Migration of Leopard PPC Server to Intel

[Don.Key]

Hi folks,

Currently we run a Leopard 10.5.5 server on a G5 PowerMac and would like to replace it with Xeon xServe.

Is there a guide how to migrate a PPC based OSX Server installation to Intel? Is it possible to move over the OD contents, shares, iCal server and so on?

Cheers

 

[MacsRgr8]

Leopard is UB, so any install of Leopard on a PPC should work on an Intel and vice versa.
Haven't tried the Server version OS "swap", but I can't find a reason why simply duplicating the HD from your G5 to the Xeon wouldn't work.

 

[mathcolo]

Leopard is UB, so any install of Leopard on a PPC should work on an Intel and vice versa.
Haven't tried the Server version OS "swap", but I can't find a reason why simply duplicating the HD from your G5 to the Xeon wouldn't work.

Theoretically that would work... However doesn't the 10.5 install check the CPU architecture to install architecture-specific files?

 

[MacsRgr8]

Don't think so.
The client, at least, doesn't do that. The software will all be installed, but maybe some features won't work.. like some iChat AV effects don't work on a PPC.

I have just made a 10.5.5 "Utility-Mac". Installed Mac OS X 10.5.5 using a Quad G5 (PPC), and made a NetBoot image of it. A Mac Pro (Intel) works fine off it.
IIRC I have used a MacBook for a Mac OS X 10.5.0 Server install to get a Mac mini G4 (512 MB RAM) working, by installing the Server OS on the MacBook, and "restore" it to the Mac mini via Target Disk mode. Haven't used all the Sever features on that Mac mini, but IIRC all worked well what I had tried.

 

[Eidorian]

The only problem that I see from just cloning the drive to the Intel machine is that Intel uses GUID Partition Table.

 

[MacsRgr8]

The only problem that I see from just cloning the drive to the Intel machine is that Intel uses GUID Partition Table.

If you make a Disk Image (.DMG) of the original install, and then restore it via Disk Utility to the new server, then you'll be fine.
Just partition the Boot Volume of the new server first, using default settings.

 

[MattMacPro2]

Migration of Leopard PPC Server to Intel

Hi

Well - after actually doing the above, I thought I should post my findings.

Booted the G4 Xserve off an external HDD and used Disk Utility to create an image of the Mac OS 10.5.6 OS running on the G4.

Copied that image to my other disk (Running 10.5.6 client) that can boot the Intel Xserve. Used Disk Utility to put the image into the disk in the Intel Xserve.

I was able to select the disk under 'Startup Disk' but was not able to boot off it. After several attempts I booted back off the external disk and ran Repair Permission across the volume using disk utility.

I was now able to boot off the disk and all looked fine. Ran Mac OS 10.5.6 Server Combo update again - just to be sure. A quick look in the Activity monitor showed all services running as Intel native code - good stuff.

On further investigation I had another issue. Both LDAP and Kerberos services are listed as stopped. I think this may be because the OS is now running on different hardware. I think it uses the mac address for some of the security keys.

Looking at what other people have done when LDAP and Kerberos services are listed as stopped - they have demoted and promoted the server and rebuilt there Open Directory.

If I can't get LDAP and Kerberos services running I will try and create a Sparse image of the LDAP on the G4 Xserve - demote and promote the LDAP on the Intel Xserve and then import the Sparse image into the newly created LDAP on the Intel Xserve.

I will post back again if I have any success.

** Update **

OK - well I had to demote and then promote the server to an Open Directory Master to get LDAP and Kerberos working again. Imported my sparse image of all the users & groups and it's all fine.

So - in answer to the original question [PPC based OSX Server installation to Intel] - yes it can be done.

On further investigation I found that it didn't like the security certificate in the keychain. Maybe this is what caused Kerberos to stop - which then affected LDAP. If anyone is reading this - they might like to fix the trust on the kerberos keys first (found in Keychain) and see if that gets your OD Master back in action first - before doing the whole demote - promote thing.