Q: How do I downgrade from Mavericks back to Snow Leopard?

It is perfectly fine to roll your system back to the version of the OS that was on it when it was shipped. Apple has no problems with that.

2. Apple cannot guarantee the functionality of a downgrade. (Mavericks changes the build on your computer)

What does that even mean?

To reiterate the obvious, you cannot simply roll back to a previous version of the OS. Many parts of the system like iTunes and iPhoto keep backup copies of library files so you can revert back once you handle the OS erase / reinstall.

Other data buckets like iCloud sync and email, calendars, contacts should be exportable or stored elsewhere. You may have to re-implement the settings you choose since they may be changed to a format that doesn't allow a simple copying back of preference files from a newer OS to an older OS.

Thats what I mean by APPLE cannot guarantee the functionality of a rollback. If anything goes wrong, it will not be supported.

Enough talking about holly mac as a device that messes up everything. Apple is working mostly under security system which develops systems to be breakable harder and almost impossible. Really? >:) I updated from lion to mountain lion and just today updated to mavericks. After lion stability 10.8 was just okey... On some softwares computer was acting just ok till the release of 10.8.5... After this updated I said it is terrible...  And I realized that it wasnt that bad even though it was... But I was hoping that mavericks will solve many issues that were in 10.8.5... It did not solve any issues at all... In addition to that nothing was working at all... I got so mad on it... And now it really took my last drop of patience and I cant stand either ml or mavericks... Solutions are there.. And they do work with downgrading.. It depense how much time and effort you put looking for the answer. Let me know to which os you want to downgrade it and Ill let you know how to do it. I went right away from mavericks to lion because in my opinion it is the most stabile version of all ios. Maybe the interface doesnt have those fancy looks and some apps, but at least everything is working on it without any glitches.

Once last time, restoring your system from a backup of a previous version or the OS  that you had installed on your system is supports by Apple, will work and will not eat your computer.

Your information is incorrect, plain and simple.

debsquared wrote:

 

I highly doubt they'll revert the colour labels, bottom finder info bar, and mouse wheel back to what it was prior to Mavericks. And my Parallels 8 doesn't work anymore either so I'm quite happy to go back to Snow Leopard. Thanks for the warning! Any chance you might know how to erase the disk completely? After that, do I just insert the installation disc and I'm good to go?

The status bar is still there. Just turn it on in View menu.

Scrolling options are set on the Mouse or Trackpad System Prefs.

You're correct that the Labels are likely gone for good.

Parallels 8 will need an update.

OK good luck. 

Hopefully you'll give Mavericks a shot again at some point.

regards

Message was edited by: Frank Caggiano - BTW di d the safe mode boot not help with any of the system performace issues?

It's actually got way more pros. You just don't like them.

Barney, very true statement! But till it wont have a very well done update, its gonna be messed up dealing with many many softwares for many users that are still not working on Mavericks!

I'm scratching my head about downgrading, too. I'm using Mavericks on an early 2008 MBPro.  There are differences and a few quibbles, but it is by far a better OS than SL.

By the way, the best way of reverting is restoring from a bootable Firewire drive of a SuperDuper backup that is made just prior to upgrading, as I always do when a new OS comes out.

IVPro wrote:

 

Barney, very true statement! But till it wont have a very well done update, its gonna be messed up dealing with many many softwares for many users that are still not working on Mavericks!

If you're coming from Snow Leopard, it will likely hurt. If you are still running SL, you've likely got lots of software that will not work without an update (or be completely dead since it was written for technology abandoned over 7 years ago). That's how computers work. If you sit out two full OS's, you will have software, printers, scanners, etc. that will not work. If your software worked on Mountain Lion, it will likely work on Mavericks.

Coming from Mountain Lion, I didn't have any problems, and the changes are great.

A lot of people sat out Lion and Mountain Lion due to all the "it hurts" posts and articles. Waiting isn't going to somehow make that hurt go away. Your software is still incompatible. However, it is likely that updates are now available for a lot of the things that did hurt.

Hi all,

Please be patient with me as this is the first time I have posted on these forums and Im not very knowledgable about the background workings of my computer. I have a 13" MacBook Pro from 2011/12, and until this morning was running OSX 10.6.8 happily with no complaints. I decided to upgrade to Mavericks this morning which has made my computer insufferably slow and most importantly has also left VectorWorks 2008 (a CAD programme) unable to open/work. This is not good news at all as I use it daily for work. I have a time machine back up of my mac (last backed up last night). I have been browsing various threads on the forums to see if it is possible to revert to 10.6.8 using my time machine, but I cant find a conclusive/understandable answer. Im pretty sure I wont be able to locate the original installer disc either :s

Any advice on how to get back to OSX 10.6.8 so I can work again would be greatly appreciated!