Mini OS and SSD upgrade

[sean barry]

I am upgrading my late 2012 mini. i7 x 4 @ 230mhz, 16 gig RAM, 1 TeraBite 5400 HD (EveryMac # I7-3615QM)
Basically stock but for the RAM upgrade I did.
I purchased the mini used with Win 8 (trial) in a Boot Camp partition. I deleted Win 8.

I have FW800 2T for Time Machine with 815.05G open, FW400 250G with 63.81G open (Also has Mavericks installed)

I am going to add an SSD 120 from OWC. With the data doubler kit and run Yosemite.

1. I want to delete the Boot Camp partition that is currently consuming half the HD space and half the RAM.
In order to do that I will lose all the data on the HD correct? I do have a current backup on the 2T in Time Machine.
2. I want to install the 120 SSD internally and reinstall Yosemite and use as the start up disk?
3. I want to put Parallels 10 and Win 7 Home premium on the internal 1T HD. Can I have Yosemite on the SSD and the HD?
4. I can't figure this bullet numbering thing and I'm trying to redo My Mini?

I have watched and read many tutorials. The more I learn the less I know
I need some hand holding and would be happy to pay for it.

 

[Gjwilly]

1) You deleted Windows 8 but you still have the partition? Weird. You should be able to run Bootcamp assistant and simply delete the Bootcamp partition. Or run Disk Utility and delete it from there. Either way it should not effect the rest of your hard drive -- your Mac partition will simply get bigger and you shouldn't lose anything (unless you've been storing files in the Bootcamp partition -- then those files will need to be copied out of the Bootcamp partition and back to your main partition first).

2) Make a USB installer for Yosemite, boot off of the USB and install it onto your new SSD. After you reboot you'll have a working copy of Yosemite on each drive. Go into the System Preferences and select the new SSD as your Startup disk (if it isn't already). Reboot again and you'll be booting off of the SSD.

3) Yes, you can have Yosemite on both drives. If you have the room you can install Parallels and then Windows 7 on the HD as-is, or if you like, now that you've got the Mini booting off of the SSD, you can format the HD and install Parallels and Windows on the now empty HD.

4) Have fun with your new Mini.

 

[sean barry]

1) You deleted Windows 8 but you still have the partition? Weird. You should be able to run Bootcamp assistant and simply delete the Bootcamp partition. Or run Disk Utility and delete it from there. Either way it should not effect the rest of your hard drive -- your Mac partition will simply get bigger and you shouldn't lose anything (unless you've been storing files in the Bootcamp partition -- then those files will need to be copied out of the Bootcamp partition and back to your main partition first).
It won't allow me to do that. I see no option to remove Bootcamp .



2) Make a USB installer for Yosemite, boot off of the USB and install it onto your new SSD. After you reboot you'll have a working copy of Yosemite on each drive. Go into the System Preferences and select the new SSD as your Startup disk (if it isn't already). Reboot again and you'll be booting off of the SSD.
Does the drive have to be a flash drive? If so how big?
I have a 200 Gig (5400rpm) external USB HD, would that work?

3) Yes, you can have Yosemite on both drives. If you have the room you can install Parallels and then Windows 7 on the HD as-is, or if you like, now that you've got the Mini booting off of the SSD, you can format the HD and install Parallels and Windows on the now empty HD.
COOL!

4) Have fun with your new Mini.

Thanks a bunch

 

[hallux]

I suppose it doesn't HAVE to be a flash drive. Minimum 8 GB if it is though.

If you're going to use a 5400 RPM HDD, might as well do an Internet Recovery to install it instead, it may go faster.

 

[sean barry]

Installed SSD in the mini all still works but

Thanks for the input Hallux.

Well I installed a 2nd drive, SSD and everything still works but the SSD is not showing up on the desktop or in Disk Utility? Any thoughts?