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install Snow Leopard on New Mac Pro

I know there has been some discussion of installing Snow Leopard (SL) on a newly purchased 2010 Mac Pro that now comes shipped with Lion. I had to do a lot of legwork to come up with an actually very easy solution. I HAVE to have Rosetta and for Apple to not include this with Lion is truly unconscionable. I and many other make user have programs that we use every day that are not Intel.


Apple cannot tell you that you can install SL but it is actually very easy. Here is what I did:


When I received my brand new Mac Pro (MP) 3.33 (2010 model), I swapped out the main drive with an OWC Mercury 3G 240 SSD. I put my Lion drive to the side. I then booted the MP in target mode (just retsrt and hold down the "T" key). When booted into target mode, I plugged it into my Intel Mac Book Pro. You can use any Intel Mac though. I then plugged the MP into the Mac Book and the MP SSD showed up on the Mac Book Desktop. I reformatted the drive (1 partion but you can have more) and installed the SL 10.6.3 install disk into the Mac Book. I told the installer to install the drive on the newly formatted SSD that is present on my Mac Pro desktop. I installed SL to this target drive with no problem. The computer then restarted -- this is standard so don't be alarmed like I was. Once rebooted, I went through the first time user process I then installed the SL 10.6.8 Combo updater to the SSD.


I was then able to boot into the MP with no problems. To be safe, I then re-ran the 10.6.8 Combo updater and restarted. I then installed all the other updates for SL 10.6.8. I repaired permissions and that was that. DONE!


Now my brand new (1 week old delivered on 4/10/2012) MP 3.33 is FLYING with SL 10.6.8, an OWC SSD and Rosetta. I could not be happier!!


I have the Lion drive as a back up or if I need to call Applecare.


Please tell me if you have any question

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Apr 17, 2012 2:47 PM

Reply
111 replies

Apr 18, 2012 8:28 AM in response to NickyCee

NickyCee wrote:


...I then plugged the MP into the Mac Book and the MP SSD showed up on the Mac Book Desktop. I reformatted the drive (1 partion but you can have more) and installed the SL 10.6.3 install disk into the Mac Book. I told the installer to install the drive on the newly formatted SSD that is present on my Mac Pro desktop. I installed SL to this target drive with no problem. The computer then restarted -- this is standard so don't be alarmed like I was. Once rebooted, I went through the first time user process I then installed the SL 10.6.8 Combo updater to the SSD...

Just so that I understand you, "the computer then restarted" means the Mac Pro, which was no longer in Target Disk Mode, and the "first time user process" refers to Snow Leopard's setup and file transfer process running on the Mac Pro?


As you know, the SL retail installer refuses to install on the 2010 Mac Pro because it's 10.6.3 and the Install DVD that came with the pre-Lion Mac Pros was 10.6.4; it's been assumed that the reason was the lack of necessary drivers on the retail installer. Your finding tells us that's not so, and while the 10.6.8 combo updater trims things up, the new Mac Pro has basic functionality even with the generic 10.6.3 install. Good work!!

Apr 18, 2012 9:24 AM in response to FatMac-MacPro

Hey FatMac,


"Just so that I understand you, "the computer then restarted" means the Mac Pro, which was no longer in Target Disk Mode, and the "first time user process" refers to Snow Leopard's setup and file transfer process running on the Mac Pro?"


No, my Mac Book Pro restarted and Mac Pro Desktop was STILL in target mode. The MB Pro actually booted using the MB Pro's fresh 10.6.3 install. I then went through the first start up process (you know - 'Welcome' in 17 different languages, register your product, etc) then applied the 10.6.8 update, and the other updates (it may have restrted one or more times, I don't remember but it was no problem). Absolutely perfect install and my Mac Pro 3.33 with the SSD is LIGHTNING fast. I plan on keeping this system and software combo for 10 years. If I need to go to Lion, no problemo. Just swap out the drive and I'm up to date.


I still dont understand why in heaven Apple removed Rosetta from Lion. I know many, many people who are stuck bad because of this and have (with great difficulty) had to convert back to SL. I get the "Mac users need to be pushed into reality/Lion is the Future/Stop living in the past with your outdated PPC software" bit but I can tell you that this was a really, really bad move. Do OS programmers read these discussions? If so, contact me and I will explain to you why it was such a monumentally bad move to remove Rosetta from Lion.

Apr 18, 2012 9:35 AM in response to NickyCee

People have been sweating (use your own terms) over Rosetta for the last year since it was leaned about.

People bought their Macs to avoid Lion.

Lion = iDevic-ification of the OS


However,


OS 8.1 brought HFS+ : needed

OS 9.1 finally pulled the last as much of the 68k code that eliminated bugs, problems, got the Finder "slightly" better and VM to work.


Took a lot longer to get PowerPC code base transitioned to Intel, with "oh just use Cocoa code compilers" and Universal Binary.


There is close symmetry and control to get the OS to work with hardware; and there is strangle-hold.


Announcing back with the first Intel based systems that software would all have to transition in the next 5 yrs from PowerPC to Universal (bridge) to Cocoa/Intel code only...? hard to sell and market.


The first Mac Pro 10.4.7 and we saw pain of all the drivers worked to follow the rules (known) about address space and how to write drivers and how to deal with the beginnings of 4GB address and 64-bit OS (but not full 64-bit OS and processors just yet).


10.4.x and Rosetta had a 2GB RAM penalty and performance penalty and more issues with CS2 than some wanted so they waited for CS3 at a minimum before jumping to Mac Pro.

Apr 18, 2012 9:44 AM in response to NickyCee

Thank you for the clarification. That sounds consistent with the experience of other users. Your method offers a relatively straightforward way to get SL installed. I suspect the main proviso is that the Mac you are running the SL install from has to be supported by the retail installer. Then the rerunning of the 10.6.8 combo update while booted on the Mac Pro customized the installation for that Mac.

May 2, 2012 9:17 AM in response to NickyCee

Thanks for posting this. I just purchased a new July 2010 Mac Pro thinking it was preloaded with Snow Leopard. It arrived loaded with Lion. Return/restocking is too expensive, so I'm forced to try your option. I have no experience doing this sort of thing. I just ordered OWC SSD. I'm going to follow your instructions step by step. I have a SL10.6.8 Mac Book Pro to do the process. I have a new, unopened SL 10.3 disc to use for installation on the new drive. I'm unsure about the SL Combo Updater to get to 10.6.8. Did you download from here?


http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399


How did you install? Sorry for the simple questions. This is all new territory for me.


Thanks for the help!

May 16, 2012 2:30 PM in response to NickyCee

Thanks for posting this solution! I followed your instructions faithfully and the new Mac Pro with OWC SSD is running Snow Leopard 10.6.8 just fine! The only weird thing is that during the setup of SL it took the name of my Mac Book Pro that I was using to accomplish the install. Not the end of the world, but the Mac Pro calls itself "My Name's Mac Book Pro." I don't know if there's a way to change this without reinstalling. If not, it's certainly something I can live with.


Thanks again for posting this solution. It was a BIG help!!!🙂

May 17, 2012 10:50 PM in response to NickyCee

Thank you for your research and your post.


At our organization we are not allowed to purchase a computer that does not have “save as” available with all applications.


Also, all of our mail programs must have the feature “Bounce”.


We are also required to have optical drives as well, of course that's not a problem with a Mac Pro (for now).

Jun 27, 2012 9:20 PM in response to SQUONK2

Thanks to all for the postings.


SQUONK2:

I am very, very interested to learn if your "New" Mac Pro is, in fact, the recently updated Model # MD770LL/A.

Or did you install Sno Leo on the previous (2010) Model # MC560LL/A?

Both the above, are Quad processor models. So, if you have a higher end machine – please post your model number.


It is vital to know if the newly shipping Mac Pro towers will fully function (DVD, Monitor Ports ...) after downgrading.

I understand the 2010 models, which shipped until a few weeks ago, will.


Thanks again to you and anyone who can verify downgrading the marginally updated Mac Pros.

Jun 28, 2012 9:06 AM in response to PixelbenderX

Pix,


I dont know about the "new" Mac Pros that started shipping a few weeks ago. I bought mine in April and it was the standard mid-2010 model. Here is model number from Apple: A1289 (EMC 2314). I dont know if Snow Leopard will work with new machines but it most definatately rocks with older machines. I've been able to help a bunch of people in the same prediciment I was in and my 3.33 with SL and OWC Mercury 3G 240 SSD is the fastest computer I have ever worked on. I have 24 GB of fast Kingston ram (dont buy the "value" as it it no value) and my FCP renders are as fast as a 3 year old Avid I work on. Lightning fast, 100% stable (not one crash), and runs Rosetta!!! Mac Heaven.

install Snow Leopard on New Mac Pro

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