sbessel

Q: What is the upgrade to 10.9 method?

So I am running 10.8.5 Server now, or listed as OS X Server 2.2.2.  What is the recommended upgrade method to get to OS X Server 3 (Mavericks)?

 

It is not very clear, and I don't want to start from scratch or lose my current working configuraton.

 

Since I am updating all of my client machines as well as the supporting software, I need my server to be compatable, mainly with iPhoto and my iTunes library as well. (both served from my server)

 

thanks,

 

Scott

OS X Server

Posted on Oct 23, 2013 7:12 AM

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Q: What is the upgrade to 10.9 method?

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  • by coffeebreath,

    coffeebreath coffeebreath Oct 23, 2013 7:33 AM in response to sbessel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 7:33 AM in response to sbessel

    I'd wait if I was you, MAV and S3 don't play nicely at the moment.

  • by sbessel,

    sbessel sbessel Oct 23, 2013 7:46 AM in response to coffeebreath
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 7:46 AM in response to coffeebreath

    MAV and S3?

     

    My issue is that I can't use iPhoto library with iTunes to share photos over my AppleTV's - I need the latest iPhoto, and it only works on Maverick.

  • by Semmelrocc,Solvedanswer

    Semmelrocc Semmelrocc Oct 23, 2013 7:59 AM in response to sbessel
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 7:59 AM in response to sbessel

    First of all make sure you have a full backup at hand in case that something goes wrong.

    Then simply install Mavericks over your 10.8.5 machine.

    Then, once booted and running Mavericks, purchase Server.app from the Mac App Store.

    Once the download is finished, your Mac will tell you that Server.app was replaced.

    Start the new Server.app, it will do the migration on the fly, and once it is finished, your Mavericks Server should be up and running, with all data and settings in place, just as you would expect it.

  • by martbasi,

    martbasi martbasi Oct 23, 2013 8:17 AM in response to Semmelrocc
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 8:17 AM in response to Semmelrocc

    Just adding a little extra info, hopefully useful to someone.

     

    Server 3 for Mavericks in the App Store for $20:

    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/os-x-server/id714547929?mt=12

  • by sbessel,

    sbessel sbessel Oct 23, 2013 8:48 AM in response to Semmelrocc
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 8:48 AM in response to Semmelrocc

    That is what I thought, but I didn't see that anyone has done this.  It also scared me to do what appeared to be a downgrade to the normal desktop version of Mavericks, then upgrade to server after - I wasn't sure if it would keep all my server settings, and seeing a blank server window with all new settings would probably stop my heart

     

    I think I may try and hold off a few weeks and see if others are successful.

     

    thanks for the answers

  • by Semmelrocc,Helpful

    Semmelrocc Semmelrocc Oct 23, 2013 8:54 AM in response to sbessel
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 8:54 AM in response to sbessel

    That's the way that you do it. I described this way because I have already done that successfully.

    Here is the related official Apple support document (not yet updated): http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5381

  • by kristin119,

    kristin119 kristin119 Oct 23, 2013 11:18 AM in response to sbessel
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 11:18 AM in response to sbessel

    If you think "upgrading" to Mavericks is a "downgrade" from your server, you are fundamentally failing to understand the UNIX that runs underneath it all. ALL of the features of Server exist in EVERY iteration of Mac OS; the Server app makes them accessible at the GUI layer and tweaks some permissions. That's it.

     

    Upgrading to Mavericks shouldn't change your server settings (I say shouldn't because you never know who stuck their fingers in the pie when they shouldn't have). It is far more likely to mess up your server settings when you install the Server upgrade because of assumptions the engineers make about how to configure stuff. Thus, the backups.

  • by Semmelrocc,

    Semmelrocc Semmelrocc Oct 23, 2013 11:44 AM in response to kristin119
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 11:44 AM in response to kristin119

    kristin119 wrote:

     

    ALL of the features of Server exist in EVERY iteration of Mac OS; the Server app makes them accessible at the GUI layer and tweaks some permissions.

    That's not quite right any more. Since Mountain Lion, Apple chose to internalize the services logic into Server.app itself thus removing it from stock OS X. What you see in /Library/Server is created the first time you install Server.app, and it remains there, when you install a newer OS version, but it only contains service configuration files and services data. So Server.app is not only the server GUI anymore, but it actually IS the server nowadays.

  • by sbessel,

    sbessel sbessel Oct 23, 2013 3:00 PM in response to Semmelrocc
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 3:00 PM in response to Semmelrocc

    For those that have done it, do you know if it can be done headless?

     

    I just don't have the spare equipment close by.  I know I was able to do the last few upgrades as well as the bump to server that way.

     

    thanks for all the input, I think I am getting ready to attempt this.

  • by sbessel,

    sbessel sbessel Oct 24, 2013 11:30 AM in response to sbessel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 11:30 AM in response to sbessel

    ... and yes it can be done headless, there was another thread stating this could be done.  I can tell you it just takes a LONG time, especially if you are waiting staring at a blank screen

     

    thanks for all the help and answers.

     

    Scott

  • by MichelG1970,

    MichelG1970 MichelG1970 Oct 25, 2013 3:05 PM in response to sbessel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 25, 2013 3:05 PM in response to sbessel

    Scott - exactly HOW long did it take you?

     

    My server.app is already updating services for over 3 hours and still shows around 40% progress....

     

    Thanks!

    Michel

  • by ~morgen,

    ~morgen ~morgen Oct 25, 2013 4:13 PM in response to MichelG1970
    Level 1 (140 points)
    Oct 25, 2013 4:13 PM in response to MichelG1970

    I recommend migrating to a separate disk volume, that way your Mountain Lion Server is untouched while you try out Mavericks Server.

     

    Better yet, if you have a second computer you can test with...

     

    Take Time Machine backups on Mountain Lion Server to a removable external drive.

    Remove that external drive from the Moutain Lion Server and plug it in to a different computer where you will install Mavericks.

    During the Mavericks install process, it will ask you if you want to migrate from a Time Machine backup; choose that option and select the external drive.

    Once Mavericks is installed and migrated, get OS X Server (Mavericks) from the store and run it.

    Verify your data migrated successfully -- if not, at least your Mountain Lion Server is untouched, and there hasn't been any downtime.

  • by sspringall,

    sspringall sspringall Oct 25, 2013 5:24 PM in response to coffeebreath
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 25, 2013 5:24 PM in response to coffeebreath

    I agree. I have had two attempts so far and have had to roll back twice.

     

    During the upgrade, I get a spinning sunflower for hours. A force reboot makes the server unbootable.

     

    Good backups are essential before upgrading.

  • by Vince Loden,

    Vince Loden Vince Loden Oct 28, 2013 12:05 AM in response to sbessel
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 28, 2013 12:05 AM in response to sbessel

    I have 2 hard drives for my server. An SSD which holds System, Applications etc and a Data HD for users. I had also put Server Data on that drive. When I attempted to upgrade to Mavericks and Server 3, Server 3 did not recognize that Server Data was not in the default location resulting in a disastrous upgrade and loss of users.  I have now reverted to ML and Server 2.2 until Apple sorts this out.