Apple released an update to Lion bringing it to version 10.7.3 and introduced a security update to Snow Leopard. If you followed the latest set of instructions where everything was located in /usr/local then these updates wouldn’t have affected you. However for all the people who are still on the original setup you will have been impacted as this security update installs and overwrites PHP and Postfix. The solution to this is still the same go into the source directory of the last installed version and run a “sudo make install” for PHP and Postfix, restart Apache and Postfix and everything is back in order again. You might also need to comment out the line:

inet_interfaces = localhost

from “/etc/postfix/main.cf”

Try to migrate as soon as possible to the new setup to save you from future problems with the next security update.

The funny thing is that when you read the content of the security update details you will see that if you followed our update strategy you will use more recent stuff for your web and mail server then is included in this update. Example: After the update you will have Apache 2.2.21 while we are on 2.2.22 and the buid in PHP will be updated to 5.3.8 while we are on 5.3.10. This proves my point that you are better of doing this kind of stuff yourself without waiting for Apple or someone else to provide you with the updates.

Here you don’t even need me, I only help in the testing and eventual problem fixing if something goes wrong…

Here is another update, later then I hoped but still before Lion is released. I wanted to finish the basics on the new installation structure before Lion is released so that I could use them on Lion.

It’s still not complete as there is much ground to cover to get it all done and a personal life that has a tendency to interfere with my ambitions

As told earlier the new structure means installing everything in “/usr/local/” so that security and regular updates won’t interfere and we can upgrade without worrying if everything will still work afterwards.

Under the skin I’ve also started re-arranging the pages so that there is a more logical structure. You will notice that in the URL’s. You can find the updated documentation here:

http://diymacserver.com/snow-leopard/

I’ve read the recommendations on Lion and it looks like it will be 64 bits from Lion onwards. This means that I can skip the 32 bit instructions which is very welcome as it means less testing.

Last week I also renewed my contract with Macminicolo and added another 2 years hosting with them. Their service during the last 3 years is excellent and I’ve asked them to find me a newer second hand Mac mini to be able to upgrade to Lion on my production server. I’m currently running a CoreDuo mini at their datacenter which in not capable of running Lion. That is the only reason to get a newer mini. In my experience they are almost bullet proof. I still have one of the first G4 mini’s (from 2005) here at home running 24/7 as a test server for Leopard. The only problem I had with it is the hard disk which I had to replace in 2009.

For those of you who decided to install the ClamAV virus scanner and SpamAssassin system on their mail servers, there is an update to the amavsd-new daemon that glues the whole setup together.

The instructions for the update are available here Updating amavisd-new.

There is no reconfiguring necessary, as this is a bugfix update.

I’ve installed the updates on all my test machines running Snow Leopard 10.6.4 and Leopard 10.5.8 and I’ve noticed the following problems:

on Leopard

On Leopard there are the small known issues with postfix, replacing our binary and shutting don remote conntections. To correct it perform the following steps after the updates:

Re-install postfix by going into your latest source directory you’ve used the last time and run

sudo make install

Next, comment out or delete the following line from ‘/etc/postfix/main.cf‘:

inet_interfaces = localhost

Restart postfix (reloading config does not work) with:

sudo postfix stop

Postfix should restart automatically (if not run sudo postfix start).

Snow Leopard

Can’t detect any postfix problems on Snow Leopard. If you can confirm this please leave a comment.

To read more on the updates read the Apple Knowledge Base article on this update.

PS. Yes I know, I’m working on relocating postfix to another location so it won’t happen again. But lack of time is hampering progress….

I’ve installed the updates on all my test machines running Snow Leopard 10.6.3 and Leopard 10.5.8 and I’ve noticed the following problems:

Leopard

On Leopard there are the small known issues with postfix. To correct it perform the following steps after the updates:

Re-install postfix by going into your latest source directory you’ve used the last time and run

sudo make install

Next, comment out or delete the following line from ‘/etc/postfix/main.cf‘:

inet_interfaces = localhost

Restart postfix (reloading config does not work) with:

sudo postfix stop

Postfix should restart automatically (if not run sudo postfix start).

Snow Leopard

Could not detect any postfix problems which I find suspicious but I can’t find the same postfix problems on Snow Leopard. If you can confirm this please leave a comment.

To read more on the updates read the Apple Knowledge Base article on this update.

I had someone reporting a problem with php which got replaced, but he used the default apache installation. So if you use the default apache and did not compile it please check your version of php. It might have been updated.