I have a 2015 Mac mini that I upgraded to Mojave. It runs but very slowly. I'd like to go back to Snow Leopard, which will also get me back fax modem support. There's nothing on the mini so I just need to wipe the drive. I have the Install DVDs. But I apparently need to make a boot device (thumb drive, etc.) to wipe it back to the old file structure. Any advice would be appreciated. TIA.
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Regressing from Mojave to Snow Leopard
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There is no such thing as a 2015 Mac mini, you may have bought a 2014 mini in 2015. It is either a late 2014 or a 2018. There was nothing in between. A 2014 or a 2018 will not install Snow Leopard, the OS is too old to run in a 2014 or 2018 natively. The earliest OS that the 2014 will support is Yosemite (10.10). The earliest OS that the 2018 will support is Mojave (10.14). The newest Mac mini that will support Snow Leopard is 2010.
Wow did I get that wrong. Sorry. It's an A1347 Mid 2010. And it's running 10.13, not Mojave.
Here are some tips on reverting/downgrading to Snow Leopard that might help with some preparation considerations:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3351
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3351
OP:
Before you "go all the way back", have you given consideration to an "intermediate version" of the OS, such as El Capitan?
El Cap was a very good version of the OS.
You can get a copy here:
https://itunes.apple.com/app/os-x-el-capitan/id1147835434?mt=12
I would suggest creating a bootable USB flash drive installer using DiskMaker X.
Then wipe the Mini and reinstall that way.
Before you "go all the way back", have you given consideration to an "intermediate version" of the OS, such as El Capitan?
El Cap was a very good version of the OS.
You can get a copy here:
https://itunes.apple.com/app/os-x-el-capitan/id1147835434?mt=12
I would suggest creating a bootable USB flash drive installer using DiskMaker X.
Then wipe the Mini and reinstall that way.
Thanks for the info. I figured on Snow Leopard because I have the disks but I’ll go pick up ElCap and DiskMaker.
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I’ll take a look. Thanks much.
I run Snow Leopard and currently Sierra on my Macbook Pro 2010. Install Snow Leopard and then create another partition using Disk Utility and then download El Capitan or whatever other operating system you want to install and install it on the newly created partition. If you want to boot into the new OS, hold the option key down during boot-up (or after the chime sound) and you can select which OS to boot too.
Or.. you can download a small program and install it in Snow Leopard called: "rEFIt" and it will give you the option during boot-up to select an OS to load without having to hold down the option key.
Or.. you can download a small program and install it in Snow Leopard called: "rEFIt" and it will give you the option during boot-up to select an OS to load without having to hold down the option key.
First reinstall your system from scratch with the disks that came with the computer if you want to start from scratch or a cleaned system. Load up Snow Leopard as you would normally do from the disks. Then go to "Disk Utility" and make another partition (set the size also for both the original and then the newly created partition). Let Disk Utility created the new partition and resize the old one. Then format the new empty second partition.
The easiest way to install the new (second) OS is to download the OS somehow, maybe directly in Snow Leopard If able (maybe use Arctic Fox if Safari will allow you to download) or use another computer. Copy the downloaded OS install app into your applications folder. Make a copy of it first and keep it somewhere (external drive etc.for future use).
Then open app in your applications folder. When you see options to where to install the OS, select "other locations" or "other disks" (whatever it says that gives you the option to redirect the install instead of installing on top of Snow Leopard) and select the new partition that you created. Then let it install and you are good to go.
The easiest way to install the new (second) OS is to download the OS somehow, maybe directly in Snow Leopard If able (maybe use Arctic Fox if Safari will allow you to download) or use another computer. Copy the downloaded OS install app into your applications folder. Make a copy of it first and keep it somewhere (external drive etc.for future use).
Then open app in your applications folder. When you see options to where to install the OS, select "other locations" or "other disks" (whatever it says that gives you the option to redirect the install instead of installing on top of Snow Leopard) and select the new partition that you created. Then let it install and you are good to go.