Install macOS on new hard drive, mac mini 2012

Cuwee · September 18, 2021

I replaced the hard drive in my i think 2012 mac mini and i cant get an installer to load.

I launched a ubuntu live disk and check and the new drive is recognized and everything is working. However when trying to load into the startup menu or internet recovery nothing. I get no video signal from the mini unless im loading into a linux drive.

I have refurbished many macs and never had this issue before. Any ideas?

I have tried holding Option and Option Command R

If you just leave it, with a macOS installer (Sierra) it'll eventually just power off.

BondiBlue · September 18, 2021

Can you get into the boot menu by holding option at power on?

Ashley MLP Fangirl · September 19, 2021

did you try holding down command+option+r when booting?

also do you have another Mac and an external drive handy? you could install macOS to the external drive then boot it on the Mac Mini and clone it to the new drive.