Using Mac Mini and hard drive enclosure to make bootable drive for Mac Pro

[sssssshhhhhh]

Excuse the confusing title, but I was just about to start setting up a new start up disk for a Mac Pro. I was going to use a Mac Mini and a hard drive enclosure, but then I read this...

This procedure installs a version of OS X that is compatible with the Mac it was created with. Using this OS X system with a different Mac model may produce unpredictable results.
(http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5911)

Does that mean that once I put the hard drive into the Mac Pro, it won't work?

 

[jbarley]

Does that mean that once I put the hard drive into the Mac Pro, it won't work?

May-be, may-be not, but for sure it will not work well.
It would be missing all the machine specific drivers and files needed to get the most from the new Mac Pro.

 

[chrfr]

It would be missing all the machine specific drivers and files needed to get the most from the new Mac Pro.

As long as you're using a build of the OS that's compatible with the Mac Pro (the OP doesn't specify which model), there are NO model specific drivers and files.
If the OP has a new Mac Pro and is building an installer from the current 10.9.3 installer, it will work perfectly.

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Does that mean that once I put the hard drive into the Mac Pro, it won't work?

It will work fine. Just be sure you're using a compatible version of the operating system. Refer to this table to be sure you're using a new enough operating system for your Mac Pro.

 

[jbarley]

It will work fine. Just be sure you're using a compatible version of the operating system. Refer to this table to be sure you're using a new enough operating system for your Mac Pro.

Makes one wonder as to why Apple would waste everyones time printing such a statement as this…

"This procedure installs a version of OS X that is compatible with the Mac it was created with. Using this OS X system with a different Mac model may produce unpredictable results."

Found at the link the OP posted.

 

[chrfr]

Makes one wonder as to why Apple would waste everyones time printing such a statement as this…

They are warning you against using operating systems older than what's supported on a given computer, as referenced in the table I linked here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1159

 

[jbarley]

They are warning you against using operating systems older than what's supported on a given computer, as referenced in the table I linked here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1159

Wrong! in the statement I quoted from the link I provided, Apple is warning that

"This procedure installs a version of OS X that is compatible with the Mac it was created with. Using this OS X system with a different Mac model may produce unpredictable results."

It's quite clear they are saying if you download and install the current version of OSX on one computer and try to run it on a different computer it may produce unpredictable results, no mention whatsoever of running an operating system older then the one the computer shipped with.

 

[chrfr]

It's quite clear they are saying if you download and install the current version of OSX on one computer and try to run it on a different computer it may produce unpredictable results, no mention whatsoever of running an operating system older then the one the computer shipped with.

Ok, by the letter of what Apple wrote, I am wrong. However, I manage and support a lot of Macs for a living and here is what I know: What Apple functionally means is that if you install a version of OS older than what is on the list I linked (or if it's not a Mac on a supported system list for a given OS release), you may have unpredictable results (which really means that the system will not start up.)
The App Store OS installers do not install a machine specific version of the operating system. If your Mac runs 10.9.3 and you're installing 10.9.3 from the App Store on another disk, that disk will operate any Mac that's compatible with 10.9.3. Currently there are no 10.9.x compatible systems which are incompatible with the version of 10.9.3 available in the App Store.
Until the OP provides better detail about the version of Mini and Mac Pro he or she has, we cannot answer the question.

 

[cfedu]

Ok, by the letter of what Apple wrote, I am wrong. However, I manage and support a lot of Macs for a living and here is what I know: What Apple functionally means is that if you install a version of OS older than what is on the list I linked (or if it's not a Mac on a supported system list for a given OS release), you may have unpredictable results (which really means that the system will not start up.)
The App Store OS installers do not install a machine specific version of the operating system. If your Mac runs 10.9.3 and you're installing 10.9.3 from the App Store on another disk, that disk will operate any Mac that's compatible with 10.9.3. Currently there are no 10.9.x compatible systems which are incompatible with the version of 10.9.3 available in the App Store.
Until the OP provides better detail about the version of Mini and Mac Pro he or she has, we cannot answer the question.

I would agree to most if what you say buy there can still be issues. They still have built specific OS versions for newly released computers. 10.9.3 might be slightly different for a newly released computer. This only goes away after a few .1 updates.

When I bought my 2010 Mac mini I cloned my old mini's hard drive on it. The SD card slot did not work and brought it into an apple store. They replaced the logic board and gave it back to me. I still had the same problem and the exchanged the mini for me. When I got home I I tested the new one and it worked so I then cloned my old drive to the mini and the problem returned. I felt bad that I made apple change the logic board and give me a new comouter . After further research I found out that the early 2010 mini had a build specific version. In the following .1 OS release I updated my clone drive and the SD card slot on the mini worked fine.

 

[jbarley]

Ok, by the letter of what Apple wrote, I am wrong.

There now, I'm glad we got that cleared up.

 

[chrfr]

10.9.3 might be slightly different for a newly released computer.

As of right now, as I wrote, all shipping Macs use the retail build of 10.9.3. This will change when new hardware is released.

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There now, I'm glad we got that cleared up.

Nothing like taking remarks out of context. Good work.

 

[jbarley]

Nothing like taking remarks out of context. Good work.

And here I thought adding the "wink" was supposed to indicate a "tongue-in-cheek" (not to be taken seriously) comment.

 

[sssssshhhhhh]

Wow, thanks for the replies, sorry I didn't give more info.

So, the Mac Mini is one of the new ones (2012) running Mountain Lion.

The plan is to install Mountain Lion on an external, along with all the software I need and then transplant this into the Mac Pro (2009) currently running Lion.

Honestly, if its a contentious issue, would it be better to hook up the external to the Mac Pro, just for the OSX install, then back to the Mac Mini for everything else?

Basically, I can't use the Mac Pro for the majority of the time, but need to get the Mountain Lion system up and running as quick as possible.

 

[chrfr]

So, the Mac Mini is one of the new ones (2012) running Mountain Lion.

The plan is to install Mountain Lion on an external, along with all the software I need and then transplant this into the Mac Pro (2009) currently running Lion.

This will work perfectly fine.