This should address most of the SL questions
Okay, I can see by some of the repeating questions that many people here are new Mac users and don't completely understand how Snow Leopard will work out for everyone in terms of which one to buy. The process has been the same for every new release of the Mac OS. Here are a list Q&A's that should address everything, I hope.
Q. What is Snow Leopard?
A. It's Apple's latest upcoming next generation Mac OS X operating system stripped of the old PowerPC code and designed to be installed and used on Intel Based Mac computers only.
Q. When will Snow Leopard be released to the public?
A. Snow Leopard's target date looks to be September 25th.
Q. How much will Snow Leopard cost me?
A. U.S. prices are currently $9.95 (upgrade disc) for anyone who buys a new Mac from June 8th 2009-December 26th 2009 and $29 (upgrade disc) for current Leopard users, however a boxed set with the (non upgrade disc) has yet to be announced in terms of pricing.
Q. Why are there so many versions of Snow Leopard, is this like Vista Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate?
A. Snow Leopard ships in only one version with different pricing however depending on the purchase date and/or the configuration of your computer you may qualify for the cheapest price.
Q. I have a PowerMac G3/G4/G5, an iBook, a Powerbook, a white iMac G5 and a Mac mini G4. Can I install Snow Leopard on any of them?
A. No. Snow Leopard will only install on Intel Based Macs released since 2006.
Q. I just bought a new Macbook Pro and I qualify for the up-to-date program for Snow Leopard. If I swap my hard drive for a larger one or an SSD can I use my SL up-to-date (upgrade) disc to install the OS?
A. No. You cannot use your upgrade disc to install SL on an empty drive. You must use your included Leopard restore disc to install Leopard first, then pop in your SL disc and install Snow Leopard.
Q. I currently have an Intel Based Mac with Leopard installed. I want to run a clean install of Snow Leopard. Will I have to reformat my hard drive with Leopard first then install Snow Leopard?
A. No. Whether it's an upgrade DVD or boxed set DVD, Snow Leopard will allow a full reformat and install with Leopard pre-installed.
Q. Are the $9.95 and $29 Snow Leopard DVD's actually "upgrade" discs only?
A. No. Both prices include a full version of Mac OS X Snow Leopard. They are called upgrades because both will only install on Macs with OS X Leopard pre-installed. Each DVD will allow you to fully erase, format and install Snow Leopard once it checks for a pre-installed version of Leopard.
Q. Why would I want to buy the boxed set?
A. The boxed set will include a DVD of Snow Leopard that does not require you to have Leopard pre-installed. In fact you can install it on an empty hard drive. Also included will be the iLife suite.
Q. I bought a Macbook in May 2009, will I qualify for the up-to-date DVD?
A. No. You must purchase a new Mac from June 8th 2009-December 26th 2009.
Q. Will Snow Leopard work on my 2006 Macbook Pro?
A. Yes. Snow Leopard will install on any Intel Based Mac. Some features are only available due to your current graphics card and processor type.
Q. Are Mac OS X Tiger users left out in the cold?
A. No, however only the boxed set will work for Tiger users.
Q. When will Snow Leopard come pre-installed on new Macs?
A. Snow Leopard's released date is towards the end of September. It usually takes 1-2 months before new Macs will ship with it pre-installed.
Q. Can I install Snow Leopard on my Dell, HP, Alienware, Sager, Sony Vaio, MS Wind, any other non-Apple branded hardware or home built PC?
A. It's not supported and is against the End User License Agreement.