- What Is The Latest Os For Mac Mini Mid 2011
- Mid 2011 Mac Mini Os Upgrade Download
- Mid 2011 Mac Mini Os Upgrade Pack
Mac OS X 10.7.1 Update: 11B2118 For the Mid 2011 Mac Mini and Mid 2011 MacBook Air Mac OS X 10.7.1 Update (for MacBook Air and Mac Mini 2011) 10.7.2 11C74 October 12, 2011 Darwin 11.2 About the OS X Lion v10.7.2 Update. Boot Camp needs Mac OS X 10.5 or later on Intel Macs. Note other virtualization tools are available for Mac OS X 10.4.11 or earlier on Intel Macs. Mac OS X 10.7.3 is needed for the latest Java and minimum iCloud. The same minimum system requirements exist for Mac OS X 10.8, 10.9, 10.10, and 10.11. Mac OS X Snow Leopard (version 10.6) is the seventh major release of macOS, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers. Snow Leopard was publicly unveiled on June 8, 2009 at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. .2 NVME SSD Convert Adapter Screwdriver Set for MacBook Compatible Models MacBook Air 11 “A1465 & MacBook Air 13” A1466 (Mid 2013-2017), MacBook Pro (Retina) 13 “ A1502 & 15' A1398 (Late 2013 - Mid 2015), Mac Pro ME253 MD878 Please Note - Require Mac OS 10.13 High Sierra or Late. Although the memory types are different, the upgrade procedure for the 'Mid-2010', 'Mid-2011' and 'Late 2012' Mac mini lines is easy and essentially the same and it is quite similar for the current 'Late 2018' models, as well.
Aluminum 'Unibody' Mac mini Q&A
Update Published January 27, 2021
All Mac Q&As >>Aluminum Mac mini Q&A (Home)
To be notified of new Q&As, sign up for EveryMac.com's bimonthly email list.
If you find this page useful, please Bookmark & Share it. Thank you.
How do you upgrade the storage in the Aluminum 'Unibody' Mac mini models? What type of hard drive(s) or SSD(s) do they each support?
There are five different lines of Aluminum 'Unibody' Mac mini systems -- the 'Mid-2010,' 'Mid-2011,' 'Late 2012', 'Late 2014' and 'Late 2018' -- with notable differences in supported storage.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Non-Server Mid-2010 - Left, Mid-2011 & Late 2012 - Right)
Identification Help
If you're not sure which Aluminum Mac mini model you have, the optical drive equipped 'Mid-2010' models and current 'Late 2018' 'Space Gray' models should be easy to spot (at least for now), but many models in between these lines are more of a challenge.
All Aluminum Mac mini models can be precisely identified by the Model Identifier in software or externally by EMC Number, and more details about specific identifiers are provided in EveryMac.com's extensive Mac Identification section.
To locate the model identifier in software, select 'About This Mac' under the Apple Menu on your computer and click the 'More Info..' button. If the Mac mini is running OS X 10.7 'Lion' or later, you will need to click the 'System Report' button after clicking 'More Info..' as well. Upgrade lion to yosemite.
For the pre-Late 2014 Mac mini models, the EMC number is visible upon removing the bottom 'spin off' panel to the right of the memory slots (when the ports are facing you). It is on the bottom of the 'Late 2014' and 'Late 2018' models toward the ports.
As always, EveryMac.com has hand documented the model identifiers and EMC numbers unique to each model, which are most easily visualized as a chart:
Alu. Mac mini | Subfamily | Model ID | EMC No. |
Mid-2010 | |||
Mid-2010 | |||
Mid-2010 | |||
Mid-2011 | |||
Mid-2011 | |||
Mid-2011 | |||
Mid-2011 | |||
Late 2012 | |||
Late 2012 | |||
Late 2012 | |||
Late 2012 | |||
Late 2012 | |||
Late 2014 | |||
Late 2014 | |||
Late 2014 | |||
Late 2014 | |||
Late 2018 | |||
Late 2018 | |||
Late 2018 |
EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature -- as well as the EveryMac app -- also can identify these models by their Serial Numbers.
What Is The Latest Os For Mac Mini Mid 2011
Storage Types, Dimensions & Requirements
Regular 'Mid-2010' Aluminum 'Unibody' Mac mini models, which have optical drives, support a single 2.5-inch, 9.5 mm tall, 3 Gb/s Serial ATA (SATA Revision 2.0) hard drive or SSD (or two storage drives if you remove the optical drive). The oddball Mac mini 'Core 2 Duo' 2.66 Server (Mid-2010) supports two storage drives of the same type (and no optical drive).
All 'Mid-2011' and 'Late 2012' models hold two 2.5-inch storage drives with the same 9.5 mm height restriction, but have faster 6 Gb/s Serial ATA (SATA Revision 3.0) support.
Mid 2011 Mac Mini Os Upgrade Download
The non-server 'Mid-2011' and 'Late 2012' models, which only ship with one hard drive by default, a second hard drive or SSD is supported, but one has to purchase the cable needed to attach the drive to the board before installation is possible.
A user from the MacRumors forums first determined that the needed part is referred to as the 'Bottom Hard Drive Flex Cable' (Apple Part Number 922-9560) and successfully installed a second drive. More recently, site sponsor Other World Computing began offering a 'Data Doubler' upgrade kit for the Aluminum Mac mini models that includes everything needed to perform this upgrade -- the cable, drive bracket, precisely sized screwdrivers and screws -- in one convenient package.
The 'Late 2014' models have a 6 Gb/s Serial ATA (SATA Revision 3.0) connector for a 2.5-Inch hard drive or SSD in addition to a proprietary PCIe connector for a 'blade' SSD. As first noted by site sponsor OWC, the cable to connect this SSD to the PCIe connector is not present unless the system is configured with a 'Fusion Drive' at the time of initial purchase. However, it is possible to buy this cable later. This 'PCIe SSD Cable Connector' is part number 821-00010-A.
The current 'Late 2018' models have onboard storage and it cannot be upgraded at all after the initial system purchase.
Webex meeting download for mac. These details can be helpfully summarized accordingly:
Alu. Mac mini | Subfamily | Model ID | Dimensions | Interface |
Mid-2010 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 2.0 x2* | ||
Mid-2010 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 2.0 x2* | ||
Mid-2010 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 2.0 x2 | ||
Mid-2011 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Mid-2011 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Mid-2011 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Mid-2011 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Late 2012 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Late 2012 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Late 2012 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Late 2012 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Late 2012 | 2.5' 9.5 mm | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Late 2014 | 2.5' 9.5 mm Blade SSD | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Late 2014 | 2.5' 9.5 mm Blade SSD | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Late 2014 | 2.5' 9.5 mm Blade SSD | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Late 2014 | 2.5' 9.5 mm Blade SSD | SATA 3.0 x2 | ||
Late 2018 | Onboard† | Onboard† | ||
Late 2018 | Onboard† | Onboard† | ||
Late 2018 | Onboard† | Onboard† |
* By default, one SATA 2.0 connector in these models is occupied by an optical drive.
† These models have onboard PCIe-based storage that cannot be upgraded after the initial system purchase.
Hard Drive Upgrade Official Disclaimer & Cautions
To upgrade the memory in the Aluminum 'Unibody' Mac mini models released before and after the Late 2014 models, Apple has made it straightforward. Replacing the hard drive or hard drives is a more complicated procedure and Apple does not support users performing this upgrade themselves.
In the User Guide, Apple formally states the following:
Except for memory, do not attempt to replace or repair any components inside your Mac mini. If your Mac mini needs service, consult the service and support information that came with your Mac mini for information about how to contact an Apple Authorized Service Provider or Apple for service.
If you install items other than memory, you risk damaging your equipment, and such damage isn't covered by the limited warranty on your Mac mini.
As Apple does not consider the hard drive to be a 'customer installable part,' EveryMac.com cannot recommend that users perform the upgrade themselves. Most likely should instead add a quick and easy external hard drive or alternately hire a professional. Given the small and densely packed nature of the Aluminum Mac mini models this certainly is not a good system to upgrade yourself without substantial experience upgrading the hard drive in similar systems.
Hard Drive Upgrade Instructions
However, for highly experienced users, upgrading the hard drive or hard drives -- or swapping in one or more SSDs -- is difficult, but feasible nevertheless.
These videos from OWC cover the procedure for the optical-drive equipped 'Mid-2010' models and the optical drive-less 'Mid-2010' Server, 'Mid-2011,' 'Late 2012,' and models, in a step-by-step fashion:
'Mid-2010' Mac mini (One Hard Drive, One Optical Drive)
'Mid-2010' Mac mini Server (Dual Hard Drives)
'Mid-2011' & 'Late 2012' Mac mini (Dual Hard Drives)
'Late 2014' Mac mini (Hard Drive or Fusion Drive; PCIe SSD Instructions)
It is hoped that by watching the videos you should be able to determine whether or not you feel comfortable performing the upgrade yourself or if you would rather hire a professional.
Mac mini Hard Drive or SSD Purchase Options
In theory, just about any hard drive or SSD that meets the minimum requirements should work in the Mac mini. However, it always is best to buy from a trusted company with Mac knowledge for the most trouble-free experience.
Mid 2011 Mac Mini Os Upgrade Pack
In addition to the convenient storage upgrade kit for applicable Aluminum Mac mini models, Other World Computing sells compatible hard drives and SSDs and offers an installation service, as well.
In the UK and Ireland, site sponsor Flexx sells Mac mini compatible SSDs with free shipping. The company provides flat rate shipping to France, Germany, and Switzerland and inexpensive shipping for all of Europe, too.
In Australia, site sponsors Macfixit and Upgradeable sell Mac mini compatible hard drives and SSDs with fast shipping, a money-back guarantee and more.
In New Zealand, site sponsor Upgradeable New Zealand sells Mac mini hard drives and SSDs with fast delivery to all corners of the country, precise compatibility, a lifetime warranty, and a money-back guarantee.
Also see:
- How do you upgrade the RAM in the Aluminum 'Unibody' Mac mini models? What type of RAM do they use? How much RAM do they actually support?
- How do you upgrade the hard drive in the Polycarbonate Intel Mac mini models? What type of hard drive do they support? Is it possible to replace the optical drive with a second hard drive?
Permalink | E-mail a Friend | Bookmark & Share | Report an Error/Typo
Suggest a New Q&A | Sign Up for Bimonthly Site Update Notices
<< Aluminum 'Unibody' Mac mini Q&A (Main) | All Mac Q&As
EveryMac.com is provided 'as is' without warranty of any kind whatsoever. EveryMac.com, and the author thereof, shall not be held responsible or liable, under any circumstances, for any damages resulting from the use or inability to use the information within. For complete disclaimer and copyright information please read and understand the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy before using EveryMac.com. Use of any content or images without expressed permission is not allowed, although links to any page are welcomed and appreciated.