Stuck in Server Assistant mode.

I just applied the 10.5.1 update and rebooted, net result every login gets me a blank desktop with Server Assistant menu bar, kill server assitant and the user is logged out.

Did you manage to solve this?

I have also ran into this problem after updating. Has anyone found a solution? I'm terribly frustrated.

Boot into single-user mode, by holding the Apple (just to the left & right of the space-bar) and the "s" key at the same time (both keys).

Type in (commands to type in are shown in +italicized text+ ):
+fsck -fy+

then run (type in):
+mount -uw /+

then type:
+touch /var/db/.AppleSetupDone+

the above line must be EXACTLY as shown. Case matters, and there is a space between "touch" and the first forward-slash but no other spaces in that line, and the dot before AppleSetupDone MUST be included !

and then type in:

reboot

I typed in the commands as shown. Unfortunately, this didn't help. 😟

Ok.
Well, in 10.5, that file has content and maybe it can't be empty - the command I give creates an empty file of the name ".AppleSetupDone"

I would still try booting into single user mode and then mounting the drive:

+mount -uw /+

and then editing the file - you'll have to use vi or nano, which is beyond the scope of this post
OR put your OS X Server machine into target disk mode and edit the file but you really shouldn't be touching that area of the filesystem via any GUI (the Finder will put .DS_Store files there)

Here's the content of mine (from 10.5.1 client not server but it should still work).
*DO NOT COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING TEXT, that won't work !*
The first amount of space should be single tab, the 2nd larger amount of space, two tabs:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Address</key>
<dict>
<key>AreaCode</key>
<string></string>
<key>City</key>
<string></string>
<key>Company</key>
<string></string>
<key>CountryName</key>
<string>United States</string>
<key>ExistingEmailAddress</key>
<string></string>
<key>FirstName</key>
<string></string>
<key>LastName</key>
<string></string>
<key>LocalPhoneNumber</key>
<string></string>
<key>StateProv</key>
<string>Select</string>
<key>StreetAddr1</key>
<string></string>
<key>StreetAddr2</key>
<string></string>
<key>ZipPostal</key>
<string></string>
</dict>
</dict>
</plist>
Then, you should run (while still in single-user mode):

+diskutil RepairPermissions /+

and then

reboot

Ok, actually I just checked my testing install of 10.5 server, and there,
.AppleSetupDone IS empty (present, but no content), so that might not be it.

I ran repair permissions and applied the 10.5.1 update without a problem.

So, no need to edit .AppleSetupDone
but try booting into single-user mode,
then:

+mount -uw /+
+diskutil repairPermissions /+

After the mount -uw / it removed 7 orphaned unlinked files or directories but when I try to run the diskutil it says:
"Unable to run because unable to use the DiskManagement framework. Common reasons include, but are not limited to, the DiskArbitration framework being unavailable due to being booted in single-user mode." A pretty extensive error message.

David, you've been very helpful. I appreciate it. Do you have any other suggestions?

Oh man, that's annoying ! It's possible in 10.4, I think...

If you have physical access to the unit, boot it from the 10.5 install DVD and click through the first screen (use English - language selection), and from the menu (top of the window) you can launch
DiskUtilty.

Verify your OS drive and repair if necessary (this very probably won't find or do anything if "fsck" came back ok)
and you can select the drive and run Repair Permissions on it.

I have several servers - all have been running 10.5.1 for a couple of weeks -- that are ALL stuck in Server Assistant Mode after this morning's security update.

I've have tried all of the solutions here -- to the letter -- with no luck.

Does anyone else have a fix for this?

I have witnessed the same symptoms on a 10.5.1 Server installation after applying the Security Update 2007-009 update. I would suggest that anyone responsible for maintaining Mac OS X Server installations use caution.

I too, have this problem. I allowed my 10.5.1 server to update itself this afternoon. After the update and subsequent reboot, I am no longer able to login to the finder. All I see is the Server Assistant. I tried all the methods previously mentioned in the above threads without success. Do I have to rebuild this server to fix the issue?

Chuck

At least in my case this problem was solved by doing the following:

Start up in Single User mode by holding down the Command and S keys at boot, then run these commands:

+/sbin/mount -uw /+
+rm /var/db/.SoftwareUpdate*+
reboot

Under some circumstances when a software update fails for any reason under Leopard and Leopard Server it appears to not properly remove the /var/db/.SoftwareUpdateAtLogout and /var/db/.SoftwareUpdateOptions files. If those files are present they can cause Leopard Server to invoke the Server Assistant mode at startup. Force quitting the Server Assistant just causes the Server Assistant to relaunch. Instead boot into single user mode and delete the offending files.

If anyone else is having this trouble with their Leopard Server installation give this a try and report back in this thread if it helps or doesn't help. This fix was inspired by MarkDouma's post and fix for the same issue happening to Leopard client.

I was experiencing this issue and Komakino's fix worked perfectly.

Instead of single user mode, I ssh-ed in to the server from another machine and did a +sudo rm /var/db/.SoftwareUpdate*+. I then Quit Server Assistant which logged me out. The next login worked. Thanks Komakino!