I’m replacing the 500gb spindle hard drive in my music server with a 1tb SSD. The current disk has reached capacity. The computer is used only for music playback via BitPerfect of lossless (ALAC) music files. The library is managed by iTunes.

Apparently, I have three options available to transfer the OS and data.

1. Clone the existing drive, I have Acronis and usb drive adaptors.
2. Use Apple’s online restore feature which will result in a clean OS install. Then restore the data using my time capsule backup.
3. Restore the complete drive from my time capsule via time machine.

I’m leaning towards option #2 because the computer shipped in 2014 with MacOS Yosemite and has had 4 OS updates, currently running Mojave. I suspect a fresh install of Mojave is preferable to an install comprising multiple updates.

Am I overthinking this? Thanks!

I vote #2, makes sense in regards to installing a fresh version.

Anytime I have a need to reinstall my Apple OS’s, I use the clean install method. So, I agree with the way you’re leaning. Option 2.

#2.

Is your 2014 like mine and able to take 2 hard drives? If so I would highly recommend dual hard drives. Much better to install all files on secondary drive. Run OS and programs on primary drive. Secondary drive can be cloned regularly for safety and time machine on primary drive.
I don’t install a single file on my OS/programs hard drive. Makes the machine and primary drive irrelevant.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
#2.

Is your 2014 like mine and able to take 2 hard drives? If so I would highly recommend dual hard drives. Much better to install all files on secondary drive. Run OS and programs on primary drive. Secondary drive can be cloned regularly for safety and time machine on primary drive.
I don’t install a single file on my OS/programs hard drive. Makes the machine and primary drive irrelevant.

Unfortunately, no. If you are running two drives, your mini left the factory with a PCIE SSD installed, leaving the upper drive bay available for a SATA drive. Apparently, since my mini shipped with only a SATA drive, adding a PCIE drive is problematic due to proprietary firmware considerations.

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:
Unfortunately, no. If you are running two drives, your mini left the factory with a PCIE SSD installed, leaving the upper drive bay available for a SATA drive. Apparently, since my mini shipped with only a SATA drive, adding a PCIE drive is problematic due to proprietary firmware considerations.

Here is the iFixit step by step guide to replace the hard drive in your 2014 Mini. They also sell the little tools mentioned in the guide, if you don't already have them.
 
Carbon Copy Cloner is the simplest way to clone your current drive onto the new SSD. You'd need one of the two in an external enclosure for this process, then swap in the SSD if you had not already.

Thanks for the advice, option #2 it is.

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
#2.

Is your 2014 like mine and able to take 2 hard drives? If so I would highly recommend dual hard drives. Much better to install all files on secondary drive. Run OS and programs on primary drive. Secondary drive can be cloned regularly for safety and time machine on primary drive.
I don’t install a single file on my OS/programs hard drive. Makes the machine and primary drive irrelevant.

Unfortunately, no. If you are running two drives, your mini left the factory with a PCIE SSD installed, leaving the upper drive bay available for a SATA drive. Apparently, since my mini shipped with only a SATA drive, adding a PCIE drive is problematic due to proprietary firmware considerations.

Umm, no. My quad core mini bought in 2014 came with one drive, a SATA. I installed a SSD myself, and run the OS and progs off the SSD. I store all files on the SATA, then regularly copy everything on it (clone it basically) to an external drive for backup. I haven’t had a single issue in 4 years.

I thought the Apple restore feature restored the OS that shipped with the machine. I could be wrong, but if so, you’ll have to do an upgrade after the restore. Why not boot from the old HD, then just install a new copy of Mojave on the new SSD? Or use a bootable USB stick.

After the SSD is installed, be sure to check the system report to ensure TRIM is enabled. Otherwise, you’ll need to enable it from a Terminal window through the trimforce command.

Funny, I just got a message my late 2012 Mac mini's hard drive was full yester(Sunday). I will probably do the #2 here in the near future.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
Is your 2014 like mine and able to take 2 hard drives? If so I would highly recommend dual hard drives.

Unfortunately, no. If you are running two drives, your mini left the factory with a PCIE SSD installed, leaving the upper drive bay available for a SATA drive.

Umm, no. My quad core mini bought in 2014 came with one drive, a SATA.

Let me explain these seeming contradictions.

Wayniac has a "late 2014" MacMini 7,1 which shipped with a HDD (rotational drive), but can't install a PCIe SSD into it due to firmware issues, so Wayniac wants to replace the HDD with an SATA SSD.

Since no "2014" MacMini shipped with a quad core processor, Prefontaine must have a "late 2012" MacMini 6,2 which was sold by Apple from 2012-2014, which he presumably bought in 2014. Prefontaine has complemented the factory shipped HDD with an SATA SSD into his "2012" MacMini.

As for the original question, you've made your decision, and it will work.

Thanks for clarifying!

Regarding which OS can be restored using the online restore feature, I found the following on the Apple support website:

“To start up from macOS Recovery, turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold one of the following combinations on your keyboard. Command-R is generally recommended,

Command (⌘)-R
Install the latest macOS that was installed on your Mac.
Option-⌘-R
Upgrade to the latest macOS compatible with your Mac.
Shift-Option-⌘-R
Install the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.”

 
If you have a few days to wait and you want to do a fresh install of Mojave, send me your address (my email in profile) and I will send you a USB install stick for Mojave 10.14.2. Much faster than using any of Apple's Recovery options, which installs over the internet. The USB stick has the entire OS right on it, so the install takes about 30 minutes. You just put the stick into a USB port, hold down the Option key when it boots, and select the installer. Don't forget to erase the target disk first (I prefer partition for this process). You can use Disk Utility on the install stick to do this, before you launch the install.

Thanks for the generous offer! I have to decline, as I’d like to finish before Saturday. I plan on starting the restore process in the evening to download the OS overnight.

This electronics screwdriver kit is quite nice for the price. There's a bit for pretty much everything.