Mm 1,1-6,2 Mac Mini 2009 3,1 10.5.X Compatibility

[CYB3RBYTE]

Hey all, I'd like to get a 3,1 Mac mini to be a bridge Mac of sorts, with it also pulling duty as a shop computer in my workshop for reference materials and a machine to sync my firewire iPods with easily. I'd like to run it with 10.5.X as it was the last macOS that could write floppies / work with HFS (unless there is a secret way to add HFS compatibility into a newer version of macOS).

The problem is that with the specifications documentation I'm finding that the early 2009's say they are compatible with Leopard and I'm guessing they shipped with it, but the mid-2009 machines starting shipping with Snow Leopard. Are the Mid-2009 machines still able to run leopard or did they not add the necessary drivers for that model? They are both 3,1 Mac Mini's technically.

 

[eyoungren]

Hey all, I'd like to get a 3,1 Mac mini to be a bridge Mac of sorts, with it also pulling duty as a shop computer in my workshop for reference materials and a machine to sync my firewire iPods with easily. I'd like to run it with 10.5.X as it was the last macOS that could write floppies / work with HFS (unless there is a secret way to add HFS compatibility into a newer version of macOS).

The problem is that with the specifications documentation I'm finding that the early 2009's say they are compatible with Leopard and I'm guessing they shipped with it, but the mid-2009 machines starting shipping with Snow Leopard. Are the Mid-2009 machines still able to run leopard or did they not add the necessary drivers for that model? They are both 3,1 Mac Mini's technically.

According to MacTracker, Early 2009 Mini minimum OS was 10.5.6 and Late 2009 was 10.6.

As far as I know there were no Mid-2009 Mac Minis. I have two MM's one Early 2009 and one Late 2009.

 

[CYB3RBYTE]

Ah, my correction, I was talking about the late 2009. Any idea if you think the late 09' will run Leopard?

 

[theMarble]

Ah, my correction, I was talking about the late 2009. Any idea if you think the late 09' will run Leopard?

The Late '09 mini shares the same Model Identifier as the Early '09 (Macmini3,1), so Leopard can be installed without any tricks or hacks. Just plug in a properly made USB or a DVD and it will work.

 

[CYB3RBYTE]

Amazing, thank you! Perhaps the everymac page should get updated?

My plan is to have this be a fileserver for my classic Macs to make getting old software be really easy. Any recommendations for setup of that anyone has?

 

[theMarble]

My plan is to have this be a fileserver for my classic Macs to make getting old software be really easy. Any recommendations for setup of that anyone has?

I personally use an older 2007 Mac mini as a file server for my older Macs. All you really need just to start off is some drives. Then go and enable File Sharing in System Preferences.