upgrade to OS X Lion Server

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Level 1

10 points

upgrade to OS X Lion Server

I am currently running a Mac Mini server setup in a RAID-1 configuration. I wanted to upgrade to OS X Lion Server. I went to the App Store, and found out that I need to purchase OS X Lion and OS X Lion Server to upgrade. I made the purchase, and now, I cannot install the upgrade. They system starts to install OS X Lion. I get to the screen to restart, I get a message saying that the system is shutting down applications, and then i get:

An error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running this application again.

I have tried resetting the PRAM and NVRAM, and I got the same results.

I tried navigating to the DMG file, mounting the DMG, and running the install, and I got the same results.

What am I missing? Is there some special item that I need to download, or a hidden step to take to upgrade from OS X Snow Leopard Server to OS X Lion to OS X Lion Server?

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.6.8), OS X Snow Leopoard Server

Posted on Feb 23, 2012 10:48 AM

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Answer 1

davidh

Level 4

1,890 points

Feb 24, 2012 3:41 PM in response to Algeron

The issue is that Lion wants to install the Lion-supplied (by default) restore partition.
And because you have a mirror-RAID, it can't repartition your system drive in order to create said partition.

If you want to keep the RAID-1, you'll probably have to install to a single (eg: Firewire-based) external drive ("A"),

install Lion again to yet another drive ("B"), and then boot from B and use Disk Utility to clone A to your internal RAID. You will lose the restore partition, and any Software Updates pertaining to that (there's been one so far) will fail.

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Answer 2

sergiovf

Level 1

0 points

Mar 23, 2012 9:09 AM in response to davidh

davidh

I also bought the Lion OS X server for my Snow leopard mac mini server. it is now in 10.6.8 build 10K549

I went to the APP application and bought the lion server 10.7.3.

When I try to install it it says it needs the 10.7.x to be in place.

so how do I upgrade the server software I have on this mac mini server ?

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Answer 3

Mar 23, 2012 10:06 PM in response to sergiovf

You have to buy MacOSX-Lion too, download the installer and copy it to application folder.

Regards,

Peter

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Answer 4

Apr 26, 2012 3:56 AM in response to Algeron

I had the same issue and I solved it with the following steps. Before you proceed connect an External SuperDrive to your Mac Mini, create a full backup of your system and read carefully the following manual

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/lion_server_upgrading_migrating.pdf

1) In your OSX Snow Leopard installation, go to System Preferences to perform a software update check.

2) Buy and download OSX Lion (and OSX Lion Server if you have OSX Snow Leopard Server) from App Store, after download do not proceed with installation.

3) Make a bootable OSX Lion Installation DVD performing these steps:

3.1) Go to the Applications folder and locate the Install Mac OS X Lion package, right-click the package and choose "Show Package Contents".

3.2) Go to the /Contents/SharedSupport/ folder and locate the InstallESD.dmg. Use Disk Utility to burn this image to DVD.

4) Reboot the Mac Mini holding the "C" key at startup and proceed through the installation process steps, when you are prompted to choose where to install OSX Lion, select the RAID volume. An alert will appear to remind that some features will not be available if you install OSX Lion on a RAID Volume, choose "Continue" to proceed.

5) After the installation process, during which the Mac Mini reboots at least twice, log in with your credentials and go to System Preferences to perform a software update check.

I've tested it with Mac Mini Server and OSX Lion 10.7.3 Installation Package and it worked.

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