Can I somehow update the hardware of mac-mini (2009) to install Sierra or Mojave?

[Vishwas Gagrani]

I have mac mini (2009) . The last version it installed was 10.11.6 El Capitan.
Is it possible to get the hardware replaced for example processor etc so that it can install the latest version of Sierra or Mojave?
Has anyone has got experience doing it ?
Do mac-stores do such replacement ?

 

[Boyd01]

Not sure about updating the hardware, but if you look at the forum for each version of MacOS, you'll find a thread about installation on unsupported Macs. Since you mentioned Sierra and Mojave, see these:

macOS 10.12 Sierra Unsupported Macs Thread

macOS Sierra on unsupported Macs Introduction For the first time since OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) in 2012, macOS Sierra (10.12) has changed the official minimum requirements needed for installation, leaving many older (but still perfectly capable) Macs behind. This is a thread for people to...

forums.macrumors.com

macOS 10.14 Mojave on Unsupported Macs Thread

macOS 10.14 Mojave on Unsupported Macs Machine Support Video Card Support Pre-Metal AMD video cards (Radeon HD 6xxx series and older without acceleration, Radeon HD 4xxx series and older with acceleration.) Pre-Metal Nvidia video cards (GeForce 5xx series and older, i.e...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[Fishrrman]

Stick with El Cap.
It runs fine and you don't have to install any dodgy kludges to get it running.

If you really, really want to run Mojave, get a 2018/20 Mini (refurbished if you want to save $$$).

 

[Nedstah]

I have an early 2009 2.0 ghz, SSD and 8GB Ram and two late 2009 2.53 and 2.66 ghz SSD, 8GB RAM Minis running Sierra and Mojave through DosDude1's patchers and they run fine. All software updates have been applied through the patcher. As Boyd01 suggested, check out those threads. Also, the early 2009 has a partition with Catalina on it - runs well, just don't use Catalina on a daily basis.

 

[loby]

I have a 2009 Mac mini and El Capitan runs really good on it. If you are using it for general stuff (internet, MS Office etc.) it runs great still.

The issue with the Mac mini 2009 is that by now the thermal paste on the CPU (and probably the GPU) needs to be reapplied, but as I have seen on YouTube, the CPU Fan is held on the board by plastic clip types, and if you try to detach, due to age and probably things starting to melt, you can brake something.

If anyone has overcome this issues with the plastic clip thing, It would be great to share...

 

[Yebubbleman]

I have mac mini (2009) . The last version it installed was 10.11.6 El Capitan.
Is it possible to get the hardware replaced for example processor etc so that it can install the latest version of Sierra or Mojave?
Has anyone has got experience doing it ?
Do mac-stores do such replacement ?

That Mac caps out at El Capitan. As others have posted there are ways to hack on newer versions. I wouldn't bother with either Sierra or High Sierra. They're both buggy and unsupported in terms of regular security patching. Mojave is a fantastic release, but you only have another year of support on that OS before it's in the same boat. Catalina is garbage. Big Sur looks pretty great so far (from stability standpoints), but I can't imagine your Mac mini won't be sluggish even if you figure a way around Apple's compatibility limitations with your mini.

There's no hardware upgrading that you can do to remedy this (as this is a CPU/logic-board/GPU limitation more than anything; and none of that is upgradable on that mini). As someone else said, I'd leave that Mac at El Capitan or maybe install a Linux distro on it and buy one of the newer Mac minis on the Apple Certified Refurbished Mac section of the Apple Online Store, assuming you can't wait for an Apple Silicon Mac mini to arrive and/or have desire to do Boot Camp or x86 OS virtualization (both of which you will not be able to do on an Apple Silicon Mac).

 

[jrgl050]

I have a 2009 Mac mini and El Capitan runs really good on it. If you are using it for general stuff (internet, MS Office etc.) it runs great still.

The issue with the Mac mini 2009 is that by now the thermal paste on the CPU (and probably the GPU) needs to be reapplied, but as I have seen on YouTube, the CPU Fan is held on the board by plastic clip types, and if you try to detach, due to age and probably things starting to melt, you can brake something.

If anyone has overcome this issues with the plastic clip thing, It would be great to share...

I cut off the plastic clips and replaced them with 4-40x3/4 inch nylon binder screws with nylon nuts when putting the cpu heatsink back. I've seen on youtube some guys using zip ties.

 

[Nedstah]

I cut off the plastic clips and replaced them with 4-40x3/4 inch nylon binder screws with nylon nuts when putting the cpu heatsink back. I've seen on youtube some guys using zip ties.

Like your solution better than zip ties. Where did you get the nylon screws and nuts? I may go through my collection and redo the thermal paste.

 

[loby]

Would these work?

uxcell M4x30mm Threaded Nylon Phillips Cross Pan Head Machine Screws Bolts White 50Pcs

: Good Insulation, Corrosion Resistance, Light Weight, Beautiful Appearance. wind power industry, the aerospace industry, office equipment industry, petrochemical industry, the electronics industry, the communications industry, shipbuilding industry, machinery, etc. : Product Name: Ph...

www.amazon.com

 

[jrgl050]

Like your solution better than zip ties. Where did you get the nylon screws and nuts? I may go through my collection and redo the thermal paste.

I got them on amazon because I could not find them local to me. The ones I bought are - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NQQZSJS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and these nuts - https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Line-9..._rd_p=ce6c479b-ef53-49a6-845b-bbbf35c28dd3&pf After I installed them I clipped the ends of the screws flush with the nuts. Just hope the links work. To me for what you got they were expensive on amazon.