Install snow leopard on new 2013, iMac?

Not outside of emulation.

(78731)

There is a way, but it is a fairly convoluted procedure involving using Windows and virtualization software in Windows to run OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.

Hopefully, a regular poster and experienced user MichaelLAX will see this post and offer his vast knowledge on this subject.

The only version of Snow Leopard licensed for use in virtualization is Snow Leopard Server. That's still reportedly available if one calls the Apple Store; MichaelLAX says that it's $19.95, but I haven't confirmed that. The Server version can be run in Parallels Desktop, VMWare Fusion, or VirtualBox on Mac OS X.

You cannot run any version of Mac OS X on a Windows system, natively or by emulation, without violating Apple's license.

Regards.

If you can return it, return it. And buy a refurbished 2011 version of 27" with Snow Leopard as the base OS. Excellent OS, Rosetta and all the goodies. Christmas all over again. 😀

varjak paw wrote:

The only version of Snow Leopard licensed for use in virtualization is Snow Leopard Server.

The common Urban Myth (that Snow Leopard's EULA prohibits its virtualization in Lion or Mt. Lion on a Mac) is largely a footnote in history now that Apple has come to the rescue of those needing access to Rosetta in Lion or Mt. Lion with its decision to re-introduce for sale, Snow Leopard Server, at a 95% discount in price: $19.99 + sales tax & shipping.

Actually this is the best possible solution going forward for the ability to concurrently run PowerPC applications requiring Rosetta and the latest features of Lion or Mt. Lion (such as iCloud), as SLS is easily installed into Parallels (and presumably VMWare Fusion and perhaps VirtualBox, as well).

And let me remove all doubt about its availability and at a 95% discount from when the Apple Store previously offered it for sale:

Here is Adobe's Photoshop CS2 running in Snow Leopard Server in Parallels concurrently with Lion (or Mt. Lion):

[click on images to enlarge]

Adobe now offers the complete Creative Suite 2 (CS2) for download for free.

I have now just received my 2nd copy of SLS, and just forwarded it on to Italy for the benefit of a needy user located there.

No, Windows has nothing to do with the situation and is completely unnecessary.

Virtualization systems such as Parallels Desktop, VMWare Fusion, and VirtualBox allow you to run a complete operating system, including all the applications designed for that operating system, within another operating system. In this case, such a solution would allow you to run Snow Leopard server as a "guest" operating system within OS X Mountain Lion and thereby get you access to applications that no longer wlll run under later versions of OS X.

If, however, your objection to Mountain Lion is one of design and not a need to run PowerPC applications or other applications that are not compatible with Mountain Lion, then these solutions will not be of help to you since the iMac will still be booting Mountain Lion. You cannot run any version of Mac OS X 10.6 as the native operating system on a late-2012 iMac. So as the others have suggested, you would need to return your new iMac and buy one that can run Mac OS X 10.6.

Regards.

Hi Georgein the mountains,

It was because of your second sentence that I made the suggestion I did. And I have no intention (or sufficient knowledge) to intrude on MichaelLAX; I'm sure he will work out a plan for you.

My only concern about parallels is that I am simply all Apple. Windows is a No, No for me. Why? Because largely from a security point of view, I feel it is less secure in unskilled hands. Hopefully Michael will instill some confidence in both of us.

Thank you for the star.

I think perhaps you misunderstand what Parallels and other virtualization solutions are and do. Parallels has nothing specifically to do with Windows. Yes, you can run Windows on a Mac using Parallels or another virtualization solution, but you can also run other versions of Mac OS X, or Linux, or a number of other operating systems and never have any bit of Windows touch your Mac.

Regards.

Hello:

Why do you want to run Snow Leopard? what applications?

Are they PowerPC applications (look at About this Mac, More Info, System Report, Software)?

Virtualization can be run WITHOUT Windows; do not confuse the two.

I will wait to hear more information about your needs.

I declare an interest:

If, however, your objection to Mountain Lion is one of design and not a need to run PowerPC applications or other applications that are not compatible with Mountain Lion, then these solutions will not be of help to you since the iMac will still be booting Mountain Lion. You cannot run any version of Mac OS X 10.6 as the native operating system on a late-2012 iMac. So as the others have suggested, you would need to return your new iMac and buy one that can run Mac OS X 10.6.

Am I right in thinking that the opposite is true? That a Mac originally running Snow Leopard can also run Mountain Lion from an external hard drive?

Klaus1 wrote:

Am I right in thinking that the opposite is true? That a Mac originally running Snow Leopard can also run Mountain Lion from an external hard drive?

Some Macs that can boot Snow Leopard (or run SL from a partition or external drive) can also be upgraded to Mt. Lion, but not all.

Assume that my question only covers Macs that can be updated to ML, but that I don't want to.

Yes, if the Mac can run OS X Mountain Lion at all, it can run it from an external drive as well as the internal.

Regards.

Then the answer to your question, as clarified:

Am I right in thinking that the opposite is true? That a Mac [which has the hardware prerequisites to upgrade to ML] originally running Snow Leopard can also run Mountain Lion from an external hard drive?

is YES!

Some interpret the Snow Leopard EULA to require that you would need to purchase a 2nd copy of Snow Leopard to install on the external drive and upgrade it to Mt. Lion through the App Store. It is an easy debate to avoid for an addiitonal $19.99.