


I got the 2009 mini for like $80 on Craigslist and added a larger HD. I would not consider using a Windows machine as a server (except for business S/W) unless money was truly unavailable. I've found that limiting the syncing on it with iCloud to only music avoids a lot of delays, etc (i.e., when you take a bunch of photos the upload/download process can choke the old mini). I currently have a headless/keyboardless 2009 Mac Mini 4GB that runs 24/7 as iTunes server which is embedded in a console stereo. I landed here looking for specific information on how to strip down the overhead of the Mac OS to maximize resources for iTunes and limit interruptions by OS and other programs.
