Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

rirawin

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 17, 2008
150
0
Just brought an i7 quad core because the specs were amazing. However the idiot that I am didn't realise the os is server, obvious I know.

So for a beginner what do I need to get the latest standard operating system?
 

ericrwalker

macrumors 68030
Oct 8, 2008
2,812
4
Albany, NY
Just brought an i7 quad core because the specs were amazing. However the idiot that I am didn't realise the os is server, obvious I know.

So for a beginner what do I need to get the latest standard operating system?

Isn't the operating system basically the same with a few extra features?

Sorry I am a windows guy (until I come up with some money), but I thought OS X and OS X server were very similar.
 

shortcut3d

macrumors 65816
Aug 24, 2011
1,112
15
Just brought an i7 quad core because the specs were amazing. However the idiot that I am didn't realise the os is server, obvious I know.

So for a beginner what do I need to get the latest standard operating system?

OSX Lion and Mountain Lion only have a server application added. You can disable the services through the Server Application and then remove the app from the doc. The Apple KBs have instructions to do so.

No need to return the system. Enjoy the more powerful processor and dual drives. You may want the server features later down the road too.
 

rirawin

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 17, 2008
150
0
Awesome so I can just disable it and I have a standard osx?

It hasn't arrived yet but I'm excited by my first Mac which is used for illustrator/Photoshop and able ton.

Can I ask please would installing boot camp windows be difficult for someone with no experience?.

I was so impressed with the specs that I just used buy it now.
 

Nermal

Moderator
Staff member
Dec 7, 2002
20,644
4,042
New Zealand
Can I ask please would installing boot camp windows be difficult for someone with no experience?.

I would suggest not installing it straight away - look for native Mac alternatives to your Windows apps first so that you're not needlessly rebooting.

Having said that, it's pretty simple; it offers step-by-step instructions.
 

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
Awesome so I can just disable it and I have a standard osx?

It hasn't arrived yet but I'm excited by my first Mac which is used for illustrator/Photoshop and able ton.

Can I ask please would installing boot camp windows be difficult for someone with no experience?.

I was so impressed with the specs that I just used buy it now.

Yes ... standard OS X ... Server is simply an extension you purchase separately (although in your case it came with the computer).

Installing Windows with BootCamp is as easy as installing Windows on a PC. You will need an external DVD drive since the current Server Minis don't have one built in. You can get a Netbook USB DVD drive for around $30 if you look around (Newegg, Amazon, etc.).
 

rirawin

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 17, 2008
150
0
Thank you guys

I'm so excited to get it, I do need Windows though for certain applications so rebooting isn't a biggie for me.
 

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
Thank you guys

I'm so excited to get it, I do need Windows though for certain applications so rebooting isn't a biggie for me.

You might find it more convenient to simply run Windows under OS X in a Virtual Machine using VMware Fusion or Parallels. Then you simply have a window on your Mac desktop which has Windows running in it.

If you want both, the Virtual Machine programs mentioned can use the bootable Windows image so you don't have to have 2 copies of Windows using up disk space.



-howard
 

shortcut3d

macrumors 65816
Aug 24, 2011
1,112
15
I was so impressed with the specs that I just used buy it now.

You should have picked up my 2011 Mac mini server with 8GB 1866MHz Kingston Hyper X, 240GB OCZ Vertex 3 MAX IOPS, 750GB WD Scorpio Black. That was one of the fastest Geekbench Mac minis period. Went for $931 at auction.
 

btbrossard

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2008
973
11
Chicagoland
If you want both, the Virtual Machine programs mentioned can use the bootable Windows image so you don't have to have 2 copies of Windows using up disk space.
This is what I did. I installed Windows 7 via Bootcamp and then added that installation to Parallels as a Virtual Machine.

Most of the time, I access Windows via the Virtual Machine.
 

Lankyman

macrumors 68020
May 14, 2011
2,083
832
U.K.
You might find it more convenient to simply run Windows under OS X in a Virtual Machine using VMware Fusion or Parallels. Then you simply have a window on your Mac desktop which has Windows running in it.

If you want both, the Virtual Machine programs mentioned can use the bootable Windows image so you don't have to have 2 copies of Windows using up disk space.



-howard

Or even VirtualBox which is free and does an amazing job. I have recently moved from Parallels to VB following the yearly upgrade demands from Parallels. It may not have all the whistles and bells of Parallels but for the average Windows user it's more than up to the job.
 

rirawin

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 17, 2008
150
0
For a beginner can you clarify please?.

I been a long Windows user and I have no complaints really with the OS, its just I'm going to be working in a studio with Macs and not PCs. Plus the Mac Mini Server was really powerful and seemed the best £££ for my money.

So can I ask which is best parallels, or VM?. The reason I'm using Windows is because there's a few games that I wish to play and also some music production applications I own for Windows.

So using Parallels or VM wouldn't that be a massive system hog?. However, I know nothing so if anyone can educate me that be brilliant. Or would Bootcamp be more than sufficient but now hearing about running Windows in a window sounds enticing.

Also my only experiences with Mac has been the limited use at Uni, and more recently ipads etc. Does anyone know of a guide for a newbie to get his head around the OSX fast?.
 

Whorehay

macrumors 6502a
Feb 17, 2008
631
1
If you're a gamer, I'd recommend doing a Boot Camp install, which will run Windows natively. Virtual machines share resources with the host Mac, so if you want to play with higher settings, Boot Camp is the way to go.

You can then use either Parallels or VM to link to that Boot Camp install image, so you can use it virtually on Mac as well. I have no preference as to which one to use, but I've used VM in the past and it's worked pretty well.

For a beginner can you clarify please?.

I been a long Windows user and I have no complaints really with the OS, its just I'm going to be working in a studio with Macs and not PCs. Plus the Mac Mini Server was really powerful and seemed the best £££ for my money.

So can I ask which is best parallels, or VM?. The reason I'm using Windows is because there's a few games that I wish to play and also some music production applications I own for Windows.

So using Parallels or VM wouldn't that be a massive system hog?. However, I know nothing so if anyone can educate me that be brilliant. Or would Bootcamp be more than sufficient but now hearing about running Windows in a window sounds enticing.

Also my only experiences with Mac has been the limited use at Uni, and more recently ipads etc. Does anyone know of a guide for a newbie to get his head around the OSX fast?.
 

michelg1970

macrumors 6502
Jul 26, 2011
288
120
The Hague - The Netherlands
Just brought an i7 quad core because the specs were amazing. However the idiot that I am didn't realise the os is server, obvious I know.

So for a beginner what do I need to get the latest standard operating system?

As one of the others already said - without touching (or downloading from App Store) the server app it will run as a normal mac mini.

I do use the server app for home sharing (4 x 2 TB connected through Firewire and USB) and mobile account purposes and I love it. Nevertheless, my mac mini also just serves as the media center pc in the living room - that was my main purpose of getting it. The higher specs make it (for me) the perfect machine to download movies, unrar them, convert them to mp4 etc.

I did upgrade it to dual ssd and 16 GB ram - it runs sooooo smooth....

Congratulations and enjoy your purchase!

PS I also have parallels installed on it (as on my MacBook Pro too) and it runs my virtual office windows laptop (hate that thing) much faster than the office-issued laptop does.
 

CausticPuppy

macrumors 68000
May 1, 2012
1,536
68
Here are the steps to disabling the Server app completely:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4827


That's for Lion, but the same steps should apply for Mountain Lion.


I'm in the same boat, I wanted the quad-core but had no use for the Server. The Server is just an add-on to the standard OS and it can be disabled very easily.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.