Upgrade my mac mini processor

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I have a mac mini running a core duo 1.83. It only gets light use so that's fine, but it seems that Lion won't run on it as it's 64 bit only. I want to replace the core duo with a 64 bit core 2 duo but can't find any mobo specs that will guide me to the right core 2 duo. All suggestions welcome.

Thanks:(
 
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Thanks Nick - I saw that article but there's also quite a few chronicling how to successfully replace a core duo with a core 2 duo. I bought this mini in 2007 so it's possible it will work, but I don't want to take it apart to find a soldered chip, which is why I asked about the specs that I can't find. This is stuff that is very easy with pcs and I need pointing to ditto for my mini.
 

CrimsonRequiem


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Your Mac's Specs
MBP 2.3 Ghz 4GB RAM 860 GB SSD, iMac 3.4 GHz Intel Core i7 32GB RAM, Fusion Drive 1TB
According to this "article" you can.
 

dtravis7


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MacMini M-1 MacOS Monterey, iMac 2010 27"Quad I7 , MBPLate2011, iPad Pro10.5", iPhoneSE
I upgraded my 1.66 Core Duo Mini to a 2.16 C2D out of an iMac. Works GREAT BUT....

Lion refuses to install? Why you ask? Lion reads the old Firmware that can NOT be changed and that tells it Core Duo so it will not install.

Only way around it is install Lion on the drive from the Mini on a supported Mac then put the drive back in the mini.

That works. Should not be illegal as long as the mini is registered with Apple and has a store account.
 
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Thanks for the link and pointing out the issue re the EFI on my mini. Yes, it looks as though even with a core 2 duo chip my mini will boot with a 32 bit kernel. As you say, it looks like I'll have to buy 10.7 with a compatible mac - that's no problem - and then image to an external drive and tweak it from there onto my mini. Not hard to do, though putting us through all of this is a bit tiresome. I expect there will be some clever hacks soon which will make it simpler.

Whatever happened to backwards compatibility?
 

CrimsonRequiem


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MBP 2.3 Ghz 4GB RAM 860 GB SSD, iMac 3.4 GHz Intel Core i7 32GB RAM, Fusion Drive 1TB
Thanks for the link and pointing out the issue re the EFI on my mini. Yes, it looks as though even with a core 2 duo chip my mini will boot with a 32 bit kernel. As you say, it looks like I'll have to buy 10.7 with a compatible mac - that's no problem - and then image to an external drive and tweak it from there onto my mini. Not hard to do, though putting us through all of this is a bit tiresome. I expect there will be some clever hacks soon which will make it simpler.

Whatever happened to backwards compatibility?

Went out the door with Rosetta. >_>"
 

dtravis7


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Ok, after I replied here I got my Core Duo upgraded to a C2D Mini and tried installing Lion. There are a few ways but I just took out the Mini's drive and put it in an external SATA case. Installed Lion then put the drive back in the mini. After that you boot into Snow Leopard and zap one file in system/library. After that Mini booted up and I registered Lion with Apple. Works GREAT. Quite fast and considering the early Minis only take 2GB RAM, I am impressed.

To the OP, if you want to try lion on your C2D older Mini, let me know and I will give you a few tips.

This also proves that if you buy Lion from the App store (Not a Lion that comes with a new Mac), it's $29.99 for your registered Macs and not $29.99 for each Mac you upgrade.

PS, be sure the Mini has a large hard drive as you need Snow Leopard installed to at least zap that one file. I have two partitions, one with SL and one with Lion and an external for Time Machine backup.
 

bobtomay

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15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
So, the mini is running good with 2GB? Have been trying to decide whether to upgrade my wife's MB to Lion or leave well enough alone.
 

dtravis7


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So, the mini is running good with 2GB? Have been trying to decide whether to upgrade my wife's MB to Lion or leave well enough alone.

What does she do on her MB? If just email, Web, Chat and basics like that, 2GB will be fine. If she is a power user than no way! I had 1GB free at the desktop but it was spotlighting the drive which takes RAM.

Will check again tomorrow morning but it was fine.

BTW, SL on my iMac C2D late 2007 iMac with 2GB with the way I use a computer was always running out of ram and swapping! The Mini with Lion seems no worse in that way than SL with 2GB. I am a power user though. Most average computer users are not! :D
 

bobtomay

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email, web and a few cheesy games - maybe try and upgrade her tomorrow.
 

dtravis7


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email, web and a few cheesy games - maybe try and upgrade her tomorrow.

BTW, You have to delete System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist after the install if it's a Core Duo or it will not boot.

Is her MB C2D or Core Duo?
 

bobtomay

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It's a mid '07, so should be a C2D.
 

dtravis7


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It's a mid '07, so should be a C2D.

Yes for sure. On that machine you should be able to go over 2GB. Not sure which one you have but at least 3GB.
 

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