Mac Mini 2012 FAQ?

[Johbremat]

3x Macmini6,2 about to arrive on my doorstep. Expect to utilise as a stack as I venture into VMware ESXi territory.

Base, they're 2.3GHz with 4GB RAM and 2x 1.0TB 5400RPM drives. Will be upgrading each with 16GB RAM, and thinking 2x 256/480/512GB SSD each.

Can anyone tell me - or point me to an existing list - of caveats when upgrading, and known working parts?

• Word is Crucial memory and SSDs are actually tested in-house for compatibility
• Can't decide myself if the OWC products are a rort or the safest bet
• Think other 2012 users around the traps have been using Samsung PRO and EVO drives without any issues

Recommendations on parts?

 

[redheeler]

Crucial is a reliable brand when it comes to RAM, and it has worked fine for me in my iMac. As for SSDs, Samsung tends to use good quality NAND so they would be a good choice there. Any 2.5" SATA SSD including the ones you mentioned should work just fine in a Mac mini.

 

[Joelburman]

I'd steer away from Samsung until they have fixed the issues with their current drives (840 EVO/850 PRO).

 

[fhall1]

What Samsung problems? They issued a firmware fix last November to fix the only issue I know about the 840 EVO.

 

[scottsjack]

3x Macmini6,2 about to arrive on my doorstep. Expect to utilise as a stack as I venture into VMware ESXi territory.

Base, they're 2.3GHz with 4GB RAM and 2x 1.0TB 5400RPM drives. Will be upgrading each with 16GB RAM, and thinking 2x 256/480/512GB SSD each.

Can anyone tell me - or point me to an existing list - of caveats when upgrading, and known working parts?

• Word is Crucial memory and SSDs are actually tested in-house for compatibility
• Can't decide myself if the OWC products are a rort or the safest bet
• Think other 2012 users around the traps have been using Samsung PRO and EVO drives without any issues

Recommendations on parts?

My 2012 2.3 quad is about 14 months old. I have had zero problems with a 960GB Crucial M500 and 16GB of Crucial RAM. Currently the Crucial SSD is only booting Windows 8.1. The mini was worked equally well as a Mac (SSD boot, OEM data), a Mac and Windows (SSD Mac and OEM Windows) and a Windows machine (SSD boot, OEM data).

 

[Joelburman]

Fhall: That fix weren't permanent and the new firmware update for the 850 bricked a ton of disks. Google it and you'll find the answer. Go with Crucial or Intel for now I'd say. Would link but I mainly read news in Swedish.

 

[fhall1]

Thanks - I wasn't aware of the issue with the firmware fix....a little googling and I see another fix is due this month (supposedly)

 

[Johbremat]

Cheers for the feedback. Much obliged.

At this stage it's a toss between Crucial and OWC.

Might let you know how it pans out (though by the time I get around to it, this thread'll likely be necro).

 

[philipma1957]

Cheers for the feedback. Much obliged.

At this stage it's a toss between Crucial and OWC.

Might let you know how it pans out (though by the time I get around to it, this thread'll likely be necro).

Have you consider doing fusion drive setups?

I have made many of them with the 2012 quad cores.

A 500gb ssd with a 1tb hdd is pretty powerfull.

I have built:
a 500gb ssd + 1tb hdd
a 750gb ssd + 1.5tb hdd
a 1tb ssd + 1tb hdd
a 256gb ssd + 500gb hdd
a 256gb ssd + 2tb hdd

I am typing this to you on a 2011 with a 256gb ssd +2tb hdd fusion


If you look you will see this mini has about 1tb in movies see the thumbnail.

 

[Johbremat]

Have you consider doing fusion drive setups?

Nah, but cheers for suggesting.

Expecting to run the boxes with TB-to-Ethernet adapters, so with dual-NICs one set is dedicated to comms and the other to NAS (either QNAP or Synology, running 1TB SSDs per slot) from which the VMs will run off.

Weary of faffing about with Fusion drives because I don't need the additional storage not the added complexity on the hosts, and expect to run VM instances no larger than ~40GB off the NAS.

The reason I'm expecting to host off central storage is so I can look at vMotion/HA/DR and the like. And if I decide to take a node off, the VMs are still available.

 

[philipma1957]

Nah, but cheers for suggesting.

Expecting to run the boxes with TB-to-Ethernet adapters, so with dual-NICs one set is dedicated to comms and the other to NAS (either QNAP or Synology, running 1TB SSDs per slot) from which the VMs will run off.

Weary of faffing about with Fusion drives because I don't need the additional storage not the added complexity on the hosts, and expect to run VM instances no larger than ~40GB off the NAS.

The reason I'm expecting to host off central storage is so I can look at vMotion/HA/DR and the like. And if I decide to take a node off, the VMs are still available.

I can see where the extra software layer that forms your fusion drive may not work well in your application. I just thought it could save some $$ for you. Leave the stock hdd in and add a good ssd rather then 2 new ssd per mini.

Good luck with your setup sound like it could be nice for you.