Can a Windows only install on a Mac Mini (2011) be cloned?

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WarlordBB

Limp Gawd
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Jun 10, 2004
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I have suggested that my work use Mac Mini's as a desktop platform for our 40 person call center. They are smaller, more energy efficient and built better than anything else we can get for the price (this is the current 2011 Mac Mini). However, our call center is Windows 7 only. I'd prefer to not have to deal with having the Mac OS installed only to kickstart a Boot Camp install of Windows 7. I'd rather (at least right now, I do have an ultimate goal of slowly introducing the idea of Mac OS) just install Windows 7 only.

I purchased one as a test and during the Boot Camp install, deleted all existing partitions (including the existing Mac OS) and successfully installed Windows 7 as the only bootable OS on the Mac Mini. Everything is working fine and the system runs all apps fantastically (we've increased the RAM to 8GB).

Now how do I clone this? This isn't going to work if I have to tell my helpdesk guy that instead of using PXE and Windows Deployment Service images, he's going to have to install Windows 7 manually to all 40 systems.

Any ideas?

BTW, I'd settle for an option that allowed me to clone a Mac OS/Boot Camp/Windows 7 install if that's the only option. I've read that these new Mac Mini's can't PXE boot and that getting them to boot from USB requires black magic and possibly burnt offerings.
 
I used Studio Deploy! do your initial install, make a image, and deploy to new units. Pretty easy and quick.
 
And DeployStudio works with the 2011 Mac Mini?

And the Acronis suggestion... you're sure a Mac Mini that needs a GPT partition can boot Acronis or is that just a guess based on your experience with Acronis on other platforms?
 
Have you tried using a FireWire 800 drive instead of USB?
 
Seems like a rather expensive way to get a Windows computer to me.
 
$597 is expensive? (price for base system + RAM kit on a very popular online retailer). I challenge you to find as reliable a system with similar specs (i5 - 8GB RAM after installing $29 kit) on the Windows side for enough less to matter.
 
WarlordBB said:
$597 is expensive? (price for base system + RAM kit on a very popular online retailer). I challenge you to find as reliable a system with similar specs (i5 - 8GB RAM after installing $29 kit) on the Windows side for enough less to matter.
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What, a mini comes with Windows 7? So you're really talking about a $700 computer. I bet I can find systems for less or the same as that. Apple solutions have never been known for being price leaders.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/s...ame=s5xt_series&a1=Category&v1=Slim and sleek

And you don't have to do all of this work which you are not including in your pricing.
 
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AQ_OC said:
What, a mini comes with Windows 7? So you're really talking about a $700 computer. I bet I can find systems for less or the same as that. Apple solutions have never been known for being price leaders.
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Actually, if you have an Enterprise Agreement (EA), OSX is counted as a valid OS to upgrade to Windows 7.

Beyond that, you are not allowed to clone the computer if you don't have an EA. The EA confers the license to be able to clone machines.
 
ianshot said:
Actually, if you have an Enterprise Agreement (EA), OSX is counted as a valid OS to upgrade to Windows 7.

Beyond that, you are not allowed to clone the computer if you don't have an EA. The EA confers the license to be able to clone machines.
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I don't really get your point...but one way or another he's got to pay for windows...I'm sure it's not free.
 
We have an EA and, though I'll give you that that HP is a decent find, we'd still have to use one of our EA licenses and install Windows 7 Enterprise so OS is a wash unless you can find one that comes with a Windows 7 Enterprise CAL.

Regardless I'll concede the point on my challenge, you won. However, I'm still recommending the Mac Mini's and we're still pursuing it. I picked up a SuperDrive and we've been able to boot Acronis and Bart's PE just fine to get around the whole PXE issue. Another interesting option is that, supposedly, if you plug a Mac Mini up via Firewire to an existing system, running Windows or Mac OSX, the system will see the Mac Mini as an external drive so you can just image them that way. Gonna try this out.
 
AQ_OC said:
I don't really get your point...but one way or another he's got to pay for windows...I'm sure it's not free.
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WarlordBB said:
We have an EA and, though I'll give you that that HP is a decent find, we'd still have to use one of our EA licenses and install Windows 7 Enterprise so OS is a wash unless you can find one that comes with a Windows 7 Enterprise CAL.
.
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Pretty much what WarlordBB said, to do cloning you have to have an EA, so you have to buy Windows no matter which way you go, so it is a wash. The retail licenses do not allow cloning. So your adding an extra $200 on the Mac doesn't work, as you have to add that same $200 onto the PC that came with Windows.

If you have an EA you are likely getting something like the old Desktop Pro license which has your Exchange CAL, Windows CAL, Office Lic, Windows Lic, SCCM CAL, etc.
 
WarlordBB said:
We have an EA and, though I'll give you that that HP is a decent find, we'd still have to use one of our EA licenses and install Windows 7 Enterprise so OS is a wash unless you can find one that comes with a Windows 7 Enterprise CAL.

Regardless I'll concede the point on my challenge, you won. However, I'm still recommending the Mac Mini's and we're still pursuing it. I picked up a SuperDrive and we've been able to boot Acronis and Bart's PE just fine to get around the whole PXE issue. Another interesting option is that, supposedly, if you plug a Mac Mini up via Firewire to an existing system, running Windows or Mac OSX, the system will see the Mac Mini as an external drive so you can just image them that way. Gonna try this out.
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Just hold down T during bootup to get into target disk mode.
 
450 said:
Just hold down T during bootup to get into target disk mode.
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You rock 450. I tried the "connect via Firewire" thing yesterday and got nothing. On my list this morning was to figure out if this was an option. But first, I thought I'd check back here. I read your post, fired everything up but held down T as you suggest and, voila, I have my target Mac Mini showing up as an external drive to my other Windows machine (which is my MacBook in Bootcamp mode) and now I can image at will.

Really, the no PXE thing is not a big issue. We have less than 100 client machines and they are all within 300ft walking distance to us. If we were admin'ing 800 machines from several physical locations, yea, PXE would be a big deal.

We've pretty much decided to go with Mac Mini's running only WIndows 7 on them.
 
Glad I could help.

When in doubt, use Firewire. Macs like them a lot more than USB drives IME. I try to use Firewire instead of USB whenever possible when working with Macs.

Also, keep a Firewire 800 drive or enclosure handy. Might be easier than lugging around a Mac Mini.
 
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