HowTo revert new MacBook Pro, Mac Pro or iMac to Snow Leopard

hi

okay i got to step:

b7) copy this .dmg file to external, bootable, Snow Leopard 10.6.8 system disk (install in /Users/Shared/).

Don't understand what this means. Right now i copied to my imac desktop and renamed the system.dmg file (from the netinstall mount, system/installation/packages) as you said to Snow Leopard 10.6.8 System.dmg. This file is ow sitting on my imac desktop. What do i do next? I dont understand part b7. Where is the external bootable snow leopard system disk and where is install in /Users/Shared/ ?

by the way the renamed system.dmg file to Snow Leopard 10.6.8 System.dmg is 4.82gb (actually they both are) is this right?

@ Roy...Sorry for the error, I was able to follow your original, so I glanced over that as I created the guide. I did this very quickly, and any who would like to update with info found throughout the thread are welcome. I have corrected this in the link below.

@ Tech, happy to share, I have posted a link below to the original word file. Since the original will indefinetly get modified, maybe those who add updates could re-post for others to view the most current version. At least this way, we can continually refer those to the modified guide each time rather than referring to updates within each page, it will make it easier for others to follow.

http://www.mediafire.com/?jyzu8ce67bt9nvw

Roy's right @callofdude16, you need to test your Snow Leopard install disc before you even proceed with the partition, just to see if it'll even boot from the disc.

I had to contact Apple to get the specific Snow Leopard factory install discs (historically grey but I don't know what they look like yet) that originally came with our Macbook Pro 2011's.

Any retail Snow Leopard disc is just not updated enough to run on these Macbook Pro 2011's. Retail discs have to be 10.6.8 (these don't exist...yet?) whereas the factory install discs have a special version of 10.6.x that can run on our MBP '11's.

If you can't boot from whatever Snow Leopard discs you have, that's your glaring indication that you won't be able to skip Roy's restore method.

Good luck!

@zirkenz

[my machine is an i5 Macbook Pro 13", 3 weeks young, Sandybridge, yadda yadda]

Your Roy prep:

1. get on whatever machine already has 10.6.8 installed, slow or otherwise, long as it isn't crashing .. don't update your MBP Core2Duo (although I didn't know it was supposed to kill Front Row!)
2. You're going to be making 20-30GB of temporary files, so you need to make room for yourself somewhere... if you've got room on yoru MBP and can network the computers or put MBP in target disc mode, then you can put your temps onto the MBP. You just need some room to work. This part won't screw up your MBP
3. download the 10.6.8 Combo Updater v1.1 http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399
4. *download Server Admin Tools 10.6.8 http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1403

if you search for System Image Utility as Roy mentions, it says it is a part of Server Admin Tools

YES, I know, just get Server Admin Tools 😉 from the link and install it on your functioning 10.6.8 machine

NOTE: I just looked and there IS a Server Admin Tools 10.6.7 http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1365

Then you wouldn't have to use the slow-*** iMac to generate the images (unless half an iMac is still faster than your ol' 2008 MBP)

5.

You need one more thing and this is crucial: an image of whatever retail Sleo install disc you've got (the grey restore disc that came with another computer will NOT work)

Here's Roy's instructions for making your disk image... he added this on page 4

To anticipate another potential question: How does one create the base source image?

- insert you Snow Leopard 10.6.3 (or 10.6.0) install disk in an optical drive

- open Disk Utility (in the Applications/Utility folder)

- select the Snow Leopard install disk from the offerings in the left side of the window

- find the menu selection that is something like "Disk Image from...." (under the Disk Utility File menu?)

- specify the destination and click save

It will take awhile...

Then follow Roy's "Procedure (A)" ...highlights:

1. doubleclick the image you just made, let it do its thing and mount
2. fire up System Image Utility (which was installed by Server Admin Tools)
3. because you did step 1 just now, you'll see a button to Customize in the lower right, hit it
4. see that little Automator Library window that came up next to the System Image Utility window?

Follows Roy's steps starting with A4

He has you drag two Automator steps into the workflow between the others

A7-A9 You're just mounting the 10.6.8 Combo Update v1.1 file you downloaded and dragging its package into a working area

...before you drag the pulled package into your workflow.

Follow the steps to A10 ... now before you do A11 there are one or two points, after you wait a LONG time, where you will be prompted, have to hit okay or whatever, and then wait some more... kinda lame.... Someone in the thread explained a trick to skip these extra prompts but I didn't use them so I can't say much about it other than YMMV. The way I did it, I had the nag-prompt mentioned in A12...and it helped me know I was on the right track... but if you're going to do this overnight while you sleep, you might try what "Oliver W" suggested:

I found out the the nag-screen "Image creation in progress. Cancel the image creation to proceed" does *NOT* appear when you (immediately prior to step A.11 in your tutorial!) try to quit the System Image Utility. Then you will be asked if you want to save your settings - please do so and save your settings under s meaningful name like "hope_it_works" or so. This will be creating a file with the hidden extension ".workflow".

Next quit System Image Utility, use the Finder to go to the place where you just stored your workflow file and double-click it:

This wil open an Automator-window which looks slightly different from the System Image Utility.

In the upper right corner of the menu bar you will find a "PLAY" icon (like on a CD-player) probably labeled "execute" or "run" (my OS language is German...) click it and you're done after waiting for not too long!

Get that far? That was the longest part, you're almost done.

Your goal in following Roy's "Post-Process (B)" is to extract the actual System.dmg from the thing you just made... Roy's steps tell you where to look for it and pull it out.... you can put it in your working area but it would be fastest/best if you dragged it onto the MBP that you're going to use to wipe your iMac. It's basically going to be your master 10.6.8.

For me, I just left it named System.dmg.

For "Install (C)" ... you're going to skip the command line steps and do it via DiskUtility GUI...

Since you have your Macbook Pro, boot your Macbook Pro normally into MBP-land... 10.6.7 is fine for this part. 10.5.8 is fine for this part! Then connect your iMac in Target Disc Mode.

Now when you fire up Disk Utility, you're going to be dragging your destination iMac Sleo partition into the target area (C3).... you will lose everything on this partition and this will become your shiny new Sleo iMac...so get whatever you want off of it. Think you already knew that part 😉 Your source is the System.dmg that you might have renamed per Roy. You should be pretty good from here... follow the steps... sometimes you have to mount images before restoring them but Roy didn't say and I don't remember if I did that... so stick with the plan, don't panic, one way will work, and it will restore a pristine 10.6.8 build to your waiting iMac.

....

Hi, The netrestore option under SUI 10.7 requires you to add an account. I looked at both options and neither lets you pick the mac box set .dmg file you create. What i mean is, your mounted image does not show up on the left column at all, so without that your stuck and the whole exercise is pointless.

Any way i have some fantastic news. I took it in to Apple store today and ran the system restore disc 10.6.7 for my system and it filled in the holes meaning i did not have to do setup again it took the roy install and just filled in the holes and my system is benchmarking 100 points higher (10230) then listed benchmarks (10179). I also ran software update afterwards. So my downgrade so far is a 100% success and 100% performance. I will be running more tests and will report if i notice anything strange.

So in short it worked!!! So my advice forget TDM method and forget Roy's Method just do the simple Apple method which is install from the system restore disc 10.6.7 or you can do roys method or tdm and run the system disc made for your computer that has 10.6.7 to fill in the holes. Easiest way is the the system restore disc. It even installed Facetime. I tested everything keyboard, BT, wifi, function keys, everything works, benchmarks properly. The only thing i forgot to do is test the Thunderbolt port but i hope that will be fine. When you run the system restore disc 10.6.7 boot up, press the option key and select the cd to boot from. It's funny i ended doing my own support and basically just borrowed the disc for a few minutes.

By the way once you do this and if you have a lion partition (SL on top, Lion on bottom) the only way you will be able to delete that bottom lion partition is by booting of a lion clone anything else will result in an error. If the lion partition is on top i.e the first and the SL partition is below, and you try to delete the lion partition you will end up with 2 partitions that can't be joined. From what i learned through this experience is that the main OS you use has to be the first partition. The second partition which is below then can be deleted and the first partition can be resized. Except in this senario: SL partition on top and lion partition below. To remove the partition you will need a bootable clone of lion, then you can resize the SL partition.

The definitve answer to can Lion can be downgraded to SL even on current macs and CTO builds (that formerly ran SL) is yes but you will need the system specific restore disc. TDM and Roy's method just creates a universal installer. Systems that did not have SL on it like the new mac mini and macbook air can but will not run right. BT 4.0 will not work and it will be slow and sluggish. Apple will never support this so a solution will only come from a 3rd party.

So here is my final advice/steps on Downgrading Lion to SL:

1. Buy yourself an external hard drive the larger the better and a thumb drive 4-8 GB recommended.

2. Turn on your Lion system and go through setup, you don't need to run system update if you don't want to.

3. Download Lion Recovery Assistant from Apple support site and create a Recovery HD thumb drive (usb flash drive)

4. Take the external drive you bought and partition 3 ways or 2 up to you (see notes below).

5. Download Carbon Copy Cloner and clone your lion system on one partition on the external drive

6. Test to see if your clone works by restarting the system, pressing option and selecting the partition clone.

7. Now you have some options on how to proceed next:

a) You can use your system restore disc 10.6.7, boot with option key pressed and select the disc, run Disk Utility, erase the one partition or HD and install, then run software update (don't know 100% how this will go since i already had SL on imac in the first partition using roy's method and the system restor disc filled in the holes but i don't see why this will not work, Anyway after its installed and all updated make a bootable clone using carbon copy cloner on the second partition of the external drive you bought and test. Then put this drive somewhere safe.

b) You partition your drive in 2, lion will be on top , SL on Bottom. Use Roy's Method and get SL installed on the SL partition (the bottom partition). Run the combo updater you downloaded and all updates, then make a boot clone of this (this is why i suggested partition the drive into 3- one for lion, one for universal SL and one for system specific SL). Then boot of this partition (make sure roys .dmg is on this partition) and re-partition your HD into one, restore SL using roys installer. Then insert your SL 10.6.7 system restore disc boot again, option key pressed, select the system restore disc and install. Run updates after you boot up. Then clone this to a partition on your external drive.

So if you just want both a lion partition and SL system specific partition boot clone, partition your external disc into 2. If you want a Lion, SL universal and System specific SL then parition 3 ways. I would estimate no more then a 100GB for each. So buy the cheapest most reliable external drive you can afford.

8. Make a Time Machine backup of your system specific SL install with all updates. This will need an additional partition or you can just use another external drive but keep this safe. This way if you do decide to go to lion and want to go back to a pristine sl system specific install you can use the TM backup or just use carbon copy cloner and restore from your bootable clone. Your choice.

You can choose to install iLife and such. Whatever a virgin SL install means to you.

There you have it, a simple and straight forward way of installing SL on your system at 100% performance, Remember Mac mini, macbook air 2011 and any system that did not have SL on it before does not count.

I hope the nightmarish misery which was my life for the last 3 weeks but actually month and half i suffered is of benefit to someone.

PS: anyone wanting to DL Geekbench 2.13 can download at this link direct from primelabs:

http://geekbench.s3.amazonaws.com/Geekbench-2.1.13-Mac.dmg.gz

To: Apple...my Rant and just for Apple

if you are listening or reading on this board. Shame on you for putting your customers through such an experience. Might i remind you that it was your employees who gave me bad information at every turn and caused all of this nasty stuff to happen. Had your genius told me in june that i can't use the mac box set to downgrade lion i would have bought my system before hand and save myself $180 in worthless software. There is a lot you did not tell me then kept giving me more bad information after that (i have not mentioned it on this board for privacy reasons).

I have supported you for 25 years, remember those red ink days, Those days when you were ignored by the tech world and seen as a fad. I was still supporting you and have brought well over 250 new customers who then each brought in more customers in those 25 years. Shame on you, you have lost your way. Loyalty is earned and honestly after what you put me through you don't deserve it. This experience made me loose respect for you and if you truly understand how much i love macs and the apple culture you would be in utter shock at how big a jerk you have been are being.

Lion is half baked, please recognize that, be ashamed for for the first time putting out a Vista and don't expect your customers to fork out money to replace their entire software library which took them years to acquire, to replace their peripherals and other hardware. We are not millionaires and can't keep replacing everything because you say so. It is easy to tear out stuff and say no we don't need this or that. Who are you to decide what i need? That is not cutting edge engineering, it's cheating. Please bring back Front Row, NAS support and get rid of that resume option or last state you were in option, its annoying and a waste of my time. Make it an option where it asks you do you want to save your current state.

I was able to create a dual boot SL with the following procedure (albeit condensed):

Setup:

MacBooK Pro 13" 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo w/SL 10.6.8 OS

Late 2011 MacBook Pro 15" 2.2GHz Intel Core i7 with Lion installed

500Gb G|Drive external usb

Original SL (Grey) DVD (10.6.3)

10.6.8ComboUpdate

Disk Util

Carbon Copy Cloner

1. Created a second (30Gb) partion named "Snow Leopard" on the 15" MBP usng Disk Util

2. Formatted the external usb drive with 2 partions (leaving 30Gb for the 2nd) using Disk Util.

3. Using CCC, copied my Lion Partition from the 15" MBP to the ext. usb drive.

4. Checked to make sure the ext. usb drive booted on the 15" MBP when holding option key.

5. Shutdown the 15" MBP and connected ext. usb drive to the 13" MBP

6. Using original (Gray) DVD, installed SL (10.6.3) on 30Gb partition on the ext. usb drive.

7. Ran 10.6.8 Combo Update

8. Shutdown 13" MBP and connected ext usb to 15" MBP

9. Was able to boot SL from the ext usb partition.

Everything seems to work, but have not had time to use it enough to do a full check. I used CCC once again to copy the SL partition from the ext usb drive to the SL partition on the 15" MBP.

Having never used a dual boot setup before, what can stay on the Lion side and what do I need to migrate to the SL side, in the way of Users? Apps? Other?

You will not be able to able to boot retail Snow Leopard 10.6.8 to an early 2011 Macbook Pro.

The purpose of this thread was to detail how to downgrade these machines -- which shipped with Lion -- to Snow Leopard. I know it's a lot of pages to go through 😉

Before you try anything, find and download the "Lion Recovery" assistant utility to make a Lion recovery USB stick for the future...that way you can go to Lion later, recover your computer in case of problems, etc. This is important if you decide to wipe out the Lion partition or the hidden Lion recovery partition on your main hard drive.

The favored methods are:

-You can get restore/install discs for the Macbook Pro's from Apple by either calling them or going into an Apple Store and prevailing upon a Genius to help you. If they make you buy the discs, they are 15$. These are special discs with a special version of 10.6.6 or 10.6.7 made for the Macbook Pro's. These discs will boot and can be updated to 10.6.8. Retail discs will not work.

-You can use one of the suggested Target Disc Mode methods if you have a Firewire cable (although you may need Firewire 800 on one end and then a Firewire 400-800 adapter for the other!) and an old Mac that can run 10.6.8. If you can use an old Mac to boot the new Mac's hard drive, retail install, and then you update to 10.6.8 (there were multiple releases of this so get the newest 10.6.8) before attempting to boot the Macbook Pro. Obviously this requires another computer that can run 10.6.8.

-Some people use cloning methods to clone (e.g. using Carbon Copy Cloner) from a Mac running updated 10.6.8 over Firewire to their new Mac's hard drive directly. Or they clone (using CCC) a working 10.6.8 to a USB drive.... which they then restore (using Disk Utility) to their new computer using something like the Lion recovery Disk Utility.

-The purpose of this thread (Roy's "The Procedure" 🙂) was to detail a way to create a pure master 10.6.8 system image which can then be restored (using Disk Utility) to any number of machines.

You can get clever with all of these methods and partition your Lion drive to allow for dual booting or Lion recovery... rather than erasing the Lion drive completely.

These are the general methods that come to mind and many are covered throughout this thread. I wish we could consolidate all the clever ways people have done this.... most of the focus of this thread was using "The Procedure" to create a 10.6.8 master system image but such method may appeal more to geeks and system admins who want to learn to create such images for restore and recovery. For others, simply getting the restore discs for their Macbook Pro (not available for Minis...not sure about iMacs) or asking Apple Store to do it is the easiest route. For those with retail discs, Firewire cables, and an available older Sleo-friendly Mac, Target Disc methods might be the most straightforward.

Good luck!