Installing Lion on a Mini Server + Library management

Life Technology
1

Got one of the sweet-deal Mac Mini servers a year ago. Now, I want to install Lion. The software wants to install Lion + the servers bits (which I don’t use, but costs an extra $50). Anyone manage a hack for this?

I’ve already installed Lion on the iMac. I’ve made a boot drive flash key. I’m currently backing up a terabyte of files from the Mini so that I can do a clean install, if need be, if possible.

No reason it wouldn’t work, is there?
Any better suggestions?

Also…
I have better than a couple terabytes of media files – photos, books, audiobooks, music and movies – a lot of duplicate files, and I’m not really happy with any of the handy-dandy tools for identifying and eliminating those duplicates. Have been using Dupin for iTunes, File Buddy for a variety of stuff. Right now, all that stuff is pouring into a 3TB drive, on the assumption that I have to attempt a clean install. Any suggestions on the most efficient way of whipping my libraries into shape?

many thanks.

2

I’ve installed Lion (without the server bits) on the Mini Server (same model, same deal as you have). Works like a treat. I installed a fresh copy of Snow Leopard (non-server edition) first, then upgraded, but I’m sure the flash drive will work too.

One tip for the libraries is to search for and remove all the .m3u files in your music folders: they end up loading the same tunes twice if you also load in the .mp3 files themselves. It won’t help with real duplicates, but it’ll stop you creating any more.

3

Thanks Taffy.

Did the clean installation wipe the second drive in your Mini?

4

No, it didn’t.