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how to download original Mac OS 10.8? - free?

Hi,


My Mac mini came with Mac OS 10.8 which I immediately upgraded to 10.8.5. I would like to have access to this version again.


In later upgrading to 10.9 I worked with an Apple Care support agent to setup a means to keep this original OS but the process did not work.

I needed to be able to run Protools 10 which is not supported on 10.9 and later.


Now I purchased Parallels and would like to install my original OS.... But I have to buy it again???


First, I thought all Mac OS were now free?


Second or first, I already paid for this version when I bought the computer. Had the Apple care agent not misguided me in the setup I'd still have it.


But all that the Apple Store has records is of the free upgrade to 10.8.5 (which is the version I want but requires the core 10.8 to get there and wants me to buy it again).


Original OS discs were no longer being offered when I bought my Mac mini as all of the OSs were at that time announced to be free.


Is there a way to download without having to pay again?


Thank you for your help,

Stephen

Posted on Oct 13, 2015 4:53 AM

Reply
15 replies

Oct 13, 2015 7:18 AM in response to peacesong

- If you go to the Purchased Section of the Mac App Store is ML available for download?

- If not you may be able to force your Mac to boot into Internet Recovery by holding down Command+Option+R at startup.

If you can do that then you can install ML on and blank disk.

- Otherwise you will have to disconnect the internal HD to prevent booting to the Recovery partition.

Oct 13, 2015 7:52 AM in response to lllaass

Hi lllaass and woodmeister50,


Thanks for the great reply and help.


The original OS 10.8 does not show up anywhere, but was the base OS when purchased on 12/19/13.


10.8.5 shows up in the system log of software

OS X Update Combined:


Version: 10.8.5

Source: Apple

Install Date: 12/22/13, 10:35 PM


But it's not in the Apple Store list of Purchases


Also Mavericks is in this software log

OS X:


Version: 10.9.1 (13B42)

Source: Apple

Install Date: 12/23/13, 8:46 AM


This version IS in the Apple Store Purchases


So it sounds like I have to find an old Apple keyboard with usb plug and reboot into Internet Recovery by holding down Command+Option+R at startup.... and hope it works. If not the next step is somehow disabling the internal drive in order to save to a disc... which is an external disk requiring software from the OS to run - so i'm not sure how that could work.


A bit confused on these later parts. I don't want to throw away my entire current system. Just wanting the install image so I can run the original OS within Parallels.


thank you!


Stephen

Oct 13, 2015 8:33 AM in response to lllaass

I tried holding down the keys... but for how long?


I tried about 5 minutes and the spoke wheel turned the entire time. After letting up on the keys an Apple appeared with a thick line beneath... about 10 minutes later it finished whatever it was doing and I was back to my current OS 10.10.5 though running exceptionally slow.


Seems I did something wrong?


Maybe need to hold the 3 buttons for half an hour? or until it completes or gives another clue to let go?


Or maybe i held too long?

Oct 20, 2015 8:00 AM in response to lllaass

When calling a local apple store they connected me with an expert across the country.


Spent about 2 hours on the phone and it came down to this... (i was not in front of my mac at that moment)


Supply the Serial number so that they can verify that it came with v10.8 and they'll give me a free download. That was that promise.


So, I called today with the serial number and ultimately 45 minutes with a supervisor... all wanting me to wipe out my compute complete to downgrade the OS.


I have a license for the OS 10.8 and the license is good to run on this specific hardware Mac Mini.


The difference is that I'd like to run it under Parallel's so I don't have to lose my entire other setups.


First they spent half an hour trying to prove to me that I never had 10.8 because the App Store didn't have record of the original OS... all it showed was an upgrade to 10.9... finally we did the reboot holding Command-Options-R and after waiting 15 minutes it told us convincingly that the original OS was Mountain Lion (10.8).


But they will not let me have the OS.... they will only provide it if they do the wipe and restore for me.


Another very odd thing about the supervisor was her attitude or wildly off base perceptions of the world of software... you're either apple software or the enemy.


When I mentioned wanting to run on Parallels (she didn't react 45 minutes early - thinking she doesn't know what Parallels is) the first response was "we don't support Microsoft windows. No, I'm talking about running Mac OS on the Mac that I purchased it on.... "Sounds like you're wanting to run Mac OS on a windows computer and not Mac hardware - we don't support that". No I'm trying to run the original OS that came with my Mac on the same Mac - but I don't want it screwed up by one of your engineers the way it happened the first time. If you just let me have the download I can take care of it and install it on Parallels. "Parallels is a Microsoft company and we don't support Microsoft" But... "If it's not made by Apple, it's owned by Microsoft and we don't support it"


Pretty foolish of me to spend this much time when I could just buy it for $20.


That's the solution. Forget about wasting time trying to get help from Apple.

how to download original Mac OS 10.8? - free?

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