What is a "CPU Drop In DVD"?

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Level 4

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What is a "CPU Drop In DVD"?

While going thru Discussions about using retail OS versions vs. machine-specific versions, I searched ebay for "OS X Tiger 10.4".
One item I found for sale has a picture that shows, "Mac OS X Tiger... Includes Xcode...CPU Drop In DVD..Version 10.4" I know it is a machine-specific installer. And, I understand that there are also "CPU Drop In DVD"s for iLife.

What does "CPU Drop In" mean? Why is it called that? What does the OS have to do with a CPU? Inquiring minds want to know.
(-:

G4 500, Mac OS X (10.4.11), 700mhz upgrade; 1.2GB; Geforce FX5200; Acard 6280; NEC 3540A

Posted on Aug 18, 2009 4:23 PM

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Answer 1

Niel

Level 10

726,995 points

Aug 18, 2009 4:32 PM in response to David Cun

What does "CPU Drop In" mean?

It means it was dropped into the box that a computer came with before the box left the factory. Disks of this type require that the previous Mac OS X revision is installed to be used.

(46545)

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Answer 2

David Cun Author

Level 4

1,427 points

Aug 19, 2009 9:03 AM in response to Niel

Niel,
OK, that explains 'drop in'. How 'bout "CPU"?

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Answer 3

David Cun Author

Level 4

1,427 points

Sep 2, 2009 5:13 AM in response to David Cun

Not really answered but showing as such anyway; just to remove it from 'my questions'; tidy up a lil.

To me 'CPU Drop In DVD' implies there's a DVD that's been dropped into a CPU. Duttin make a bit of sense. lol

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Answer 4

Sep 13, 2009 5:53 AM in response to David Cun

It makes all the sense in the world, when you think about it. The disc is a "drop-in DVD" because those discs were dropped inside the packaging of Macs that had the previous version of OS X pre-installed, when the current version of OS X is released; for example, on the day Snow Leopard 10.6 was released, if you bought a Mac, it would come with 10.5.x pre-installed, due to the fact that the factory hasn't caught up yet and had time to phase out the Macs produced with the OLDER OS pre-installed, but because you were entitled to Snow Leopard 10.6, a *CPU specific* (CPU meaning your specific Macintosh model) DVD was dropped into the box, so that you can upgrade to Snow Leopard 10.6 immediately.

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