# Mac mini recycling **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions\ **Tags:** hardware, filemaker-server\ **Created:** [November 23, 2021, 6:30am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597 "2021-11-23T06:30:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![harvest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/harvest/32/231_2.png) [@harvest](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/harvest)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 6:30am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/1 "2021-11-23T06:30:01Z")
Hello soup, just a question on older hardware. I have several Mac minis from 2011. The latest macOS to be installed is 10.13 aka High Sierra. Since most of them have a decent setup (SSD upgrade, 16GB RAM) and have hosted FM Servers for testing I would like to keep them in the rack for the same purpose. But FMS 19 wants newer OS versions. Has anybody set up one of these with a Linux Ubuntu Server 18.04 for testing? Does it work? How does it behave? Thanks Holger ---
**Author:** ![Malcolm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/malcolm/32/196_2.png) [@Malcolm](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Malcolm)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 6:55am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/2 "2021-11-23T06:55:51Z")
I'm pretty sure that you'll succeed. There is [a how-to on the ubuntu site](https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MactelSupportTeam/AppleIntelInstallation) and they also have [a forum devoted to Apple Hardware](https://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=328). ---
**Author:** ![cheesus](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/cheesus/32/182_2.png) [@cheesus](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/cheesus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 9:03am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/3 "2021-11-23T09:03:30Z")
Moin Holger, maybe you wanna try to install macOS Mojave or Catalina with the corresponding patcher from this site: [http://dosdude1.com/software.html](http://dosdude1.com/software.html) I've used these patches on several MacBooks and they work pretty well (FMP / FMS not tested). Thomas ---
**Author:** ![harvest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/harvest/32/231_2.png) [@harvest](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/harvest)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 9:49am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/4 "2021-11-23T09:49:08Z")
Hi Thomas, thank your for the link, the 2011 Mac minis with AMD Graphics are declared to slow for Catalina. I will try to set up a dualboot system or a Linux-only mini. The Sites, @Malcolm linked to show promissing possibilities Holger ---
**Author:** ![planteg](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/planteg/32/627_2.png) [@planteg](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/planteg)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 2:04pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/5 "2021-11-23T14:04:12Z")
Very interesting thread ! I have a Mac Mini Late 2012, with only 8 G memory, the poor guy is having a hard time doing anything. I would also like to find a use for it. When I will have time I will start a new thread with my specific project. ---
**Author:** ![Markus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Markus](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Markus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/6 "2021-11-23T14:25:32Z")
we got good expierience with ubuntu/FMS running under parallels - but we got no heavy load (and I decided to leave linux for FMS due to problems with parallels- or ubuntu updates... If there is a version of parallels available for that Mac... our Mac's are more powerfull - but mine was running 24/7, partialli under heavy load and paralles allocated 2 or 4 GB RAM ---
**Author:** ![harvest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/harvest/32/231_2.png) [@harvest](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/harvest)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 2:30pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/7 "2021-11-23T14:30:23Z")
I personally don't like personal virtualizers for server testing. Plus: the machines cannot be run on a macOS version that does get security patches. Thus the intention to directly boot into Linux via EFI modification etc. ---
**Author:** ![Markus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Markus](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Markus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 2:31pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/8 "2021-11-23T14:31:31Z")
agreed. Further, parallels can be a differen beast (parallels tools, restarting, updates,) ---
**Author:** ![Otmar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/otmar/32/703_2.png) [@Otmar](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Otmar)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 3:02pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/9 "2021-11-23T15:02:36Z")
MacMini 2011 should run Ubuntu without issues. I had a MacMini 2010 (still external power adapter) running with centos for FMS tests. A bootloader update unfortunately rendered it useless;-) Regarding "personal virtualizers" parallels pro and vmware fusion can run vms perfectly headless, have this running for years without issues at 2 clients. best Otmar ---
**Author:** ![Cecile](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/cecile/32/98_2.png) [@Cecile](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Cecile)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2021, 1:28pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/10 "2021-11-24T13:28:36Z")
Well if you decide to retire them I’d scavenge the RAM for my 2018 mini bought in 2019 which has 6 cores but only 8G RAM 😏 Edited to correct year. Mini is 2018. Car is 2017. 🤦‍♀️ ---
**Author:** ![FileKraft](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/filekraft/32/1183_2.png) [@FileKraft](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/FileKraft)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2021, 1:22am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/11 "2021-11-25T01:22:52Z")
Mini Mac late 2014 til 2018 uses PC3-12800 1600 MHz LPDDR3 memory and the minis from Mid 2011 PC10600 1333MHz which can't be used therefor. ---
**Author:** ![harvest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/harvest/32/231_2.png) [@harvest](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/harvest)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2021, 5:39am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/12 "2021-11-25T05:39:52Z")
I'm pretty sure Cecil knows the memory can not be changed/upgraded in that line (Mac mini late 2014), that is why I have only one of those, they are fast if bought with the Apple SSD but otherwise a dead end, same as the M1 line-up, buy one for testing and wait for better ones to come ---
**Author:** ![Cecile](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/cecile/32/98_2.png) [@Cecile](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Cecile)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2021, 12:23pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/13 "2021-11-25T12:23:02Z")
Thank you for the chivalrous comment Holger. I am unfortunately going to burst your bubble: i am a Windows expat. I barely find my way around my mini after two years. I constantly have to google shortcuts and don’t understand much about apple hardware. I configured my mini by putting in what seemed the best affordable solution for my needs and got skimpy with memory because someone told me I could add generic compatible RAM later, which I never got around to do. In contrast, my windows machine had 32g RAM 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![Marcel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/marcel/32/1307_2.png) [@Marcel](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Marcel)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 10:09am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/14 "2021-11-30T10:09:10Z")
> **[Reuse, Recycle: Set Up a Mac mini as a Linux Server](https://eshop.macsales.com/blog/67497-mac-mini-as-linux-server/)** > > I recently showed you how to use a used Mac mini as a media server for your home. Today, I continue the theme of recycling and reusing older Mac minis by turning one into a Linux server. ---
**Author:** ![harvest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/harvest/32/231_2.png) [@harvest](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/harvest)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 12:01pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/mac-mini-recycling/2597/15 "2021-12-13T12:01:28Z")
Far easier than I first thought: Booted the Mac mini 2011 from its HD, put in a bootable USB-Stick, prepared with balenaEtcher, restarted with opt-key pressed, choose EFiBoot, stepped through the Ubuntu install (nice one: ssh-server is an opt-in in the process), rebooted and ... got my promt, connected via iTerm from my Mac, next will be setting up the FMS now