Apple MAC MINI User Manual 2009

Congratulations, you and your Mac mini

were made for each other.

Say hello to your Mac mini.

www.apple.com/macmini

Finder

Browse your ﬁles like you browse your music with Cover Flow.

Mac Help

ﬁnder

Mail

Manage all your email accounts in one place.

Mac Help

mail

iCal and Address Book

Keep your schedule and your contacts in sync.

Mac Help

isync

Mac OS X Leopard

www.apple.com/macosx

Time Machine

Automatically back up and restore your ﬁles.

Mac Help

time machine

iLife ’09

www.apple.com/ilife

iPhoto

Organize and

Organize and search your

search your photos by faces,

photos by faces, places, or events.

places, or events.

iPhoto Help

photos

Quick Look

Instantly preview your ﬁles.

Mac Help

quick look

iMovie

Make a great-

Make a greatlooking movie in

looking movie in minutes or edit

minutes or edit your masterpiece.

your masterpiece.

iMovie Help

movie

Spotlight

Find anything on your Mac.

Mac Help

spotlight

GarageBand

Learn to play.

Learn to play. Start a jam session.

Start a jam session. Record and mix

Record and mix your own song.

your own song.

GarageBand Help

record

Safari

Experience the web with the fastest browser in the world.

Mac Help

safari

iWeb

Create custom

Create custom websites and publish

websites and publish them anywhere with

them anywhere with a click.

a click.

iWeb Help

website

Chapter 1: Ready, Set Up, Go

What’s in the Box

Setting Up Your Mac mini

Putting Your Mac mini to Sleep or Shutting It Down

Chapter 2: Life with Your Mac mini

What’s on the Front of Your Mac mini

What’s on the Back of Your Mac mini

Getting Answers

Chapter 3: Problem, Meet Solution

Problems That Prevent You from Using Your Mac mini

Reinstalling the Software That Came with Your Mac mini

Ready, Set Up, Go

www.apple.com/macmini

Mac Help Migration Assistant

Your Mac mini is designed so that you can easily set it up and start using it right away. If you’ve never used a Mac mini or are new to Mac computers, read this section for instructions about getting started.

Important:

Read all the installation instructions and the safety information starting on

page 47 before you plug your Mac mini into a power outlet.

If you’re an experienced user, you may already know enough to get started. Be sure to look over the information in Chapter 2, “Life with Your Mac mini,” to find out about the features of your Mac mini.

Answers to many questions can be found on your Mac mini in Mac Help. For information about Mac Help, see “Getting Answers” on page 26.

Chapter 1

Ready, Set Up, Go

What’s in the Box

Your Mac mini comes with the following components:

Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

AC cord

Power adapter

Before you set up your Mac mini, remove the protective film from the outside of your computer and power adapter. Follow the steps on the next several pages to set up.

Important:

Don’t place anything on top of your Mac mini. Objects placed on top may

interfere with the optical drive or the AirPort or Bluetooth® wireless signal.

10 Chapter 1

Ready, Set Up, Go

Setting Up Your Mac mini

Position your Mac mini so that it’s right side up or on its side, but not upside down. Use the power adapter that came with your Mac mini; other power adapters may not work.

Step 1: Plug the AC cord into the power adapter, plug the cord from the power

adapter into your Mac mini, and then plug the power adapter into a grounded power outlet.

Chapter 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.

Your Mac mini comes with AirPort Extreme technology for wireless networking. For information about setting up a wireless connection, choose Help > Mac Help, and search for “AirPort.”

12 Chapter 1

Ready, Set Up, Go

To use a dial-up connection, you need the external Apple USB Modem, available from the online Apple Store at www.apple.com/store or from an Apple Authorized Reseller. Plug the Apple USB Modem into a USB port on your Mac mini, and then use a phone cord (not included) to connect the modem to a phone jack.

Step 3: Connect the USB cable from your keyboard and mouse.

Chapter 1

Ready, Set Up, Go

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 (d

) port, plug your mouse

into the USB port on the keyboard. If it doesn’t, plug the mouse into a USB (d the back of your Mac mini.

If you use a USB keyboard that is not specifically designed for the Mac OS, it may not have a Command (x Command (x

) or Option key, which are standard on Apple keyboards. The

) key on an Apple keyboard is equivalent to the Windows key (the icon on the key looks like a Windows logo) on a keyboard from another manufacturer. The Option key on an Apple keyboard is equivalent to the Alt key on a keyboard from another manufacturer.

You can use Keyboard & Mouse preferences to change the keyboard equivalents. To open Keyboard & Mouse preferences, choose Apple (

) > System Preferences,

click Keyboard & Mouse, click Modifier Keys, and follow the onscreen instructions.

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 or Mouse

If you purchased an Apple Wireless Keyboard or Mouse with your Mac mini, follow the instructions that came with the keyboard and mouse to set them up with your Mac mini.

14 Chapter 1

Ready, Set Up, Go

) port on

Step 4: Connect a display cable to the Mini-DVI port or Mini DisplayPort.

Your Mac mini doesn’t come with a display. You can connect a display that has:

A Mini DisplayPort connector. Connect directly to the Mini DisplayPort.

A DVI connector. Use the Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter that came with your Mac mini to connect to the Mini-DVI port.

A VGA connector. Use the Mini-DVI to VGA Adapter to connect to the Mini-DVI port or the Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter to connect to the Mini DisplayPort. Adapters are available at www.apple.com/store.

Mini-DVI

port

Chapter 1

Mini DisplayPort

Ready, Set Up, Go

Step 5: Press the power (®

) button on the back to turn on your Mac mini.

Step 6: Configure your Mac mini with Setup Assistant.

The first time you turn on your Mac mini, Setup Assistant starts. Setup Assistant helps you enter your Internet and email information and set up a user account on your Mac mini. If you already have a Mac, Setup Assistant can help you automatically transfer user accounts, files, applications, and other information from your previous Mac using an Ethernet, FireWire, or a wireless connection.

16 Chapter 1

Ready, Set Up, Go

If you don’t intend to keep or use your other Mac, 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.

If you don’t use Setup Assistant to transfer information when you first start up, you can do it later using Migration Assistant. Go to the Applications folder, open Utilities, and double-click Migration Assistant.

Step 7: Customize your desktop and set your preferences.

You can easily make your desktop look the way you want using System Preferences. Choose Apple (

) > System Preferences from the menu bar or click the System Preferences icon in the Dock. System Preferences is your command center for most settings on your Mac mini. For more information, open Mac Help and search for “System Preferences” or for the specific preference you want to change.

Chapter 1

Ready, Set Up, Go

Putting Your Mac mini to Sleep or Shutting It Down

When you finish working with your Mac mini, you can put it to sleep or shut it down.

Putting Your Mac mini to Sleep

If you’ll be away from your Mac mini for less than a few days, put it to sleep. When your Mac mini is in sleep, the display’s screen is dark. You can quickly wake your Mac mini and bypass the startup process.

To put your Mac mini to sleep quickly, do one of the following:

Choose Apple (

Press the power (®

Choose Apple (

Press and hold the Play/Pause (’ 3 seconds.

To wake your Mac mini, press any key on the keyboard or any button on the optional Apple Remote. When your Mac mini wakes from sleep, your applications, documents, and computer settings are exactly as you left them.

Shutting Down Your Mac mini

If you won’t be using your Mac mini for more than a few days, shut it down. Choose Apple (

NOTICE:

hard disk is spinning can damage the hard disk, causing loss of data or an inability to start up from the hard disk.

18 Chapter 1

) > Shut Down. To turn your Mac mini on again, press the power (®

Shut down your Mac mini before moving it. Moving your Mac mini while the

) > Sleep from the menu bar.

) button on the back of your Mac mini.

) > System Preferences, click Energy Saver, and set a sleep timer.

) button on the optional Apple Remote for

Ready, Set Up, Go

) button.

Life with Your Mac mini

www.apple.com/macosx

Mac Help iLife

+ 44 hidden pages

Apple MAC MINI User Manual 2009

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Ready, Set Up, Go

What’s in the Box