bwanajag

Q: macOS server on old macOS

My 2009 Mac Mini is not eligible to upgrade to macOS Sierra.  Will macOS Server continue to work on El Capitan when all my other Macs are running Sierra?  Possibly another way to ask this question is, will macOS Server 5.2 work on El Capitan?

Mac mini (Early 2009), OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Sep 8, 2016 8:18 PM

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Q: macOS server on old macOS

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  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Sep 8, 2016 9:04 PM in response to bwanajag
    Level 6 (14,355 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 8, 2016 9:04 PM in response to bwanajag

    There had been notice of a test version for those who signed up

    to help developers (in June 2016) for macOS Sierra Server.

     

    What I had read, in June 2016, was the-then version in the works

    for Sierra (beta) was also included a last version El Capitan Server

    with the same build number. The latest El Capitan looks to be able

    to support OS X and macOS up to Sierra 10.12. All of those version

    builds are past the early stage by now, so would be near release.

     

    (macOS Sierra is slated to be released by about Sept 20th; according

    to information available yesterday. Subject to clarification/verification)

     

    If you have an El Capitan server edition and it appears in your

    App Store purchases list, you should be able to restore it from

    there if you need another copy. But if you are going to keep a

    running copy of installed El Capitan, be sure to get a copy of

    the Installer from the App Store. Also make backups, and then

    get & use external drive to make and test backup boot clones.

     

    You could use DiskMakerX to create a boot installer El Capitan

    for later use, just in case your App Store purchases goes vapor.

     

    Not sure about backups (other than clones) for complete copies

    that can sustain your Server. To install from scratch may be the

    way to go, when it's gone from App Store.

    CarbonCopy/SuperDuper, and .dmg in Disk Utility; + time machine.

     

    Once Sierra gets to the App Store, it will displace El Capitan

    with exception of any reference to your purchase/upgrade in

    your online App Store associated with your AppleID.

     

    By the time Sierra makes an official presence on the App Store,

    its Server should be available; probably like the one there now for

    El Capitan, but not the exact same one... It would say Sierra.

    {No other one would be compatible; any mention I'd seen from

    https://developer.apple.com/ would have been for official testers.}

     

    The earlier version of Server running on El Capitan, should have

    no trouble supporting macOS Sierra; just like previous Server

    versions are able to support later systems. Some user preference

    kept them running much older Server versions, on older hardware.

     

     

    Good luck!

  • by Leopardus,

    Leopardus Leopardus Sep 8, 2016 9:36 PM in response to bwanajag
    Level 4 (1,122 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 8, 2016 9:36 PM in response to bwanajag

    bwanajag wrote:

     

    My 2009 Mac Mini is not eligible to upgrade to macOS Sierra.  .......will macOS Server 5.2 work on El Capitan?

    Yes, but probably only the first one or two releases. Just take note, as announced by Apple that the SUS (Software Update Service) will be depreciated. The focus is on the Caching Server.

     

    Leo

  • by alanabs,

    alanabs alanabs Sep 18, 2016 8:38 PM in response to bwanajag
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 18, 2016 8:38 PM in response to bwanajag

    You could actually upgrade to macOS Sierra 10.12 with this patch tool http://dosdude1.com/sierrapatch.html

     

    Apple arbitrarily removed fully capable Macs and this tool works to restore them to full working order inlcuding the following models

     

    -Early-2008 or newer Mac Pro, iMac, or MacBook Pro

    -Late-2008 or newer MacBook Air or Aluminum Unibody MacBook

    -Early-2009 or newer Mac Mini or white MacBook

     

    I used the patch with macOS Sierra 10.12 GM running on my 2008 MacBook Pro 4,1 and it runs really great after an SSD upgrade

  • by Leopardus,

    Leopardus Leopardus Sep 18, 2016 11:22 PM in response to alanabs
    Level 4 (1,122 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 18, 2016 11:22 PM in response to alanabs

    On the face of it, it seems to be a great tool. Will certainly try it out on one of our oldies.

     

    Leo