Server App and App Store Charge Reversal

[gskibum]

This is not a Casper question but an urgent matter with a server has just come up. So I hope to pick the brains around here for a solution. I don't intend on routinely using this forum for non Casper questions but this matter is rather urgent.

Several weeks ago I deployed a server with Mavericks and Server.app. The build is solid. This is an Open Directory master.

However today an office manager made a mess. She didn't recognize the charge for Server.app on her credit card and contacted Apple to have the charge reversed. The charge reversal has occurred.

I was told that Server.app will need to be uninstalled and repurchased & reinstalled. When I go into the App store and search for Server.app it shows as already being installed so this does seem that Server.app needs to first be deleted.

What I am unclear of is what will happen to this server build once Server.app is deleted. Will it be a seamless process to delete Server.app then repurchase and redownload Server.app?

What is the best course of action?

Why didn't she contact me to ask about a charge from Apple?

[mm2270]

I'm not all that knowledgeable on this issue as we don't use OS X Server app heavily here, but as far as I know, the App Store simply sees the application as being in the /Applications or /Applications/Utilities/ folders. If you delete it, it should then let you repurchase and download it again. I don't know for certain, but I don't think removing the app will blow away any settings you've done already because that would be stored outside the application itself.

I recently had an issue after installing an update to TextWrangler on my Mac where it kept crashing and the OS started telling me it couldn't be used and needed to be re-installed from the App Store. While not as complex perhaps as "Server.app" I just moved it into the Trash, relaunched the Mac App Store and in my Purchases tab it was there to download again. I do think its really that simple (except you will need to purchase it again).

But, if there's still a concern, I would contact your Apple rep if you have one and ask. They should be able to get you in touch with an engineer who can help answer your question definitively.

HTH

[scottb]

If it's showing as purchased still, select another tab in the MAS. Now, Option-Click the Purchases tab. It should allow you to download again.

HTH

[gskibum]

Yeah looks like I should be OK. Maybe I'm remembering that dreadful Lion server but I thought some configurations were stored in Server.app itself.

I just tested on a test Mountain Lion server I had forgotten about. When I deleted the app I was presented with a window that said services will be preserved. Of course I had to point DNS to the firewall to get to the internet and download Server.app. When I redownloaded and opened Server.app for some reason it changed the hostname. I think it found & pulled that from a Mavericks Server.app on another partition because that's the hostname it came up with. This shouldn't be a concern on this production server.

I changed the hostname to what it should be and it seems like everything is OK.

Glad this didn't happen last night because at this time yesterday I was heading out the door going on a first date! I don't like canceling first dates at the last minute. ;-)