mac mini 2007 OSX?

psprigs · 21 Dec 2011 at 18:17

Hi,

I am a complete mac virgin... never turned on on before, i bought a mac mini (mid 2007) core duo 2, 2ghz, 2gig ram, 120gb hd... it says on apples site it has osx 10.4.. originally.. but didnt get any discs from the buyer.
Im wondering like windows pc's how much higher can i install the mac OS as i have linux on the mac at the moment and need to install a mac OS.. I have a OSX 10.6.1 original disc that came with my bro's 27" 2009 mac i think its a i5 or i7 one..
But when installing it says this OS will not install on this machine and only gives the option to restart..
Its weird being clueless about a mac on the technical side when windows pc's become 2nd nature..

Ive looked at some stickys and ive got a lot to learn
Pls help.
Thanks

slinxy · 21 Dec 2011 at 18:48

legally it can't be done as those discs are only for that mac. The OEM version of the OSx discs will check the firmware on the mac to see what machine it is before it will install.

Thou they are ways to get around it, just buy the lion usb from the store for 30 pounds.

psprigs · 21 Dec 2011 at 21:07

Thanks for the reply, the lion usb on the apple site says it needs a OS already preinstalled, but i dont have a mac OS on there?

memyselfandi · 22 Dec 2011 at 05:41

It's a Core Duo though, isn't the minimum requirements for Lion a Core 2 Duo? You may find that the highest OSX version you can go to is Snow Leopard (10.6.6?)

slinxy · 22 Dec 2011 at 14:51

psprigs said:
Thanks for the reply, the lion usb on the apple site says it needs a OS already preinstalled, but i dont have a mac OS on there?

That's for the download version as you have to purchase it via the app store with your preinstalled os.

memyselfandi said:
It's a Core Duo though, isn't the minimum requirements for Lion a Core 2 Duo? You may find that the highest OSX version you can go to is Snow Leopard (10.6.6?)

Yeah it is, but didn't the OP say it was a Core 2 Duo mac mini... if it isn't.. SL would be the newest, and it depends on the version of the firmware on the mac, it may need a firmware update before it will install either lion or SL.

Arthur17 · 22 Dec 2011 at 17:38

Your mid-2007 Mac mini can definitely be upgraded to Lion.

If you have access to another Mac running Snow Leopard, you could download Lion from the Mac App Store and create your own USB flash drive or DVD...

USB FD: osxdaily.com/2011/07/08/make-a-bootable-mac-os-x-10-7-lion-installer-from-a-usb-flash-drive/
DVD: osxdaily.com/2011/06/08/create-burn-bootable-mac-os-x-lion-install-disc/

psprigs · 22 Dec 2011 at 17:58

Hi, had too look my mac is a 2.0GHz Mac mini (MB139LL/A) Duo 2,

My solution at the mo was too phone up apple support and order the restore discs as my machine is blank, and i have no access to another mac to do anything.. only £14 so i guess worth it so when i sell it on again can supply OS..

So ill prob have to wait to get the discs before i see what this apple malarky is all about..

unknowndomain · 23 Dec 2011 at 14:10

Not really as 10.4 is basically obsolete so why would you want to install that. £14 down the drain in my opinion.

psprigs · 23 Dec 2011 at 21:28

Hi, the reason i ordered them discs is because i dont have a OS on the mac, so the OS that came with it was a option just to get the thing working...and when i sell it again i have some original OS disks... but i called apple again today who made a appointment in a apple store with the tech guys, went there with the mac and they installed 10.5.8 for me for nothing, so atleast ive got something to use and learn from...

My experience from Apple has been way way above what i expected... i although dont need to, but couldnt walk into PCWorld as get them to spend 40 minutes installing a OS with no disk at no cost...