aquamandw

Q: Can I run Snow Leopard on a MacBookPro Late 2011 build 11D50b?  I have read in the forums its possible for early 2011 MacBook Pros.  Even on a virtual machine would be OK.  Print Drivers are not available for 10.7 for photo printers we use for our busines

Can I run Snow Leopard on a MacBookPro Late 2011 build 11D50b?  I have read in the forums its possible for early 2011 MacBook Pros.  Even on a virtual machine would be OK.  Print Drivers are not available for 10.7 for photo printers we use for our business and will not be made since the printer is no longer manufactured:(

Thanks for Your Help.

MacBook Pro (15-inch 2.4/2.2 GHz)

Posted on Mar 19, 2012 11:39 AM

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Q: Can I run Snow Leopard on a MacBookPro Late 2011 build 11D50b?  I have read in the forums its possible for early 2011 MacBook ... more

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  • by wjosten,Helpful

    wjosten wjosten Mar 19, 2012 12:13 PM in response to aquamandw
    Level 10 (94,615 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 19, 2012 12:13 PM in response to aquamandw

    Officially, the only way is to get OS X Server 10.6, and run it in emulation through VirtualBox.

  • by aquamandw,

    aquamandw aquamandw Mar 20, 2012 12:58 PM in response to wjosten
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 20, 2012 12:58 PM in response to wjosten

    wjosten

    Thanks for the reply.  Any unofficial way?  I have read post of it being done with 10.68 with hardware tools.  but dont want to start down that road if it is not passible on the MacBook Pro build I have.

  • by ds store,

    ds store ds store Mar 20, 2012 1:14 PM in response to aquamandw
    Level 7 (30,395 points)
    Mar 20, 2012 1:14 PM in response to aquamandw

    aquamandw wrote:

     

    Can I run Snow Leopard on a MacBookPro Late 2011 build 11D50b?

     

    sorry no

     

     

    I have read in the forums its possible for early 2011 MacBook Pros.

     

    true

     

     

    Print Drivers are not available for 10.7 for photo printers we use for our business and will not be made since the printer is no longer manufactured:(

     

    buy a used Mac Mini with Snow Leopard, possibly install Apple Remote Desktop to control it remotely with another Mac.

     

    You might want to try these free printer drivers.

     

    http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-print/files/

     

     

    Consider moving your business to Windows 7 64bit machines with 4GB of RAM expandable to 8GB, Apple is going to be releasing newer OS X versions on what appears to be a new annual release cycle. This will wreck havock on long term computer users who need stability and support.

     

    Microsoft supports their operating system versions for 10 years. Apple only the last two OS's in circulation.

  • by ds store,

    ds store ds store Mar 20, 2012 1:18 PM in response to aquamandw
    Level 7 (30,395 points)
    Mar 20, 2012 1:18 PM in response to aquamandw

    aquamandw wrote:

     

    wjosten

    Thanks for the reply.  Any unofficial way?  I have read post of it being done with 10.68 with hardware tools.  but dont want to start down that road if it is not passible on the MacBook Pro build I have.

     

    There are hardware changes from the Early 2011 to Late 2011 models that drivers are not for Snow Leopard.

     

    Rabid OS changes killing hardware and software are only going to get worst, 10.8 is going to be released this summer.

     

    If one wants a setup to keep on working for the longterm, they will need to move to Windows 7.

     

    http://roaringapps.com/apps:table

  • by wjosten,Helpful

    wjosten wjosten Mar 20, 2012 1:32 PM in response to aquamandw
    Level 10 (94,615 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 20, 2012 1:32 PM in response to aquamandw

    You're welcome.

     

    The problem you face is that you need at least a 10.6.7 disk. These are no longer available from Apple, & were only available until the late model MacBook Pro's were released...one could call AppleCare, give them the model identifier & SN, pay a small fee, and AppleCare would send you the disk. Not any more. That's why there is no official way to do what you want.

     

    I apologize for ds store'sramblings.

  • by aquamandw,

    aquamandw aquamandw Mar 20, 2012 1:40 PM in response to wjosten
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 20, 2012 1:40 PM in response to wjosten

    Thanks wjosten, I will try to track down a disk. 

    I dont think I will be switching to windows 7 anytime soon.

  • by wjosten,

    wjosten wjosten Mar 20, 2012 1:43 PM in response to aquamandw
    Level 10 (94,615 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 20, 2012 1:43 PM in response to aquamandw

    You're welcome.

     

    Keep in mind, these disks are model specific. Good luck.

  • by ds store,

    ds store ds store Mar 20, 2012 2:41 PM in response to aquamandw
    Level 7 (30,395 points)
    Mar 20, 2012 2:41 PM in response to aquamandw

    aquamandw wrote:


    I dont think I will be switching to windows 7 anytime soon.

     

    You should start considering it if you have a heavy investment in third party hardware as you can see for yourself they don't provide updated drivers for newer OS X versions.

     

    Apple isn't too much concerned with business needs for longterm stability, they are a consumer products company and thus subject to a lot of change.

     

    If your business can afford to replace hardware every two years, then no problem, if not....well...

     

    By the way, Windows 7 isn't too bad, it does the job and is a heck of a lot nicer and more secure than earlier versions. That says a lot from this 20 plus year Mac user. Also you can run Windows in a virtual machine too, if the drivers for your hardware exists for that. Problem is files from OS X won't print out as exact due to fonts and other differences.

     

     

    Did you even try the free printer drivers for OS X at the link I provided?

     

    Supposedly this is exactly for the problem you have.

     

    http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-print/files/

     

     

    That might solve your issue without having to run two operating systems at once.

     

    VirtualBox is free, but it's not as easy to use (or may be stable) for newer OS X versions as Oracle doesn't make any money from it and likely want's to ditch it much like they did with OpenOffice.

     

    For better virtual machine software (commercial, more reliable and secure) you need VMFusion (best) or Parallels Desktop.

  • by Shootist007,

    Shootist007 Shootist007 Mar 20, 2012 2:40 PM in response to aquamandw
    Level 6 (16,660 points)
    Mar 20, 2012 2:40 PM in response to aquamandw

    I have no idea why everyone on this forum always says No you can't when the simple fact is YES YOU CAN.

     

    But you need version 10.6.7 or 10.6.8 for it to install. You kcould also install Snow Leopard on another Mac and updtae it to 10.6.8 and then either switch hard drives or use a cloning program like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper to clone the drive to the late 2011 model. I have it running on my Late 2011 15" without any problems.

     

    If you can get a early 2011 model system install disk, or find one of the version I listed above some other place it will install without any problems

     

     

    You can not by License install any client (Desktop) version of OS X in a Virtual Machine. It is against the terms of use and most all virtual machine programs, even VirtualBox, will not allow you to install it. I know I've tried.

  • by ds store,

    ds store ds store Mar 20, 2012 2:51 PM in response to Shootist007
    Level 7 (30,395 points)
    Mar 20, 2012 2:51 PM in response to Shootist007

    Shootist007 wrote:


    You kcould also install Snow Leopard on another Mac and updtae it to 10.6.8 and then either switch hard drives or use a cloning program like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper to clone the drive to the late 2011 model. I have it running on my Late 2011 15" without any problems.

     

    Well this is interesting, I thought the hardware drivers for the Late 2011 wasn't present for 10.6 and thus it couldn't be installed.

     

    So to clarify, one need to install 10.6.3 from the Snow Leopard Retail disk (not machine specific version) on another Mac pre-Late 2011, update it to 10.6.8 fully and then can use Firewire Target Disk mode to Carbon Copy Cloner it to a Late 2011 (erased) drive or partition (format GUID, OS X ext. j) and it will work?

     

     

    If you can get a early 2011 model system install disk, or find one of the version I listed above some other place it will install without any problems

     

    Is that right? Doesn't the firmware prevent booting from a OS X version earlier than what came with the machine?

     

    It does this for all other Mac's.

     

     

    You can not by License install any client (Desktop) version of OS X in a Virtual Machine. It is against the terms of use and most all virtual machine programs, even VirtualBox, will not allow you to install it. I know I've tried.

     

    You are correct, no client version of OS X will run in a virtual machine, only server versions.

  • by Shootist007,Solvedanswer

    Shootist007 Shootist007 Mar 20, 2012 2:55 PM in response to ds store
    Level 6 (16,660 points)
    Mar 20, 2012 2:55 PM in response to ds store

    You are correct with the latest Retail release, 10.6.3. But if you can get 10.6.7 or .8 or a Mac that has that version installed, updated, you can clone it to both early (although the early 2011s came with SL and a White Disc, not the grey disc) and late model 2011 Mac's.

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Mar 20, 2012 3:30 PM in response to Shootist007
    Level 9 (52,516 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 20, 2012 3:30 PM in response to Shootist007

    Shootist007, greetings:  You wrote:

     

    "I have no idea why everyone on this forum always says No you can't when the simple fact is YES YOU CAN.

     

    But  you need version 10.6.7 or 10.6.8 for it to install. You kcould also  install Snow Leopard on another Mac and updtae it to 10.6.8 and then  either switch hard drives or use a cloning program like Carbon Copy  Cloner or SuperDuper to clone the drive to the late 2011 model. I have  it running on my Late 2011 15" without any problems."

     

    Would you please advise as to the exact Snow Leopard Disk you used in installing 10.6 in your late 2011 MBP?  Was it  gray disk, a white retail disk or perhaps some thing else?  Every time I have tried to install an older OS into a MBP that comes with a later OS, it has failed.

     

    Ciao.

  • by aquamandw,

    aquamandw aquamandw Mar 20, 2012 3:34 PM in response to Shootist007
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 20, 2012 3:34 PM in response to Shootist007

    Thanks Shootist007

    I have an older MacBookPro with 10.6.8 already installed so if I Carbon Copy Clone it to my Late 2011 MacBook Pro it should run 10.6.8?

  • by Shootist007,

    Shootist007 Shootist007 Mar 20, 2012 3:39 PM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 6 (16,660 points)
    Mar 20, 2012 3:39 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

    Early 2011 models came with a White Snow Leopard disc. I had a early 2011 model for about 5 days before I returned it. I always make copies of all disc that come with each store bought system I buy, or make the system discs or ISOs from a utility included with new systems (specifically Windows systems).

     

    As I said earlier if you have a fairly recent Mac that is running 10.6.8 you can clone it to 2011 models.

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