Mac Mini Pro Server Mod

[me262]

Hi guys,

Its been a long time sense I posted on this forum but I was hoping for some thoughts from all you on a project Im thinking about working on.

I have the need for a mac based server with lots of storage options, but not need for the Mac Pro's massive price.

Recently I replaced my 2009 Mac mini (2.53 core 2 duo) with a new mini, it was doing home theater duty (Plex). Leaving me with the 09 Mini just sitting around. Making me wonder if I cant replace me large server (6x2TB drives) with the mini. After a bit of exploring I think I found a solution.

If I take the top off the mini and pull out the HD and optical drive bay I will have access to 2 Sata II ports. If I run 1 port to one of the 2TB drives as a boot drive, and then the second port to a hardware raid Card I could support all 5 drives with the Mini.

So with that said, here is the case I have been thinking about, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811345017

and then for a hardware raid card I am thinking about this, http://www.addonics.com/products/ad5hpmrxa-e.php

My plan is to most likely either jbob or raid 5 the drives on the card and then run Mac OSX 10.8 Lion Server on the system.

As far as installing goes, My thought is just take the top off the mini, but other then that leave it more or less untouched, set it on the motherboard tray, connect the cables, power the drives using a spare Corsair power supply that I have and there you are, mini Mac Pro Server.

I was hoping you guys could give me some thoughts on the project?

Thanks and have a great day.

 

[philipma1957]

won't work. but you could do these

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/MEQMH0GBK/




this would allow 4 1tb hdds in a

raid0 + raid0 or
raid0 + raid1 or
raid1 + raid1


it that does not work out for your needs (I built this so it will work) but you may not want it.

______________________________________________________________________________________
Here is the biggest build you can do


http://www.sansdigital.com/towerstor/ts2ct.html


you can add 2 of these which can give you raid0 or raid1. using 3tb drives.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
last you can leave it all intact and use this firewire hub

http://www.amazon.com/NitroAV-8-Port-FireWire-Professional-Repeater/dp/B00506K4NC


just tack on firewire 800 drives

_______________________________________________________________


any of these builds work and work well.


no port multiplier works so 2 x 2 hdd units will tack on. the sata jacks.

I have done lots of testing plus I used all of the setups above

and I have some of the parts just sitting in a box.


As I moved onto t-bolt in 2011 minis. pm me if you want help or search my threads started on this site I have one or two here.

 

[me262]

Actually that is not true, in this case the device I am using is not really a PM. It has a PM mode, but when configured for jbob or any of the raid settings it acts as if all the drives are one drive, and paints that picture to the hardware meaning it does not require a sata connector that supports PM unless you want to view the 5 drives individually. I have already confirmed this works on another mini a while ago and there are a few others with minis that have confirmed that this device works properly with the my version of the mac mini. It is a shame that the Mini does not support PM though, would make builds like this so much better because then you wouldn't be reliant on a raid controller. But thank you for your post.


also just for credibility purposes, here are some pictures of someone who has gotten the Mini working with the older version of the controller I will be using.

http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/574180083zoGosY?start=0

 

[philipma1957]

yeah I had that chip it works badly.

My 2 drive tower stor builds were flawsless


http://www.sansdigital.com/towerstor/ts2ct.html

my 5 drive


http://www.sansdigital.com/towerstor/ts5ct.html used that chip.


was really not reliable , but I did it with 5 drives as jbod.



Maybe if I had done a raid1 and a raid0 it would have worked.





I still have that case in a box. I will need to play with. thank you for your info. Live and learn. I spent months fff'ing with it and ended up buying a mac pro due to my need for storage.

 

[me262]

out of curiosity, what didnt work well with it? did it drop the drives often? Slow transfer speeds? I have not read bad reviews of it but sense you had it, it would be great if you could shed some light on it.

 

[flatfoot]

...

I have the need for a mac based server with lots of storage options, but not need for the Mac Pro's massive price.

...

Build a Hackintosh. It's brain-dead easy these days; have a look at this: [URL="http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com]http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com[/URL]

 

[philipma1957]

out of curiosity, what didnt work well with it? did it drop the drives often? Slow transfer speeds? I have not read bad reviews of it but sense you had it, it would be great if you could shed some light on it.

DROPPED drives . They would pop up and out all day long.

 

[me262]

Build a Hackintosh. It's brain-dead easy these days; have a look at this: [URL="http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com]http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com[/URL]

thats what I currently have funning my server. It works I am just always terrified to update OSX on it. But I may just end up sticking with it honestly.

 

[flatfoot]

thats what I currently have funning my server. It works I am just always terrified to update OSX on it. But I may just end up sticking with it honestly.

Well, with a home server you don't have to be up-to-date OS-wise all the time.

The only thing that breaks with every update on my main machine is sound. And it's just a matter of a few clicks to get it working again.