sperry101
Level 1 (4 points)
Desktops

Q: Startup in Snow Leopard

All -

 

I recently purchased a new MacBook Pro (I bought it in Janurary, so not the new ones). My POS software will not run on Lion. I was wondering if there was any way that I can downgrade my computer to Snow Leopard, I have the disc. Also, I installed Snow Leopard on an external HD but my computer would not start up from that disc, is there any way to fix that?

 

Information: Snow Leopard Version 10.6.3 - Lion Version: 10.7.4 - MacBook Pro 2.4 GHz Intel Core i7, 4GB RAM.

 

Thanks!

 

SP

Posted on Jul 3, 2012 11:00 AM

by ds store,Solvedanswer
ds store ds store
Level 7 (30,395 points)
A:

If it's a Early 2011 model that came with 10.6.3+ or 10.7 originally I have instructions/links here:

 

How to revert your Mac to Snow Leopard

 

 

If the Early 2011 came with 10.7, the firmware won't let you boot from the 10.6.3 disk, however you can bypass it

 

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3264421?start=0&tstart=0

 

 

If it's a Late 2011 or later can't help you with a direct install, however there is a complicated virtual machine hack that will allow 10.6. to run in 10.7 in Parallels. (don't know about VirtualBox or VMFusion hacks)

 

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1365439

 

 

You might also find this site useful

 

http://roaringapps.com/apps:table

Posted on Jul 3, 2012 11:32 AM

Close
sperry101

Q: Startup in Snow Leopard

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Niel,Helpful

    Niel Niel Jul 3, 2012 11:04 AM in response to sperry101
    Level 10 (312,806 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 3, 2012 11:04 AM in response to sperry101

    Update that system to 10.6.8. If that doesn't work, no, unless you're willing to run Mac OS X Server in emulation.

     

    (67578)

  • by ds store,Solvedanswer

    ds store ds store Jul 3, 2012 11:32 AM in response to sperry101
    Level 7 (30,395 points)
    Jul 3, 2012 11:32 AM in response to sperry101

    If it's a Early 2011 model that came with 10.6.3+ or 10.7 originally I have instructions/links here:

     

    How to revert your Mac to Snow Leopard

     

     

    If the Early 2011 came with 10.7, the firmware won't let you boot from the 10.6.3 disk, however you can bypass it

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3264421?start=0&tstart=0

     

     

    If it's a Late 2011 or later can't help you with a direct install, however there is a complicated virtual machine hack that will allow 10.6. to run in 10.7 in Parallels. (don't know about VirtualBox or VMFusion hacks)

     

    http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1365439

     

     

    You might also find this site useful

     

    http://roaringapps.com/apps:table

  • by sperry101,

    sperry101 sperry101 Jul 3, 2012 12:12 PM in response to ds store
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 3, 2012 12:12 PM in response to ds store

    I don't want to install Snow Leopard on my MBP, I just want it to start up a Snow Leopard External disk. Would doing what you said accomplish this?

  • by ds store,

    ds store ds store Aug 17, 2012 12:57 PM in response to sperry101
    Level 7 (30,395 points)
    Aug 17, 2012 12:57 PM in response to sperry101

    sperry101 wrote:

     

    I don't want to install Snow Leopard on my MBP, I just want it to start up a Snow Leopard External disk. Would doing what you said accomplish this?

     

    I installed Snow Leopard on an external HD but my computer would not start up from that disc, is there any way to fix that?

     

    If you c booted the computer from the 10.6 disk and installed 10.6 on a external drive, then reboot the computer holding the option key down, you should be able to select the external drive to boot from provided the Mac your using had 10.6 on it at one time before 10.7.

     

    You need to find out the model, Apple menu > About this Mac > more information and somewhere you will see something like "MacBook Pro 3,1" like that.

     

    Install the free MacTracker and find your machine, it will state if it originally came with 10.6 or not, if it did, the it will run 10.6 despite 10.7 being on the drive.

     

    However again if it's a Early 2011 model some were shipped with 10.7 installed and the firmware won't boot from 10.6, to bypass this you need to create a BootCamp partition (don't proceed any further after the partiton is created), change the format (in Disk Utility) of the BOOTCAMP partition to OS X Extended Journaled and use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone the external 10.6 to that internal Bootcamp partiton.

     

    Then hold option key down while booting and you can select the Bootcamped 10.6, you'll have both 10.7 and 10.6 on the machine.

     

     

    However if your machine is a Late 2011 or Early 2012 then you can't run 10.6 on that machine as there are no hardware drivers for 10.6.