So let’s start off with what OS-X / macOS version your system can support as you maybe trying to use too new a version. This series can support upto High Sierra (macOS 10.13.6). Which you can download from here [link|https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683|How to download macOS]
The next issue is how to install it! Well… you need a 32GB USB thumb drive and it needs to be formatted via a real Mac as windows TransMac or using other means don’t really create the needed structure for a bootable drive. But these can be used for a data drive with no problems. Here we need a GUID partition with a journaled file system (now called an extended file system - HFS+) Vs APFS using in the newer macOS versions. Then you copy the installer to the USB drive, after that you need to follow this guide to convert it to a bootable installer [link|https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372|Create a bootable installer for macOS] now your set to boot up under that!
But we still have some other issues at play here! First are you sure you got the correct RAM for your system? Also did you get it installed properly? Even I sometimes need to go back as either there is some tarnish on the contacts or I didn’t fully seat the SO-DIMMs fully.
We also have a second issue here which might be the biggest one you are facing! That is the SSD drive you put in may not be compatible!
So let’s look at the EveryMac listing for this system [link|https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-2-duo-2.66-mid-2010-specs.html|Mac mini 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo] even if you have one of the others this issue is common across the series. Note the ***Storage Interface*** is marked ***Serial ATA (3 Gb/s)*** so this system has a SATA II interface, it can’t support newer SATA III (6.0 Gb/s) drives!
Now before you tell me I’m wrong, let me explain this first! Most SATA III drives today are what we call ***Fixed Speed*** they run at the given data rate here 6.0 Gb/s not any slower or faster!
There are a few ***Auto Sense*** drives out there too! These drives match to what the system is able to support so while marked 6.0 Gb/s they can also run at 3.0 Gb/s and some even run at the still older SATA I 1.5 Gb/s!
-
So how do you know what drive works? You need to read the spect sheet. So here looking as the [link|https://download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/Samsung_SSD_860_EVO_Data_Sheet_Rev1.pdf|Samsung 860 EVO spec sheet] Interface line we can see what it supports! “SATA 6 Gbps Interface, compatible with SATA 3 Gbps & 1.5 Gbps interfaces” this is an ***Auto Sense*** drive! Now let’s look at a [link|https://content.crucial.com/content/dam/crucial/ssd-products/mx500/flyer/crucial-mx500-ssd-productflyer-en.pdf|Crucial MX500 spec sheet] her we can see it only offers the ***Fixed Speed*** of SATA III (6.0 Gb/s).
+
So how do you know what drive works? You need to read the spect sheet. So here looking as the [link|https://download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/Samsung_SSD_860_EVO_Data_Sheet_Rev1.pdf|Samsung 860 EVO spec sheet] Interface line we can see what it supports! “SATA 6 Gbps Interface, compatible with SATA 3 Gbps & 1.5 Gbps interfaces” this is an ***Auto Sense*** drive! Now let’s look at a [link|https://content.crucial.com/content/dam/crucial/ssd-products/mx500/flyer/crucial-mx500-ssd-productflyer-en.pdf|Crucial MX500 spec sheet] here we can see it only offers the ***Fixed Speed*** of SATA III (6.0 Gb/s). Sadly this drive won’t work in your system!
So you will need to check your drive to make sure you got the correct one.
So let’s start off with what OS-X / macOS version your system can support as you maybe trying to use too new a version. This series can support upto High Sierra (macOS 10.13.6). Which you can download from here [link|https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683|How to download macOS]
The next issue is how to install it! Well… you need a 32GB USB thumb drive and it needs to be formatted via a real Mac as windows TransMac or using other means don’t really create the needed structure for a bootable drive. But these can be used for a data drive with no problems. Here we need a GUID partition with a journaled file system (now called an extended file system - HFS+) Vs APFS using in the newer macOS versions. Then you copy the installer to the USB drive, after that you need to follow this guide to convert it to a bootable installer [link|https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372|Create a bootable installer for macOS] now your set to boot up under that!
But we still have some other issues at play here! First are you sure you got the correct RAM for your system? Also did you get it installed properly? Even I sometimes need to go back as either there is some tarnish on the contacts or I didn’t fully seat the SO-DIMMs fully.
We also have a second issue here which might be the biggest one you are facing! That is the SSD drive you put in may not be compatible!
-
So let’s look at the EveryMac listing for this system [link|https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-2-duo-2.66-mid-2010-specs.html|Mac mini 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo] even if you have one of the others this issue is common across the series. Note the ***Storage Interface*** is marked ***Serial ATA (3 Gb/s)*** so this system has a SATA II interface, it can’t support newer SATA III (6.0 Gb/s) drives! Now before you tell me I’m wrong let me explain this first! Mist SATA III drives today are what we call ***Fixed Speed*** they run at the given data rate here 6.0 Gb/s not any slower or faster! There are a few ***Auto Sense*** drives out there too! These drives match to what the system is able to support so while marked 6.0 Gb/s they can also run at 3.0 Gb/s and some even run at the still older SATA I 1.5 Gb/s! So how do you know what drive works? You need to read the spect sheet. So here looking as the [link|https://download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/Samsung_SSD_860_EVO_Data_Sheet_Rev1.pdf|Samsung 860 EVO spec sheet] Interface line we can see what it supports! “SATA 6 Gbps Interface, compatible with SATA 3 Gbps & 1.5 Gbps interfaces” this is an ***Auto Sense*** drive! Now let’s look at a [link|https://content.crucial.com/content/dam/crucial/ssd-products/mx500/flyer/crucial-mx500-ssd-productflyer-en.pdf|Crucial MX500 spec sheet] her we can see it only offers the ***Fixed Speed*** of SATA III (6.0 Gb/s).
+
So let’s look at the EveryMac listing for this system [link|https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-2-duo-2.66-mid-2010-specs.html|Mac mini 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo] even if you have one of the others this issue is common across the series. Note the ***Storage Interface*** is marked ***Serial ATA (3 Gb/s)*** so this system has a SATA II interface, it can’t support newer SATA III (6.0 Gb/s) drives!
+
+
Now before you tell me I’m wrong, let me explain this first! Most SATA III drives today are what we call ***Fixed Speed*** they run at the given data rate here 6.0 Gb/s not any slower or faster!
+
+
There are a few ***Auto Sense*** drives out there too! These drives match to what the system is able to support so while marked 6.0 Gb/s they can also run at 3.0 Gb/s and some even run at the still older SATA I 1.5 Gb/s!
+
+
So how do you know what drive works? You need to read the spect sheet. So here looking as the [link|https://download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/Samsung_SSD_860_EVO_Data_Sheet_Rev1.pdf|Samsung 860 EVO spec sheet] Interface line we can see what it supports! “SATA 6 Gbps Interface, compatible with SATA 3 Gbps & 1.5 Gbps interfaces” this is an ***Auto Sense*** drive! Now let’s look at a [link|https://content.crucial.com/content/dam/crucial/ssd-products/mx500/flyer/crucial-mx500-ssd-productflyer-en.pdf|Crucial MX500 spec sheet] her we can see it only offers the ***Fixed Speed*** of SATA III (6.0 Gb/s).
So you will need to check your drive to make sure you got the correct one.
So let’s start off with what OS-X / macOS version your system can support as you maybe trying to use too new a version. This series can support upto High Sierra (macOS 10.13.6). Which you can download from here [link|https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683|How to download macOS]
-
The next issue is how to install it! Well… you need a 32GB USB thumb drive and it needs to be formatted via a real Mac as windows TransMac or using other means don’t really create the needed structure for a bootable drive. But these can be used for a data drive with no problems. Here we need a GUID partition with a journaled file system (now called an extended file system - HFS+) Vs APFS using in the newer macOS versions. Then you copy the installer to the USB drive, then you need to follow this guide to convert it to a bootable installer [link|https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372|Create a bootable installer for macOS] now your set to boot up under that!
+
The next issue is how to install it! Well… you need a 32GB USB thumb drive and it needs to be formatted via a real Mac as windows TransMac or using other means don’t really create the needed structure for a bootable drive. But these can be used for a data drive with no problems. Here we need a GUID partition with a journaled file system (now called an extended file system - HFS+) Vs APFS using in the newer macOS versions. Then you copy the installer to the USB drive, after that you need to follow this guide to convert it to a bootable installer [link|https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372|Create a bootable installer for macOS] now your set to boot up under that!
But we still have some other issues at play here! First are you sure you got the correct RAM for your system? Also did you get it installed properly? Even I sometimes need to go back as either there is some tarnish on the contacts or I didn’t fully seat the SO-DIMMs fully.
We also have a second issue here which might be the biggest one you are facing! That is the SSD drive you put in may not be compatible!
So let’s look at the EveryMac listing for this system [link|https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-2-duo-2.66-mid-2010-specs.html|Mac mini 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo] even if you have one of the others this issue is common across the series. Note the ***Storage Interface*** is marked ***Serial ATA (3 Gb/s)*** so this system has a SATA II interface, it can’t support newer SATA III (6.0 Gb/s) drives! Now before you tell me I’m wrong let me explain this first! Mist SATA III drives today are what we call ***Fixed Speed*** they run at the given data rate here 6.0 Gb/s not any slower or faster! There are a few ***Auto Sense*** drives out there too! These drives match to what the system is able to support so while marked 6.0 Gb/s they can also run at 3.0 Gb/s and some even run at the still older SATA I 1.5 Gb/s! So how do you know what drive works? You need to read the spect sheet. So here looking as the [link|https://download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/Samsung_SSD_860_EVO_Data_Sheet_Rev1.pdf|Samsung 860 EVO spec sheet] Interface line we can see what it supports! “SATA 6 Gbps Interface, compatible with SATA 3 Gbps & 1.5 Gbps interfaces” this is an ***Auto Sense*** drive! Now let’s look at a [link|https://content.crucial.com/content/dam/crucial/ssd-products/mx500/flyer/crucial-mx500-ssd-productflyer-en.pdf|Crucial MX500 spec sheet] her we can see it only offers the ***Fixed Speed*** of SATA III (6.0 Gb/s).
So you will need to check your drive to make sure you got the correct one.
So let’s start off with what OS-X / macOS version your system can support as you maybe trying to use too new a version. This series can support upto High Sierra (macOS 10.13.6). Which you can download from here [https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683|How to download macOS]
+
So let’s start off with what OS-X / macOS version your system can support as you maybe trying to use too new a version. This series can support upto High Sierra (macOS 10.13.6). Which you can download from here [link|https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683|How to download macOS]
-
So then the next issue is how to install it! Well… you need a 32GB USB thumb drive and it needs to be formatted via a real Mac as windows TransMac or using other means don’t really create the needed structure for a bootable drive. But these can be used for a data drive with no problems. Here we need a GUID partition with a journaled file system (now called an extended file system - HFS+) Vs APFS using in the newer macOS versions. Then you copy the installer to the USB drive, then you need to follow this guide to convert it to a bootable installer [https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372|Create a bootable installer for macOS] now your set to boot up under that!
+
The next issue is how to install it! Well… you need a 32GB USB thumb drive and it needs to be formatted via a real Mac as windows TransMac or using other means don’t really create the needed structure for a bootable drive. But these can be used for a data drive with no problems. Here we need a GUID partition with a journaled file system (now called an extended file system - HFS+) Vs APFS using in the newer macOS versions. Then you copy the installer to the USB drive, then you need to follow this guide to convert it to a bootable installer [link|https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372|Create a bootable installer for macOS] now your set to boot up under that!
But we still have some other issues at play here! First are you sure you got the correct RAM for your system? Also did you get it installed properly? Even I sometimes need to go back as either there is some tarnish on the contacts or I didn’t fully seat the SO-DIMMs fully.
We also have a second issue here which might be the biggest one you are facing! That is the SSD drive you put in may not be compatible!
-
So let’s look at the EveryMac listing for this system [https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-2-duo-2.66-mid-2010-specs.html|Mac mini 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo] even if you have one of the others this issue is common across the series. Note the ***Storage Interface*** is marked ***Serial ATA (3 Gb/s)*** so this system has a SATA II interface, it can’t support newer SATA III (6.0 Gb/s) drives! Now before you tell me I’m wrong let me explain this first! Mist SATA III drives today are what we call ***Fixed Speed*** they run at the given data rate here 6.0 Gb/s not any slower or faster! There are a few ***Auto Sense*** drives out there too! These drives match to what the system is able to support so while marked 6.0 Gb/s they can also run at 3.0 Gb/s and some even run at the still older SATA I 1.5 Gb/s! So how do you know what drive works? You need to read the spect sheet. So here looking as the [https://download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/Samsung_SSD_860_EVO_Data_Sheet_Rev1.pdf|Samsung 860 EVO spec sheet] Interface line we can see what it supports! “SATA 6 Gbps Interface, compatible with SATA 3 Gbps & 1.5 Gbps interfaces” this is an ***Auto Sense*** drive! Now let’s look at a [https://content.crucial.com/content/dam/crucial/ssd-products/mx500/flyer/crucial-mx500-ssd-productflyer-en.pdf|Crucial MX500 spec sheet] her we can see it only offers the ***Fixed Speed*** of SATA III (6.0 Gb/s).
+
So let’s look at the EveryMac listing for this system [link|https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-2-duo-2.66-mid-2010-specs.html|Mac mini 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo] even if you have one of the others this issue is common across the series. Note the ***Storage Interface*** is marked ***Serial ATA (3 Gb/s)*** so this system has a SATA II interface, it can’t support newer SATA III (6.0 Gb/s) drives! Now before you tell me I’m wrong let me explain this first! Mist SATA III drives today are what we call ***Fixed Speed*** they run at the given data rate here 6.0 Gb/s not any slower or faster! There are a few ***Auto Sense*** drives out there too! These drives match to what the system is able to support so while marked 6.0 Gb/s they can also run at 3.0 Gb/s and some even run at the still older SATA I 1.5 Gb/s! So how do you know what drive works? You need to read the spect sheet. So here looking as the [link|https://download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/Samsung_SSD_860_EVO_Data_Sheet_Rev1.pdf|Samsung 860 EVO spec sheet] Interface line we can see what it supports! “SATA 6 Gbps Interface, compatible with SATA 3 Gbps & 1.5 Gbps interfaces” this is an ***Auto Sense*** drive! Now let’s look at a [link|https://content.crucial.com/content/dam/crucial/ssd-products/mx500/flyer/crucial-mx500-ssd-productflyer-en.pdf|Crucial MX500 spec sheet] her we can see it only offers the ***Fixed Speed*** of SATA III (6.0 Gb/s).
So you will need to check your drive to make sure you got the correct one.
Yes, this can be very frustrating!
So let’s start off with what OS-X / macOS version your system can support as you maybe trying to use too new a version. This series can support upto High Sierra (macOS 10.13.6). Which you can download from here [https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683|How to download macOS]
So then the next issue is how to install it! Well… you need a 32GB USB thumb drive and it needs to be formatted via a real Mac as windows TransMac or using other means don’t really create the needed structure for a bootable drive. But these can be used for a data drive with no problems. Here we need a GUID partition with a journaled file system (now called an extended file system - HFS+) Vs APFS using in the newer macOS versions. Then you copy the installer to the USB drive, then you need to follow this guide to convert it to a bootable installer [https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372|Create a bootable installer for macOS] now your set to boot up under that!
But we still have some other issues at play here! First are you sure you got the correct RAM for your system? Also did you get it installed properly? Even I sometimes need to go back as either there is some tarnish on the contacts or I didn’t fully seat the SO-DIMMs fully.
We also have a second issue here which might be the biggest one you are facing! That is the SSD drive you put in may not be compatible!
So let’s look at the EveryMac listing for this system [https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-2-duo-2.66-mid-2010-specs.html|Mac mini 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo] even if you have one of the others this issue is common across the series. Note the ***Storage Interface*** is marked ***Serial ATA (3 Gb/s)*** so this system has a SATA II interface, it can’t support newer SATA III (6.0 Gb/s) drives! Now before you tell me I’m wrong let me explain this first! Mist SATA III drives today are what we call ***Fixed Speed*** they run at the given data rate here 6.0 Gb/s not any slower or faster! There are a few ***Auto Sense*** drives out there too! These drives match to what the system is able to support so while marked 6.0 Gb/s they can also run at 3.0 Gb/s and some even run at the still older SATA I 1.5 Gb/s! So how do you know what drive works? You need to read the spect sheet. So here looking as the [https://download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/Samsung_SSD_860_EVO_Data_Sheet_Rev1.pdf|Samsung 860 EVO spec sheet] Interface line we can see what it supports! “SATA 6 Gbps Interface, compatible with SATA 3 Gbps & 1.5 Gbps interfaces” this is an ***Auto Sense*** drive! Now let’s look at a [https://content.crucial.com/content/dam/crucial/ssd-products/mx500/flyer/crucial-mx500-ssd-productflyer-en.pdf|Crucial MX500 spec sheet] her we can see it only offers the ***Fixed Speed*** of SATA III (6.0 Gb/s).
So you will need to check your drive to make sure you got the correct one.