Advice Please: What To Do With Mac Mini mid2011???

[BeautifulWoman_1984]

I reckon options 1 and 2 are the way to go. Why recycle this Mac Mini when with a bit of tender loving care, spare time, and very modest expense it can be upgraded to an excellent performer. I recently did this with a 2012 model installing a Crucial 500GHz SSD and upgraded RAM to 8Gb (if ever required can easily be maxed out to 16GB).
Now running OS Mojave, the 2012 is a really great performer. It can also run Catalina, which I didn't want as I'd loose the use of my current Word and Excel and some other 32bit apps (at least without implementing a workaround).
Bare in mind your mid 2011 Mac Mini is one of the easiest Macs to work on, with iFixit giving it one of their highest notes ever of 8/10 for upgradability, better than the 2014-2018 models. HERE's how to change the HD, and HERE the full iFixit repair guide.
So if it were me I'd definitely go for option 1. Install an SSD, format as APFS and using the dosdude's patcher, upgrade to Mojave (I have my personal reservations about not installing Catalina).

I definitely appreciate your post!

I don't want to install "dosdude patcher" because even though my Mac Mini mid2011 could run Mojave/Catalina I still don't want to run something that's unofficial and not from Apple...

I'm reading the helpful article you posted about replacing the internal 2.5" HDD because I want to carry out same procedure soon!

EDIT:
It's starting to seem like running Linux on my Mac Mini mid2011 is the best option after security updates stop for High Sierra in September 2020...

 

[CooperBox]

I definitely appreciate your post!

I don't want to install "dosdude patcher" because even though my Mac Mini mid2011 could run Mojave/Catalina I still don't want to run something that's unofficial and not from Apple...

I'm reading the helpful article you posted about replacing the internal 2.5" HDD because I want to carry out same procedure soon!

EDIT:
It's starting to seem like running Linux on my Mac Mini mid2011 is the best option after security updates stop for High Sierra in September 2020...

Hi, You'll find Linux runs well as I've installed it on several Intel Macs. Your 'problem' may be in deciding with exact flavour of Linux as there are so many distributions. I suggest you go to distrowatch.com to get an overview of what's available. You'll be spoilt for choice!

One thing I find a little strange is your comment about not wishing to install Mojave or Catalina. If you follow the instructions, the OS you install (either Mojave or Catalina) is official and it's from Apple. What dosdude's patcher does is to provide a workaround for the later OS's, something that Apple didn't want folks to do because they would then probably sell fewer new machines, which do exactly the same as your's in terms of operating system. It's a win-win. You are loosing nothing - and gaining more, in terms of an updated OS.

 

[iAssimilated]

I definitely appreciate your post!

I don't want to install "dosdude patcher" because even though my Mac Mini mid2011 could run Mojave/Catalina I still don't want to run something that's unofficial and not from Apple...

I'm reading the helpful article you posted about replacing the internal 2.5" HDD because I want to carry out same procedure soon!

EDIT:
It's starting to seem like running Linux on my Mac Mini mid2011 is the best option after security updates stop for High Sierra in September 2020...

I agree with @CooperBox, the dosdude patcher doesn't make your installation of macOS unofficial, he simply provides an easy way to install an OS Apple no longer allows you to install on perfectly good hardware. Granted, it does depend on the video card in your Mac mini (which please forgive me if you included it and I miss it), what video card does your mini have? Like stated earlier in this thread, Mojave/Catalina (but more specifically Metal) does not like certain AMD Radeon cards. My mini would work well because it has the Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics card, but I didn't need another macOS box, I already have two.

I would definitely recommend putting a new SSD hard drive in your mini, any will do, but I have had luck with these drives from Samsung:

SAMSUNG 860 EVO Series 2.5" 1TB SATA III V-NAND 3-bit MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-76E1T0B/AM - Newegg.com

Buy SAMSUNG 860 EVO Series 2.5" 1TB SATA III V-NAND 3-bit MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-76E1T0B/AM with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

They come in sizes 256GB to 4TB. This guide will help you replace the drive:

Mac mini Mid 2011 Hard Drive Replacement

Use this guide to completely replace your mini's hard drive. Note that some of the connections in this Mac are more fragile to disconnect and more...

www.ifixit.com

As for linux, it does depend on your taste, but lucky most distro's allow for you to test their offering on your hardware before having to install anything. Distrowatch.com can help you decide, but it might be overwhelming for someone trying linux for the first time. The biggest question will be what DE you prefer:

8 Best Desktop Environments For Linux

A list of the best Linux Desktop Environments with their pros and cons. Have a look and see which desktop environment you should use.

itsfoss.com

I would suggest ubuntu (https://ubuntu.com) / kubuntu (https://kubuntu.org) to start, since they are fairly easy and have vast user groups to assist with any issues. I prefer KDE since I can tailor it to resemble macOS very easily (ie KDE is very configurable for look and usage). I use a flavor of ubuntu called KDE neon, which focuses on giving the user the latest KDE on a reliable/solid core system (18.04 LTS).

Download your preferred distro's ISO and burn it to a spare USB, I have had great luck with Etcher:

balenaEtcher - Flash OS images to SD cards & USB drives

A cross-platform tool to flash OS images onto SD cards and USB drives safely and easily. Free and open source for makers around the world.

www.balena.io

The following page will walk you through booting an external USB drive (stick to Way 1 if possible):

How to Boot Mac from a USB Flash Drive

If Mac won't be allowed to boot from a USB drive, how do you boot a Mac from a bootable USB flash drive, here are 2 fixes.

www.isumsoft.com

Choose LiveUSB (or Live Environment or something similar) when the drive boots, this will allow you to test the linux distro as well as the DE before installing.

At this point play around with a couple of distros to find the one you like. Once you decide, reply to this thread and we'll discuss installation as well as resources to assist you in navigating the new world you are about to experience!

 

[richmond62]

Well, I don't know about 'hard spots': I run 5 white, polycarbonate iMacs from 2005-2006 ranging from 2 G5 PPC one, through a 32-bit Intel one running 10.6.8 to 2 64-bit Intel ones running 10.7.5 and have hardened them as much as possible: and never had a problem (5 years and counting).

So why anyone is getting twitched about their 2011 machine not getting security updates after 2020 I just don't know.

And, Yes, I could have "fooled" around with all the ways to get these machines running more modern versions of the MacOS: but as they all run items of software I have bought that would need my paying out more money to run versions on higher systems, I can see no reason to.

 

[twalk]

I'm currently running a mid-2011 Mini, mostly because it still runs well enough. I also deal with computer security, among many other things

I'm going to keep running my Mini

Am I not worried about security issues? Not really. Why?

I'm running Ghostery Lite and AdGuard to protect Safari. I don't go to risky looking internet sites. I don't download stuff from unknown locations and run it. I use webmail and don't open emails from unknown senders, never click on email links, and never open attachments. If I need more security for a web page, then I'll use Firefox running uBlock Origin and the full Ghostery. Doing those things keeps you about as secure as you can be

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Want to get into a pickle that will cause you some headaches?
Then use a "patcher" that is unsupported by Apple.
It may work, but then again, things can go wrong quickly.

You have two choices, I'll repeat myself:
Either use the Mini you have now with the last version of the OS that Apple officially supports,
or
Get a newer Mini.

As heard over the police car radio:
"... that is all ..."

 

[avz]

OP:

Want to get into a pickle that will cause you some headaches?
Then use a "patcher" that is unsupported by Apple.
It may work, but then again, things can go wrong quickly.

You have two choices, I'll repeat myself:
Either use the Mini you have now with the last version of the OS that Apple officially supports,
or
Get a newer Mini.

As heard over the police car radio:
"... that is all ..."

I see a lot of that with the officially supported machines in these forums.
As others already mentioned 2011 Macs have AMD GPU's that don't work with the "patcher". All it takes to run the unsupported OS without "headaches" is a CLEAR understanding of the limitations of your hardware. And "...that is truly all...".

 

[mr.steevo]

Personally, I would look for a used 2014 mini and sell the 2011 to cover the purchase price.

 

[BeautifulWoman_1984]

Hi, You'll find Linux runs well as I've installed it on several Intel Macs. Your 'problem' may be in deciding with exact flavour of Linux as there are so many distributions. I suggest you go to distrowatch.com to get an overview of what's available. You'll be spoilt for choice!

One thing I find a little strange is your comment about not wishing to install Mojave or Catalina. If you follow the instructions, the OS you install (either Mojave or Catalina) is official and it's from Apple. What dosdude's patcher does is to provide a workaround for the later OS's, something that Apple didn't want folks to do because they would then probably sell fewer new machines, which do exactly the same as your's in terms of operating system. It's a win-win. You are loosing nothing - and gaining more, in terms of an updated OS.

CooperBox, thanks for your reply!

I'll check which Linux distro is the most secure to get running on my Mac Mini mid2011.

I know running the dosdude patcher will save me money and especially now that my finances are extremely tight, but I just want to feel 100% safe/comfortable when I use my Mac. I'll just have to sacrifice on food and other items.

I'd love to install Mojave/Catalina and keep using this Mac Mini mid2011 as MacOS security is very important to me, but I'd feel very worried about using something unofficial from Apple.

EDIT:
Since security is so important to me: I'd rather not use my Mac Mini mid2011 after September 2020(when the security updates for High Sierra stop) than use it as I'd feel too paranoid about my security being breached.

 

[CooperBox]

CooperBox, thanks for your reply!

I'll check which Linux distro is the most secure to get running on my Mac Mini mid2011.

I know running the dosdude patcher will save me money and especially now that my finances are extremely tight, but I just want to feel 100% safe/comfortable when I use my Mac. I'll just have to sacrifice on food and other items.

I'd love to install Mojave/Catalina and keep using this Mac Mini mid2011 as MacOS security is very important to me, but I'd feel very worried about using something unofficial from Apple.

EDIT:
Since security is so important to me: I'd rather not use my Mac Mini mid2011 after September 2020(when the security updates for High Sierra stop) than use it as I'd feel too paranoid about my security being breached.

Yourself and many others may be feeling very insecure about the current Covid19 pandemic, but don't let it cloud your view about using Mojave or Catalina on your Mac Mini. Both are perfectly safe, and again I stress - they are both official updates from the dosdude patcher via the Apple site.
I agree that security is important and the chances are high that you use Safari as your web browser - as do the majority of Mac users because of the built-in convenience. But you may wish to think again. For at least the last 10 years I've always used Macs, but never use Safari simply because the geek experts say there are more secure browsers available.
I opted for Mozilla Firefox for many years and found it slicker, but more recently now would never use anything except the WaterFox web browser (based on Mozilla) because of it's security and especially privacy! It's extremely stable/collects no telemetry - so no concerns about tracking or sharing of your usage info/and fully customizable for those who need it. A quick Google puts Mozilla FireFox in 2nd place as the most secure browser with Safari in 5th place.
My advise is, upgrade to Mojave/Catalina, then the only thing you'll regret is not having done it sooner. And switch web browser if security and privacy is so important to you.
You know it makes sense........

 

[BeautifulWoman_1984]

Thanks for the advice guys!

I don't want to run my Mac Mini mid2011 with High Sierra after September 2020 just because the security updates will cease. To give an idea of how paranoid I am of running an out-dated OS: I'm even worried about my security/privacy using High Sierra and not the most recent MacOS which is Catalina even though MacOS High Sierra is still receiving security updates...

Using the "dosdude patcher" isn't something I want to do because it's not officially from Apple so I don't want to take any chances.

I agree with @CooperBox, the dosdude patcher doesn't make your installation of macOS unofficial, he simply provides an easy way to install an OS Apple no longer allows you to install on perfectly good hardware. Granted, it does depend on the video card in your Mac mini (which please forgive me if you included it and I miss it), what video card does your mini have? Like stated earlier in this thread, Mojave/Catalina (but more specifically Metal) does not like certain AMD Radeon cards. My mini would work well because it has the Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics card, but I didn't need another macOS box, I already have two.

My Mac Mini mid2011 has the Intel 3000 graphics with 8GB of RAM.

Does anyone know if the Intel 3000 graphics is given 512mb of RAM because I've got 8GB of RAM installed?
[automerge]1586163252[/automerge]

Well, I don't know about 'hard spots': I run 5 white, polycarbonate iMacs from 2005-2006 ranging from 2 G5 PPC one, through a 32-bit Intel one running 10.6.8 to 2 64-bit Intel ones running 10.7.5 and have hardened them as much as possible: and never had a problem (5 years and counting).

So why anyone is getting twitched about their 2011 machine not hetting security updates after 2020 I just don't know.

And, Yes, I could have "fooled" around with all the ways to get these machines running more modern versions of the MacOS: but as they all run items of software I have bought that would need my paying out more money to run versions on higher systems, I can see no reason to.

Thanks for your reply Richmond, but running an OS that is no longer receiving security updates is something I just can't bring myself to do so that's not an option for me. 😢 😢

It's frustrating because my Mac Mini mid2011 is still a great performer for me. What makes things even worse for me is that I've got a 2009 ultra-portable PC laptop that only has a mobile Core2Duo and it still runs Windows 10 fine and is fully updated...

 

[twalk]

I think that some things need to be pointed out in this thread:

1) Security is a probability. There is no such thing as a 100% secure system
2) Older systems can be more secure than newer systems. Older systems can be fully patched up for all known issues while newer systems can have new issues pop up
3) For home computer users, OS security is usually radically less important than browser & email security. Upgrading your OS does NOT automatically make you more secure with your browser & email

For home computer users, 99.99%+ of your security issues come through 2 different sources: your browser and your email. Secure them and it really doesn't matter much what OS you are running. More to the point: A system using the really old MacOS Mavericks + the latest Firefox + uBlock Origin + Ghostery will normally be MUCH more secure under normal usage than a brand new system running MacOS Catalina + the latest Safari with no protective software

There's a lot written online about email security, so I won't say much here. However, don't click on links and attachments in which you're not certain about. Also keep in mind that attackers can make an email look like it came from someone you trust...

For browsers, the Safari version unfortunately gets updated with the version of MacOS. High Sierra runs Safari 13.1, which is the latest / greatest / "most secure" (same as what Mojave & Catalina run). Sierra runs Safari 12.1. Now here's the thing: the best you can really do with Safari 13.1 is run it with AdGuard + Ghostery Lite, which is definitely a speed hit. Safari 12.1 can use uBlock Origin + the full version of Ghostery, which really is much more secure... Using Firefox with uBlock Origin + the full version of Ghostery is better yet, for any version of MacOS. And while it shouldn't need to be said, going to unknown websites and downloading & running unknown software massively increases your risks

Where does OS security come in? Normally AFTER someone has already accessed your computer through either an email or browser security breach, to try to keep them from complete access to your machine. OS security often fails against attackers that know what they're doing. (Seeing the results from the latest security conferences can be eye opening...)

So... don't worry as much about your OS version and/or not getting more security updates for it. Worry about your email defenses. Worry about your browser version + defensive software added to that. Keep the bad guys off your system to begin with and you'll be fine (or *at least* as safe as anyone else is)

 

[iAssimilated]

All this talk about dosdude's patcher made me remember I have a retired Mac Mini (Mid 2011, 2.3 GHz i5, 8GB, Intel HD Graphics 3000) at work (which used to be a caching server). When I have some down time I will try his installer and see how it goes.

 

[Meatsuit]

You could install SecuritySpy it runs on High Sierra. Turn your Mini into a NVR. You will need some ip cameras and a Poe switch. Should be able to run 4 HD cam reliably depending on the frame rate. Use a VPN to remote access it if needed. Otherwise keep it isolated from the Internet.

 

[tstimper]

Any ideas or a possible options would be greatly appreciated.

- Upgrade your MacMini with a fast 2,5" SSD and 2* 8 GB RAM
- Install Linux of your choice or even Windows 10
- Install VMware Fusion or Virtual Box or Parallels Desktop
- run newer macOS like Mojave as virtual guest

All of our Mac Mini 2011 are running with SSD and 16 GB RAM.

I was running Mojave and Catalina in VMware Fusion on my Macbook Pro 2011 with High Sierra

One of our Mac Mini Server 2011 is running VMware ESXi so we use a macOS guest remotely.
Its possible to add two 2,5" SSDs in a macMini Server 2011 and in every macMini 2011 with an additional adapter

Thomas

 

[BeautifulWoman_1984]

I think that some things need to be pointed out in this thread:

1) Security is a probability. There is no such thing as a 100% secure system
2) Older systems can be more secure than newer systems. Older systems can be fully patched up for all known issues while newer systems can have new issues pop up
3) For home computer users, OS security is usually radically less important than browser & email security. Upgrading your OS does NOT automatically make you more secure with your browser & email

Hey Twalk, thank you kindly for your detailed reply.

I keep thinking of the problems Windows XP had in 2003-2004 where simply connecting to the internet using a Windows XP PC that didn't have the latest OS security patch installed meant that your system was completely insecure and online hackers could easily connect to your system even if you had the latest web browser security patches... It was something called the "DCOM" attack?

I'm worried that the same thing that happened to Windows XP in 2003-2004 where as soon as it's the end of September 2020 and security updates cease for High Sierra that my Mac Mini mid2011 running High Sierra will be immediately attacked by online hackers...

 

[avz]

Hey Twalk, thank you kindly for your detailed reply.

I keep thinking of the problems Windows XP had in 2003-2004 where simply connecting to the internet using a Windows XP PC that didn't have the latest OS security patch installed meant that your system was completely insecure and online hackers could easily connect to your system even if you had the latest web browser security patches... It was something called the "DCOM" attack?

I'm worried that the same thing that happened to Windows XP in 2003-2004 where as soon as it's the end of September 2020 and security updates cease for High Sierra that my Mac Mini mid2011 running High Sierra will be immediately attacked by online hackers...

But how do you explain that people running Leopard 10.5.8 are not getting attacked? Security by obscurity?

 

[BeautifulWoman_1984]

But how do you explain that people running Leopard 10.5.8 are not getting attacked? Security by obscurity?

I'd feel too paranoid to be using an OS that was no longer receiving security updates.😓 😥 That applies to both MacOS and Windows...

I'm not at all worried about not having the latest non-security features in MacOS like cosmetic changes that make MacOS easier to use, but security is my number one priority.

 

[twalk]

Hey Twalk, thank you kindly for your detailed reply.

I keep thinking of the problems Windows XP had in 2003-2004 where simply connecting to the internet using a Windows XP PC that didn't have the latest OS security patch installed meant that your system was completely insecure and online hackers could easily connect to your system even if you had the latest web browser security patches... It was something called the "DCOM" attack?

I'm worried that the same thing that happened to Windows XP in 2003-2004 where as soon as it's the end of September 2020 and security updates cease for High Sierra that my Mac Mini mid2011 running High Sierra will be immediately attacked by online hackers...

It was a different world, home computer security wise, back in the early 2000's. People were still often being hooked up to the internet with those old Motorola Surfboard modems (the single ethernet jack ones) and having that directly connected to their computer. That allowed direct attacks to be done against their computer. In addition, MS shipped Windows XP back then with services running by default that were NOT secure (such as uPnP). That led to the depressing situation of people, right after OS install, downloading security patches to fix those holes while at the same time the computer was being attacked (and exploited) with those holes

The modern situation is massively better. Nearly everyone anymore is using a router (or router+modem combination). The router normally has a simple firewall that protects everything on the network in your house. Also, both Windows & MacOS now have more risky services disabled by default and have a personal firewall active by default on your computer. In addition, both OS's have patched their other holes. While no security is 100%, there's a good reason you heard those stories 15+ years ago but you haven't heard much about those kinds of attacks any time recently

Note: If you want to improve this portion of security, then you'll need to read up about firewalls. Keep in mind that most people don't really need ANY ports open into their network, just the ports open to go outside of their network. (IOW, your computer can reach out for things, but outside computers can't reach in)

One other thing: In the last 5 years or so, MacOS showed up with a couple of security holes that Apple rated at a high severity level. They not only patched them for supported OS releases, but also for the last major unsupported. In this case, that would still be High Sierra. The reason Apple did this, is because a lot of corporate customers were still running the unsupported OS. No idea if they'll do it again, but it's likely

Keep in mind this: in recent security conferences, EVERY OS has been hacked. Every last one of them. That includes the latest Windows 10, MacOS Catalina, iOS, Android, and every major version of Linux. MacOS High Sierra is basically as secure as any of them. What you need to depend on is hardening what I mentioned before: email, browser, any other applications installed, and maybe the firewall in the router. Do that, and attackers won't be able to reach your computer in the first place

 

[iAssimilated]

My first attempts with the dosdude patchers were not so great. The first round I tried to upgrade from within High Sierra... I did this for two reasons, I wanted to try to do it the easiest way possible (from the perceptive of someone new to the Mac experience) as well as I do not have a spare wired Mac keyboard at work (I only have the one on my main Mac Pro and it is currently perfectly cabled wrapped I did not want to undo it) so I could not Option boot to the USB.

Mojave Patcher: The files downloaded successfully and the USB was created correctly. Once I ran the installer it would state it could not continue because there were resources it needed to download and were unavailable please try again later. I had a good internet connection, but could never get past this prompt. I tried multiple times over a two day span.

Catalina Patcher: The files downloaded successfully. This installer did not require me to create an USB if I only wanted to upgrade my system (very nice), so I did not. The installer then told me it could not continue because SIP was enabled and instructed me to boot to Internet Recovery or another macOS installer USB to disable SIP before I could continue. Due to the keyboard situation I described above I could not continue.

Keep in mind I did not read through the 700+ pages of the Unsupported Mac threads for Dosdude's Patcher on this forum or post for any kind of assistance (since this is merely a test). I also did a minimal Google search for the issue and did not get a silver bullet to fix the Mojave Patcher error. If I was doing this for real (ie I wanted to do this on my personal Mac) I would definitely do more research as well as ask for guidance.

What's next? I will bring my spare wired Mac keyboard from home to try the USB boot installer to see if I get better results. One thing to remember, I would need this keyboard regardless to install linux on a mini, since the Option boot to the USB is required for that as well.

 

[avz]

My first attempts with the dosdude patchers were not so great. The first round I tried to upgrade from within High Sierra... I did this for two reasons, I wanted to try to do it the easiest way possible (from the perceptive of someone new to the Mac experience) as well as I do not have a spare wired Mac keyboard at work (I only have the one on my main Mac Pro and it is currently perfectly cabled wrapped I did not want to undo it) so I could not Option boot to the USB.

Mojave Patcher: The files downloaded successfully and the USB was created correctly. Once I ran the installer it would state it could not continue because there were resources it needed to download and were unavailable please try again later. I had a good internet connection, but could never get past this prompt. I tried multiple times over a two day span.

Catalina Patcher: The files downloaded successfully. This installer did not require me to create an USB if I only wanted to upgrade my system (very nice), so I did not. The installer then told me it could not continue because SIP was enabled and instructed me to boot to Internet Recovery or another macOS installer USB to disable SIP before I could continue. Due to the keyboard situation I described above I could not continue.

Keep in mind I did not read through the 700+ pages of the Unsupported Mac threads for Dosdude's Patcher on this forum or post for any kind of assistance (since this is merely a test). I also did a minimal Google search for the issue and did not get a silver bullet to fix the Mojave Patcher error. If I was doing this for real (ie I wanted to do this on my personal Mac) I would definitely do more research as well as ask for guidance.

What's next? I will bring my spare wired Mac keyboard from home to try the USB boot installer to see if I get better results. One thing to remember, I would need this keyboard regardless to install linux on a mini, since the Option boot to the USB is required for that as well.

Ironically all the issues you described has nothing to do with the patchers or the unsupported Macs.

The unsupported threads are 700+ pages for all the wrong reasons. People keep asking the same basic questions over and over again. It seems that 80% of people are unable to educate themselves (even a little) and just "stumbling around like a wasted zombies".

This is why my main advice to the OP was to do a better research and gain knowledge which will put her in a more powerful and secure position than buying a new Mac ever will.

 

[jasoncarle]

Here is my answer... Max the RAM, install an SSD also.

Regarding the dosdude patcher, if you read and follow the directions, it's insanely easy. If you're a knob and decide to try it without doing any of the reading, then you'll have headaches.

It's literally as easy as installing a clean OS from a USB stick, with one extra step.

and you're not running a "fan made" version of the OS, you're downloading it from Apple and running an Apple OS, from Apple...

geez. Go read:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macos-10-14-mojave-on-unsupported-macs-thread.2121473/

macOS Mojave Patcher

 

[iAssimilated]

I brought my spare wired Apple keyboard to work today to try the Mojave installer again. This time it is exactly like @jasoncarle stated. As long as you are prepared to do a clean install via an USB then the process is pretty simple. Follow the instructions here: http://dosdude1.com/mojave/

The only thing that is not super clear is how to install security updates (ie not dot releases, which is covered), the process does require you to boot the USB again and run the post install scripts on every update before your mini will boot up.

I tested the wired and wireless connections, playing iTunes music with the internal speaker, streaming video at full screen from the internet, signing into the App Store, configuring basic settings, and light usage of pre-installed apps. Everything worked without issue. I even updated to the latest security release of Mojave:

Overall I have to say I am quite impressed with the work done to make this installer work so well! Is it perfect, no, but it sure beats letting an expensive piece of Apple hardware go unused or in the garbage.

@BeautifulWoman_1984 if you do decide to do this, I would suggest you stay with Mojave until Catalina is updated to it's final dot release, it will cut down on issues you might encounter with the dosdude patcher.

 

[jasoncarle]

I agree, the 2011 Mini is a great machine with a lot of useful life left in it and runs Mojave just fine! Literally everything works.

 

[iAssimilated]

I agree, the 2011 Mini is a great machine with a lot of useful life left in it and runs Mojave just fine! Literally everything works.

I couldn't agree more! Mojave runs wonderfully on this 2011 Mac mini. If a reason arose that I needed to put Mojave on my personal 2011 Mac mini, I would not hesitate for second to do so.