I recently purchased a new MBA and was wondering if there is a way to install Mountain Lion on my Mid-2010 iMac without having to purchase it from the Mac App Store. According to KB HT4854 a purchased copy of Mountain Lion can be installed on multiple computers, but what about a copy of Mountain Lion that came pre-installed on a new computer?
No
Can't be done. Since the Mac shipped with ML it's not considered an AppStore purchase. You'll need to purchase and download ML.
Well that is quite disappointing. You'd think that spending $1000+ on a machine would give you the same privledges on its software that comes with a $20 download.
If you had a Mac that shipped with a $129 OS, like OS X 10.5, you'd have seperate install discs that you would not be able to use to install on another Mac because they are hardware specific, the Os on your new Mac is configured for those drivers.
You'd think that spending $1000+ on a machine would give you the same privledges on its software that comes with a $20 download.
Why would you think that? When has buying a new Mac with any version of OSX ever given anybody the right to install that version on any other Mac? The OSX that comes on your Mac is only licensed for that Mac.
Just because of the KB that states that multiple installs are permitted when purchasing just the software. To me buying the hardware, which includes the software, should count as a software purchase as well. Which should share the same license.
Apple doesn't see it that way. Sorry.
Allan
Just doesn't work that way.
I might add that if you bought a PC with Windows 8 you wouldn't be allowed to install that on any other PC either.
Being able to buy ML and use it on all your Macs is generous.
Look what happens when you buy Adobe's Photoshop, where even a $200 upgrade only works on one Mac at a time.
$20 for ML is cheap.
The answer to your question is made abundantly clear in the Software License Agreement you agreed to when you configured your new MBA.
Read paragraph 2A "Preinstalled and Single-Copy Apple Software License"
This restriction has existed for at least fifteen years.
The very next paragraph describes permitted uses for OS X purchased from the App Store.
Install 10.8 On Older iMac After Purchase of New MBA
