My new Mac mini (refurbished by Apple) won't play nice...

I just bought an Apple-refurbished Mac mini and when I turn it on, it goes right into Open Firmware (Unix??). Also, when I type mac-boot at this prompt I get the "?" folder. To top that off, the CD/DVD Combo drive won't accept a CD or DVD, it springs out slightly and the mechanism doesn't pull the disk in. Is there something I'm doing wrong? I've already taken this to the Apple Store in Chicago for repairs after working with AppleCare Support. After getting it home, it's having the exact same problems I originally took it in for.
My wife has worked with a Mac Server before and asked if there's a locking mechanism on the unit anywhere. Well I can't find it...
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. BE
Mac mini   Mac OS X (10.4.2)  

There's no locking mechanism, and judging by the fact the mini won't start up normally and won't let you insert the install disk to try and set it up from scratch, it sounds to me like it is fairly fundamentally faulty.
Did the people at the Apple store give any indication of what they did with the unit when you took it in? It's odd that it's in the same condition now as it was before you took it there, and suggests they may not have checked it over at all, or that the fault the unit has is perhaps intermittent and can be induced (or corrected) by the sort of movement and vibration inherent in transporting it.
One way or another, I would not accept that unit as functional, and would suggest you call Apple and in view of the fact it did not work at the outset, ask for it to be replaced.

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