Any guesses?...

[roland.g]

Any guesses on when I could expect to be able to order a BTO iMac (27" i5 2.7 with SSD + HDD) and have Lion come on it pre-installed? Even though it is a BTO, I suspect that they still have shelves of SSDs with SL pre-imaged on the drives. I don't want a up-to-date code to upgrade the OS. I would prefer Lion out of the box.

A week? Two, or even three?

 

[admanimal]

Today.

 

[roland.g]

^ And you base this on?...

 

[bumzo1]

you can get it today. especially if its a BTO Apple is going to make sure it has Lion on it, they aren't just going to give you SL because its easier for them.

 

[roland.g]

Don't count it. Like I said they have shelves of drives, not bare drives, but OS imaged drives that go into machines. They just get grabbed during the build process. They are not going to re-image those drives. They will use them up and then image new batches with Lion. I was just trying to gauge how long it would be before they would start pumping out the newly imaged drives.

I know that anything in distribution channels and at B&M stores are SL with redemption codes or up-to-date eligibility, but even new iMacs, MBPs, and MPs ordered BTO, or stock from Apple.com will have SL for a period of time. One would think the BTOs might get Lion sooner because of the nature of being a BTO, but the only machines guaranteed to ship with Lion on it were the newly introduced MacBook Airs and Minis.

 

[igoodso]

You ask apple advisors 1 says it will be pre installed with lion and 1 says snow leopard


Someone must know what the factory is shipping ??

 

[lee14160]

Don't count it. Like I said they have shelves of drives, not bare drives, but OS imaged drives that go into machines. They just get grabbed during the build process. They are not going to re-image those drives. They will use them up and then image new batches with Lion. I was just trying to gauge how long it would be before they would start pumping out the newly imaged drives.

I know that anything in distribution channels and at B&M stores are SL with redemption codes or up-to-date eligibility, but even new iMacs, MBPs, and MPs ordered BTO, or stock from Apple.com will have SL for a period of time. One would think the BTOs might get Lion sooner because of the nature of being a BTO, but the only machines guaranteed to ship with Lion on it were the newly introduced MacBook Airs and Minis.

If you already know the answer, then why ask the question?

 

[0007776]

BTO is going to have Lion on it now. If it was one sitting on a shelf then it may not, but a BTO will.

 

[Icaras]

I'm hoping you're right, as I ordered a BTO iMac on Wednesday and got the SSD, so I'm hoping it has Lion preinstalled off the bat. I'll soon find out on Wednesday when I get it.

 

[roland.g]

I'm hoping you're right, as I ordered a BTO iMac on Wednesday and got the SSD, so I'm hoping it has Lion preinstalled off the bat. I'll soon find out on Wednesday when I get it.

Let us know which arrives.

 

[dgr]

Don't count it. Like I said they have shelves of drives, not bare drives, but OS imaged drives that go into machines. They just get grabbed during the build process. They are not going to re-image those drives. They will use them up and then image new batches with Lion. I was just trying to gauge how long it would be before they would start pumping out the newly imaged drives.

Why can't they re-image them? This is even assuming these pre-imaged drives exist.

 

[OptyCT]

So you'd rather wait 3 weeks for a pre-installed Lion iMac, than getting an iMac today that may or may not have Snow Leopard on it? FWIW, the "up to date" Lion upgrade was easy. From start to finish, obtaining the code and downloading/installing Lion took less than an hour on my iMac (and that was on launch day). One hour waiting > 3 weeks.

 

[roland.g]

So you'd rather wait 3 weeks for a pre-installed Lion iMac, than getting an iMac today that may or may not have Snow Leopard on it? FWIW, the "up to date" Lion upgrade was easy. From start to finish, obtaining the code and downloading/installing Lion took less than an hour on my iMac (and that was on launch day). One hour waiting > 3 weeks.

1. I understand the up-to-date may be easy but I prefer a clean install when installing a new OS version, so to me it seems silly to get a brand new machine to then upgrade the OS right out of the box.

2. Added to which I would prefer not to write over the OS on a brand new SSD. Seems like an unnecessary waste when it comes to the SSD and such a large block of data.

3. I have an iMac and while I am ready to upgrade, an extra week or two isn't a big deal. I'm still cleaning up my files to prepare to migrate.

All that said I would like to order it somewhat soon.

 

[paulrbeers]

Do remember, that Lion has been in Gold Master for a couple weeks prior to launch. You would think a company like Apple would know how many drives of each type they go thru in X amount of days and already be queuing up drives prior to the Lion Launch.

For example (not actual numbers), Apple knows it goes thru 10,000 1TB drives for iMac's per day, and they carry 50,000 1TB drives w/ OS pre-installed worth of drives on the production line, therefore at 5 days prior to launch they start "queuing" up Lion based drives.

 

[Ubuntu]

Any guesses on when I could expect to be able to order a BTO iMac (27" i5 2.7 with SSD + HDD) and have Lion come on it pre-installed? Even though it is a BTO, I suspect that they still have shelves of SSDs with SL pre-imaged on the drives. I don't want a up-to-date code to upgrade the OS. I would prefer Lion out of the box.

A week? Two, or even three?

Does it not say in the system details when you order it? Mine said Snow Leopard OS, for example.

 

[roland.g]

Does it not say in the system details when you order it? Mine said Snow Leopard OS, for example.

All the Macs say Lion now. But that could mean pre-installed or redemption code if not. I won't say specifically for each machine. They don't know. They just give you the upgrade free if your machine was built with SL on it.

EDIT: I talked to someone at 1-800-MY-APPLE who confirmed that even SSD + HDD custom configured iMacs were still shipping with SL until stock of SL imaged drives were used. They expected SSD machines to ship within 1-2 weeks with Lion pre-installed. At this time only newly updated Mac Minis and Airs have Lion on them from the get go.

 

[Icaras]

All the Macs say Lion now. But that could mean pre-installed or redemption code if not. I won't say specifically for each machine. They don't know. They just give you the upgrade free if your machine was built with SL on it.

EDIT: I talked to someone at 1-800-MY-APPLE who confirmed that even SSD + HDD custom configured iMacs were still shipping with SL until stock of SL imaged drives were used. They expected SSD machines to ship within 1-2 weeks with Lion pre-installed. At this time only newly updated Mac Minis and Airs have Lion on them from the get go.

That makes sense, but i'll chime back in when I get my machine. I want a clean slate of Lion for the very same reason as you do.