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2011 Server Mini: SSD on the way...

M

mikethewxguy

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 22, 2007
96
2
I received my 2011 Mac mini server model today. I immediately opened her up and removed the top-most hard drive (well, since the mini is turned over...I guess it would be the bottom-most hard drive!!!) and removed the RAM....I have 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD on the way, and should have it all on Monday or Tuesday.....

My question is: Should I remove both of the hard drives in the mini...and just go with the SSD? I would prefer to keep it in there, and use the SSD for LION OS X and for running all the software/apps.

I plan on slapping the SSD in there and using the new "Lion Recovery" feature to download and install Lion unto the SSD. But what if Lion is already installed on the 2nd hard drive (the one I'm leaving in the mini)?....can I also use "Lion Recovery" to wipe that 2nd drive clean?

Just want to be prepared for when the SSD arrives! Thanks in advance!

Mike
 
not to be critical but I went this route. server with the 750gb ssd upgrade. only 100 bucks. I then put in 8gb ram.


when t-bolt comes out I plan to add an external raid0 ssd like this;


http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10549

or this

http://www.thunderboltexternalharddrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Fusion-F2TBR.png

Fusion F2TBR 2

The Fusion F2TBR 2 drive is a RAID 0 set portable SSD storage system with two Thunderbolt ports.

It is very compact, about the size of two stacked CD cases.
 
philipma1957 said:
not to be critical but I went this route. server with the 750gb ssd upgrade. only 100 bucks. I then put in 8gb ram.
Click to expand...

I am really leaning this way too. I was going to raid 0 the two 750gb drives and store data on external FireWire drive, whenever this decides shows up.
 
jeffkempster said:
I am seeing SSD drives at macsales.com For 240gb for $450. Apple is only charging $400 to upgrade to 256gb. It's only $50 cheaper but you lose the 6g bit connection.

Are there drive cheaper than this one at macsales.com?
Click to expand...

Not an entirely even comparison though. Yes, the SSD upgrade at Apple costs an additional $400 but you are losing two 500 GB 7200 rpm HDD and should take that into account ($60-70 each). If you keep the standard HDD configuration and elect to upgrade the SSD yourself, you get to keep those HDDs, one of which will remain internal. And the comparable SSD from OWC would be the Mercury Extreme Pro 3G, which costs $418.00. So in reality, there is a pretty significant cost difference.
 
tbayrgs said:
Not an entirely even comparison though. Yes, the SSD upgrade at Apple costs an additional $400 but you are losing two 500 GB 7200 rpm HDD and should take that into account ($60-70 each). If you keep the standard HDD configuration and elect to upgrade the SSD yourself, you get to keep those HDDs, one of which will remain internal. And the comparable SSD from OWC would be the Mercury Extreme Pro 3G, which costs $418.00. So in reality, there is a pretty significant cost difference.
Click to expand...

That is a good point. Obviously now we can use these other drives in a USB case or other computer, but when thunderbolt devices become more available we can buy a TB case and use these there. I do wish these thunderbolt devices become available soon. It kind of makes you wonder what's taking so long.
 
philipma1957 said:
THIS gets me a bit worried.
Click to expand...

It's gonna take some time, it's a new form of I/O, it's not like USB 3.0 which supports all the old formats, plus USB 3.0 has been out for quite a while longer with more support for the I/O.

I'm eagerly awaiting a Thunderbolt HDD, but in the mean time the internal HDDs are real nice, plus my USB 2.0 and FW800 still work just fine.

As for the server model, I'm greatly enjoying. Just bought a 750GB 7200RPM and 8GB of RAM. For the little effort the saving the money, getting better specs and having fun work on my Mac is well worth it.
 
Yeah, I'm not too worried or even thinking about Thunderbolt at the time being.

I have an unRAID server (current capacity 22TB, but upgradeable to 40TB...last I checked anyway). Right now I have 11/2TB drives for storage installed - and I'm only sitting at 49% full).

unRAID has been the best thing I have done.... I use Plex to stream media everywhere in my house. Central server is the Mac mini....

I probably didn't even need to go the SSD route on the new 2011 Mini...but I thought why not :)

Should be installing it tomorrow evening...as long as it arrives.
 
Got the SSD drive and installed it today

Booted up to do internet recovery (Command R) but all I get is the flashing folder w/ question mark icon....

Any help/ideas for me???
 
zap2 said:
It's gonna take some time, it's a new form of I/O, it's not like USB 3.0 which supports all the old formats, plus USB 3.0 has been out for quite a while longer with more support for the I/O.

I'm eagerly awaiting a Thunderbolt HDD, but in the mean time the internal HDDs are real nice, plus my USB 2.0 and FW800 still work just fine.

As for the server model, I'm greatly enjoying. Just bought a 750GB 7200RPM and 8GB of RAM. For the little effort the saving the money, getting better specs and having fun work on my Mac is well worth it.
Click to expand...

You replaced one of the 500 GB drives it came with with a 750 GB one?

General question about this thread: is the consensus that swapping drives (including replacing one of the factory HDD's with SSD) is a realistic thing to do?
 
zap2 said:
It's gonna take some time, it's a new form of I/O, it's not like USB 3.0 which supports all the old formats, plus USB 3.0 has been out for quite a while longer with more support for the I/O.

I'm eagerly awaiting a Thunderbolt HDD, but in the mean time the internal HDDs are real nice, plus my USB 2.0 and FW800 still work just fine.

As for the server model, I'm greatly enjoying. Just bought a 750GB 7200RPM and 8GB of RAM. For the little effort the saving the money, getting better specs and having fun work on my Mac is well worth it.
Click to expand...

USB 3 drives took quite a while to appear. Hell, it was nearly a year since Apple put the ports in before USB 1 devices became common
 
jeffkempster said:
I am seeing SSD drives at macsales.com For 240gb for $450. Apple is only charging $400 to upgrade to 256gb. It's only $50 cheaper but you lose the 6g bit connection.

Are there drive cheaper than this one at macsales.com?
Click to expand...

To add to what has already been said, running a server for some means not needing even 256GB of storage. I'll be getting an OWC 6G 120GB drive instead of a 240GB.

Though I really have no need for the 500GB stock drives. If anyone would like to take them off my hands I'll sell them for a reasonable price.
 
A few questions... I am thinking of getting a Mac Mini sever and upgrading it

1) How does one go about replacing the factory hard drive with a bootable SSD?

2) Has anyone tried using a 3TB drive as the 2nd drive on the mac mini?

3) What is the max supported RAM?

4) Can you upgrade the CPU to something faster aftermarket?
 
grkmec said:
A few questions... I am thinking of getting a Mac Mini sever and upgrading it

1) How does one go about replacing the factory hard drive with a bootable SSD?

2) Has anyone tried using a 3TB drive as the 2nd drive on the mac mini?

3) What is the max supported RAM?

4) Can you upgrade the CPU to something faster aftermarket?
Click to expand...

1) Check out iFixit.com or take a look at this thread found here in the Mac Mini forum.

2) The Mini uses laptop (2.5") HDD so the most your going to be able to use is 1 TB which I believe is going to limit you to either this Samsung or this WD unit (both 9.5 mm).

3) Apple says it's 8 GB but it's widely believed that it will support 16 GB--no official word yet that I've read.

4) Nope--soldered to logic board.
 
grkmec said:
A few questions... I am thinking of getting a Mac Mini sever and upgrading it

1) How does one go about replacing the factory hard drive with a bootable SSD?

2) Has anyone tried using a 3TB drive as the 2nd drive on the mac mini?

3) What is the max supported RAM?

4) Can you upgrade the CPU to something faster aftermarket?
Click to expand...

1. Open it up swap out the Hdd for an ssd I would use carbon copy cloner and make clone of your original drive.
2. The Mac mini uses 2.5 inch drives. Biggest is only 1 tb right now.
3. I believe 16. But 8gb chips are expensive. There are only 2 slots.
4. I don't know this one.
 
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