Anyone Recognize This Weird OS On This Proto Mac mini?

[jajan547]

So I have this Mac Mini and if I recall I saw a codename somewhere on it starting with a Qxx. The computer boots up to this weird OS i've never seen before, it seems very limited with a lot missing. Holding any number of key combinations won't do anything as it simply ignores them and boots into whatever this is. I figured I'd look at the drive contents with my iMac and a USB to SATA connector and was surprised to see lots of internal programming files and other strange internal files. What's also weird is that there are three separate OS images on it; Mac OSX, Windows XP, and then this strange stripped down version. I find internal files from Apple on both the XP and Mac OSX drive partitions. I'll be sending this to a friend here in the coming days to take a look at the drive and see if it can be properly cloned and shared. In the meantime I welcome any comments, questions, or ideas to see if it'll do anything because as it sits I cannot access the other drive partitions without removing the drive and manually viewing its files on another computer.

 

[MOS8_030]

That blue and white sticker reminds me of Motorola inventory/property tags. Have you translated the text on the other stickers?

 

[Phipli]

I cannot access the other drive partitions without removing the drive and manually viewing its files on another computer.

You could use FW target mode?

 

[jajan547]

That blue and white sticker reminds me of Motorola inventory/property tags. Have you translated the text on the other stickers?

Here’s some photos. I haven’t tried to translate the labels. I have two of these so they’re side by side one I believe is slightly older or newer but missing it’s drive, I’ve attached those images below.

You could use FW target mode?

I’ve tried that it ignores it which is very odd.

 

[MOS8_030]

Huh, fascinating. It looks like Chinese to me. Lots of stickers, like they were used for a long time and/or passed around.
Where did you come by these?

Also, maybe just a coincidence but there is a device called GL50B GPS asset tracker.
I wonder if these were used as a test/programming station.

 

[jajan547]

Huh, fascinating. It looks like Chinese to me. Lots of stickers, like they were used for a long time and/or passed around.
Where did you come by these?

Also, maybe just a coincidence but there is a device called GL50B GPS asset tracker.
I wonder if these were used as a test/programming station.

Deftly was used at apple has Asset Tags. I have no idea about the other thing there, but testing could be possible

 

[MOS8_030]

Deftly was used at apple has Asset Tags. I have no idea about the other thing there, but testing could be possible

One of those grey labels says Foxconn so these were used for testing components or perhaps inventory tracking, if the GL50B means anything.

 

[Byrd]

One of those grey labels says Foxconn so these were used for testing components or perhaps inventory tracking, if the GL50B means anything.

I'd go with that too - could imagine they had 50 - 100 of these Minis in a line testing

 

[jajan547]

No clue some labels were translated (thank you @Jockelill )

 

[dougg3]

I was playing with Google Translate on these images earlier too, got a slightly different translation for one of those labels

 

[jajan547]

I was playing with Google Translate on these images earlier too, got a slightly different translation for one of those labels

View attachment 68252

lol safe to say can't trust google translate anymore

 

[MBongo]

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