Mac Mini messed up update

[slippyjim]

Hi,

I'm not a Mac expert I usually deal with Windows but trying to fix this for my friend

He has this Mac Mini server - https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-i7-2.0-mid-2011-server-specs.html
Its not being used as a server just as home PC

It did a OS update but now displays this error


I have done Command & R and gone into disk utility and ran first aid, it says both hard drives are OK
What is the extra 2GB drive? something to do with the update?


Then I went back and to reinstall macos and eventually get to this screen
Why is 1 hard drive greyed out? Is that the drive where MacOS is currently installed?


Thanks

 

[MacInWin]

It looks like the drive is unformatted or formatted incorrectly. I also see that the drive is pretty much empty, which means the owner doesn't have anything on it. If that latter is correct, the best way to proceed is to boot using CMD + R and then use Disk Utility to format the drive for Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and then install the OS again. Make it all one partition. Since the screen shows Sierra, I'll assume that's what it came with, which should be available from an internet install. Once that is done, you can, if he wants, upgrade to High Sierra, which is the most recent version it supports.

 

[ferrarr]

The way I see it, the mini came with 2 internal 500GB drives. The original OS drive, looks like it has died. If so, it can be replaced, or you can just use the 2nd internal drive as the new OS boot drive. See here for the repair guide to replace the drive, https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Mac_Mini_Mid_2011

Does your friend have a backup?

To answer your questions:

"What is the extra 2GB drive? something to do with the update?" The 2GB is the Recovery partition, which is on the original OS drive. Nothing to do with the update. Mac OS X/OS X/macOS, since Mac OS X Lion (10.7) creates a Recovery partition on the drive. Since that is part of the 500GB startup drive and that part of it is still functioning, I don't know if the data on the OS part of the drive is recoverable.

"Why is 1 hard drive greyed out? Is that the drive where MacOS is currently installed). " Same as above, the Recovery partition appears as Mac OS X/OS X/macOS "Base System" when booted from that partition (or bootable USB installer).

 

[chscag]

Bob is correct. The Mac Mini Server did come with two identical hard drives even though the owner is not using the Mini as a server. Follow Jake's advice in post # 2.

 

[ferrarr]

I wonder if they went from macOS Sierra (10.12) to macOS Mojave (10.14) and the APFS conversions messed something up?

 

[harryb2448]

And that model Mini Server will not install Mojave. Like all 2011 models limited to High Sierra. Like the Song about KC. 'They have gone about as far as they can go'!

P.S. That does NOT apply to the KC Chiefs!!!!!

 

[slippyjim]

Thanks for all the info

I dont think he has a backup and he doesnt really know what he had saved where on there either, he isnt very computer literate

Am I correct in saying the OSX Base System hard drive is the one where the OS was originally installed? If so how can it think only 2GB is used, that 2GB is probably the recovery partition. Is it possible that whatever messed up has caused it to think there is less free space on the drive than there really is?

I've been looking in Disk utility and
OS X base system is Mac OS extended with 1.28GB used
HD2 is Mac OS extended (Journaled) with 1.08GB used

Does it have to be Mac OS extended (Journaled) for me to be able to install OSX to it?



Thanks

 

[slippyjim]

OK update.

He said there was nothing that needed saving so I formatted the OS X base system as Mac OS extended (Journaled) and it started installing OS X Sierra, then after a few minutes it just turned itself off. I tried again and it failed with this error
View attachment 28970

then this
View attachment 28971

So I formatted the other HDD and tried that, that does a similar thing although now I also get this, or something similar appear as well
View attachment 28972

I wondered if it was faulty RAM so i changed it and now when I go into Command & R and reinstall OS X it was going to install El Capitan..... then it wanted me to sign into app store so I used my sign in and it said that ID is only valid with the UK store so it was going to swap but it went back to the previous screen so I signed in again and now it just says "this item is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later"

So now I turned it off and did Command & R again and it is back to installing OS Sierra again now

Can I download an iso file and install from USB?


Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[slippyjim]

Well I tried again and it has now worked.

I've now got it running a bad sector scan with stellar drive toolbox

 

[slippyjim]

The original OS X HDD has 1 bad sector, the other HDD is fine. seems strange that just 1 bad sector would cause that much trouble.
Also, a few times I have left the Mac doing some scan and come back an hour or 2 later and its off, not gone to sleep its totally turned off so looks like there is some kind of power issue.
I was running a RAM test after doing Command D on startup and came back later and it was off. Also now I cant get back into the diagnostics using Command D, I press it after the chime, Internet recovery appears then throws up error "-6002D" and goes no further, i cant find any info on this error after searching.

I have successfully updated it to High Sierra now

Any ideas on these latest strange things......?

Thanks