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Upgrading from Snow Leopard Server to Lion Server

alphaod

alphaod

macrumors Core
Original poster
Feb 9, 2008
22,194
1,260
NYC
Traditionally one could not upgrade from a client OS to a server OS nor vice versa. As Lion is now a Mac App Store only release and the server part of the OS is simply an additional download, what is the upgrade path for users with OS X Server machines? Do we have to do clean installs? Is it still an in-place upgrade with server tool download mandatory?

I was hoping someone could clear this up for me.
 
Hellhammer said:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/server/how-to-buy/
Looks like you must buy both, Lion and Lion Server.
Click to expand...
This page says it's a one-click purchase for $50 (instead of $30 for the basic Lion) so I'm presuming that $50 gets you both the basic Lion update and the Lion Server add-on, with a single installation script that automates the upgrade.

I wonder if Apple will sell a $20 Lion to Lion Server upgrade... I'm running Snow Leopard Server right now on a mid-2010 Mac Mini server, and the Software Update service really rocks. The Mini checks for updates and downloads them, and when my iMac and MacBook check the Mini for updates, the download is at gigabit-Ethernet speeds!

This would be great for all those people complaining in other threads that Apple's download-only decision for Lion will cause them to exceed their ISP download caps.
 
macjube said:
This page says it's a one-click purchase for $50 (instead of $30 for the basic Lion) so I'm presuming that $50 gets you both the basic Lion update and the Lion Server add-on, with a single installation script that automates the upgrade.

I wonder if Apple will sell a $20 Lion to Lion Server upgrade... I'm running Snow Leopard Server right now on a mid-2010 Mac Mini server, and the Software Update service really rocks. The Mini checks for updates and downloads them, and when my iMac and MacBook check the Mini for updates, the download is at gigabit-Ethernet speeds!

This would be great for all those people complaining in other threads that Apple's download-only decision for Lion will cause them to exceed their ISP download caps.
Click to expand...

It specifically says that you will need to buy both:

When OS X Lion is released in July, simply open the Mac App Store from your Dock to buy and download Lion and Lion Server.
Click to expand...
 
macjube said:
This would be great for all those people complaining in other threads that Apple's download-only decision for Lion will cause them to exceed their ISP download caps.
Click to expand...

It feels like Apple is now marketing their Server product for home users now. My server isn't even connected to my local machines. The software update feature sure sounds great, but I won't make use of it unfortunately.


But it's still good to know the upgrade to Lion Server will be a very quick and fluid process.
 
Hellhammer said:
It specifically says that you will need to buy both:
Click to expand...

The information Apple is posting seems contradictory to me. They state the following:

"Now you can quickly and easily turn just about any Mac into a powerful server that’s perfect for home offices, businesses, schools, and hobbyists alike. Lion Server is coming to the Mac App Store in July for $49.99."

If you click on the "How to Buy" button it talks about upgrading an existing Snow Leopard Server by purchasing the upgrade. It does not state that you must have SL Server installed for the upgrade to run. It seems to me that two or more people worded the information on the Lion Server pages.

Arstechnica has a story that says it is just the $49 upgrade:

http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2011/06/lion-server-will-be-an-extra-50-via-the-mac-app-store.ars

We will know for sure next month, but it appears to me that Apple is selling Lion Server for just a $49 upgrade to SL Client. The most promising part to me is the hobbyists mentioned in the quote from Apple above. Of course I could be wrong in my assumptions.
 
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cosmos said:
The information Apple is posting seems contradictory to me. They state the following:

"Now you can quickly and easily turn just about any Mac into a powerful server that’s perfect for home offices, businesses, schools, and hobbyists alike. Lion Server is coming to the Mac App Store in July for $49.99."

If you click on the "How to Buy" button it talks about upgrading an existing Snow Leopard Server by purchasing the upgrade. It does not state that you must have SL Server installed for the upgrade to run. It seems to me that two or more people worded the information on the Lion Server pages.

Arstechnica has a story that says it is just the $49 upgrade:

http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2011/06/lion-server-will-be-an-extra-50-via-the-mac-app-store.ars

We will know for sure next month, but it appears to me that Apple is selling Lion Server for just a $49 upgrade to SL Client. The most promising part to me is the hobbyists mentioned in the quote from Apple above. Of course I could be wrong in my assumptions.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's definitely a bit confusing. Well, I guess we will see how it works in a month or so.
 
stukdog said:
This was posted today if it helps at all

An Informative Look at Lion Server
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link that clears up the upgrade process.

Upgrade to Lion and then if you want server purchase the App and run the configuration and downloading of additional components is pulled automatically.

Total cost is $80 USD which is an amazing deal over any version of 2008 without factoring in the additional cost of CALs per seat madness.
 
will VMware still support server?

I assume that VMware will continue to support virtualizing OS X Server. Technically you couldn't run OS X in a VM w/o it being a server version (although there were workarounds posted).

I haven't tried running server in a VM, because it was way too expensive, nominally $500. But in 10.7, I don't mind paying another $50.
 
Lost users and groups

I had the opportunity to do a test upgrade from SLS to Lion Server GM. I lost all my network users and groups. Only the local admin user remained. I have no idea what went wrong as no problems were reported.

Anyone else have a chance to mess with this?
 
Waragainstsleep said:
I guess this means no more virtual Mac servers...
Click to expand...
False. You can virtualize both client and server versions of Lion. The EULA specifically allows for this.

Phantom Gremlin said:
I assume that VMware will continue to support virtualizing OS X Server. Technically you couldn't run OS X in a VM w/o it being a server version (although there were workarounds posted).
Click to expand...

Given that you cal virtualize Lion Desktop, the server version would be a non-issue
 
Snow Leopard Server to Lion Server issues

corbywan said:
I had the opportunity to do a test upgrade from SLS to Lion Server GM. I lost all my network users and groups. Only the local admin user remained. I have no idea what went wrong as no problems were reported.

Anyone else have a chance to mess with this?
Click to expand...

I had the exact same problem. It could be because I first installed Lion Server thinking that was what I should do. It installed fine, then when it was still 10.6 I installed lion. Everything seemed to work but I lost all my users.

Still trying to see if there is a way to get back the groups and users.
 
TomMyers said:
I had the exact same problem. It could be because I first installed Lion Server thinking that was what I should do. It installed fine, then when it was still 10.6 I installed lion. Everything seemed to work but I lost all my users.

Still trying to see if there is a way to get back the groups and users.
Click to expand...

Is there a difinitive guide somewhere for migrating a mac mini server running snow leopard server to lion server? I don't want to buy it if its going to kill my blogs/wikis site and its users.
 
Lost log in profiles

TomMyers said:
I had the exact same problem. It could be because I first installed Lion Server thinking that was what I should do. It installed fine, then when it was still 10.6 I installed lion. Everything seemed to work but I lost all my users.

Still trying to see if there is a way to get back the groups and users.
Click to expand...

I bought lion last night, installed it over night, and I woke to find that two log in profiles have gone, my guest one is left and an old flat mate is the administrator and has forgotten the passwords.

What do I do?
 
upgrade nightmare

I upgraded from Snow leopard server to lion server yesterday and the upgrade wiped out all of my settings and websites... The worst part is that now I can't get the sites working again, they all go to the default Apple placeholder page.

I have two sites with 2 separate domain names that I was hosting on my snow leopard server. I recreated them in the new server app and pointed them to the right folders for the site documents, but when I try to load the URL from a browser I just get the apple "welcome to lion" page. Anyone have this problem and solve it?

There is a third site in the list that the server app created on it's own that does point to that welcome page, but I can't edit or delete that site in the list.
 
laddbosworth said:
I upgraded from Snow leopard server to lion server yesterday and the upgrade wiped out all of my settings and websites... The worst part is that now I can't get the sites working again, they all go to the default Apple placeholder page.

I have two sites with 2 separate domain names that I was hosting on my snow leopard server. I recreated them in the new server app and pointed them to the right folders for the site documents, but when I try to load the URL from a browser I just get the apple "welcome to lion" page. Anyone have this problem and solve it?

There is a third site in the list that the server app created on it's own that does point to that welcome page, but I can't edit or delete that site in the list.
Click to expand...

I feel your pain... im in the exact same boat sadly.
best i've been able to do so far is change the default page for ONE of my sites.. so I can have a whole whopping 1 domain up and running

I'm gonna spend most of tonight beating my head against it to see if I cant find a solution
 
Ok i got a fix! If you simply edit the httpd.conf file ( /etc/apache2/httpd.conf ) and add the line:
NameVirtualHost *:80
then restart the web service - it will then recognize the separate domains going to the server and direct them accordingly to where they need to go :)
 
Last edited:
After the reboot, the server is no longer talking to the Sony Bravia, and just for more fun I cant share the screen (from lion server admin tools on an iMac)

I can however use SSH to get to a command line. How do I get control of this server back and have it talk to my TV via hdmi?

Do I need to do the same edit to the httpd.conf to see my single domain?
 
voigtstr said:
Do I need to do the same edit to the httpd.conf to see my single domain?
Click to expand...

"need"? no
you can simply replace the default files with your own
( /Library/Server/Web/Data/Sites/Default/ )
but if you have it use a custom folder location then yes you would need to
 
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