[nayr]

I did this exactly the same way. Off the first boot I had to use an external monitor and then install the Dell efi package. Smooth as butter after that!

This is by far the easiest way to install and the biggest benefit of having a runcore!

[apparissus]

I bet if you name the OS X partition on the SSD "OSXMINI9" you can run bmaltais' DellEFIBootMaker on the SSD after finishing the OS X install, and then you wouldn't need the external monitor. Note that I haven't tried this myself, but the principle is sound. 8-)

[khyron]

This is the method I used, and it was a dream. Totally simple, none of the complex junk necessary for people who don't have a real Mac or don't have a USB port on their SSD.

You can completely eliminate the external monitor or any other strange bootup issues with one detail. When you run DellEFI on the real Mac (after install, booted from the SSD) select "Custom" and UNCHECK the box about generating a hardware-specific DSDT file. This will keep you from having any issues on first boot after moving the SSD from the Mac to the Dell.

Once you have booted successfully into OSX on the Dell, then run DellEFI again. This time also choose "Custom" and generate the DSDT file (leaving anything else unchecked, since it's all already done at this point). Now you're good to go! :mrgreen:

[lantzn]

ATTENTION:
The Step by Step GUIDE has been moved to the How To section.

INSTALLATION GUIDE:
http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/faqs...html#post54199

[khyron]

Originally Posted by lantzn

Great khyron that's exactly what I needed to know. Thanks

Curious, why does OS X not recognize the Dells display in the first place? Is it a driver issue? That would seem odd because I can pretty much plug just about any monitor into a Mac and have it work. I'm currently running a 20" Dell display at home with my G4.

I'm not sure it's really that OSX "doesn't recognize" the Dell display, it could be more an issue of OSX getting generally confused about shutting down on the Mac you install from and then waking up inside different dramatically different hardware. That causes weird issues with almost any OS, even moving an OSX drive from one real Mac to another on occasion.

I tried this method out using a variety of different Macs including desktop and notebook models to make sure it worked consistently before I went online promoting it, and eliminating that hardware-specific information seems to do the trick every time. I'm really excited about it because I think a decent proportion of people installing OSX on the Mini are using USB-equipped SSD's and have access to at least one real Mac, so this can really help a lot of people out.

[lantzn]

'm really excited about it because I think a decent proportion of people installing OSX on the Mini are using USB-equipped SSD's and have access to at least one real Mac, so this can really help a lot of people out.

No doubt about that. It's just to easy. Why do the Runcore have the usb port in the first place, not that I'm complaining?
I got a really good deal on my mini9 from the Dell site, $80 off special, and I saved $40 dropping down to a 8GB SSD knowing I was going to get the Runcore. I also maxed out the ram from Newegg for $20. I paid $335 out the door from Dell including free shipping and WinXP. You just can't beat these prices for something to run OSX on. I've read the Runcore and max ram really make these things speedy little fellows. Now if I can only get my SSD! The waiting is killing me.

[Viscaria]

I installed OS X this way. I just installed as normal to the RunCore drive, rebooted and ran DellEFI but just ran the parts necessary to get it booting (bootloader and kexts, nothing else) and ran the rest after the first boot with it actually in the Mini. It worked fine except that it freezes after waking from sleep, idk if this has anything to do with my install method though.

[Carlos]

Originally Posted by Viscaria

I installed OS X this way. I just installed as normal to the RunCore drive, rebooted and ran DellEFI but just ran the parts necessary to get it booting (bootloader and kexts, nothing else) and ran the rest after the first boot with it actually in the Mini. It worked fine except that it freezes after waking from sleep, idk if this has anything to do with my install method though.

You have to disable usb legacy device in the BIOS and it'll stop freezing after sleep.

[tetany]

Originally Posted by Carlos

You have to disable usb legacy device in the BIOS and it'll stop freezing after sleep.

Would it be a good idea to disable usb legacy device in the mini prior to installing the new runcore os x ssd? What about updating the bios to 05 as well? Or is it just as easy to do that afterwards?

[NoahFuLing]

UNCONFIRMED METHOD
Preliminary Steps:
i) Make sure your Dell works.
ii) Make sure legacy USB support is turned off in the BIOS.
iii) Make sure Wi-Fi and BlueTooth are turned on in the BIOS and in Windows/Ubuntu.
iv) Make sure you are using an Intel Mac.
v) MAKE SURE ALL DATA IS BACKED UP OFF OF THE RUNCORE BEFORE INSTALLING! No data will be recoverable after formatting!

Installation Instructions:
1) Connect RunCore SSD to Mac via MicroUSB.
2) Open Disk Utility. Select the SSD in the left menu, and click the "Erase" tab. Select "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" from the drop-down list, and choose a name for the disk. When prompted, partition the SSD as a GUID partition. (needs confirmation).
2) Insert OS X Install DVD.
3) Run the Install package.
4) Install OS X on the SSD.
5) Reboot into the SSD.
6) Install all updates for OS X on the SSD. Run the Software Update utility and reboot until no more updates show in the utility.
7) Copy JUST the DellEFI file (from http://mydellmini.com/forum/dellefi-...nal-t5498.html) onto the desktop of the OS X install on the SSD.
8) Make sure no programs are running. Install the DellEFI package. Select Custom, select all of the options except the hardware-specific DSDT file.
9) Shut down.
10) Move the SSD into the Mini 9.
11) Turn on the Mini 9.
12) Run the DellEFI package again, select Custom, and only install the hardware-specific DSDT file.
13) Reboot.
You're done!

Edited on Tuesday, April 21, 2009. Will be confirmed step-by-step once my Dell Mini 9 arrives.