OS X Server Not Free

[MagnusVonMagnum]

After some initial confusion of WHY my OSX SERVER software suddenly says my "model is not supported" (it IS a Mac Mini SERVER Edition after all!!!!). It seems there is a working OSX Server for Mavericks BUT they want $20 for it. Great. I bought the expensive Mac Mini Server model that comes with server and I don't even get an update for it with the otherwise FREE Mavericks update? What a crock. They didn't warn me that my Server was going to stop working and charge me a hidden $20 fee. So much for the "free" upgrade to Mavericks....

Why bother paying the $20 either? OSX is scheduled to be updated EVERY YEAR from now on. That means ANOTHER $20 for OSX Server. It seems they found a way to screw SOME OSX users over and over and over anyway. Apple SUCKS.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

You mean Leopard Server still works, but Mountain Lion does not?

 

[kappaknight]

What were you trying to do that it says it's not supported? Upgrade? If you have a Server OS, it'd make sense to keep upgrading to another Server OS. You could try to download the regular Mavericks OS and create a boot disk and wipe out what you have if you really want the free route. I'm not sure it'd work, but it's worth a try.

 

[kenosecon]

it's a server software its obvious it cant be free.
stick with what you have or pay

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

What were you trying to do that it says it's not supported? Upgrade? If you have a Server OS, it'd make sense to keep upgrading to another Server OS. You could try to download the regular Mavericks OS and create a boot disk and wipe out what you have if you really want the free route. I'm not sure it'd work, but it's worth a try.

All I did was upgrade from Mountain Lion to Mavericks and when Mavericks came up there was a "NO" sign through the OSX Server App from Mountain Lion (like you get for Intel Apps on PPC machines like the "Ghostbusters" symbol for NO Ghosts). When I tried to start it anyway, it said that Server wasn't supported on this machine. It didn't say that the version of Server in question doesn't run under Mavericks (what it should have said I guess). I dunno. It just seems like if you already paid for Server once, it should be a free upgrade as well or at least the old version shouldn't break (but it does). I don't fancy paying for Server every year since that seems to be the new schedule and apparently they are going to make the new versions paid upgrades every single year.

 

[rayhigh]

Ranting over the price of a cheap meal? Really?

After some initial confusion of WHY my OSX SERVER software suddenly says my "model is not supported" (it IS a Mac Mini SERVER Edition after all!!!!). It seems there is a working OSX Server for Mavericks BUT they want $20 for it. Great. I bought the expensive Mac Mini Server model that comes with server and I don't even get an update for it with the otherwise FREE Mavericks update? What a crock. They didn't warn me that my Server was going to stop working and charge me a hidden $20 fee. So much for the "free" upgrade to Mavericks....

Why bother paying the $20 either? OSX is scheduled to be updated EVERY YEAR from now on. That means ANOTHER $20 for OSX Server. It seems they found a way to screw SOME OSX users over and over and over anyway. Apple SUCKS.

 

[jeffzoom91]

You chose to upgrade. Apple didn't make you. Historically Server.app has never worked on any OS other than the one it was released on.

Server has a bunch of new features.

Roll back to Mountain Lion if you want to use old Server.app.

GET A GOOD FIRM GRIP ON THE DESK BECAUSE HERE IT COMES:

You are a server user. That means Apple treats you like someone who can operate their own nose without someone holding their hand whilst you pick it. If a piece of software is mission critical, you make good god damned and sure you can safely upgrade it. You didn't check. This is your fault. This isn't Apple's fault. Apple isn't being greedy, they aren't trying to "screw" you. New software comes out. Software costs money. Buying the computer with 2 hard drives in it does not entitle you to the server.app upgrade, just like, until about 9 hours ago (PST) buying a mac didn't entitle you to get OS10.current+1 for free. You don't have to use it. You don't have to buy it. You can roll back easily.

The old Server.app will not just stop working for Mountain Lion. You just have to be on Mountain Lion. That's the deal. I know it's still working because guess what? My server is running it right now and without it I wouldn't have DHCP.

Is blood pouring from your ears yet?

It's $20. It's $20. It is....20 dollars. You bought the more expensive Mac mini...you didn't need it to run the server OS, so I'm pretty sure you can afford it. I've been reading up on some new features in the new Server.app....I about defecated all over myself when I saw the WWDC talk on the Xcode Server stuff. I'd pay $20 for just that alone! It is easily the best deal in Server OS's even if it cost you $120/year. Do you know how much OSX Server used to cost? Things are awesome now!

You can be positive about stuff here, we'll still think you're cool. It doesn't have to be doom and gloom, anger and complaining all the time.

 

[throAU]

Maybe you should run Windows server, where microsoft give you free upgrades from 2008 R2 to 2012.

owait...

 

[squeakr]

Sorry for your misfortune and rant, but when I did the installation on my server, it did warn me that the server version was incompatible and I would lose it if I proceeded with the install. Did you not pay attention to that warning when you installed or did you just click through or do a clean install? Did you not have a backup so that you could roll back and not have to pay the exorbitant fee of $20?

Having said that, I earn my own money, pay my own bills, and have supported myself and not lived in someone else's house for over 25 years. I think $20 is an incredible bargain and I would pay it again for Mavericks as well, but I think the thing here is that you didn't need to update your server and it did warn you, so in that respect I do not feel sorry for you. You paid $1k+ for the server and complain about the 0.02% of that price to upgrade to the latest OS. When I upgraded my server the last time I had to buy both ML and the server component and didn't get near the value I have gotten this time.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Did you not pay attention to that warning when you installed or did you just click through or do a clean install?

What warning? There was no warning here. I'm sure you don't believe that, but whatever. My post was to warn others not to invite flamers to lecture me how cheap OSX Server is. But it added new features... and yet it lacks features that the previous versions had (like configuring NFS for you; now you have to use the shell instead if you want it. I mean WTF is the point of having a Server Application that simplifies networking setup and control when they take features away?). Frankly, given the utter non-functionality of networking in OSX these days (e.g. SMB does not work with older programs like XBMC Eden on an AppleTV; I have to use SMBUp to get a compatible version and thus it's one less thing for OSX proper to configure), I'm not really sure I even need or want the server app. It's hard to tell, really since I cannot try out the new version to see if it fixed the problems and missing features of the old one. I know $20 is dirt dirt cheap to find out (since the App store doesn't allow demos of any kind to try before you buy regardless of the vendor), but I might just pass.

Having said that, I earn my own money, pay my own bills, and have supported myself and not lived in someone else's house for over 25 years. I think $20 is an incredible bargain and I would pay it again for Mavericks as well, but I think the thing here is that you didn't need to update your server and it did warn you, so in that respect I do not feel sorry for you. You paid $1k+ for the server and complain about the 0.02% of that price to upgrade to the latest OS. When I upgraded my server the last time I had to buy both ML and the server component and didn't get near the value I have gotten this time.

Well, despite you telling me what it told me (since apparently you were here), it did not warn about anything here, but then it also switched my primary/secondary monitors around without asking and wiped out my iTunes version that still had Cover Flow (that I preferred to the newer versions and again without asking. Ironically, it still had to be updated to get the latest version so why did it even bother to replace it instead of just letting the App store offer the update? Mountain Lion did not force an iTunes update when I used that on my Macbook Pro with Snow Leopard).

And frankly, if you think I'm stupid enough to not have a full bootable backup that would restore Mountain Lion (vis-a-vis Carbon Copy Cloner) you'd be dead wrong. I can put it back in short order. But it's a question of whether the good outweighs the bad, etc. That doesn't mean people shouldn't know about these things. But that's right. YOUR version warned you. But obviously I posted here because I KNEW that it was going to do that. Sure.

Lecture on!

 

[squeakr]

Unfortunately you're the one lecturing here. You could have just said that the Server version would be uninstalled during a Mavericks upgrade and it was not a free upgrade like Mavericks was to reinstall it back as it required a new pay version. Then left it at that if your true intent was just to warn others as you say it was.

No need to rant on about you buying the expensive model and not getting a free upgrade. Then lecturing people how if $20 was nothing to them then send it to you, like you are dirt poor and entitled in some way, and that they have no concept of money since they live in their parents basements and never pay their way and are all Apple fanboys. So who again is lecturing and making assumptions about others??

You obviously bought the expensive version for the server features and thus would use them so get the new version. If you don't need them then avoid it and save some dough. Of course you want to rant and rave about features and setups being removed. If you bought a 2012 server then you really have missed the degradation of the server configurations as SL server was way more forgiving and configurable. Progress is what it is and Frodo is much better than Eden on the Apple TV and well worth the upgrade IMHO (as long as your ATV supports it).

 

[iphonehype]

After some initial confusion of WHY my OSX SERVER software suddenly says my "model is not supported" (it IS a Mac Mini SERVER Edition after all!!!!). It seems there is a working OSX Server for Mavericks BUT they want $20 for it. Great. I bought the expensive Mac Mini Server model that comes with server and I don't even get an update for it with the otherwise FREE Mavericks update? What a crock. They didn't warn me that my Server was going to stop working and charge me a hidden $20 fee. So much for the "free" upgrade to Mavericks....

Why bother paying the $20 either? OSX is scheduled to be updated EVERY YEAR from now on. That means ANOTHER $20 for OSX Server. It seems they found a way to screw SOME OSX users over and over and over anyway. Apple SUCKS.

You don't need to buy Mavericks, your Mac Mini will still work without it.

If you bought a expensive Windows server you would be spending hundreds if not thousands to purchase the new Windows Server....its $20

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

You don't need to buy Mavericks, your Mac Mini will still work without it.

If you bought a expensive Windows server you would be spending hundreds if not thousands to purchase the new Windows Server....its $20

You're right. I don't need to "buy" Mavericks. It's not for sale and I already installed it before I posted here. And oddly enough, the Mini won't work without an operating system.

As for Windows, I wouldn't even upgrade to Windows 8 if I had 7 and for reasons that should be obvious to anyone that has used both (i.e. not monetary; 8's GUI sucks even worse than iOS7). In fact, I haven't upgraded from XP to 7 precisely for monetary reasons (given I only use Windows for gaming and most games still work under XP whereas software is starting to dry up for Snow Leopard and Lion was a POS so one would need to either get Mountain Lion or Mavericks soon either way for an older machine like my MBP. I can CCC back to Mountain Lion on my Mini if I feel like it. That doesn't mean people shouldn't know about potential hidden fees on here).

 

[aicul]

....You are a server user. That means Apple treats you like someone who can operate their own nose without someone holding their hand whilst you pick it. If a piece of software is mission critical, you make good god damned and sure you can safely upgrade it. You didn't check. This is your fault. This isn't Apple's fault. Apple isn't being greedy, they aren't trying to "screw" you. ....

If I tend to agree with you Jeff.

But please note that I stumbled across this thread because I was too under the impression that OSX server was included in the free upgrade. But being unsure I was doing my homework.

There is a fine point here, some comment on the eventual costs for server would be welcome. I mean, here I am finding information on a forum rather then APP store...

 

[matt2053]

Wait, you mean to tell me if I install a non-Server OS, I lose my server features? Gee whiz. Thanks for the enlightenment!

 

[squeakr]

Apples description page for Maverick does refer to an extra cost for Server upgrade. The App Store also lists it and has a price listed as such. Upgrading in the past has always required an update of the server software so like you I did my research before installing Mavericks to insure that the Server version was available before disabling my server software during the upgrade. I also received a warning during the upgrade that I was about to lose the server software as it wasn't a supported version under Mavericks. Pretty thorough for me and this was the easiest server upgrade I have had to date. Issues were few and easily resolved with a little planning in advance.

Also I upgraded all my machines to Windows 8.1 after seeing the improvements to boot speed and efficiency. I held off on Windows 8 but 8.1 resolves lots of complaints and issues in 8.

 

[bbfc]

Wait, you mean to tell me if I install a non-Server OS, I lose my server features? Gee whiz. Thanks for the enlightenment!

I know, it's crazy isn't it!

/s

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Wait, you mean to tell me if I install a non-Server OS, I lose my server features? Gee whiz. Thanks for the enlightenment!

The server features are self-contained in the server app (i.e. there is NO "server version" of the OS as you absolutely imply. Many of the server functions are just GUI management and are still present in the OS regardless (e.g. SMB2 setup). Apple didn't have to fully break their server app. They could have depreciated any outdated functions.

In other words, Firefox (and ALL my other software for that matter) still works after upgrading. The Server App is the only exception and it's all on Apple. Whether you think that is reasonable or not is your opinion.

 

[aicul]

Wait, you mean to tell me if I install a non-Server OS, I lose my server features? Gee whiz. Thanks for the enlightenment!

frankly I don't understand you comment, care to explain or were you being sarcastic because you did not understand my post ?

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Apples description page for Maverick does refer to an extra cost for Server upgrade. The App Store also lists it and has a price listed as such. Upgrading in the past has always required an update of the server software so like you I did my research before installing Mavericks to insure that the Server version was available before disabling my server software during the upgrade. I also received a warning during the upgrade that I was about to lose the server software as it wasn't a supported version under Mavericks. Pretty thorough for me ...

totally agree

in my case i'll stick to SL server and get whatever is out there when I change the hardware

 

[JustinGN]

I don't see, at any point, where Apple mentioned OS X Server for Mavericks was free. Furthermore, if this was a critical server and you didn't do your homework before upgrading, well...I have no sympathy here. You should never upgrade a server unless you know what you need to do to restore full functionality after the upgrade, as well as having contingency plans for problems/errors.

If it's a matter of price, then I still don't see the problem. It's twenty freaking dollars. Meanwhile, my cheapest 2012 server is $1000 per license.

Mind telling me what your problem really is, here?

 

[matt2053]

The server features are self-contained in the server app (i.e. there is NO "server version" of the OS as you absolutely imply. Many of the server functions are just GUI management and are still present in the OS regardless (e.g. SMB2 setup). Apple didn't have to fully break their server app. They could have depreciated any outdated functions.

In other words, Firefox (and ALL my other software for that matter) still works after upgrading. The Server App is the only exception and it's all on Apple. Whether you think that is reasonable or not is your opinion.

OS X Mavericks and OS X Mavericks Server are two different operating systems. You decided to upgraded from Mountain Lion Server to Mavericks (non-Server version). You therefore lost the server features of the Server OS. Not sure which one of us is clueless... Pretty sure it's not me.

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frankly I don't understand you comment, care to explain or were you being sarcastic because you did not understand my post ?

I was replying to the original post, not to you.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

OS X Mavericks and OS X Mavericks Server are two different operating systems. You decided to upgraded from Mountain Lion Server to Mavericks (non-Server version). You therefore lost the server features of the Server OS. Not sure which one of us is clueless... Pretty sure it's not me.

BULLCRAP. There is NO SUCH THING as Mavericks OSX Server. There is NO SUCH THING as an upgrade to Mavericks OSX Server. The "OSX Server" IS JUST AN *APP*. Get a fracking clue before you shoot off your mouth. This has been true for Mountain Lion as well. A Mac Server simply INCLUDES the required App. There is NO OTHER DIFFERENCE.

 

[matt2053]

As of version 10.7 (Lion), Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server were combined into one release and re-branded as OS X. A separate "server" operating system is no longer sold; the server-specific server applications and work group management and administration software tools from Mac OS X Server are now offered as OS X Server, an add-on package for OS X sold through the Mac App Store[3] along with Workgroup Manager 10.8, available from the Apple support web site.[4]

I did not know this! Apologies, I was quite wrong.

 

[Tigrao]

They didn't warn me that my Server was going to stop working and charge me a hidden $20 fee. So much for the "free" upgrade to Mavericks....

I just started the upgrade on my Mountain Lion Server machine and this is what I got:

Did you not get that message?

 

[squeakr]

BULLCRAP. There is NO SUCH THING as Mavericks OSX Server. There is NO SUCH THING as an upgrade to Mavericks OSX Server. The "OSX Server" IS JUST AN *APP*. Get a fracking clue before you shoot off your mouth. This has been true for Mountain Lion as well. A Mac Server simply INCLUDES the required App. There is NO OTHER DIFFERENCE.

It was like that in Lion as well. The App adds/ enables functionality that was not there present or available in the standard OS installation. It is not just an app, but enables functionality and control of server capabilities that are not standard within the standard operating system. It is not just some magical contra, panel that you would like people to think it is.