How can I uninstall OS X Yosemite and return to OS X Mavericks?

you know there IS an upgrade from CCC that accommodates Yosemite? Mine is working great, but not because I went through all of the fixes in this thread, but because that tech at 800-my-apple was smart enough to figure out that the Radeon card was compromised by the 10.10 software and gave me a repair (CS) repair code that the local apple shop honored and put in a new AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512 MB. Since then ,all is well ( 5 weeks ago).

Hi Allan, I use an iMac and the main reason for me to switch back to Mavericks would be that I can't print anymore from Preview, nor save as pdf a jpeg file. I installed a second printer after upgrading to Yosemite and the problem remains also with the new printer. Any suggestion how to fix this? At the moment I have to transfer files for printing to my MacBook Pro which runs still on Mavericks.

Additionally, with Preview I was also able to open multiple files and merge them into a single PDF document. Now I can't. I hope you can help!

I don't have any problems with Yosemite.

On a much older release of OS X, like three or four releases ago, my printer did stop. It was an Epson printer so I called for them for help. After checking what seemed like a ton of stuff, the technician suggested that I completely remove the printer from my Mac and then reinstall it. It worked.

I asked him why and his response was something in the definition of the printer configuration I deleted was corrupt. We could not find it so he got out the big gun and told to blow it away. Reinstalling the printer seemed to get rid of the corruption.

Please try that solution and let me know it helps at all.

I agree with you--basically Yosemite has ruined my 2013 MacBook Pro. I'm a non-techie, and bought Apple because I wanted my computer to work for me, rather than me having to work for my computer. Now my computer is way slow, some programs don't work, and all this advice about how to uninstall Yosemite makes my head spin. I downloaded the first upgrade after Yosemite, which promised to fix some problems I had, but it did me no good. If you're happy with your current OS, don't switch to Yosemite. I haven't used a single new feature, and many of the good old features have been badly degraded.

Maricla wrote:

I can't print anymore from Preview, nor save as pdf a jpeg file.

Based on the experience of a few other users in the Forum, you may need to reinstall Yosemite to fix that. Please start a new discussion and post your EtreCheck results, then come back here with a link to your new posting.

"Hi Allan, I use an iMac and the main reason for me to switch back to Mavericks would be that I can't print anymore from Preview, nor save as pdf a jpeg file."

Printing from Preview is not a problem on my MBP. Perhaps your new printer is not recognized?

Also, in Yosemite you should be able to open a PDF with Preview - you then select Export Option and select desired Format.

See below.

Hey, I'm also a non-techie and bought a MacBook for the same reason as you. You might have some options if you want to downgrade. Look in your purchases in the App Store. Mavericks should be there if your machine initially came with Mountain Lion and you upgraded to Mavericks. You can try to download and reinstall 10.9.x. Alternatively, you can do an internet recovery (hold command+option+R at startup when you hear the chime) to reset your computer the way it came from the factory. You'll know it goes into internet recovery when you see the spinning globe. If not, you probably didn't hold the keys down long enough...just restart and be ready when it chimes again. The recovery takes a long time, but it's worth it. Just be sure to save all your files to a USB or whatever drive you prefer.

Search this thread for more detailed instructions on internet recovery.

I did the internet recovery back to Mountain Lion and then decided to upgrade to back to Mavericks from the App Store. It all went smooth and without any problems, thanks largely to this thread.

😠 I have two mini mac's both 2010 models, Yosemite has slowed them down really bad, way too much stuff seems to be going on in the background.. I get the rainbow pinwheel of slow death now... one is hooked up to my flatscreen TV and now the picture tends to flicker, everything was working well with maverick, I dont like anything about Yosemite and I dont want my mini macs to turn into my first generation iPad which now is about completely useless from crashing all the time, starting to think Apple updates to outdate my devices so I will buy again.. iPad 1, iPhone 4, each ISO slows and renders them useless. I want to completely wipe out my system and partitions and only install lion or maverick, then reinstall only the software that I use... how can I do this?

Yoshimite have somehow significantly slow down my macbook pro. Chrome, Safari, Mail, MS Office everything. Sigh.

GREAT! It worked out! :-)

I reset the printing system and reinstalled the two printers again. Printing works again!

Also the other issue I mentioned in my earlier post (opening multiple files in Preview and merging them into a single pdf document) is solved.

If it can be interesting to anyone, the first printer (a Brother) was installed BEFORE upgrading to Yosemite. The second printer (Epson) was installed AFTER upgrading to Yosemite, but the problem was the same.

Thank Allan you for the hint!

I was told by a Apple genius that can't be done. I was told that Internet Recovery only installs only the newest when using this. He said I could but would have to bring it in for them to do it as disc's are no longer provided.

I Don't know who you spoke to but I used Kappy's method on a late 2012 Mac mini and it reinstalled Mavricks without a issue.

you might want to give it a try, just follow his guide and you won't have a problem good luck

Yuck9 wrote:

I was told by a Apple genius that can't be done. I was told that Internet Recovery only installs only the newest when using this. He said I could but would have to bring it in for them to do it as disc's are no longer provided.

That certainly wasn't what happens with my Mid 2011 iMac that originally shipped with Snow Leopard, but mine came with Mountain Lion. Internet Recover installed Snow Leopard at a time when Mavericks was the current OS.

I was told that Internet Recovery only installs only the newest when using this.

Not really. See this document:

http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT4718

(note the section "which version of OS is installed):

Local recovery (Command + R) installs the currently installed OS.

Internet Recovery (Command + Option + R) installs the original OS version (if Lion or later).

Neither works reliably on an older Mac with Snow Leopard installed originally - I've tested several different scenarios with a Snow Leopard machine. You are better off with your original install disks or, better yet, a fully bootable clone of your SL system. That is very reliable - works every time.

Internet Recover installed Snow Leopard at a time when Mavericks was the current OS.

Are you sure? Snow Leopard was never installed via recovery because it was never on their servers - when I tested it with my SL machine, wiping the drive (or not) and using either recovery or internet recovery (using any/all scenarios and methods), I'd mostly get Lion, once I got ML, and sometimes it just balked - but I was never offered SL.