Start up disk crashed--Need to install 10.6.8 for new SSD Mac Pro. 5,1 Quad-Core Intel Xeon 2.8GHz --music software all worked with 10.6.8. Don't want Lion. Do I start with 10.6.3 DVD or USB? Then upgrade to10.6.8?
The only Mac Pro 5.1 Quad Core 2.8GHz I can find came preinstalled with Snow Leopard 10.6.4,
so a 10.6.3 Snow Leopard DVD disk may not install, do you not have the original install disks.
If you can find a Snow Leopard DVD that installs version 10.6.4 or above, I am not entirely
entirely sure they did a retail version with 10.6.4 or above, so you will need to look for a machine
and model specific install DVD, each version of the 5.1 would have had its own specific install disk
so make sure you are buying the correct install disk for your particular MP.
If you are in the UK look at this.
Then you can install the 10.6.8 Combo update,
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
once downloaded double-click to install.
Then check with the App Store Updates page if there any more updates you need.
The only Mac Pro 5.1 Quad Core 2.8GHz I can find came preinstalled with Snow Leopard 10.6.4,
so a 10.6.3 Snow Leopard DVD disk may not install, do you not have the original install disks.
If you can find a Snow Leopard DVD that installs version 10.6.4 or above, I am not entirely
entirely sure they did a retail version with 10.6.4 or above, so you will need to look for a machine
and model specific install DVD, each version of the 5.1 would have had its own specific install disk
so make sure you are buying the correct install disk for your particular MP.
If you are in the UK look at this.
Then you can install the 10.6.8 Combo update,
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
once downloaded double-click to install.
Then check with the App Store Updates page if there any more updates you need.
It's very likely you need a set of the original gray disks. I had a 5,1 with the 6-core Westmere chip set. It came with 10.6.4 and would not boot to the 10.6.3 retail disk.
It's possible Apple still has some. They will ask for the serial number to make sure they can match up the replacement disks for your exact model.
Remember if you are going to look for the original install disks you must make absolutely certain that the original Apple
install disks are for your exact MacPro 5.1, yours being Mac Pro. 5,1 Quad-Core Intel Xeon 2.8GHz
as Grant Bennet Alder has echoed.
Any other MacPro 5.1 Apple install disk will not do it has to be for your specific model of Mac Pro.
So read everything twice to confirm before committing to a purchase.
Are you sure Apple said there was no disk for you to find, the OS does come pre installed but you always got the 2 DVDs
with it, Disk 1 would be the Snow Leopard 10.6.4 installer and Disk 2 would have been the Apple Hardware Test.
I would have another look round, do you still have the original box, it might be in there.
Thank you again. If this model did come with ** discs I wonder why there aren't more out there on eBay etc. I'm going to be crawling up the corpFolks in Cupertino on Mon to see where I can get. I've gone thru more Macs than most. Meanwhile I found this on eBay for Mac Pro 5,1 mid 2010 which is same as mine--doesn't specify if it will work for quad-core 2.8GHz (are DVD install disks that specific???)-- and still waiting for a reply; https://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-Mac-Pro-MacPro5-1-Mid-2010-OS-X-10-6-4-Install-Snow-Leopard-DVD/293520585580?hash=item445730b36c:g:I7EAAOSwY2pedsDa
Do not buy a "model-specific" single-colored disk unless it is for the exact model you own.
Those do not have drivers for every Mac, and will not work.
Thank you so much Eau Rouge. This clears things up. After spending hours looking for the original Mac Pro install disc, thinking I just misplaced it, I phoned Apple they said yes Snow Leopard was pre-installed (so there was no disc to find), then directed me to get Lion. Unfortunately my music software would need to be updated to the tune of more than $400. That disk in the UK looks like what I need. Now to figure how to get it in the USA. Seems that eBay.uk keeps defaulting to the UK as far as shipping--I'm looking into that now. Thanks again.
Thank you Grant--do you think this is a possibility? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-Mac-Pro-MacPro5-1-Mid-2010-OS-X-10-6-4-Install-Snow-Leopard-DVD/293520585580?hash=item445730b36c:g:I7EAAOSwY2pedsDa.
Everything it says is the same as mine other than specifying quad-core 2.8GHz. I asked the seller but haven't heard back yet.
Thank you Kurt. I've gotten nowhere with Apple support as nice as they are, planning to call Cupertino on Mon--as my Mac collection since the Mac Classic looks like an Airline graveyard.Do you think this would be the answer? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-Mac-Pro-MacPro5-1-Mid-2010-OS-X-10-6-4-Install-Snow-Leopard-DVD/293520585580
Can't tell from the small images the seller used. It's easy to see they're for a Mac Pro, and you can just make out 10.6.4. But there were quite a few mid 2010 5,1 Mac Pros. If you got the wrong set, they probably wouldn't work.
Where to find -need 10.6.8 for Mac Pro. 5,1
