Mac Mini with Ubuntu Server

Tony5787 · Dec 26, 2012, 12:23 PM

Hi I'm looking at buying a Mac Mini (haven't decided on what model yet but most likely an Intel version) to install Ubuntu server on in order to create a LAMP stack for web development testing. What I'm wondering is if it would be a good idea to install Ubuntu through bootcamp or if I could (or should) just install Ubuntu as the sole OS. Thanks in advance.

mwhities · Dec 26, 2012, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony5787

Hi I'm looking at buying a Mac Mini (haven't decided on what model yet but most likely an Intel version) to install Ubuntu server on in order to create a LAMP stack for web development testing. What I'm wondering is if it would be a good idea to install Ubuntu through bootcamp or if I could (or should) just install Ubuntu as the sole OS. Thanks in advance.

Why waste a mac mini for a test environment, unless you will use the mac mini in the end.

Just get an old PC, install Ubuntu and LAMP. Test what you need there, then decide what type pf hardware you will need in the end.

I'd recommend installing as the sole OS, unless you need something from OS X too. I've only used Win7 as a bootcamp so, I'm not even sure you could bootcamp Ubuntu.

Tony5787 · Dec 26, 2012, 02:55 PM

Ok yeah the only reasons I was looking at a Mac Mini is because they use low power and have such a small form factor that I can just leave it next to my router and modem and be done with it. Plus they don't really sell for that much used anymore depending on the model.

ActionableMango · Dec 26, 2012, 05:18 PM

Mac Mini is perfect for that. Definitely get an Intel model. The G4 models were outdated even when they were new. Also the Intel Core Solo models are a bit pokey today. I'd get a Core 2 Duo or newer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony5787

I'm wondering is if it would be a good idea to install Ubuntu through bootcamp

AFAIK Bootcamp is for Windows only. Bootcamp is two things: (1) Bootcamp Assistant which partitions the drive and sets it up for Windows installation, and (2) a collection of Windows drivers for the Apple hardware.

You can certainly dual boot if you like, but I don't see Bootcamp as very useful for an Ubuntu install.

Tony5787 · Dec 26, 2012, 08:15 PM

Thanks for the info! I had read this article:

http://phildawson.tumblr.com/post/77...er-on-mac-mini

and mistakenly thought he had used Bootcamp to partition the drive but now I see he just partitioned it with Disk Utility. I've never used Bootcamp before so I wasn't aware that it was only for Windows. I'll definitely look for one with the specs you mentioned. Thanks again!

blueroom · Dec 26, 2012, 08:22 PM

Consider a Synology NAS instead. It's a really good LAMP server, low power consumption too. Also handles 3.5" HDDs.

biggd · Dec 26, 2012, 09:10 PM

Lifehacker.com has a great article about how to unleash the power of your mac by using ubuntu/linux

Headtalk · Dec 27, 2012, 11:33 AM

I have a 2012 Mac Mini i7 with 16GB of memory for my lab machine using VMware fusion. You can snap backup the configuration for rev changes. You can also download prebuilt images from VMware. Here is a list of the my collection of images. I use 1 to 4GB for each image the performance is incredible with the ---1TB fusion drive it is like a bare metal install. Please give it a try before using bootcamp.

Windows 8
Windows 2008 Server R2
Windows XP
Windows 7
Backtrack (Ubuntu)
CentOS

Here is a link of available images (including lamp)

http://www.turnkeylinux.org/lampstack

https://solutionexchange.vmware.com/...ual-appliances

Greg

Dec 26, 2012, 12:23 PM	#1
Tony5787 macrumors member Join Date: Oct 2009	Mac Mini with Ubuntu Server Hi I'm looking at buying a Mac Mini (haven't decided on what model yet but most likely an Intel version) to install Ubuntu server on in order to create a LAMP stack for web development testing. What I'm wondering is if it would be a good idea to install Ubuntu through bootcamp or if I could (or should) just install Ubuntu as the sole OS. Thanks in advance.
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Dec 26, 2012, 08:22 PM	#6
blueroom macrumors 601 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada	Consider a Synology NAS instead. It's a really good LAMP server, low power consumption too. Also handles 3.5" HDDs. __________________ My iOS devices are not jailbroken. Bill My Blog
	1

Dec 26, 2012, 09:10 PM	#7
biggd macrumors 6502 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Calgary	Lifehacker.com has a great article about how to unleash the power of your mac by using ubuntu/linux __________________ 2007 iMac 24", 240GB SSD, 4GB ---- iPhone 4, 16GB As a PC tech I promise your Mac will run faster, longer & safer than a PC http://www.ifixit.com/Manifesto
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Dec 27, 2012, 11:33 AM	#8
Headtalk macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2012	I have a 2012 Mac Mini i7 with 16GB of memory for my lab machine using VMware fusion. You can snap backup the configuration for rev changes. You can also download prebuilt images from VMware. Here is a list of the my collection of images. I use 1 to 4GB for each image the performance is incredible with the ---1TB fusion drive it is like a bare metal install. Please give it a try before using bootcamp. Windows 8 Windows 2008 Server R2 Windows XP Windows 7 Backtrack (Ubuntu) CentOS Here is a link of available images (including lamp) http://www.turnkeylinux.org/lampstack https://solutionexchange.vmware.com/...ual-appliances Greg __________________ 2012 Mac Mini i7 16GB RAM 1TB Fusion Drive 1985 Apple IIc 128 kB RAM 5.25-inch floppy iphone 5 32GB iPad 2 32GB
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Dec 26, 2012, 02:55 PM	#3
Tony5787 Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Oct 2009	Ok yeah the only reasons I was looking at a Mac Mini is because they use low power and have such a small form factor that I can just leave it next to my router and modem and be done with it. Plus they don't really sell for that much used anymore depending on the model.
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Dec 26, 2012, 08:15 PM	#5
Tony5787 Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Oct 2009	Thanks for the info! I had read this article: http://phildawson.tumblr.com/post/77...er-on-mac-mini and mistakenly thought he had used Bootcamp to partition the drive but now I see he just partitioned it with Disk Utility. I've never used Bootcamp before so I wasn't aware that it was only for Windows. I'll definitely look for one with the specs you mentioned. Thanks again!
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