Installing Snow Leopard (not SL Server) onto mini server

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90 points

Installing Snow Leopard (not SL Server) onto mini server

I plan to buy a mini server and instal bog-standard Snow Leopard on to it. I know this is possible, as it I did it earlier this year. However, I am not sure how easy this is going to be on a new model server.

My Snow Leopard instal DVD is 10.6. Is that going to instal OK onto a new mini server, or is it going to require a newer version (10.6.5, for example)? If it requires a more decent version of the OS, are there are any workarounds I can use to instal 10.6, and then update?

Posted on Dec 5, 2010 7:58 PM

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Answer 1

Sven G

Level 1

45 points

Dec 6, 2010 8:25 AM in response to rr hawks

There is a very long thread devoted to this:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2465599

If you only have a 10.6.0 DVD, it will not boot the new Mini: so, you would have to install the OS on another drive, update it to 10.6.5 and then restore it to the Mini with Disk Utility; you could probably even do this within the preinstalled OS X Server: install OS X on the unused HD, update it to 10.6.5 with the Combo updater, and only then boot from it.

There are many ways to install Snow Leopard client on the new Mac mini Server: see also the thread above (at the end, there are some of my experiences, but mainly with a 10.6.3 DVD)...

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Answer 2

Sven G

Level 1

45 points

Dec 6, 2010 11:46 AM in response to rr hawks

I forgot to say that if you already have another Mac with a DVD drive, you can access the OS X install DVD in FireWire target disk mode; of course, a new MacBook Air SuperDrive is even better, but probably you won't be able to boot with it from a retail 10.6.0-10.6.3 DVD (while it should be OK to install with it from within OS X Server to the other internal HD).

(I was able to boot the DVD in target mode from a mid-2009 MacBook Pro, but it was a 10.6.3 DVD...)

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Answer 3

rr hawks Author

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90 points

Dec 6, 2010 12:51 PM in response to Sven G

Thanks for the info Sven.

I looked through the thread you linked to, but I got a bit lost along the line. I somehow interpreted the thread as implying that Snow Leopard is lacking a few vital things to make it work properly on the server - but it seems that is not the case?

So then, it would be fine to use a different Mac to instal 10.6 onto a virgin hard drive, update it to 10.6.5, and then pop that inside the mini server? Snow Leopard will work 100% OK?

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Answer 4

GeekPill

Level 1

71 points

Dec 6, 2010 12:56 PM in response to rr hawks

You will void your warranty if you open your MacMini so please dont.

One way you could install the normal SL onto the Server is to run the Server install disc and open up Disk Utility and zero out the hard drives then remove the install DVD then pop in the SL client install disc then install, this should work.

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Answer 5

Sven G

Level 1

45 points

Dec 6, 2010 2:24 PM in response to rr hawks

Yes, you cannot - or at least should not - change the internal hard drives, and it is not necessary at all.

If you only have a 10.6 DVD, the easiest way would probably be to boot into Mac OS X Server (preinstalled on the upper drive of the Mac mini Server, so you would probably do it anyway), erase the lower drive and install OS X onto it: this should be possible without problems.

Or, if this doesn't work, install OS X on a USB or FireWire hard drive connected to another Mac and then clone this drive (restore with Disk Utility) to the empty internal drive on the Mini.

Or even attach the Server with a FireWire cable to another computer and from there install to the empty drive in FireWire target disk mode.

Etc. etc.

In all cases, you must first update 10.6 to 10.6.5 before booting the Mini from the newly installed system; and 10.6.5 is fully compatible with the Server's hardware: everything works.

So, there are many ways to install 10.6.5 client on the Server, also with only a 10.6 DVD...

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