Headless Mac Mini

[Xenoxide]

Howdy,

I'm looking to buy a Mac mini for the purposes of installing Windows Server 2008 R2 on it. I'd need this to run headless on my desk, happilly chugging along once I have it set up.

I know older Mac mini's would refuse to boot without a display plugged in, and there's various information around the web about using a simple resistor to full it into booting. However is the same still true for the newer Mini DisplayPort Mac mini's? Do they need this resistor hack?

Cheers!

 

[elfxmilhouse]

nope
i have a 2009 mac mini and it boots fine without a display.

i am using snow leopard so im not sure how it will work with windows.

 

[ViViDboarder]

nope
i have a 2009 mac mini and it boots fine without a display.

i am using snow leopard so im not sure how it will work with windows.

Windows should be totally capable of booting headless. I think the old issue must have been a BIOS... well not BIOS because they use EFI, but whatever firmware boot check.

So if it works for elfxmilhouse then I think you'll be good.

 

[PIX]

nope
i have a 2009 mac mini and it boots fine without a display.

i am using snow leopard so im not sure how it will work with windows.

elfxmilhouse,
I'm experiencing some anomalies with my 2009 Mini:
Screen capture (SHIFT/COMMAND/4) in SCREEN SHARING on my headless Mini doesn’t work. JPEGS/PNGs don’t display in Preview. I couldn’t reproduce this issue on other monitor-less models of the Mac.

I initiated a support call to speak to an Apple Expert to verify that this is an issue with headless (2009) Minis? I was told by second level support that an Apple Engineer would look into this. After a week with no reply I initiated another tech call with an Apple Expert and he informed me that he would escalate the issue. Still waiting for a reply...:

Does this occur on your 2009 head Mini?

 

[4JNA]

works fine here...

...I know older Mac mini's would refuse to boot without a display plugged in...

been doing this for years with both g4 and intel (original gma950) systems, and i've never had that problem. i've not yet owned the next gen or current gen systems, so no help there. actually the only problem has been the occasional power outage, never found a remote fix/cure, so just installed a decent UPS, and have been up/headless ever since.

running 10.4 and 10.5. using remote or vnc to connect and control. works great. best of luck.