How Do You Install Software On A Mac Mini

  1. How To Add Administrator Accounts To Your Mac
  2. How Do You Install Software On A Mac Mini Windows 10
  3. Install App On Mac

Mac vs Windows. Windows vs Mac. Why choose if you can get the best of both worlds by dual booting? Install Windows on Mac so you can jump back and forth from one operating system to another on the same computer.

Oct 04, 2017 When you find what you need, MacPorts downloads and installs the appropriate software and dependencies in the right place. This saves you the trouble of downloading repositories from GitHub and building software from source packages while still getting access to a wide range of Linux’s best command-line tools and GUI applications. I need to recover everything on my 2010 mac mini. On mac os x lion i get as far as. Select the disk where you want to install mac os x. There is a big sugar box with nothing in it. And on botton a a dark install arrow circle that does not work.

By now, the practice is well-established and Windows can work on Mac well. In this article, we’ll have a deep look at installing Windows on Mac. Don’t worry, we’ll have your back the whole way through!

Boot Camp for Mac vs virtualization software

If you want to install Windows on your Mac, you have two options. You can either use Mac Boot Camp, a native feature of the macOS operating system, or you can use a third party virtualization program. Both methods have their own pros and cons, so let’s dive in.

Boot Camp is built into the operating system of all Macs. If you go to your Applications > Utilities folder, you’ll see the Boot Camp Assistant app. It makes the separate partition on your hard drive for installing and running Windows. Once Windows is installed in Boot Camp, every time you turn on your Mac, you will be asked to choose the operating system you want to run. This means that in order to switch from macOS to Windows, you need to reboot your computer.

Advantages

  • built into your operating system
  • easy to use — Boot Camp Assistant guides you through the installation process
  • puts less strain on your Mac’s memory and processing power
  • completely free (not Windows of course)
  • easy to update

Disadvantages

  • you need to reboot your computer to switch between the systems
  • transferring data between operating systems isn’t easy

Virtualization programs are third-party applications that allow to install a separate operating system on one machine. They run like any other app on your Mac, so you can see the entire Windows desktop within a window on your computer.

Among the most popular virtualization programs are VirtualBox, Parallels, and VMware. Each one has its peculiarities, but we’ll try to sum up what they have in common.

Advantages

  • you can run both operating systems at the same time
  • easy file integration between systems

Disadvantages

  • you need at least 8 GB of RAM for Mac to run smoothly
  • virtualization apps are not cheap
  • updates are not free

Depending on your specific needs, you can choose the option that works best for you. But we suggest using Boot Camp. It’s a free native feature of your operating system, running directly on your hardware. Therefore, it will be faster than any other method. And below, you’ll find all information on how to run Boot Camp on your Mac.

How To Add Administrator Accounts To Your Mac

How to use Boot Camp: Preparing your Mac

1. Check the system requirements

Some versions of Windows require a certain processor and more hard drive space than the others. Therefore, you have to check the documentation that came with your copy of Windows to learn what you need.

You also need to make sure that your Mac is compatible with the version of Windows you want to install. For instance, Windows 10 is supported on these models:

  • MacBook (2015 and later)
  • MacBook Pro (2012 and later)
  • MacBook Air (2012 and later)
  • iMac (2012 and later)
  • Mac Mini (2012 and later)

2. Clean up your hard drive

You need to have at least 55 GB of free disk space on your startup drive for installing Windows on a Mac. And if you don’t feel like spending the next several hours cleaning your Mac manually, you can use a powerful utility CleanMyMac X to find and remove all the junk from your startup disk.

CleanMyMac has everything to finish the 3-hour task of cleaning your hard drive in less than 5 minutes. It will scan every inch of your system and remove gigabytes of junk in two clicks. By the way, CleanMyMac finds about 75 GB of junk on average — more than enough for a smooth Windows installation.

Here’s how to clean your Mac with CleanMyMac X:

  1. Download CleanMyMac here.
  2. Run the app and click Scan.
  3. Click Run.

That’s it! Gigabytes of junk are gone from your computer forever.

3. Back up your Mac

Finally, you should also perform a backup of your Mac in case something goes wrong. Although, it happens very rarely, it’s always better to back up your important data. There are a few methods of backing up your Mac, so choose the most convenient one for you.

You can make automatic backups with Time Machine — software that comes with your Mac. It backs up all data, so you can recover individual files or your entire system from your backups. You may also store files in iCloud and access them whenever you need. iCloud comes with 5 GB of free storage but you can upgrade it any time. If you have an external storage device, you can copy some files and folders on it.

We do recommend you to back up your Mac before installing Windows as it minimizes the chance of losing important data.

How to Install Windows with Boot Camp

Here’s how to install Boot Camp. The installation can be a little time consuming, but it is by no means difficult. Check out the details below.

Step 1: Get a Windows disk image

First of all, you need to get the Windows disk image (ISO file) from the Microsoft website. Here’s how to download it:

  1. Visit the Windows 10 disk image download website.
  2. Go to the Select edition menu and choose Windows 10.
  3. Click Confirm.
  4. Choose the language of installation and click Confirm.
  5. Click 64-bit Download and then click Save.

The ISO file now will be downloaded to your Mac.

Step 2: Open Boot Camp Assistant

Boot Camp Assistant guides you through installing Windows on your Mac. You just have to follow the onscreen instructions. To launch the Boot Camp Assistant, go to Applications > Utilities folder. Click continue and Boot Camp for Mac will automatically locate the ISO file on your system.

Step 3: Create a partition for Windows

When you are done with the Assistant, your Mac restarts to the Windows installer. When you are asked where you want to install Windows, choose the BOOTCAMP partition and click Format.

*Note that this step is only required if you’re using a flash drive or optical drive to install Windows. In other cases, the right partition will be selected and formatted for you automatically.

Step 4: Install Windows

How Do You Install Software On A Mac Mini Windows 10

To finish the installation, you have to follow the onscreen instructions. Take a long breath — the next 12 steps may seem like climbing Everest, but it’s much easier than you think. Here’s how to install Windows on a Mac:

  1. Choose your ISO file and click the Install button.
  2. Type your Password and click OK. You will see the Windows Setup screen.
  3. Select your language.
  4. Click Install Now.
  5. Type your product key if you have it. Otherwise, click 'I don’t have a product key'.
  6. Select Windows 10 Pro or Windows Home and then click Next.
  7. Click Drive 0 Partition X: BOOTCAMP.
  8. Click Next. Windows 10 will be installed.
  9. When the Setup screen appears, click either Use Express Settings or Customize Your Installation. We recommend you to choose the Customize button and disable most, if not all of the switches.
  10. Then you’ll be asked to create an account. Type a username. You can also add a password if you want.
  11. Click Next.
  12. Choose whether you want to use the Cortana personal assistant or not. You can disable it by clicking Not Now button.

Windows will boot fully so you can use it normally.

On the Welcome to Boot Camp Installer box, click Next and accept the terms in the license agreement. Then click Install to proceed. When the installer completes, click Finish to reboot your machine.

Step 5: Restart your Mac

Pesky

By default, your Mac will still boot to macOS. To access Windows, you have to turn your Mac off and then turn it on while holding the Option (Alt) key. You will be asked from which drive you’d like to boot.

Note that while in Windows, the Mac’s Command key functions as the Windows key, while the Option key functions as the Alt key. If you have a Touch Bar, you’ll see a complete set of buttons, similar to the Control Strip in macOS.

How to remove Windows from your Mac

If for some reasons you don’t need Windows anymore, you can permanently remove it from your Mac. Follow these steps:

  1. Boot into macOS, launch Boot Camp Assistant and click Continue.
  2. Choose 'Remove Windows 7 or later version' or 'Remove Windows 10 or later version'.
  3. Click Restore when you see the Restore Disk to a Single Volume option.

The Boot Camp Assistant will automatically remove Windows from your Mac.

Warning: All data, including software and files, stored on the Windows partition will be deleted, so make the backup copies first.

That may seem like a lot of steps, but it doesn’t take all that long to install Windows on a Mac. Now you can enjoy two operating systems and switch between them right when you need. Cheers!

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Are you wondering what goes on inside Apple’s Mac mini? Perhaps you’ve bought one and want to see what you can do with it?

If so, read on to discover everything you need to know about the Mac mini, from what it is, to how to set it up and tons of different things you can use it for, outside of a regular PC.

What is a Mac mini and what does it do?

The Mac mini is a small desktop computer made by Apple. What makes the Mac mini different from a regular computer is that it’s shipped without an accompanying screen, keyboard or mouse. As Apple likes to say, it’s “BYODKM” (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse).

The reason behind the Mac mini being shipped solo, is because most of its use cases feature around using it to power up another device, as we’ll discuss in more detail below.

It also makes for more of a flexible purchase. For example, if you already have a screen, or a keyboard and mouse, you can pair these with the Mac mini rather than forking out for new ones. And if you don’t, you can easily purchase them alongside the Mac mini anyway.

The Mac mini has been around since 2005 (launched at the same time as the iPod shuffle) but its design and functionality have changed since then.

The latest 3.6 GHz Mac mini released in 2018 comes in two types of processing speed, the 3.6 GHz Mac mini Core i3 costing about $799 and the 3.0 GHz Mac mini Core i5 costing about $1099.

Specification of the Mac mini

Uses for the Mac mini

  • Share presentations to screen
  • Listen to music through an app like Spotify
  • Share photos to a TV screen
  • Access emails
  • Play games

Benefits of the Mac mini

Some of the key benefits of the Mac mini include:

  • The cheapest Mac Apple sells
  • Built in apps such as FaceTime, iBooks, Maps, iTunes and Mail
  • Multiple ports, making it more akin to a PC than a media device
  • Apple quotes that with fourth-generation Intel Core processors, the device is able to “keep up with computers twice its size”
  • Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth
  • Easy setup for a keyboard, mouse or screen
  • The perfect size to use as the centre of a “digital home”

How to set up a Mac mini

Here’s how to get your Mac mini running, from getting it out of the box to using it for a purchase such as connecting to your home TV.

Before you begin setup some of the questions you may want to consider include:

  • What screen will you be connecting to? You’ll need a desktop or a TV screen to get your Mac mini up and running
  • How will you connect to the screen? Depending on what screen you’re connecting to you may need a converter lead
  • Do you have a Wi-Fi connection? You’ll need this to set up some of the Mac mini features
  • How will you control the Mac mini? You’ll likely need either a keyboard and mouse combo or an Apple remote

Once you’ve made your decision and purchased any additional items you need, here’s how to get set up.

  1. Add power

Plug the power adaptor into your Mac mini and plug the other end into your power outlet. Press the power button on the back of the Mac mini.

2. Attach to your TV or monitor

Connect your Mac mini to your TV or desktop. The Mac mini comes with a HDMI-to-DVI adapter for connecting to a monitor's DVI port, which will allow you to connect to an Apple monitor.

If you want to connect to a TV screen you may need to purchase a mini-displayport-to-VGA adapter which will allow you to connect your Mac mini to a standard analog monitor, projector, or LCD that uses a VGA connector or cable.

3. Connect to Wi-Fi

Once turned on, the setup guide should take you through a few simple steps, including setting up a Wi-Fi connection.

4. Sign in with your Apple id

This will give you access to the App Store and and will link your iCloud account if you wish to connect to your Mail, Photos, Calendar and so on.

5. Begin using your Mac mini

From here, you can begin using your PC or TV screen as a computer, using the desktop to search for apps, open web pages and more.

What can you do with your Mac mini?

Want to ensure you’re getting the most from your Mac mini device? Here are some ideas on how you can use it:

  1. Access apps on a TV screen

The Mac mini is a great way to take everything you’d usually do on your phone or laptop and access it on your TV screen. This could be sharing photos with a room, opening mail or accessing your documents.

  1. Use any screen as your computer

The Mac mini is super light, which means you can take it anywhere, plug it into a desktop and you’ll have a powerful computer. This allows you to work from anywhere, or set up shop in any location where there’s a monitor and Wi-Fi available.

  1. Set up digital signage with the Mac mini

The Mac mini is a great way to turn any screen into a digital sign. This allows you to pre-schedule and setup content to show on your digital screen such as social media feeds, presentations, travel updates, news feeds and more. Read the full guide on setting up digital signage with the Mac mini here.

Install App On Mac

4. Create a home viewing centre

With the Mac mini and a screen, or desktop, you can create a home viewing centre that allows you to watch movies, surf the internet and listen to music. Via streaming apps such as Netflix, or even through movies you’ve bought on iTunes, you can easily set up movies to play on any screen. You can also use music apps available in the Apple App Store or use Safari to get online.

5. View and share photos

The Mac Mini includes a SDXC card slot so you can simply remove the memory card from your camera and insert it. This allows you to view photos on a monitor, or share them with the room from your TV screen.

Mac mini question buster

Can you use any monitor with a Mac mini?

The Mac mini doesn’t come with a monitor, but you can connect it to one using one of the ports on the back of the device. Using the right adapter, you can connect the Mac Mini to any computer screen with a VGA port. The Mac Mini ships with a HDMI-to-DVI adapter but it’s only really Apple monitors which use DVI, so for a regular monitor you may need a HDMI-to-VGA or mini displayport-to-VGA connector instead.

How do you turn on a Mac mini?

Simply press the power button on the Mac mini box.

Can you use any keyboard with a Mac mini?

Most keyboards and mouses can be used with the Mac mini by connecting them using the USB port. For Bluetooth devices, connect the USB dongle to the Mac mini using the USB port.

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