Apple Mac Mini Mid2011 User Guide

							11
Chapter 1      Ready, Set Up, Go
Setting Up Your Mac mini
Place	your	Mac	mini	right	side	up	on	a	firm	surface. 	Use	only	the	power	cord	that	came	
with	your	Mac	mini; 	other	power	cords	may	not	work.
Important:  Cooling	air	enters	your	Mac	mini	through	the	gap	around	the	bottom	cover	
and	exits	through	the	vent	on	the	back. 	Don’t	place	your	Mac	mini	on	a	soft	surface	
(such	as	a	blanket	or	deep	carpet)	that	interferes	with	airflow	around	the	bottom	cover, 	
and	don’t	block	the	back	vent.
Step 1:  Plug the power cord into the back of your Mac mini, and then plug the 
other end into a power outlet.
®HDMI
Exhaust ven t
Co ol air inlet
(around f oot\f 
						

							12Chapter 1      Ready, Set Up, Go
Step 2: To access the Internet or a network, connect one end of an Ethernet cable 
to your Mac mini and the other end to a cable modem, DSL modem, or network.
®HDMI
Your	Mac	mini	comes	with	AirPort	Extreme	technology	for	wireless	networking. 		
For	information	about	setting	up	a	wireless	connection, 	choose	Help	>	Help	Center,		
and	search	for	 “AirPort.” 
						

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Chapter 1      Ready, Set Up, Go
Step 3: Connect the USB cable from your keyboard and mouse.
®HDMI
Your	Mac	mini	doesn’t	come	with	a	keyboard	or	a	mouse, 	but	you	can	use	almost	any	
USB	keyboard	and	mouse. 	If	your	keyboard	has	a	USB	port	(d), 	plug	your	mouse	into	
the	USB	port	on	the	keyboard. 	If	it	doesn’t,	plug	the	mouse	into	a	USB	port	(d)	on	the	
back	of	your	Mac	mini.
Note:  If	you	have	Mac	OS	X	Lion	Server, 	you	can	set	it	up	remotely	from	another	
computer. 	For	information, 	open	the	Server	application	and	choose	Server	Help	from	
the	Help	menu. 
						

							14Chapter 1      Ready, Set Up, Go
You	can	use	Keyboard	preferences	to	change	the	behavior	of	the	Caps	Lock, 	Control,	
Option, 	and	Command	(x)	modifier	keys. 	To	open	Keyboard	preferences, 	choose	
Apple	()	>	System	Preferences, 	click	Keyboard,	then	click	Modifier	Keys	and	follow	the	
onscreen	instructions.
If	you	use	a	USB	keyboard	that	isn’t	specifically	designed	for	the	Mac	OS, 	it	may	not	
have	a	Command	(x)	or	Option	modifier	key, 	which	are	standard	on	Apple	keyboards.	
If	you	have	a	keyboard	from	another	manufacturer:
	
ÂThe	 Windows	key	(the	icon	on	the	key	looks	like	a	 Windows	logo)	is	equivalent	to	the	
Command	(x)	modifier	key	on	an	Apple	keyboard.
	
ÂThe	Alt	key	is	equivalent	to	the	Option	modifier	key	on	an	Apple	keyboard.
Using	a	USB	mouse	or	keyboard	from	another	manufacturer	may	require	software	
drivers. 	Check	the	manufacturer’s	website	for	the	latest	software	drivers.
Using a Wireless Keyboard, Magic Mouse, or Magic Trackpad
If	you	purchased	an	Apple	 Wireless	Keyboard,	Magic	Mouse,	or	Magic	Trackpad	with	
your	Mac	mini, 	follow	the	instructions	that	came	with	the	device	to	set	them	up	with	
your	Mac	mini. 
						

							15
Chapter 1      Ready, Set Up, Go
Step 4: Connect a display cable to the HDMI port or Thunderbolt port.
Your	Mac	mini	doesn’t	come	with	a	display, 	but	you	can	connect	a	display	that	has:
	
ÂA Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt connector.		Connect	directly	to	the	 Thunderbolt	port.	
	
ÂAn HDMI connector.		Connect	directly	to	the	HDMI	port.
	
ÂA DVI connector.		Use	the	HDMI	to	DVI	Adapter	that	came	with	your	Mac	mini	to	
connect	to	the	HDMI	port.
	
ÂA VGA connector.		Use	a	Mini	DisplayPort	to	 VGA	Adapter	to	connect	to	the	
Thunderbolt	port. 	Adapters	are	available	at	www.apple.com/store	or	your	local		
Apple	Retail	Store.
HDMI port Thunderbolt
port
®H
DM I
HDMI 
						

							16Chapter 1      Ready, Set Up, Go
Step 5: Press the power button (®) on the back to turn on your Mac mini.
®H DM I
®
Step 6:  Configure your Mac mini with Setup Assistant or Server Assistant.
The	first	time	you	turn	on	your	Mac	mini, 	Setup	Assistant	or	Server	Assistant	starts.
Setup	Assistant	helps	you	enter	your	Internet	information	and	set	up	a	user	account	on	
your	Mac	mini. 	Continue	reading	 “Setting	Up	with	Setup	Assistant” 	on	page	17.
Server	Assistant	starts	up	if	your	Mac	mini	uses	Mac	OS	X	Lion	Server. 	For	more	
information, 	see	“Setting	Up	with	Server	Assistant” 	on	page	19. 
						

							17
Chapter 1      Ready, Set Up, Go
Setting Up with Setup Assistant
You	can	transfer	information	from	another	Mac	or	PC	during	setup. 	You	can	also	use	
Setup	Assistant	to	transfer	information	from	a	 Time	Machine	backup	or	other	disk.	
You	may	have	to	update	software	if	the	other	Mac	doesn’t	have	Mac	OS	X	version	10.5.3	
or	later	installed. 	To	migrate	from	a	PC, 	you	need	to	download	Migration	Assistant	for	
Windows	from	http://apple.com/migrate-to-mac. 	
After	you	start	Setup	Assistant	on	your	Mac	mini, 	you	can	leave	it	midprocess	without	
quitting, 	move	to	the	other	computer	if	you	need	to	update	its	software, 	and	then	
return	to	your	Mac	mini	to	complete	the	setup.
If	you	don’t	use	Setup	Assistant	to	transfer	information	when	you	first	start	up	your	
Mac	mini, 	you	can	do	it	later	using	Migration	Assistant. 	Open	Migration	Assistant	in	the	
Utilities	folder	in	Launchpad. 	For	help	using	Migration	Assistant, 	open	Help	Center	and	
search	for	 “Migration	Assistant.” 	
To set up your Mac mini:
1  In	Setup	Assistant, 	follow	the	onscreen	instructions	until	you	get	to	the	 “Transfer	
Information	to	 This	Mac”	screen.
2  Do	a	basic	setup, 	a	setup	with	migration, 	or	transfer	information	from	a	 Time	Machine	
backup	or	other	disk:
	
ÂTo do a basic setup,	select	 “Don’t	transfer	now”	and	click	Continue.	Follow	the	
remaining	prompts	to	select	your	wireless	network, 	set	up	an	account,	and	exit	
Setup	Assistant. 
						

							18Chapter 1      Ready, Set Up, Go
	
ÂTo do a setup with migration,	select	 “From	another	Mac	or	PC”	and	click	Continue.	
Follow	the	onscreen	instructions	to	select	the	Mac	or	PC	you	want	to	migrate	
information	from. 	Your	Mac	or	PC	must	be	on	the	same	wired	or	wireless	network. 	
You	can	also	connect	another	Mac	by	using	a	FireWire	cable	and	then	restarting	
it	in	target	disk	mode. 	To	restart	a	Mac	in	target	disk	mode, 	restart	the	computer	
while	holding	down	the	 T	key.	After	selecting	your	Mac	or	PC, 	follow	the	onscreen	
directions	for	migrating	information.
	
ÂTo transfer information from a Time Machine backup or another disk,	select	 “From	a	
Time	Machine	backup	or	other	disk” 	and	click	Continue.	Select	the	backup	or	the	
other	disk	that	you	want	to	migrate	information	from	and	click	Continue. 	Follow	the	
onscreen	directions	for	transferring	the	information.
If	you	don’t	intend	to	keep	or	use	your	other	computer, 	it’s	best	to	deauthorize	it	from	
playing	music, 	videos,	or	audiobooks	that	you’ve	purchased	from	the	iTunes	Store. 	
Deauthorizing	a	computer	prevents	any	songs, 	videos,	or	audiobooks	you’ve	purchased	
from	being	played	by	someone	else, 	and	frees	up	another	authorization	for	use. 	For	
information	about	deauthorizing, 	choose	iTunes	Help	from	the	Help	menu	in	iTunes.
After	you	set	up	your	Mac	mini, 	check	for	updated	software.	Choose	Apple	()	>	
Software	Update	from	the	menu	bar	and	follow	the	onscreen	instructions. 
						

							19
Chapter 1      Ready, Set Up, Go
Setting Up with Server Assistant
The	first	time	you	turn	on	your	Mac	mini	with	Mac	OS	X	Lion	Server	installed, 	Server	
Assistant	asks	for	some	basic	information	that	Lion	Server	needs	in	order	to	start	up	
and	connect	to	the	network. 	Be	ready	to	provide	the	following	information	the	first	
time	you	turn	on	your	Mac	mini:
	
ÂAn	account	name	and	password
	
ÂAn	organizational	name	that’s	unique	in	your	company
	
ÂA	host	name, 	which	can	be	for	your	local	network	only, 	for	your	local	network	and	
VPN	access	from	the	Internet, 	or	an	Internet	host	name	you	purchased	from	a	domain	
name	registrar.
	
ÂDetailed	network	settings, 	including	IP	address,	subnet	mask,	and	DNS	servers. 	
The	network	settings	may	be	provided	by	your	Internet	router	or	a	server	on	your	
network. 	If	so,	it	should	be	configured	to	provide	your	server	the	same	IP	address	all	
the	time	(static	mapping	or	DHCP	reservation).
For	help	with	Server	Assistant, 	click	the	Help	button	in	any	pane.
For 	help 	setting 	up 	Mac 	OS 	X 	Lion 	Server 	remotely 	on 	a 	Mac 	mini 	without 	a 	keyboard, 	
mouse, 	or 	display, 	open 	the 	Server 	application 	and 	choose 	Server 	Help 	in 	the 	Help 	menu.
If	you	already	have	a	Mac	with	Mac	OS	X	Server	version	10.5	or	later, 	Server	Assistant	
can	 help	 you	automatically	 transfer	system	settings, 	service	 settings, 	user	 accounts, 	files, 	
applications, 	and	other	information	from	your	previous	Mac	server	(any	model)	to	your	
Mac	mini. 	Use	an	Ethernet, 	FireWire,	or	wireless	connection	to	transfer	information.
For 	information 	about 	working 	with 	the 	services 	in 	Mac 	OS 	X 	Lion 	Server, 	open 	the	
Server 	application 	and 	choose 	Server 	Help 	in 	the 	Help 	menu. 	For 	more 	information 	about	
Mac 	OS 	X 	Lion 	Server, 	see 	the 	Lion 	Server 	website 	at 	www.apple.com/macosx/server. 	 
						

							20Chapter 1      Ready, Set Up, Go
Step 7: Customize your desktop and set your preferences.
You	can	quickly	customize	the	desktop	using	System	Preferences. 	Choose	Apple	()	>	
System	Preferences	from	the	menu	bar, 	or	click	the	System	Preferences	icon	in	the	
Dock. 	For	more	information, 	open	Help	Center	and	search	for	 “System	Preferences”	or	
for	the	specific	preference	you	want	to	change.
Important:  You	can	set	an	option	in	Users	&	Groups	preferences	to	help	you	reset		
your	login	password	if	you	forget	it. 	You	should	set	your	password	preferences	soon	
after	setup. 	
Setting Up DVD or CD Sharing
For	direct	access	to	CDs	and	DVDs, 	you	can	attach	an	external	optical	drive	to	a	USB	
port	on	your	Mac	mini.
You	can	also	partner	your	Mac	mini	with	another	Mac	or	 Windows	computer	that	has	
an	optical	disc	drive	and	is	on	the	same	wired	or	wireless	network. 	
The	computer	with	the	optical	drive	can	be	a	Mac	with	Mac	OS	X	v10.4.10	or	later, 	or	a	
Windows	7, 	Windows	XP, 	or	Windows	 Vista	computer. 	If	the	Mac	has	Mac	OS	X	v10.5.3	or	
later, 	DVD	or	CD	Sharing	is	already	installed. 	You	can	partner	with	more	than	one	other	
computer, 	but	you	can	use	only	one	partner	computer	at	a	time.