1TB two hard drives Mac Mini Thread

[HiFiGuy528]

As you all know by now, you can add a second hard drive to the new Mini. Here is the link on how to do it. Let's use this thread to post all the FAQ or problems encountered doing this mod.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/Mac-mini-A1283-Terabyte-Drive/660/1#top

 

[HiFiGuy528]

How do you boot from Remote Disc to install OS X using another Mac's DVD drive?

 

[Dscarty]

How do ya

I'd plug in a USB CD/DVD drive to install OS X

 

[RiverFox]

I'd plug in a USB CD/DVD drive to install OS X

I'd make a 10GB partition with nothing but the DVD. (I already have my Mini set up that way, in case of serious damage.)

 

[OldCorpse]

Can you combine an SSD & 500GB drive?

Is it possible to alter this scenario slightly, and have the primary drive be an SSD, and the second drive the 500GB 7200 RPM?

That way you have the advantage of a very fast primary drive and a lot of room available on the second drive.

 

[Greg K]

Sorry to dig up an old thread. I've done exactly this with my MBP.

Looking to replace my shuttle PC (running Ubuntu) with a Mac Mini (running a Ubuntu VirtualBox VM) but I'd need more than 500GBs storage, so I guess 2 internal HDDs. I don't need Leopard Server so the Mac Mini Server from Apple is looking kinda pricey at $1k.

Presume you can add an OBHC to a regular Mac Mini to install a second HDD in place of the optical drive?

 

[MacHamster68]

one question why would you sacrifice the optical drive , there are perfect fitting external drives available for the mini which male the mini even look better and act as usb/firewire hubs too
i mean for me the optical drive is still my main form of backup even i have external drives to backup too , but even backupdrives can fail so having everything on a dvd is ...at least for me the most important form of backup

and these externals make the mini look fantastic nearly a cube from the size

one example is from newertech
http://www.newertech.com/products/externalhd.php
lacie did build one too but could not find it any more

 

[mangrove]

Is it possible to alter this scenario slightly, and have the primary drive be an SSD, and the second drive the 500GB 7200 RPM?

That way you have the advantage of a very fast primary drive and a lot of room available on the second drive.

Sorry to go way back, but did you ever get a clear yes or no to your question? I don't see one.

I want to do it in my late 2009 Mini.

 

[Hellhammer]

Sorry to go way back, but did you ever get a clear yes or no to your question? I don't see one.

I want to do it in my late 2009 Mini.

I can't see why it couldn't be done. 7200rpm HD and SSD are just disks, just like 5400rpm is. They are the same physical size so there shouldn't be any issues

 

[mangrove]

As you all know by now, you can add a second hard drive to the new Mini. Here is the link on how to do it. Let's use this thread to post all the FAQ or problems encountered doing this mod.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/Mac-mini-A1283-Terabyte-Drive/660/1#top

Ok so I've got the drives and now I cannot find where to get the cables quoted in the iFixit guide. Anyone buy cables for this job and if yes, where?

I refer to the 1TB iFixit Guide pp. 6-8, steps 17-22.

OK so I now got a little smarter and found an optibay OBHC from newmodeus which my second HHD will fit into and then the optibay will plug into the optical drive SATA connector.

While awaiting one other part for the job, I want some help, please. Cannot find any thread or video where this has been accomplished on a Mini client.

Have not yet opened my Mini since I cannot have much down time.

1. Has anyone replaced the SD with an OBHC in a late 2009 mini client? If so kindly reply.

2. Would like a heads-up on where the screws are on the stock SD and if any difficulties were encountered during your conversion. Ribbon cable easy to remove?

3. Is there a bracket to relocate from the SD onto the OBHC like in MBP threads I've studied?

Thanks from this novice.

 

[sammyman]

Can this be done with the 2010 model Mac Mini's?