Unable to reinstall any OSx to Mac Mini

[dannN122]

Hi guys,
currently i bought an Mac Mini mid-2011 to set it up as server. The Mini had installed Lion 10.7.5. I made an upgrade to Sierra and it worked. Then I bought and installed macOS Server. Trying to setup macOS Server gave me always an error "Unable to run macOS Server 5.2 with Sierra on this volume".

After this error I tried to reinstall Sierra completely. Therefore i started with CMD+R and erased the disk. Trying to install then Sierra again gave me always an error after about 15%. The installer aborts and message me its not able to install the system.

Also the internet recovery via CMD+Option+R, starting with OPTION and choosing the recovery partion and installing via USB-Bootable installer (Diskmaker X) doesn't work. I tried to download Lion, Yosemite, El Capitan and other versions on my macbook pro with sierra, but its not possible because app store says i cant use this version of OSx.

Are there any options left to bring any OSx on the mini back?
I have an Snow Leopard disk, but the mini has no drive. I also have an firewire cable.

Thx guys for help..

 

[wickedpapercut]

Try running a hardware test by holding down "D" on a reboot (I think that's how to start it). I had a similar problem with my 2012 mini when I tried to install Sierra. Turned out to be an issue with the after-market RAM that I had installed. After replacing the memory stick, the install worked just fine.

All other upgrades and OS installs worked fine but for some reason the Sierra installer found this error and would abort but did not report why it failed.

At a minimum, it's a free and easy test to run, though it takes some time. Good luck.

 

[dannN122]

I did the hardware test already and everything is ok - the hardware is original. I tried to bring in an PC into the same network and installed the remote installer from Snow Leopard. But the installer can't find the mac mini. So this was my last idea I had.

 

[CoastalOR]

Mac Mini mid-2011 to set it up as server. The Mini had installed Lion 10.7.5. I made an upgrade to Sierra and it worked. Then I bought and installed macOS Server. Trying to setup macOS Server gave me always an error "Unable to run macOS Server 5.2 with Sierra on this volume".

After this error I tried to reinstall Sierra completely. Therefore i started with CMD+R and erased the disk. Trying to install then Sierra again gave me always an error after about 15%. The installer aborts and message me its not able to install the system.

Also the internet recovery via CMD+Option+R, starting with OPTION and choosing the recovery partion and installing via USB-Bootable installer (Diskmaker X) doesn't work. I tried to download Lion, Yosemite, El Capitan and other versions on my macbook pro with sierra, but its not possible because app store says i cant use this version of OSx.

Are there any options left to bring any OSx on the mini back?

I did the hardware test already and everything is ok - the hardware is original. I tried to bring in an PC into the same network and installed the remote installer from Snow Leopard. But the installer can't find the mac mini. So this was my last idea I had.

You have tried many things and there are a few things I could use more information.

"gave me always an error" What specifically was the error during the Sierra reinstall?

"starting with OPTION and choosing the recovery partion and installing via USB-Bootable installer (Diskmaker X) doesn't work" Have you ever been able to start (boot up) from the USB installer since it was created? Which OS is on the installer (I have found that Diskmaker X does not create a bootable installer with OS 10.12.4)?

"I tried to download Lion, Yosemite, El Capitan and other versions on my macbook pro" What year is your MacBook Pro? The Apple App Store will not let you download a OS that is too old to operate on your MBP.

"remote installer from Snow Leopard. But the installer can't find the mac mini" Don't waste your time trying to directly install Snow Leopard. The lowest OS your Mac Mini mid-2011 will support is Lion (10.7).

 

[chrfr]

Hi guys,
currently i bought an Mac Mini mid-2011 to set it up as server. The Mini had installed Lion 10.7.5. I made an upgrade to Sierra and it worked. Then I bought and installed macOS Server. Trying to setup macOS Server gave me always an error "Unable to run macOS Server 5.2 with Sierra on this volume".

You just needed to update Server to 5.3 (a free update) to use it with 10.12.4.