp on-screen prompts, and attempting a few techniques I found in the tech support user-base, I am still unable to get the MAC mini to boot up from the USB flash drive, or from an external optical drive, so that I can complete the installation of Windows 7. When using the Boot option key at start-up, all devices are displayed suggesting that they are being properly recognized, however the computer boots to a black screen with an error message indicating that "No bootable devices are found - press any key to continue." I am able to boot into the computer's internal drive, but not from any external devices. I fully expected that the semi-automated BootCamp procedure properly prepares the USB device for booting, and for installing the Windows 7 OS.

Meh, with the price they take for a drive in Denmark, I don't think it's worth it... They take around 160 $ for the drive (that's the cheapest MacBook drive I could find), and I am not even sure that's the one I need.

My mac mini's hard drive won't go to sleep!

I don't know what happened? a couple of days before my wireless track pad and keyboard would have trouble connecting when computer is waken after sleep mode. Then one day my mac mini just suddenly stopped going in a physical sleep state. When I go to the apple sign and put the mac mini to sleep the screen turns black like usual but once its put to "sleep" the light indicator on the mac mini will not blink neither will I hear the hardrive slow down. whats going on. This is the standard $700 model mac mini mid 2011. I pretty sure its a software problem rather than a hardware problem. I have made no customozations to the mac.

Test after each of the following steps that you haven’t already tried:
Step 1
 ▹ System Preferences ▹ Energy Saver ▹ Power Adapter ▹ Wake for network access: uncheck. You may need to unlock the preference pane by clicking the lock icon in the lower left corner and entering your administrator password.
Step 2
 ▹ System Preferences ▹ Energy Saver ▹ Schedule… ▹ Start up or wake: uncheck
Step 3
 ▹ System Preferences ▹ Print & Scan ▹ Open Print Queue...
Check all printers for unfinished jobs. Deal with any you find.
Step 4
Disconnect all wired peripherals except keyboard, mouse or trackball, and monitor, if applicable.
Step 5
Launch the Activity Monitor application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ If you’re running Mac OS X 10.7 or later, open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Activity Monitor in the page that opens.
Select All Processes from the menu in the toolbar, if not already selected. Enter “powerd” (without the quotes) in the "Filter" text field. Select the powerd process and click the Quit Process button in the toobar (stop-sign icon.) In the sheet that opens, click Force Quit. You’ll be prompted for your administrator password. The process will be relaunched immediately.
Step 6
Boot in safe mode and log in. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:
Be sure your Mac is shut down.
Press the power button.
Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
Note: If FileVault is enabled under Mac OS X 10.7 or later, or if a firmware password is set, you can’t boot in safe mode.
Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal. Don’t launch any applications at first. If sleep still doesn’t work properly, back up all data and reinstall the Mac OS. After that, if you still have the issue, make a “Genius” appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested.
If sleep now works as expected, go on to the next step.
Step 7
Still in safe mode, launch the usual set of applications that are running when you have the problem, including your login items, one at a time, testing after each one. Some applications may not work; skip them. You might be able to identify the cause of the problem this way.
Step 8
If sleep is still working after you’ve launched all the usual applications, reboot as usual (not in safe mode) and test again. If sleep still works, you’re done, at least for the moment.
If you still have the sleep issue after booting out of safe mode, post again.

Mac Mini Airport Extreme - Cannot detect any wireless networks

Hello,
Last week my Mac Mini (Power PC)'s hard disk crashed. So I did a DIY replacement. I managed to re-install all the software, and installed all the latest updates.
However, for some reason, the Airport Extreme is not detecting any wireless network after the re-install.
My own wireless network router is a third-party, which has been working well for the last 2 years. My Window PC and laptop still connects to it fine.
I can see the Airport icon but it doesn't how any detected networks (and there are quite a few in my neighbourhood). I did Apple Hardware Test and it shows the Airport card to be working ok.
Any help would be wonderful!
Regards,
Leng
Mac Mini G4 Mac OS X (10.4.9)

It still may be possible that the antenna wire is not placed properly within the Mini. Here are an excerpt of the DIY instructions for installing the wireless antenna. Hope it helps...
- Make sure that the antenna cables are firmly seated in the mezzanine board.
- Pass the antenna cables through the gap at the rear of the internal frame.
- Carefully lower the internal frame down onto the motherboard. Make sure that the wires are routed to the right of the interconnect board.
- Snap the AirPort antenna onto the black plastic column next to the rear port panel.
- Tape the AirPort antenna wire to the edge of the DVD drive.

2005 mac mini on OSX leopard will not boot up from firewire disk

I have an old mac mini that my son still uses and the super dirve does not work any more. But now the main hard disk needs to some attention from Disk Utility. So I need to boot up from the Leopard install DVD. But of course the DVD dirve does not work so how to do this? I have tried to create a bootable disk by restoring the install DVD to a partition on a firewire drive and this is seen as a bootable drive by my 2008 iMac, but not by the Mac Mini. So is it possible to boot up rom a irewire drive? USB doesn't work either

Which Tiger Install DVD do you have...?
1. I think that, that model originally came with 10.4.10 and so you will need either the original 10.4.10 install disc or a later retail (Leopard or Snow Leopard) upgrade DVD.
2. In addition, a new (HDD, Hybrid Drive or SSD) must first be Partitioned GUID Partition Table and Formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) before OS X can be installed.

Mac mini as archive server: do any big disks work??

I'm proposing purchase of a mini (I have one on another project, works flawlessly) and lots (4-8 TB at least) of disk. I've heard of problems with the mini talking to RAID storage. I've also been through reviews on amazon and newegg and gather many brands of big disks (1-2 TB) are having problems - with macs on firewire, if not all PCs - with going to sleep and having to be removed/reconnected before they are visible again.
So I'm wondering if any in the mac mini community have had success with 2 TB or larger drives talking to their mac without difficulty over FW800. I'm leaning toward purchasing separate enclosures and putting better internal drives in there (e.g. OWC enclosures, Hitachi deskstar drives).
Any comments would be much appreciated.

So how were you thinking of providing a username/password system on the Mac mini or are you just planning to use un-authenticated (guest) access? Without a clear security system in place interally you will not be able to protect your data from the outside world.
In actual fact I'm intending to re-task my Mac mini into a server as well although I'm waiting for Mac OS X Server to be brought to Intel before taking my current server, an old PowerBook G4 500MHz, offline and replace it with the mini.
My preferred security method is to send all inbound traffic from our DSL connection to our server (placing it into the DMZ), close all ports on the server except the absolute minimum (server admin etc) and provide VPN access. Once a VPN connection is established you can do what you like with the network with your username and password. All other traffic is simply denied as you require the VPN conection.
You may just want to buy youself a hardware VPN server to handle the security until Mac OS X Server.

New Mac Mini+Superdrive+windows 7 - Will it work?

Looking at updating my father to the Apple world, thought I would get him a Mac Mini, and use Bootcamp to install Windows. As the new Mac Mini doesn't have an optical drive (I have a MacBook Air Superdrive), if I use the external one to install Windows, will it install properly? Does the Mac Mini have the drivers for the SUperdrive? Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
vladimir10

Well, running 10 Mac Apps whilst Paralles is running XP & W7, here's the results, many DirectX tests ran at dizzing 400+++ FPS!?
I'm certain running off a SATA drive would double this.
All on a lowly iMac...
Hardware Overview:
Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac7,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 6 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: IM71.007A.B03
SMC Version (system): 1.21f4

Hard drive will not mount after optical drive upgrade

I recently performed an optical drive install. Had to remove the hard drive bays (I use three hard drives - Luckily, 2 run OSX).
I carefully removed all three drive bays and the empty bay. When I inserted the drives into the computer I had changed the position, swapping one OSX drive with a different one and reversing the drive bays. On restart, the computer started on the drive I had not selected for startup and I received an error message stating the other drive could not mount and it gave three options (Initialize - Ignore and Eject).
I can see the drive in Disk Utility and repair the permissions (it's also located in the System Profile).
I tried a few things I read in the community using various Terminal commands but was unsuccessful.
(Let me point out that I recently switched from a PPC G5 to MacPro and swapped the drives from PPC into MacPro and all has been fine until I removed changed their positions in the bays)
Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated.

I would recommend you reformat your drives that you brought over, and if possible put in a Firewie case.
Swapping drives will normally not matter but you should use Startup Disk to reset the default after using Option key the first time.
Putting in an optical device shouldn't require removing the drives to get the cage loose and let you put in a 2nd superdirve.
G5 used APM partition map, Intel Macs use EFI and requie GPT/GUID.
A drive with just data should not matter but that is not fool-proof either.
A drive iwth the system from a G5 though can.
During startup the boot process scans all volumes and looks for systems and mountable volumes.
Pull all the drives except the one with OS X that you were using, and put that in bay #1.
I've moved arrays between bays and that never "broke" the array or had trouble mounting and using (even moving to ODD ports).

Mac Mini replacement hard drive - will any 2.5" SATA drive fit?

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