Help reinstalling MAC Mini Server

[viperbri]

Have a customer who had one of his partner's try to setup their new MAC mini server. He assigned it a fixed IP address (which we don't konw) and set a password on it (which he forgot). It does not have a DVD drive built into it. So my question is how can I reinstall Snow Leopard server on it without knowing the IP and without a DVD drive on it? I tried plugging in an external DVD drive and holding 'C' (Tried 'ALT') also to see if I would get the option to boot from the install DVD and no luck.

Any suggestions?
thanks

 

[KeithP]

I would think Remote Disc would work as long as you have another system with an optical drive on the network.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1777?viewlocale=en_US

-KeithP

 

[somethingsketchy]

Are you able to look at a Router's IP address "log" (something like DHCP Clients Table) and see if you can determine what IP address is currently assigned to the Mac Mini? I know Linksys routers have a "Clients Table" when you go to view what IP addresses are currently assigned.

That could be part of the solution (though that still doesn't get you into the server).

 

[rugby]

holding down the option key should work if the disc works. Can you verify the disc works in another machine?

 

[dmw16]

The option key won't work I don't think because there is no disc drive in the Mini Server. You can ultimately install OSX Server remotely using a disc drive on another mac, but I don't think it's that simple. However you could try booting a Macbook and other Mac into target-disk mode and see if holding down the option key works.

If that doesn't work then you should track down the server tools and I believe one of the tools in the package is a remote installer for OSX Server.

Should you need the IP address than do as someone already suggested and go into your routers client table (or similar) and look at the devices connected. If you plug in your computer and the server into the router than you should easily be able to see the IP address.

 

[rugby]

dmw16, he plugged in an external optical drive which should work.

 

[viperbri]

Thanks guys....I think I will give the remote disk a try from my other MAC which has a disc drive. I was able to find out the ip on the MAC mini server via the server admin tools I installed on my other MAC. It had a fixed ip address assigned to it (thus I wasn't able to see from my router as it was not getting an ip via DHCP).

I will let you know how it goes...I thought MAC's are supposed to be easy. Linux is easier to install that this MAC server.
Thanks again for all the input.

 

[TheStu]

Thanks guys....I think I will give the remote disk a try from my other MAC which has a disc drive. I was able to find out the ip on the MAC mini server via the server admin tools I installed on my other MAC. It had a fixed ip address assigned to it (thus I wasn't able to see from my router as it was not getting an ip via DHCP).

I will let you know how it goes...I thought MAC's are supposed to be easy. Linux is easier to install that this MAC server.
Thanks again for all the input.

Mac, IP.

Anyway, the external USB drive should have worked, not sure why it isn't. I suppose it depends on the age of the system. Holding ALT should have worked regardless of whether there are discs in the system. That is the key that brings up the boot menu, it works on my MacBook Air, which also lacks an optical drive.

 

[rugby]

Thanks guys....I think I will give the remote disk a try from my other MAC which has a disc drive. I was able to find out the ip on the MAC mini server via the server admin tools I installed on my other MAC. It had a fixed ip address assigned to it (thus I wasn't able to see from my router as it was not getting an ip via DHCP).

I will let you know how it goes...I thought MAC's are supposed to be easy. Linux is easier to install that this MAC server.
Thanks again for all the input.

Macs ARE easy, Mac Servers are still servers.

 

[Ka0t1x]

Hold command+s while booting, login as root and change the password.