Mac Mini not getting past grey boot screen after 10.5 Server install

[Luis]

My father and I got a Mac Mini to work as a home file server, but we have encountered the strange problem the title suggests. We install OS X perfectly, but after we enable autologin (so we can VNC into it immediately without a monitor) the computer simply won't get past the grey apple screen.

Please bear in mind that we are extreme server newbies and we are trying to make this sort of a learning experience. Is there any obvious preference we are missing?

EDIT: We figured that we should upgrade the RAM, so today we installed 2GB and will test what happens when we install Server. Either way, any ideas?

 

[Carl Spackler]

Possibly, an answer: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/8964.html

 

[Luis]

Thanks, however the strange thing is that when running normal (ie non-server) Leopard, the machine works just fine.

 

[zarathustra]

I have a mini set up as a server running 10.5 (intel core duo 1.7ghz/2GB Ram). Installation went smoothly and have been up & running since then.

Try booting from the install DVD again, and re-install if necessary. You don't have to be logged in on the server to connect to it with VNC/ScreenSharing.

I would use ServerAdmin or the Server Preferences applications to control the server headlessly from a client machine, rather than a pure VNC client.

 

[deriko100]

My father and I got a Mac Mini to work as a home file server, but we have encountered the strange problem the title suggests. We install OS X perfectly, but after we enable autologin (so we can VNC into it immediately without a monitor) the computer simply won't get past the grey apple screen.

Please bear in mind that we are extreme server newbies and we are trying to make this sort of a learning experience. Is there any obvious preference we are missing?

EDIT: We figured that we should upgrade the RAM, so today we installed 2GB and will test what happens when we install Server. Either way, any ideas?

btw what were you gonna do with the mac mini server like music .docx idk

 

[Valorite]

I had this same issue installing 10.5 server on my Mac Pro.

It would go to grey screen and just sit there, or reboot itself. After turning it off/on like 10 times it finally managed to boot into OSX and has been fine since.

Dunno how helpful that is, though if you've only tried a couple times I recommend a few more, worked for me