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Here is the story. I wasn't aware that "OS X Server" was an actual operating system to install, I thought (seriously!) it's just another application or bunch of apps working nicely together under the OS X Snow Leopard. Because I was struggling with my imap, pop and smtp servers to install locally for last 24 hrs, my mate dropped me the "OS X Server" dmg over the LAN to try it out if this is what I need. So I've installed the package from dmg file then opened the Server Admin app. Nothing was detected, no servers, so I've run this command (don't remember exactly):

sudo launchctl load -w /(...).plist

The local server seem to appear on the list and I begin to investigate further.. (I already had running Apache, mysql, postfix) and I expected this to appear on the list etc.

.. when prompted for serial number I skipped this step (to see more options) by clicking "Save" button and then my machine restarted without any prompt. The OS X Server process began. I realised quickly it's not the action I want to take. Now here is the trick...

How do I roll back to my normal Snow Leopard? I know it's there (I've checked from terminal from my original installation disc) and seems like all data are there. I have time-machine backup but probably 3 weeks old and some significant changes were made since then I don't want to loose. Whenever I boot my macbook, it starts the Server installation process, but I haven't done anything yet. Is there a special boot record or something like this where I can force it to start from my previous location? How do I get rid of this? I simply don't want to install new os and cancel the current process but this thing sits on my drive, it's a CD I could simply eject, right?

N.N.
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lokers
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4 Answers4

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It seems you have already installed the server - it may be easier simply to back up your data and do a clean install of Snow Leopard.

Joshua
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I thought (seriously!) it's just another application or bunch of apps working nicely together under the OS X Snow Leopard

Well, it quite honestly is. You can still use your system as normal, it just has extra services.

From what your saying, you basically overwrote your installation of snow leopard. The only real fix that will do anything is to do a fresh install using your original install disk.

Another option is to find which extra services are running (apache, mail, whatever), and just disable them.

Simon Sheehan
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I was trying to cancel this installation for few hours, I've done backup of my data and I was prepared for the worse. Finally, I clicked "proceed" as I had nothing to loose. Surprisingly, the server installed properly (it looks fine so far), I am still able to use my OS like before (so it was additional layer! not the whole os), some additional apps for server management were added and new admin user created. I see few errors and warnings in system log and few other places but they may be still related to the dovecot installation which I was doing couple of days ago.

Anyway, at this stage, I can tell the installation didn't break anything, although I might be wrong and in few hours time system will get hiccup. If this will happen, I will post an update here.

lokers
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This question is probably more fitting for SuperUser.com or perhaps ServerFault.com but here goes...

You MAY be able to get things back to order by "repairing" the disk. I would find another bootable disk, boot on that, mount the original read/write - like this:

mount -o remount -w <drive>

Then fix what's wrong - that is, edit however it is that OSX records that it was about to do an installation.

There's also some chance that the installer will discover that your disk already has an OS on it and give you an option to abort gracefully first! Only someone who really knows OSX will be able to help you - hence my suggestion you look at the links I cited above.

Community
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Richard T
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