I Botched The Install Need Help

[Heat_Fan89]

2018 Mini i5 32GB of RAM 256GB Storage

I downloaded Catalina from dosdude1 because downloading it from the App Store or System Update would fail just shy of 8GB.

So I used dosdudes patcher tool to create a bootable USB drive. Since the 2018 Mini only has 2 USB ports it got real interesting. I got into the Security Utility and allowed the Mini to boot from an external drive. Then I erased my internal drive.

From there things went south in a hurry. I could no longer boot from the Catalina USB drive I created with the patcher tool. So I used my 2012 Mini to create a bootable Catalina USB drive with Diskmaker 9 for Catalina. So I booted using a wired Logitech keyboard because my wireless Magic Keyboard 1 isn't recognized fast enough in the boot process.

So I held down the ALT Key and R and I was able to boot off the Catalina USB disk I created with Diskmaker 9. When I click on the Install Catalina icon up arrow it takes me to internet recovery. It said it needed to update something on the Mini before I could install Catalina. I left and when I got back I saw the flashing Folder icon with the ? mark inside.

So I powered off the Mini and retried it and it took me back again to internet recovery as soon as I clicked on Install Catalina.

So I need help trying to figure out my next step. I hope I don't have to install Mojave again via Internet Recovery.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

I got it sorted out, back in business

 

[MacGizmo]

Could you share with everyone what you did to get it up and running. I'm sure you're not the only one who has run into this or a similar problem.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Since the 2018 Mini only has 2 USB ports it got real interesting..."

Where did you EVER get that idea?

The 2018 Mini has SIX "USB" ports:
- 2 USBa ports
and
- 4 (count 'em, FOUR) USBc ports.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

OP wrote:
"Since the 2018 Mini only has 2 USB ports it got real interesting..."

Where did you EVER get that idea?

The 2018 Mini has SIX "USB" ports:
- 2 USBa ports
and
- 4 (count 'em, FOUR) USBc ports.

I was referring to USBa ports. Are the TB ports considered USBc?

 

[Fishrrman]

"I was referring to USBa ports. Are the TB ports considered USBc?"

Switch that around 180 degrees.
They are "USBc" ports, that also support thunderbolt3 (and video out).

 

[Heat_Fan89]

"I was referring to USBa ports. Are the TB ports considered USBc?"

Switch that around 180 degrees.
They are "USBc" ports, that also support thunderbolt3 (and video out).

They are useless (USBc and TB3) to me. I still have too many USB 2.0 and 3.0 devices. So that leaves me with just two of those ports on the back of my 2018 Mini unless I want to put a USB hub. Fortunately my Dell 19" monitor has two USB ports I can plug things into.

 

[Fishrrman]

"They are useless (USBc and TB3) to me. I still have too many USB 2.0 and 3.0 devices. So that leaves me with just two of those ports on the back of my 2018 Mini unless I want to put a USB hub"

Get a two or three of these:

Cable Matters USB C to USB Adapter 6 Inches (USB to USB C Adapter, USB-C to USB 3.0 Adapter, USB C OTG) in Black

Cable Matters USB C to USB Adapter 6 Inches (USB to USB C Adapter, USB-C to USB 3.0 Adapter, USB C OTG) in Black

www.amazon.com

This will (for all practical purposes) convert the USBc ports into USBa ports.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

"They are useless (USBc and TB3) to me. I still have too many USB 2.0 and 3.0 devices. So that leaves me with just two of those ports on the back of my 2018 Mini unless I want to put a USB hub"

Get a two or three of these:

Cable Matters USB C to USB Adapter 6 Inches (USB to USB C Adapter, USB-C to USB 3.0 Adapter, USB C OTG) in Black

Cable Matters USB C to USB Adapter 6 Inches (USB to USB C Adapter, USB-C to USB 3.0 Adapter, USB C OTG) in Black

www.amazon.com

This will (for all practical purposes) convert the USBc ports into USBa ports.

Thanks, i'll definitely consider those !