Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Beethree

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 19, 2011
19
0
I bought a mac mini server for the extra horsepower, but do not, and never will, need the server capabilities on this machine.
I would like to install "regular" Lion on it. Does anyone have a good method of doing so?
This is a new machine and I am replacing the stock HDD's, so I am not concerned with losing any information.
 

timbloom

macrumors 6502a
Jan 19, 2002
745
25
I haven't done it myself, but lion server is really just a handful of apps on top of lion client. You may just be able to use the system restore functionality to go to lion client... If it doesn't, just purchase lion through the app store, either burn the .dmg inside the installer to a disc and use that to reinstall (you'll need an external DVD drive for that, obviously). Or you can follow the many instructions available via google to make a bootable USB flash drive out of that .dmg and follow that route. Or you can just not go through the server setup and leave the base OS as-is. As long as the services aren't on and configured, you have no noticible difference with the client OS.
 

flatfoot

macrumors 65816
Aug 11, 2009
1,010
3
You can just buy Lion from the App Store. There are guides on how to make that download into a bootable thumb drive. Use that to install.

EDIT: I was too slow... :( ... ;)
 

paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
As already stated, Lion Server is just Desktop Lion with additional apps that, unless you access the Server Setup, basically lay unused. Think of it as all of those utility programs that come pre-installed that you probably never use and do no harm (other than taking up a little space).

You could try doing an internet restore once you get the new hard drives in and see if it installs the entire Lion Server package, or if it just installs Lion without the server pack (expecting you to install the server pack separately from the app store). My guess is it will install the entire Lion Server pack again, but I've never tried it so just hypothesizing what you might try....

Either way, unless you use it, it isn't doing anything other than taking up a couple GB worth of data.
 

FredT2

macrumors 6502a
Mar 18, 2009
572
104
I bought a mac mini server for the extra horsepower, but do not, and never will, need the server capabilities on this machine.
I originally thought the same, but I recently learned that WebDAV, which is enabled in Server sharing, is a nice way of moving iWorks files from/to my iPads. As the others already said, OS is the same, Server just adds extra programs that can be used or not used as you wish.
 

radiohed

macrumors regular
Oct 17, 2007
210
10
Portland, ME
I have a 2010 Mac Mini server which is running Lion client. You will need a thumb drive with a bootable copy of Lion client on it but it should install fine. Just use disk utility to format and set up a raid if you choose, then install Lion. I have my two drives set up as a mirrored raid 1 set.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.