Can you easily change lion server on i7 2011 brand new mac mini to regular Lion desktop. My local reseller only has this is stock andcthe lowest spec mac mini with i5 and 2gb memory. The mac mini is for hd video and music playback to my tv. Tv

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Can you easily change lion server on i7 2011 brand new mac mini to regular Lion desktop. My local reseller only has this is stock andcthe lowest spec mac mini with i5 and 2gb memory. The mac mini is for hd video and music playback to my tv. Tv

My reseller only has i7 top spec server mac mini and i5 2Gb low spec in stock. The use of mini is direct to my tv for hd video playback and music form my iTunes - basically it will be my media centre in the family room - the conundrum is do I go for high spec and remove lion server, which on other thread seems to be a problem, is it really that difficult? Or is low spec with only 2gb system memory good enough for playback and iTunes functions exclusively? Any advice welcome.

iMac 27, Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Sep 4, 2011 6:58 AM

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Answer 1

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Keith Doherty3

Level 4

2,766 points

Sep 4, 2011 8:45 AM in response to BigDag

If you want the quad core , 1Tb of storage and 4GB RAM now go for it.

You are not forced to use the server app if you don't want too.

Just set it up as you would any standard Lion client.

The real considerations are that the server Mac Mini has the integrated graphics just as the base machine.

The 2.5gb i5 Machine comes with an AMD Radeon HD 6630M 256mb discrete graphic chip for much better graphic performance and allows you full use of that 4GB RAM for running apps and all at a lower cost.

If you can't get that locally buy from Apple on Line

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Answer 2

BigDag Author

Level 1

1 points

Sep 5, 2011 7:42 AM in response to Keith Doherty3

Thanks Keith, went for quad as happy it runs on Lions desktop, appreciate your confidence building reply.

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Answer 3

Sep 5, 2011 12:11 PM in response to BigDag

While the server app is separate in the Mac App Store, on a new Mini it's already part of the OS and cannot be separated. I have the 2010 server Mini, and apart from the lack of Boot Camp (which I don't use on an HTPC) it performs the same as Lion client. What you do have to do is turn off, or not turn on during setup, all of the services that the server normally runs. You might also be able to make a Lion client boot USB stick (must be a later version/build than what came with the computer) and try to wipe the drive(s) and reinstall the client only.

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