Snow Leopard (NOT Server) on a Mac Mini Server

[CPHIL674]

First, I'm a n00b Mac user but I'm reasonably tech smart and I want to make the jump to OSX. I need a mac for the wife, who will use it in the living room connected to our TV. She does email, light desktop publishing, and a metric ton of movies and music: the iTunes library alone is 300GB. Plus she watches DVDs on it.

I was thinking about buying a refurbed mac mini server (It's at a discounted price) but I don't need Snow Leopard Server. I'll add the external superdrive later.

How hard would it be to just install regular Snow Leopard instead of Server?

Also, in regular Snow Leopard, how would the HDDs show up in OSX? One big 1TB drive or 2 500gb drives?

Thanks in advance for your insight.

-Craig

 

[peskaa]

It'd work exactly like installing on any other Mac, so really easy. You WILL need the SuperDrive though to do it.

The drives will show up as two, although you can use OS X's built in software RAID to merge them into a single.

 

[PurrBall]

Since it comes with Server, why would you spend the extra money to use the regular version? Server is the same as Snow Leopard but with extra tools installed.

 

[pukifloyd]

Since it comes with Server, why would you spend the extra money to use the regular version? Server is the same as Snow Leopard but with extra tools installed.

+1

you'll be fine with server...
If you install Snow Leopard you'll need an external superdrive...and that means more money(unless you already have one).

 

[kolax]

Just get the regular Mac Mini and buy an external hard drive for the extra storage.

 

[cjmillsnun]

Just get the regular Mac Mini and buy an external hard drive for the extra storage.

This would be my recommendation...

 

[CPHIL674]

Just get the regular Mac Mini and buy an external hard drive for the extra storage.

A refurb Mac mini server is $849 with 2 500gb drives. A new mac mini with one 500gb drive is $839. I can get a SuperDrive for less than a 500gb laptop drive plus enclosure; plus I do not have to crack into the mini (I've seen the video from OWC). Also, a Superdrive plus mini has a smaller footprint than a mini plus an external drive.

My primary concert is the wife; she's not that tech savvy and I'd rather not give her any more confusing options while attempting to switch from WinXP to a Mac.

So can I hide the advanced server functions in Snow Leopard? Does it look markedly different then client Snow Leopard, or is it the same look/feel?

 

[Alrescha]

So can I hide the advanced server functions in Snow Leopard? Does it look markedly different then client Snow Leopard, or is it the same look/feel?

If you clean up the dock, she might never notice. There are some changes in System Preferences (some functions have been moved to Server Admin).

A.
(running Snow Leopard Server hardware with Snow Leopard client)