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Upgrading Old MBP Using Lion From New MBP-Possible?

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Mojo1

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 26, 2011
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OK, as I understand it a Lion upgrade purchased from the App Store can be installed on every Mac that I own: correct?

So here is my situation: I have three Macs, one running Leopard, one running Snow leopard and a new MBP that came with Lion installed. Is there a way for me to use the Lion installation that came with my new MBP to upgrade the old MBP?

The only reason that I am considering upgrading the old MBP is to take advantage of the current 1Password sale in anticipation of the free upgrade path to 1Password 4 via the App Store.

Ironically, I plan on replacing the old MBP with a new MBP running Lion. But I am waiting to do so until I have sold the old MBP... So I am not interested in paying for a Lion upgrade when I will be buying a new MBP sooner than later.

Confused yet? The convoluted 1Password upgrade path now that Agile is moving to the App Store sure has confused me!
 
jlc1978

jlc1978

macrumors 603
Aug 14, 2009
5,471
4,253
Mojo1 said:
OK, as I understand it a Lion upgrade purchased from the App Store can be installed on every Mac that I own: correct?

So here is my situation: I have three Macs, one running Leopard, one running Snow leopard and a new MBP that came with Lion installed. Is there a way for me to use the Lion installation that came with my new MBP to upgrade the old MBP?

The only reason that I am considering upgrading the old MBP is to take advantage of the current 1Password sale in anticipation of the free upgrade path to 1Password 4 via the App Store.

Ironically, I plan on replacing the old MBP with a new MBP running Lion. But I am waiting to do so until I have sold the old MBP... So I am not interested in paying for a Lion upgrade when I will be buying a new MBP sooner than later.

Confused yet? The convoluted 1Password upgrade path now that Agile is moving to the App Store sure has confused me!
Click to expand...

Yes, you can, but it's a bit convoluted. You need to remove the HDD from the Mac you want to upgrade, attach it as an external drive to the MBP with Lion, and then install Lion on the external disk. Lather, rise, repeat for other Macs.

Quite frankly, unless you already have the required hardware to connect the drive or want to pull drives from your new MBP and do a fresh install buying Lion is a lot less of a hassle.
 
M

Mojo1

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 26, 2011
1,244
21
So there is no way to move the Lion installer to an external drive? How about connecting the two MBPs via Firewire?

Frankly, I have yet to wrap my mind around the lack of an OS installer DVD... :eek:

As it turns out, this has become a non-issue for me since I posted my question. Agile just responded on the 1Password forum that all I need to do is sign-in on the new MBP with my Apple ID and I will be able to install 1Password on my wife's new MBP.

So I'm going to wait until we get a new MBP.
 
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T

thundersteele

macrumors 68030
Oct 19, 2011
2,984
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Switzerland
You are not allowed to do it.

If you obtained OSX Lion preinstalled with your macbook, then you just own a single machine license. You are not allowed to install this copy of OSX Lion on another apple computer that you own.

If you purchase OSX Lion separately, then you get a difference license that allows you to download, install and run OSX Lion on all apple computers that you own or control.

The license agreement is available in the app store.
 
M

Mojo1

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 26, 2011
1,244
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Well, that's certainly confusing... Sometimes an Apple app license is for one machine; other times it is OK to use on all my Macs. Same app, just purchased differently...
 
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thundersteele

macrumors 68030
Oct 19, 2011
2,984
9
Switzerland
Mojo1 said:
Well, that's certainly confusing... Sometimes an Apple app license is for one machine; other times it is OK to use on all my Macs. Same app, just purchased differently...
Click to expand...

Well, apple could also go the microsoft way and call one version "Lion home premium" and one version "Lion professional." That would be equally confusing (actually I find it much more confusing).

I wasn't aware of this either, until I looked it up earlier.

You can look at it from the app store perspective. If you search for OSX Lion on your Lion machine, it says "installed", but it does not appear in the "purchased" list. So you can't use the app store to install it on another macbook. The best approach to deal with apple products probably is to look at it from the dumb user perspective: If there's no easy way to do something, then you're not supposed to do it.
 
M

Mojo1

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 26, 2011
1,244
21
thundersteele said:
Well, apple could also go the microsoft way and call one version "Lion home premium" and one version "Lion professional." That would be equally confusing (actually I find it much more confusing).
Click to expand...

I won't argue with that! ;) As a long-time Mac user I am still getting accustomed to how the App Store works, not to mention how third-party developers are dealing with it. The main thing that I am concerned about is the potential demise of "try before you buy" software.

The best approach to deal with apple products probably is to look at it from the dumb user perspective: If there's no easy way to do something, then you're not supposed to do it.
Click to expand...

I have always taken the approach that if I think it should be possible, it probably is and someone has figured out how to do it: developed a workaround or written a software program. But sometimes Apple makes sure it is going to be Apple's way, or the highway... :D

I hope that something is done to fix the auto-save "feature" in Lion and I don't care who does it!
 
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