Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Snow Leopard, Yosemite, and Parallels

I've been running Yosemite on an external HD - I think it's ok, but I still prefer Snow Leopard. However, 10.6 is getting left behind, and not upgrading is becoming harder and harder. Being able to run both would be ideal. Sadly, it's not possible...


...oh but wait - it IS! Here's how :


1. Ignore those who say Snow Leopard Server is no longer available from Apple. It IS. (I was told "no" the first time, but the second time I insisted they were wrong, was put through to their Senior Team - in the US - and a DVD is on its way, total cost less than £20 including P&P). Make sure you PHONE - S.L.S. is only available on a DVD and is not available via the App Store.


2. Buy a virtualiser (Parallels 10 will load S.L.S. and will run in Yosemite, but there is also VMWare which might do exactly the same thing).


3. For security, giving you the chance to back out if things go wrong, do the following, else do 4 :

  • download the Yosemite installer, and install it on an empty partition on an external HD
  • install your virtualiser in the same partition, insert the S.L.S. DVD and create your virtual Snow Leopard engine
  • test it out on applications that will not run in Yosemite, e.g. PowerPC apps
  • when happy, backup your main computer, then repeat the first two steps (on the computer not external HD)
  • please note - I've run Yosemite on a HD but not S.L.S. within a virtualiser - still waiting for DVDs to arrive!


4.

  • Download Yosemite and upgrade Snow Leopard on your main machine
  • install your virtualiser of choice and create a virtual engine, using the S.L.S. DVD from Apple


Without this, I couldn't run Dragon Dictate software in Yosemite (I have DD 2.5). Yes, Yosemite also has dictation functions, but there's no way to train it - you're reliant on its database of words and names.

iMac Core i5 12GB RAM-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.6.8), null

Posted on Jan 23, 2015 11:35 AM

Reply
9 replies

Apr 29, 2015 10:53 AM in response to christopher rigby1

Pardon me for bumping a thread that's a few months old, but I just wanted to let people know that it is still possible to buy Snow Leopard Server over the phone, as I've had some difficulty getting hold of it myself. There're a couple of forum posts elsewhere on the internet from recent months saying that SLS couldn't be ordered any more, and I almost didn't bother trying. On the first phone call I spoke to someone who didn't seem to have even heard of Snow Leopard (let alone the Server version); after trying for a few minutes to find it – having been given the part number (MC588Z/A) too – he put me on hold to speak to a “Mac expert” and returned to tell me that the expert also agreed that it wasn't available, and I should try eBay instead.


I decided to try ringing again however, and on this occasion was more successful. Spoke to someone who had heard of Snow Leopard but still didn't realise there was a separate server version (both she and the previous salesperson thought I was asking if I could run the client version of SL on a server), however when I insisted that it was available she put me on hold to ask someone, and a couple of minutes later returned to say she'd found it.


Its cost is now £14.99 in line with the cost of the client version on the Apple website; this is an increase from the £14.00 price stated on some websites. The delivery is £4.80. The order processing e-mail I've received confirms that I am genuinely receiving the server version, not client.


So, things to take away from this story:


  • The call centre I got through to on both occasions – where there were definite language/comprehension difficulties which makes me wonder if it was some kind of ‘overflow’ call centre – know shockingly little about Mac OS X;
  • Even the ‘Mac experts’ (presumably more senior staff) can't be relied upon to know where to look on their computer systems to order SLS;
  • As of today (29 April 2015) SLS is still available to order, in the UK at least. Unless I bought the last copy… 😉

Apr 29, 2015 12:14 PM in response to Be3G

Yes, when I ordered it a few months back, the UK Apple people thought it was no longer available. When I insisted it was (having read about it on a Mac forum), I was transferred to a US Apple adviser who then checked with his supervisor, came back and told me I could order it on DVD. I think it cost me £19.99 including P&P from the US?


Either the Apple advisers are genuinely not clued up about this, or Apple are making it deliberately difficult to purchase the Server version unless the customer insists. Whatever - it's still available to order.

Sep 3, 2015 11:07 AM in response to kahjot

Wondering.... did you try to install Snow Leopard onto Yosemite mbp? If so, can you point me to detailed instructions? My [superficial at best] understanding is that I cannot partition my new mbp [mid2012 running latest Yosemite] and install SL onto that partition ... a firmware issue?

Rather, i must employ virtualization and that Parallels may be optimal? [but which version?]. Thanks for any illuminations!

Sep 7, 2015 11:27 AM in response to christopher rigby1

Follow up inquiry of whether anyone has had ACTUAL success running Snow Leopard on non-retina MacBook Pro running Yosemite.

Here is a report on Parallels website of a user with no success [yet] ;https://forum.parallels.com/threads/creating-a-vm-to-run-lion-or-leopard-on-reti na-imac.329227/


I have a new MacBook Pro 13" [late 2012], running Yosemite and want/need to have Snow Leopard access.

I have a bootable CCC backup of my old mbp and was not able to boot it on the new mbp. can you point me to site explaining why that does not work?


Other forums say that partitioning the new mbp will not work and therefore suggest VM, Parallels 11 and Snow Leopard Server.

However, I have not located report of ACTUAL success, nor detailed instructions. [I am not computer fluent and am stumped by which details DO matter and which do not]

I see you had success on EHD and was wondering if you ever got virtualization to work on the computer itself?

Thanks for any pointers!

Sep 7, 2015 4:45 PM in response to Moisee

Moisee wrote:


Follow up inquiry of whether anyone has had ACTUAL success running Snow Leopard on non-retina MacBook Pro running Yosemite.

Here is a report on Parallels website of a user with no success [yet] ;https://forum.parallels.com/threads/creating-a-vm-to-run-lion-or-leopard-on-reti na-imac.329227/

As I read that report, that user was trying to install Lion, "Leopard" or Maverick into Parallels and not Snow Leopard Server.

Snow Leopard, Yosemite, and Parallels

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.