Is there a way to get a free OS upgrade to snow leopard?

There is no downloadable or free version of Snow Leopard.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

The link above is for a $20 purchase of the Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.3 Install DVD.

Apple previously offered a free copy of Snow Leopard to MobileMe subscribers, so that they could upgrade to the App Store and purchase Lion, in order to convert to iCloud.

Your MacBook 4,1 will only be able to be upgraded to Lion, not Mavericks. While Mavericks is free, Lion, which is still available if you call the Apple Store, is not. It is currently also $20:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/D6106Z/A/os-x-lion

If you call Apple (800-MY-APPLE) and explain your situation to the Apple Rep, they may provide you with a free copy of Snow Leopard, so that you can purchase Lion.

What model Mac does your wife have?

Pat Smite wrote:

I am currently running OS 10.5.8 and I desparately need to upgrade to snow leopard so I can ultimately upgrade to mavericks. I am a student at Salisbury University and my wife is a student at the University of Maryland, we both have iphone 5's and I also have an ipad 2. So in order to have our desktop communicate with our other devices we need to update the OS. With both of us being in school $$ is not in tremendous supply, I know apple offered a free download for snow leopard around 2012. It would be great if there is any way we can get the SL upgrade for free.

Firstly it may pay to see if your Mac meets the requirements for Mavericks. Is your Macbook the Aluminium model? Check here

http://www.apple.com/au/osx/specs/

Also a lot of your old Appications may not work under avericks. Check here for compatability.

http://roaringapps.com

Pete