I'd like to get a MBP soon, but was wondering how much of an advantage it would be if I bought it with Snow Leopard pre-installed. I know I can buy SL for $10 if I buy a MBP now, which is a minimal difference. Doesn't it also take up more harddrive space if I have to install a brand new OS?
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Buying a MBP with Snow Leopard pre-installed?
- Thread starter SephirothXR
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Doesn't it still have to go onto the computer harddrive? I don't know if I want to wait an entire 60 days just to have it come pre-installed because I know that SL will be a huge improvement and whatnot. Might as well wait for Arrandle if I'm going to wait 2 months for a simple OS, which I probably won't, but I'd like to get my iTunes and media onto my MBP before I start college.
It'll end up taking up about the same amount anyway--it doesn't leave the old Leopard OS files behind, it overwrites them.
Um, it's really 90 days. SL is not being released until the end of September. You will gain hard drive space as it has a smaller footprint. Just pay the $10.00 for the upgrade. Buy your Macbook Pro now.
If it indeeds overwrites them, then I'm fine with that. I'm sure it won't delete my harddrive, but does it do anything else? Like when my Acer laptop crashed and Microsoft sent me a replacement disc for Vista SP2, it put all my old files in a folder name "Windows.old". Will SL just stay normal or put all my files in some folder?
And as a side question, this replacement disc that I have from Microsoft, I was hoping to use this as a 2nd OS to my MBP seeing as how I don't want to pay money for Windows 7. I've already used it on my laptop, will I be able to use it again?
You waiting for Snow Leopard will only save you a few bucks so unless it's that important, then save but otherwise just pull the trigger now. I doubt that there will be hardware changes towards before the Snow Leopard intro.
I'll talk it over with my parents then, this is definitely the laptop that I'll want, but the main part is getting a Windows OS on here somehow. I might buy it from my university if they happen to give it for a cheaper price, otherwise I won't be using Windows all that often so having Vista SP2 won't be a big deal.
Why do you highly doubt it? It's not unlikely that they bump their processor speeds, especially after the back-to-school promotion ends.
Does anyone know if I can install a "Microsoft Vista SP 2" disc as many times as I want? I have it from when my laptop crashed, and this would be perfect it I could use it for my bootcamp Windows version even though Windows 7 would be better. If this is indeed possible, can I just upgrade that OS to Windows 7 (buying the upgrade instead of the actual disc) while it's on the MBP?
Hy,
As far as I remember, the "many times" is 2. If you try to activate more than 2 times, you need to do the process over the phone. And yes, you can buy the upgrade version, having in mind you have a valid Windows Vista copy.
Microsoft is pre-ordering now Windows 7 for 50% of the price, for a "short" period of time, please, go to Microsoft Web site.
Thats not going to happen. Apple wouldnt update the MB/MBPs 4-5 months after the huge spec update and price drop that just occurred.
You could wait until SL, but at which point you will probably then want to wait for some other new development that may or may not happen soon.
If you are in need of a new notebook now, but it now. You will get instant benefits.
If you are in a position where waiting 90 days or so, doesn't make any difference, then wait.
Technology is always progressing, and at some point you will need to make a purchase. You should make the decisions on what product to buy at the time you want to buy the product. Looking at what is in development will just make you want to wait.
If you think back to the launch of Leopard, it was only about 8 months later that SL was announced, so we are likely to hear about what the follow up to SL will be at around April / May 2010.
In terms of HD footprint, it was make clear during WWDC, that installing SL over Leopard gives you back approx 6 Gigs. There will be no difference in a system pre-installed with SL and one that is an upgrade. If you are worried about any leopard files being carried over, you can back up your data and settings, and do a completely clean install, then restore your files and data.
Regards,
Phil
If you are in need of a new notebook now, but it now. You will get instant benefits.
If you are in a position where waiting 90 days or so, doesn't make any difference, then wait.
Technology is always progressing, and at some point you will need to make a purchase. You should make the decisions on what product to buy at the time you want to buy the product. Looking at what is in development will just make you want to wait.
If you think back to the launch of Leopard, it was only about 8 months later that SL was announced, so we are likely to hear about what the follow up to SL will be at around April / May 2010.
In terms of HD footprint, it was make clear during WWDC, that installing SL over Leopard gives you back approx 6 Gigs. There will be no difference in a system pre-installed with SL and one that is an upgrade. If you are worried about any leopard files being carried over, you can back up your data and settings, and do a completely clean install, then restore your files and data.
Regards,
Phil
I must have missed something, but the recent spec update wasn't that huge. Faster processors, SD replacing Expresscard, embedded battery and improved display. (plus adding most Pro features to the 13"). The general design concept stays the same.
I do agree however that the next major refresh (i.e. change of actual design, Arrendale, etc) until at least mid-2010.
Phil
I think it depends on whether it is a retail or OEM disk and which country the version was built for as MS have different licencing arrangements in different countries. In the UK, it is 1 machine!
Also, if this is an OEM designed specifically for one laptop, it may not be possible to install on another machine at all. The best solution is to buy a new OEM version (you can generally buy from retailers when purchasing any PC hardware (such as a single DIMM memory module).
Phil
The advantages of buying a machine w/ SL are that 1) you don't have to bother with doing a clean install and 2) the odds that Apple will could update some of models alongside SL.
It's just better if you want the best experience. Too many times people blindly install the new OS over the old one and then end up with problems which stem from installing haxies to change the look of the Dock and other crap on the computer that corrupts the install.
The advantages of buying now are:
1) You get your computer now, instead of in October
2) Even if you buy on SL comes out, it might not be preinstalled, and so you'd have to do a clean install anyway
You don't
Some people prefer it, but it is not necessary unless you have a compelling reason for it
Woof, Woof - Dawg
I am new to macs and all this, what exactly are haxies?
Doing a "clean install" would require me to back up my data, but when I plugged in my WD Passport to use Time Machine, it prompted me to format.
If I were to do a clean install, how do I back up my data without having to format my external HD?
You don't
Some people prefer it, but it is not necessary unless you have a compelling reason for it
Woof, Woof - Dawg
Let's say you recently bought a MBP and it is pretty much un-altered from the day you started using it..is there a "compelling" reason to do a clean install?
I just get confused with both sides of the camp advocating one or the other without any clear evidence that a clean install would yield a "better experience."
It doesn't matter if you're going to do a clean install or not, back up you data anyway. You don't have to format anything just because you get a window with a message to do so. Don't let software rule you
.Click Time Machine icon in the menu holding down Option Key. You'll get see a "Browse Other Time Machine Disks" option, which will allow you to access your old backups. You'll have to make a new backup for a new install, however.