Start off by gently unpacking and removing your new Mac mini from the box.  Ensure that you do not place it upside down by verifying that you see the Apple logo on the top.  Gently remove any plastic or protective packaging from the Mac mini and cords.  Verify that the box contains everything as described in the "What's in the Box" on the box label.

Plug it in
Plug in the power cord to the power port on the back of the Mac mini.  Plug the other end into a functional electrical outlet.  (We recommend that you use a surge protector for your Mac and any peripherals connected to your Mac.  The cost of a surge protector is a small price to pay in the unfortunate event of a power surge)

Connect a Display
You'll need to connect a display to your Mac mini.  You can use either a display with a DVI or VGA connection.  Your Mac mini comes with a standard DVI connection to allow easy connections to DVI based displays.  If you are  using a VGA display, first connect the included VGA adapter to the DVI connection on the back of the Mac mini then connect the VGA display to the exposed end of the adapter.

Connect a Mouse and Keyboard
The Mac mini does not ship with a keyboard or a mouse.  You can use either a Mac keyboard or just about any USB keyboard and mouse with the Mac mini.  If your USB keyboard has a USB port, you can plug a USB mouse into it and then connect the keyboard to a USB port on the back of the Mac mini.  Otherwise just plug the USB mouse and keyboard to USB ports on the back of the Mac mini.

Key Points

• Software drives may be needed if you are using a non-Apple USB mouse or USB keyboard. Check the manufacturer.
• If you purchased an Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple Wireless Mouse with your Mac mini a different procedure will be required as they rely on Bluetooth to communicate with the computer.  Just follow the instructions that came with them to perform the setup.

Internet Connection
You'll need either a high speed or dial-up connection to access the Internet.  Connect one end of an Ethernet cable to the Mac mini Ethernet port.  Connect the other end to either a cable modem, DSL modem, or network device such as a router.  If you have a dial-up connection, you'll need to connect your Mac mini to a phone line using the optional Apple USB Modem.

Power Up
After verifying that all the connections have been made and your Mac mini is securely connected to a functional electrical outlet, turn on your Mac mini by pressing the power button which is loacted on the back of the computer.

Setup Assistant
Your Mac mini will be booted for the first time since leaving the factory.  The Mac OS X Setup Assistant will start and will guide you through a series you of screens to setup your Mac mini.  Review the Mac OS X Setup Assistant Guide for details.

Start Using Your Mac mini
That's it.  The initial steps to setup your Mac mini are now complete.  We recommend that you take some time to perform some additional steps prior to using your Mac.