Downgrade unsupported Mac to Snow Leapord

The late 2011 MBP still can run Snow Leopard natively if you can get your hands on a retail copy of 10.6.8. I've also tested this on a mid-2011 iMac (it shipped with Lion).

You could try to restore a 10.6.8 Time Machine image to your late-2011 MBP?

 

What macbook Pro do you have? The following is valid for the 13" models with the HD3000 graphics. I know because I used this approach myself to skip Lion. It may not work for models with discrete graphics, but it probably will because the early and late 2011 models all use ATI 6XXX cards. I don't believe it will work with 2012 models, due to the HD4000 graphics being missing in Snow Leopard.

With that out of the way, you can install Snow Leopard by using the original install media from the early 2011 Macbook Pro. These discs are sometimes available from eBay. The minimum version that will install natively is 10.6.6, I believe, so the retail version of Snow Leopard (10.6.3) won't do the job. I know, I've tried...

However, depending on the model of your Mac Pro, you might be able to connect your Macbook Pro via Firewire Target mode and use a retail Snow Leopard install disc. For this to work, a standard Mac Pro graphics card earlier than the 5770/5870 (they need 10.6.4) must be installed. And no flashed PC cards, OK. If you were to try this, it's crucial that you leave your Macbook Pro in target disc mode after the install and update it to at least 10.6.6 before trying to boot it on its own.

Either way, before installing Snow Leopard, you'll need to erase and format the entire hard drive using Disk Utility while booted from the installer in order to remove the recovery partition.

As far as I know, these are the only two ways of ensuring a correctly installed, stable system. I really wouldn't advise mucking around with third-party stuff, cloning inappropriate systems where they're not wanted.

*EDIT* If you must try to clone your Mac Pro system using CCC, you might get away with it, but it must be 10.6.6 or later and you'll need to erase and format the entire Macbook Pro drive first via Target Disk mode.



----------

Unfortunately, Apple never released a 10.6.8 retail disc. The latest is the 10.6.3 version.

And I don't think restoring a Time Machine backup will work with Snow Leopard, as this requires you to boot from the DVD first. I believe the first version of Time Machine that was bootable was Lion. I could be wrong, though...

 

I did exactly this just over a year ago for the same reason
MBP late 2011 version 8,2 i7 quad 2.4 bought July 2012.

Came with Lion pre-installed.

Found a colleague who had a 10.6.7 ( minimum requirement ) install disk for
a slightly older MBP 13inch.

MBP would boot from the install disk, did a reformat and new install, then
updated to 10.6.8

Was not a problem once I had the DVD !!
My commercial copy of SL was 10.6.4 IIRC and would not boot, just made a
"peeping noise" when I tried.

Couldn't import system settings though, had to start from scratch on that one.

That was the only way I could make it happen, now I am on 10.8.5 anyway
and it seems to be fine, Lion had too many issues so I look at ML as a fix
of all that.

Good luck
M.

 

Internal needed reformat, had an old 10.5.8 drive from previous lappy so was able
To import settings I think & mail / internet stuff.
Wanted a fresh version so that's about all I did.
I don't think you can clone your 3.5 inch drive for use in lappy BUT you can
Do an import data on first run of the new lappy 10.6.xx
Apps & data should be ok??
Target disk mode via firewire IIRC
You MUST get hold of a copy of 10.6.7 minimum to make the downgrade work !!