Systems with "Current" support the latest version of the macOS, macOS Ventura (macOS 13). Systems marked "Current*" (Current and an asterisk) also are capable of running macOS Ventura, but there may be some unsupported features. Systems with other OS versions listed and an asterisk are capable of running that version of the operating system (but no higher) and with limitations. See the specs page for a particular model for details.
Best Operating System For Mid 2011 Mac Mini
If you wish to use the latest version of macOS but Apple no longer supports your Mac, the best option (in terms of speed, system stability, and the full range of Apple features) is to simply buy a new Mac. Of course, not everyone can necessarily afford to do so.
MacBook (Early 2008 through Mid 2010)MacBook Air (Late 2008 through Mid 2011)MacBook Pro (Early 2008 through Late 2011)iMac (Mid 2007, after upgrading the CPU)*iMac (Early 2008 through Late 2011)Mac mini (Early 2009 through Mid 2011)Mac Pro (Early 2008 through Mid 2012)Xserve (Early 2008 and Early 2009)
Best Operating System For Mid 2011 Mac Mini Specs
Mid 2011 Mac Mini
Bare metal installs of Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXiNeed to run OS X 10.6, Windows Server 2008/2012, Linux, or VMware ESXi? We offer over a dozen different alternative OS installations available for 2011/2012/2014 model Mac minis. This service came from many lab hours testing and developing custom system images and scripts to take full advantage of your colocated Mac mini. Remote reboot functionality is maintained, even with the CentOS, and Ubuntu LTS Linux distributions. We offer the option to wipe the default operating system from any Mac mini and to install an alternative operating system for FREE (additional licenses may be required).
Are you more comfortable in the command line? We are able to natively install Ubuntu Server 16.04 / 18.04 LTS on 2014 Mac minis. The installation includes the base operating system without a desktop environment. We also configure the system to automatically power up on power failure.
Are you more comfortable in the command line? We are able to natively install Ubuntu Server 16.04 / 18.04 LTS on 2012 Mac minis. The installation includes the base operating system without a desktop environment. We also configure the system to automatically power up on power failure.
Step 1: Instead of patching Refit for lion use the refined "rEFInd" at =directory. After installing, your mac will look for other operating systems at boot and provide you with a list of bootable volumes attached to the mac.
A server version of the Mac Mini that is bundled with the Server edition of the OS X operating system was offered from 2009 to 2014. The Mac Mini received generally tepid reviews except for the Apple silicon model, which was praised for its compatibility, performance, processor, price, and power efficiencies, though it drew some occasional criticisms for its ports, speaker, integrated graphics, non-user-upgradable RAM and storage, and the expensive cost to buy associated accessories and displays.
The Mac Mini was modeled on the shape of a standard digital media player,[1] and runs the macOS operating system (previously Mac OS X and OS X).[2] It was initially advertised as "BYODKM" (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse), aiming to expand Apple's market-share of customers using other operating systems such as Microsoft Windows and Linux.[3] Mac Mini was the company's only consumer computer that shipped without a paired display, keyboard, and mouse since its original release in 2005.[4][5]
The Mac Mini G4 has two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port. Networking is supported with 10/100 Ethernet and a 56k V.92 modem, while 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth were additional, build-to-order options. External displays are supported via a DVI port, and adapters for VGA, S-Video, and composite video output were available. The system contains a built-in speaker and an 1/8-inch stereo mini jack for analog sound output. The new Wi-Fi card no longer used an MMCX-Female connector for the antenna, as do prior models, but rather a proprietary Apple one.[19]
The Mac Mini G4 was initially supplied with Mac OS X 10.3, then later with Mac OS X 10.4, and can run Mac OS 9 applications, as long as a bootable copy of the OS 9 system folder is installed from which to run the Classic environment (although the Mac Mini G4 cannot natively boot to Mac OS 9). As of Mac OS X 10.5, the ability to run the Classic environment was removed. Later, Mac OS 9 was able to run on the Mac Mini G4 through an unofficial patcher, though this was not supported by Apple.[20] It is compatible with operating systems designed for the PowerPC architecture. Users can install the AmigaOS-compatible MorphOS, OpenBSD,[21] and Linux distributions such as Debian and Ubuntu.[22][23][24][25]
In July 2011, a hardware update was announced; models were now fitted with a Thunderbolt port, dual-core Intel Core i5 and 4-core i7 CPUs, support for up to 16 GB of memory, Bluetooth 4.0, and either an Intel HD Graphics 3000 integrated graphics or an AMD Radeon HD 6630M dedicated graphics. The revision, however, removed the internal CD/DVD optical drive. The server model was upgraded to a quad-core Core i7 processor. Apple updated the line in October 2012, with Ivy Bridge processors, USB 3.0, and upgraded graphics.[59] In October 2014, the line was updated with Haswell processors, improved graphics, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Thunderbolt 2 ports, one of which replaced the FireWire 800 port. The price of the base model was lowered by $100. Two holes that were used to open the case were removed from the case because the memory, being soldered to the logic board, was no longer upgradable. Because the integrated GPU does not have its own dedicated memory, the system shares some of the main system memory with it.[60] 4K video output via HDMI was added.[61]
With the M1, this Mac Mini has a 3x faster eight-core CPU, a 6x faster GPU, and 15x faster machine learning performance than its predecessor, the base 2018 model.[106] Options for more than 16 GB of RAM are no longer available.[107] Support for external displays is reduced to one display over USB-C/Thunderbolt, though a second display can be connected using HDMI; the previous Intel-based model could drive two 4K displays over USB-C/Thunderbolt.[108] On April 20, 2021, 10 Gigabit Ethernet with Lights Out Management[109] was added as a built-to-order option.[110] Its internal cooling system has a thermal-based design that according to Apple performs five times more quickly than the best-selling Windows-based desktop computer in its price range.[111]
Pre-2009 models have a video connector that is compatible with DVI, HDMI (video only), SVGA, S-Video, and composite video with appropriate adapters; for audio output, it has both the analog mini-headphone port and a digital optical fiber port.[143] The addition of a HDMI port on the 2010 Mac Mini simplified connection to high-definition televisions and home theater AV receivers. The HDMI port supports video resolutions of up to 1080p and eight-channel, 24-bit audio at 192 kHz, and Dolby Surround 5.1 and stereo output. The 2014 model added 4K output, and the 2018 model supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR10, and uses the macOS Catalina operating system.[61][93]
Apple offered a server configuration of the Mac Mini that was originally supplied with the OS X Server operating system, a version of OS X, but this was later switched to the standard version of OS X with a separate OS X Server package. The file included component applications such as "Server App" and "File Sharing". In June 2011, it was available from Mac App Store for other Macintosh computers.[144] The Mid 2010 Mac Mini Server was initially the only model without an optical drive, which was replaced with a second hard drive. The Mid 2011 models also eliminated the optical drive.[145]
Alternative operating systems for Mac users include Linux and virtualized Windows; they can also install third-party Unix packages via open-source package managers such as Conda, Fink, Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, pkgsrc, and Rudix.[148] A few services, such as caching, files, Time Machine, and Web, were moved to the macOS Mojave client but can have limited configuration capability via the Sharing control panel. The Apache server GUI manager is replaced by apachectl commands in Terminal. The only services remaining in macOS Server 5.7.1 are Open Directory, Profile Manager, and Xsan.[149]
One of the major plus points of picking up the new Mac mini is that it ships straight to you with OS X Lion included, so you get the latest Apple operating system and the speediest user experience yet. We have covered the features of OS X Lion in depth in our review, so we are not going to go over it again here. We will say, however, that the new OS is perfectly at home on the Mac mini, with things like Launchpad running very smoothly and looking great on the big screen.
The Mini was booted from an external USB drive. The system was installed on a MBP 2011/Thunderbolt, from the original installer. The same problems occured as SL was installed on a MBP 2007 - from a retail DVD to the USB drive, and updated to 10.6.8. System profiler has recognized all hardware in both cases.
The general online consensus is that installing Snow Leopard an a 2011 Mini is NOT possible. The problem is apparently the 2011 Mini's new chip expectations of a fully 64-bit compliant system environment, the loss of necessary drivers that are part of Lion (for example, for the 2011 Mini's graphics processing and/or the Radeon GPU) that don't exist in Snow Leopard or in previous Minis, and other little sabotages that are improvements.
Are you sure it works with a retail SL on this Mac? The new Mini comes with Lion. Based on the experience that usually only OSes upwards from the original system can be installed, I doubt that a regular installer DVD would work. Besides, the 2011 Mini does not even have a DVD drive. 2ff7e9595c