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Can I load an image of my iMac which ran Snow Leopard onto a new iMac which runs Mountain Lion?

I have just moved to the United States from Australia.


When I was in Australia I took an image of my iMac hard drive, which I bought in 2010, the OS was Snow Leopard and I use Pro Tools 8 and some other pieces of software and data which are all set up properly on that machine. Pro Tools 8 does not work on any OS later than Snow Leopard, so I really would like to have this computer run just like my computer did in Australia.


Therefore, I have been trying to replace the hard drive on my new iMac with the data from the image of my old hard drive from my iMac in Australia, replace it exactly if possible.


I called apple care a couple of times and have been to the apple store also and I'm getting conflicting information about whether this is possible or not. Can I do this? I have tried booting with "apple+r' and I was almost going to replace the hard drive with the disk that comes up on my portable hard drive from Australia, but I don't really know what I'm doing.


Any advice please?


Thanks.

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8)

Posted on Sep 23, 2012 2:54 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Sep 23, 2012 2:57 PM

My guess is no but, put the old drive in an external case, plug into the new Mac and see if you can boot. Do it this way as replacing the drive in an iMac is no small task.


If it boots then you know the answer.

53 replies

Sep 23, 2012 5:32 PM in response to twistiejoe

twistiejoe wrote:


I bought it a week ago online with specifications that they recommended at university, and it arrived yesterday, just turned it on and set it up today.


21.5 Inch iMac

OS X 10.8 (12A269)

Processor 2.8GHz Intel Core i7

Memory 16 GB 1333MHz DDR3

It definitely won't boot Snow Leopard.

Sep 23, 2012 5:40 PM in response to WZZZ

I know this is probably a stupid question, I'm a total ignoramus here, but, will Snow Leopard definately not boot?


So now I am faced with a new problem of not being able to plug my midi keyboard into my computer because it goes through my MBox but the drivers do not work on Mountain Lion either, I think. I've been searching everywhere for them, some things seem to be suggesting that it doesn't work. Can anyone help? Sorry I'm having a lot of trouble.

Sep 23, 2012 6:56 PM in response to twistiejoe

I must apologize here. In rereading this thread I see where the OP didn't actually boot-up from the drive image. This has lead to a long and fruitless discussion. 😊 Apple's design does not allow for older than build versions of their OS to boot systems. In similar discussions I have seen an idea posted about using Parallels to run older versions on newer systems but that lead to discussions about the legal ramifications of the Apple agreement we all sign off on when initiating our software. There is also the issue of whether it would run significantly slower than the native OS and how it would handle particular drivers, etc.

Sep 24, 2012 5:45 AM in response to twistiejoe

Installing Snow Leopard (and Rosetta) into Parallels 7 in Lion


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


The poster who is responsible for these directions is also active here. Contrary to what has just been posted, it appears to have been established that there is nothing in the EULA forbidding this. Don't know if this is supposed to work in 10.8 also, but I suppose it will. If you search using "MichaelLAX +site:discussions.apple.com" you may find a post from him on whether this is compatible with 10.8.

Sep 24, 2012 3:44 PM in response to WZZZ

Up there in the night sky -- LOOK!


User uploaded file

[Designed in California on Photoshop CS running in Snow Leopard installed into Parallels 7 in Lion]


Sorry, I would have been here sooner, but the Rosetta-Mobile has been in the shop getting some polish for a possible upgrade to Mountain Lion!


Joe:


1. Are you studying film in Los Angeles? I am a member of the group: Computer Geeks for the Arts, and we specialize in helping out poor artists such as yourself!


2. Is this the MBox you are referring to (and how did you solve your problem of connectivity in Mt. Lion -- Always looking to learn!):


User uploaded file

3. You must decide between the expense of upgrading ProTools vs. the hassle and minor expense of running it in Snow Leopard in Parallels on your own. My experience with programs that do not involve complex graphics and rendering and/or transcoding, is that Snow Leopard in Parallels will perform close to normal. That being said, Parallels LOVES RAM! Give it its own allocation of 2-4GB.


At the end of the day, you should try it for yourself and see how it performs. Parallels 14 day free trial:


http://trial.parallels.com/index.php?lang=en&terr=us


As WZZZ kindly pointed out (why a NYC'er has a nickname honoring an Ohio FM station, I'll never know!?!), the instructions for installing Snow Leopard into Parallels 7 (and 8 with some minor modifications) are here:


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


User uploaded file

[click on image to enlarge]


Again, if you are local, just get me a fresh Snow Leopard Install DVD ($19, call Apple) and a 16GB flash drive, and I will return to you a slightly soiled Snow Leopard Install DVD and your Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm file all ready for you.


You wanna give it a go, Joe?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQa7SvVCdZk


Giuchie, Giuchie, ya ya dada!


(with apologies to your great countryman, Baz Lurhmann!)

Sep 24, 2012 6:16 PM in response to MlchaelLAX

Hi There MichaelLAX!


It's great to meet you, and I really very much apprecaite you being so friendly and helpful!


I would LOVE to join that group! It sounds perfect for me.


I'm actually studying the Grad Masters in Film Scoring at NYU after getting the Brian May Scholarship in Australia. Actually that scholarship used to take you to USC, but that changed to NYU for certian reasons.


Also, while I've done a number of films and worked in Pro Tools a number of times both doing midi sequencing and audio editing etc., I'm really best with a score and with live instruments, as I've come from a concert music and jazz background. I've been lucky that a lot of the films I've done have used live instruments mainly, or I've orchestrated for other composers, but I feel that I should really get up to scratch with Logic, DP and even more with Pro Tools than I am now - this I assume is the best really, it's professional even though you would have your preferred way of working in the end. So if you have any advice for learning to transition from being a "score" person to a "piano roll" person, I'd really appreciate it. I find this to be the biggest challenge. I've also just ordered some good sounds from East West so I'm doing my best to get into midi-mockups, which is obviosuly very important. Anyway help with all of this is much appreciated!


I hope it's not a big deal to give you my contact details here, I hope you might be able to contact me and let me know how to become a member of your group. Do you know a similar group in NYC? I also would very much like to come to LA next summer and participate in any programs that might be available.


And back to the problem at hand:
I've ended up biting the bullet buying Pro Tools 10, it'll just be easier in the long run I suppose. I'm installing it as I write this message (fingers crossed it works okay). What do you think?


Anyway it's great to meet you and I hope to hear from you soon.


Many, many thanks!

Joe Twist.


<Edited by Host>

Sep 24, 2012 6:42 PM in response to Csound1

Okay thanks for that, no worries.


Can anyone help with this issue? -


I'm installing a Pro Tools Update and it's asking about my system configuration and I have to choose one, and I don't know which one to choose:


it says:


"Please select what PRo Tools hardware system you are installing software for, as different hardware will require different components to be installed:"


and the options are:


"Avid HDX, HD Native, or any non-HD hardware"


or


"HD TDM (HD Core, HD Accel, HD Process)"


I have no idea what either of these mean, does anyone know what I should choose?


My specs are:


iMac 21.5 inch

2.8 Ghz Intel Core i7

16 GB 1333 Mhz DDR3 RAM

OS X 10.8.2


Thanks, I hope you can help.

Can I load an image of my iMac which ran Snow Leopard onto a new iMac which runs Mountain Lion?

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