I have an old Mac that needs updating...

[ReturnofBroccoli]

Have a 12-year-old Mac mini that needs updating. I really need to back up, reformat, and reinstall.

It's finding the 3-4 hours retrain and knock it out, find which OS version I should start with...

Used to know where to go and what to do... but it's been years now. Need the quickest way to update OS with minimal down time

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Connect a drive to backup to your machine, use time machine, open System Preferences > Time Machine, click "Select Backup Disk," and choose the drive to start backups

then use mac os recovery to reformat

As for updating you will have to check compatibility with your hardware to find optimum efficiency

[Wild Bill]

I have just figured out how to log on with this new  Android tablet  my old Samsung was tiny and the o/s was 5.1 and the passwords were encrypted so it feels like a major win for me to be able to log on now .

I did have a apple tablet but I forgot I placed it in between books on my bookcase and forgot about it for 3 years by then apple had moved on from Duel core to quad core and and work around was getting pulled down within hours of someone posting it  online, I ended up handing it away to mates kids , a camera I bought years ago was the same by the time I found out where I put it a 300 buck camera is now out of date and worth ten bucks and a antique.

Ye to be old and half blind

[putnam6]

Connect a drive to backup to your machine, use time machine, open System Preferences > Time Machine, click "Select Backup Disk," and choose the drive to start backups

then use mac os recovery to reformat

As for updating, you will have to check compatibility with your hardware to find optimum efficiency

Thank you

Yes Im vaguely familiar with time machine

Ive used it before, it's just been ages

and I have a backup drive somewhere I'll likely need to reformat, too.

I don't think I can update to Big Sur, but I'll download Monterey and give that a shot tonight

Im sure I'll need my Apple ID at some point too

[putnam6]

Those were very cool looking desktops.  Another option would be to build a box (with a cool case) and install Elementary Linux.  It uses the OS2 dock and has a Mac feel to it.

Yeah, it's wild how low prices are. It's been ages since I shopped for computers. I could definitely find something more practical

I did find an affordable refurb for 350 on eBay

[putnam6]

Dont really use a Mac or know much about the OS.

So can't offer any advice there.

But if you stick an SSD in the old dear, it might give her a new lease of life.

No matter the OS you finally decide to install.

Any particular use in mind?

I do our spreadsheets, CRM, social media, Photoshop, and video editing, ads, etc.

Yeah Ive cracked open a Mac Mini, but I ain't going to lie thats when I had better eyesight and dexterity and a larger workspace. I could set up in the garage and do it, but I have limited desk and office space at the moment,

I did find my Xtra PC flash drive, and it worked great at the office thats another quick fix

[Adonsa7100]

Hi Putnam6,
Open Core Legacy Patcher will let you thumb your nose at Tim Cook, and go all the way to System Sequoia or System Tahoe.  Downside is slower performance.

Unfortunately, Mr. Cook is going to disallow systems past System Tahoe to be installed onto iNtel Macs.  

Linux Mint  and Fedora are believed to be best for older Macs.  I successfully installed the newest Ubuntu onto a 2011 Macbook Air, and it runs plenty fast.  

Off Topic ---> Hackintoshes are lots of fun to configure, although interest is diminishing given that they can only go up to the highest system version that Tim Cook allows for iNTEL Macs. The GMKTec NucBox (Alder Lake) is super easy to configure to a dual boot Hackintosh.  I could put System Tahoe on it but it would run too slow, so System Monterrey is best for that particular model.  Newer Alder Lake PCs will likely run fast enough for System Tahoe.  Caveat is that making a Hackintosh is a severe, grevious, unforgivable, violation of Apple policies (haha)!

Instead of throwing money at an Alder Lake or Rapter Lake PC that can become a Hackintosh,  it's become more cost effective to buy a M-1 Mac Mini.  I think that Hackintoshes will continue to be fun to do, but less so for serious computing.

[putnam6]

Hi Putnam6,
Open Core Legacy Patcher will let you thumb your nose at Tim Cook, and go all the way to System Sequoia or System Tahoe.  Downside is slower performance.

Unfortunately, Mr. Cook is going to disallow systems past System Tahoe to be installed onto iNtel Macs.  

Linux Mint  and Fedora are believed to be best for older Macs.  I successfully installed the newest Ubuntu onto a 2011 Macbook Air, and it runs plenty fast.  

Off Topic ---> Hackintoshes are lots of fun to configure, although interest is diminishing given that they can only go up to the highest system version that Tim Cook allows for iNTEL Macs. The GMKTec NucBox (Alder Lake) is super easy to configure to a dual boot Hackintosh.  I could put System Tahoe on it but it would run too slow, so System Monterrey is best for that particular model.  Newer Alder Lake PCs will likely run fast enough for System Tahoe.  Caveat is that making a Hackintosh is a severe, grevious, unforgivable, violation of Apple policies (haha)!

Instead of throwing money at an Alder Lake or Rapter Lake PC that can become a Hackintosh,  it's become more cost effective to buy a M-1 Mac Mini.  I think that Hackintoshes will continue to be fun to do, but less so for serious computing.

Thanks for the information and for pointing me in the right direction.

We are getting busier, so it will help to have one media, marketing, and graphics computer and one for supplier portals
It always did before

I definitely will upgrade from my old Mac mini. I'll check out the open core patcher today

Just looked at some reasonably priced M-1 refurbs, when openpatch gets me to Monterrey, and thats all I'll need till I decide on which new/refurb model I can afford.

Might have some questions later LOL, will post them here if thats ok.

[charlyv]

There are so many hidden bugs with that  OS but you can upgrade it, as you know it will only accept the next upgrade and after that you will lose support from any app that relies on the Intel hardware.

Upgrading is causing a lot of problems for these machines, so save yourself a lot of trouble.
I would recommend cloning your existing HD and put it aside with a USB3 interface installed so you can access it later. Completely initialize a new HD and install the new OS from scratch. There are ample threads online that will take you through it. This will allow you to use this new version of the OS to save data tied to Apple apps successfully.

After you get it up and running, access what information you really need and export the data out of apps and store them in a new folder on the old disk.

Then,  get out of the Apple world and install Linux. Your Intel machine will be a problem for you from now on since the  support for the Intel machine is forever gone.   Use linux to port your data to open apps if you can. If you want to stay with Apple, you will need to buy a new machine, and you will have the untouched old hard disk for safety.